Flames facing uncertain future with Yegor Sharangovich

While there were many reasons as to why the Calgary Flames finished the season with an underwhelming 38-39-5 record, Yegor Sharangovich wasn’t one of them.

Shortly after being promoted to general manager, Craig Conroy made a big splash, sending the Flames’ leading scorer from the season prior, Tyler Toffoli, to the New Jersey Devils. In exchange, he received Sharangovich and a 2023 third-round pick, which they used to select Aydar Suniev.

The trade was met with criticism by Flames fans at the time, as Sharangovich was coming off of an underwhelming season where he had 13 goals and 30 points in 75 games. He was even healthy scratched on more than one occasion, resulting in Flames fans questioning whether he was worth the cost paid to acquire him.

Any doubts surrounding the deal have been thrown out the door, as Sharangovich quickly proved a change of scenery was all that was needed to get his game back on track. His 31 goals led the Flames, while his 59 points topped his previous career high by 13. At just 25 years old, he seems to be a player that fits perfectly into the retooling stage the Flames are in, though whether or not he is around for the long haul remains to be seen.

Shortly after the trade was complete, the Flames and Sharangovich, who was an RFA at the time, agreed to a two-year, $6.2 million deal. As of now, he is set to become a UFA next summer.

Given how well both parties seemed to benefit from one another, an extension seemed to be a probable outcome. That all changed, however, when the skilled winger seemed hesitant about doing so during his end-of-season media availability.

“I think it’s a hard question,” Sharangovich said. “I don’t know. We’ll see.”

Yegor Sharangovich, on if he sees himself staying in Calgary beyond next season [he’s eligible for an extension this summer]:

“I think it’s a hard question. I don’t know. [pause] We’ll see.”#Flames https://t.co/ElvljwkMIf

— Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) April 19, 2024

This may have just been a case of a player not wanting to show his cards in hopes of maximizing his value on a potential contract, but the answer did leave some Flames fans feeling uneasy. It is definitely a situation to monitor heading into the summer, as Conroy may have to explore other options if Sharangovich continues to remain hesitant.

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