The Calgary Flames have a higher chance of securing the top overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft than winning the Stanley Cup. The team has faced challenges in recent years, losing key players who have thrived elsewhere while struggling to exceed 35 wins. As they continue their rebuilding process in Alberta, the Flames are concentrating on developing young talent like Martin Pospisil.
One avenue for Pospisil’s growth is his potential participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, representing Slovakia. He was among the first players selected for the Slovak roster and recently competed at the World Championships. However, recent changes regarding the inclusion of KHL players in the Slovak National Team’s Olympic roster may impact his decision to participate.
In a translated interview, Pospisil expressed surprise at this development and acknowledged that he has not yet made a decision, indicating that the situation requires careful consideration. He stated, “I was surprised by the news, we’ll see how it all develops. It’s hard for me to comment on that, because I found out everything just a while ago. I have to process that information first. In the next few days, I will decide whether I will represent the team.”
As Pospisil deliberates, Slovakia is preparing to host a qualifying tournament for the Olympics, hoping to have their top players available. They will compete against Austria, Kazakhstan, and Hungary, with Slovakia being the clear favorite.
Pospisil, a former fourth-round draft pick, played his rookie NHL season with the Flames last year, tallying eight goals and 16 assists in 63 games. He also had a strong start in the AHL with six points in six games. The Flames are optimistic about his potential to become a significant scorer for the team, expecting to increase his ice time in 2024.
Flames Center Named Trade Target for Jets.
The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a successful season with 52 wins and 110 points. However, despite finishing second in the Central Division, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, marking another disappointing postseason exit. As they prepare for the 2024-2025 season, the team faces a gap in their lineup that needs to be filled.
With center Sean Monahan leaving in free agency, the Jets lack a reliable second-line center. They have some internal candidates, including promising young players Cole Perfetti and Brad Lambert, who they hope can step up and become top-six contributors.
However, it’s also possible that the Jets will look to the trade market to strengthen their forward lineup. In a recent article by Ken Wiebe from the Winnipeg Free Press, he mentioned Nazem Kadri as a potential trade target for the Jets.
Currently with the Calgary Flames, Kadri is a former first-round draft pick and Stanley Cup champion known for being a reliable two-way center. He has scored 30 goals twice and 20 goals four times, and he finished the 2023-2024 season with 75 points. Wiebe outlined several reasons why Kadri could be a good fit for the Jets.
“Kadri is about to enter the third season of the seven-year, $49 million USD contract he signed with the Calgary Flames in the summer of 2022. He would provide a longer-term solution compared to most previous deadline trades for centers. This is a player the Jets showed interest in before he was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Colorado Avalanche,” Wiebe noted.
He argues that the Jets could benefit from adding another center behind Mark Scheifele if they aim to replicate their successful 50-win season in 2024-2025. While Kadri’s age and contract may pose some risk, he would undoubtedly enhance the depth of a Jets team eager to compete once more.
Flames GM Already on Hot Seat.
The Calgary Flames find themselves in a challenging situation as an organization. A few years back, they lost star forward Johnny Gaudreau to free agency and traded another key player, Matthew Tkachuk. Now, the team is in a rebuilding phase under the leadership of general manager and former player Craig Conroy.
Conroy was appointed in May 2023 to succeed Brad Treliving. Prior to this, he held roles as a special assistant and assistant GM within the Flames organization, making him a strong candidate to lead the team into its next chapter.
However, just over a year into his tenure, confidence in Conroy may be wavering. The Flames finished the recent season with a record of 38-39-5. During this time, Conroy traded away veteran players with expiring contracts, including Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, and also moved goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who was seeking a trade.
With no standout superstars on the roster, the Flames are unlikely to rise from the bottom of the Western Conference in the near future. While MacKenzie Weegar provides stability on defense, he is not the type of player to build a team around, especially at 30 years old with only one season of over 50 points.
The same can be said for forwards Yegor Sharangovich, Nazem Kadri, and Jonathan Huberdeau. Although Kadri and Huberdeau have had solid careers, neither is considered a franchise cornerstone. Similarly, while Sharangovich had a breakout season last year, he should not be relied upon as the primary offensive threat.
One area where the Flames have made progress under Conroy is in building through the draft. They selected forward Samuel Honzek in the first round of the 2023 draft, adding a promising top-six player. In the most recent draft, they picked Zayn Parekh with the ninth overall selection, aiming to secure a defenseman for the future.
Unfortunately for Conroy, he may not be around to see these plans come to fruition, as the Flames are projected to struggle again in 2024. While this may not be an immediate concern, there is growing pressure on Conroy to demonstrate that his vision for the team will yield results before it becomes too late.
WWE, NHL Team Up for Championship Belt Collaboration.
## NHL and WWE Team Up for Unique Championship Belt Merchandise
Hockey and wrestling fans can now celebrate as the NHL and WWE have joined forces to release a one-of-a-kind merchandise collection. Coinciding with Fanatics Fest in New York City, WWE unveiled officially licensed team-specific championship belts for all 32 NHL clubs.
Each belt features a similar design, with a circular centerpiece showcasing the team’s primary logo against the backdrop of an NHL rink. The leather and design details follow the color scheme of the respective team. The side plates display the team’s secondary logo or wordmark, along with the NHL logo and Eastern/Western Conference logos depending on the team’s division.
“The glory of the NHL and the prestige of the WWE make for one great tag team,” said a spokesperson for the collaboration.
This marks the first time team-specific WWE championship belts have been made available for purchase. However, the NHL and WWE have collaborated on similar projects in the past. In recent years, each Stanley Cup-winning team has received a commemorative championship belt for their parade and celebration. The two leagues also worked together to design a special belt for the winner of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
The NHL belts are currently available for pre-sale on the WWE Shop website, with some teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks already nearing sellout status.
Fans eager to own a piece of this unique collaboration can visit WWEShop.com or NHLShop.com to secure their team’s championship belt. With the combination of NHL and WWE prestige, these belts are sure to be a hit among sports and entertainment enthusiasts alike.
Former Bruins Forward Eying NHL Comeback After Legal Troubles.
Former Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic has been training in New Jersey this summer as he aims for an NHL comeback, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.
Last offseason, Lucic signed a one-year, $1 million deal to return to the Bruins, the team where he spent the first eight years of his career and won the Stanley Cup in 2011. However, his return was short-lived, lasting only four games before he was arrested on November 18 on suspicion of assault and battery against his wife, Brittany. The charges were later dropped after Brittany chose not to testify, but Lucic remained on indefinite leave for the rest of the season.
In a statement from February, the Bruins confirmed, “Milan Lucic will remain on indefinite leave from the organization for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The Boston Bruins organization supports Milan and his family as he continues his personal rehabilitation.”
In April, TMZ reported that Brittany filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences” and listing November 17 as the date of separation, just one day before the alleged incident. She requested custody of their three children and spousal support, while also asking for supervised visitation for Lucic.
Lucic and Brittany were married on July 19, 2012.
At 36 years old, Lucic has played 1,177 regular-season games across stints with the Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames. He is particularly known for his time in Boston from 2007 to 2015, where he established himself as one of the league’s top power forwards.
After a single season with the Kings, Lucic signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with Edmonton, which quickly became burdensome. Following three seasons with the Oilers, he was traded to the rival Flames in exchange for James Neal, another player with a problematic contract. Lucic concluded his tenure in Calgary as a bottom-six forward, averaging around 20 points per season while maintaining his physical style of play.
Leave a Reply