Article content

Jakob Pelletier will wait until Monday afternoon to find out if his future lies with the Calgary Flames or another NHL organization.

The Flames placed Pelletier, their 2019 first-round draft pick, on waivers on Sunday.

If released, the 23-year-old left winger will likely be assigned to the Wranglers of the AHL. However, he could be claimed by another team during the 24-hour exemption period, with results announced around 12pm MT on Monday.

Article content

Flames third-string netminder Devin Cooley and rising center Cole Schwindt were also on waivers Sunday. Depth defenseman Joel Hanley was not, indicating he will be one of eight blueliners on the initial 23-man roster.

While wingers Sam Honzek and Adam Klapka do not require waivers, it appears both will make the team.

“Of course you don’t want to count on waivers,” Pelletier said earlier this week. ‘I want to stay here. I like the team. I like the players. I like the staff. I want to be part of it. I want to be part of what’s coming here. I want to play in the new arena.

“But I think it’s up to me to force their hand to play with me every night and stay here.”

Pelletier’s future is a hot topic in Calgary, and there will certainly be criticism Sunday over general manager Craig Conroy’s decision to grant the popular candidate an exemption.

Pelletier’s speed, draft pedigree and reputation as a ball of energy and fountain of positivity could appeal to another NHL organization. His contract has a maximum amount of $800,000, which won’t deter anyone.

Article content

Article content

However, he struggled to make an impact in five preseason games this fall, so other teams may decide he wouldn’t be an upgrade to their current pieces.

Pelletier has scored a total of four goals and 10 points in 37 career games at the NHL level. He was limited to just thirteen games during the 2023-24 season due to a pair of shoulder injuries and was passed on the forward depth chart by fellow youngsters Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil and now Klapka and Honzek.

The ‘should be’ spark plug qualifies for exemption for the first time.

Pelletier was held off the scoresheet in his five practice appearances – including a pair of twirls with familiar shutdown duo Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman – and Flames coach Ryan Huska has acknowledged he wanted to see more consistency from No. 22.

“We need to see the pace of him, where he encourages an opponent or defender to make mistakes. It uses its speed to its advantage to create problems for people,” Huska explained on Friday. “We need to see that consistently from him. That is a real part of the role he will have to play. There’s a bit of energy in his role.

Article content

“He has to be a guy who is responsible, even away from the puck. He got the chance to play a few matches with Mikael and Blake because that’s what we see in him, the kind of qualities we think he can fit into that role. So it does it consistently, and I think that’s probably the most important thing you can say for most of the younger players trying to crack the lineup.

Cooley was signed as a free agent over the summer and was impressive in his first camp with the Flames. The 27-year-old posted a .929 save percentage in 100 minutes of exhibition work, though he remains behind Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf on the netminding depth chart.

Schwindt had one assist and a plus-3 rating in four fall tune-ups. The 23-year-old has seven nights of NHL experience.

Sunday’s trades would indicate that Matt Coronato will also be among Monday’s final cuts. The 21-year-old right winger does not need waivers. Coronato was second on the team in pre-season with five points, behind only Honzek, but he did all that damage in his first two appearances.

[email protected]

Article content