Calgary Flames now have three players heading to World Championship
The Calgary Flames may not be in the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean all of their players’ seasons have come to an end.
In less than a month’s time, there will be three members of the Flames who are representing their respective countries at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
The tournament, which will take place in Switzerland, is set to begin on May 15 and will continue through May 31.
Here’s a look at the three members of the Flames who are officially confirmed to be suiting up at the annual event.
Devin Cooley (USA)
- 2025-26 stats: 31 GP, 2.69 GAA, .909 SV%
There wasn’t a better feel-good story for the Flames this season than Devin Cooley. Entering the 2025-26 campaign with just six NHL appearances under his belt, the 28-year-old was able to win the back-up role behind Dustin Wolf.
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images
Cooley excelled in a massive way, serving as one of the better backups in the entire NHL from a statistical standpoint. Getting the call to represent the U.S. on such a big stage is a nice and well-deserved recognition for the Flames goaltender.
Martin Pospisil (Slovakia)
- 2025-26 stats: 22 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS
The 2025-26 season was a frustrating one for Martin Pospisil, who wasn’t able to make his debut until late January after suffering an undisclosed injury in September. He struggled to get up to pace after missing such a lengthy period of time.
The one positive for Pospisil this season was that he was able to recover in time to represent Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He’ll have the opportunity to do so once again as he looks to make the most out of what was an overall frustrating 2025-26 campaign.
Olli Maatta (Finland)
- 2025-26 stats: 43 GP, 2 G, 13 A, 15 PTS
Olli Maatta is a good reminder of what a change of scenery can do for a player. The veteran blueliner struggled to get into the lineup with the Utah Mammoth, logging just 22 games before being sent to the Flames in a package for defenceman MacKenzie Weegar. Once traded, he seemed to really find his game.
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images
Though Maatta hasn’t been known to produce much offence throughout his career, he had an impressive two goals and 14 points in just 21 games with the Flames. That late-season showing clearly caught some eyes, as he will be heading to Switzerland to represent Finland.