5 middle-six centres the Flames could target in free agency

After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, it remains somewhat of a mystery as to what changes the Calgary Flames may make this summer.

General manager Craig Conroy has made it clear that he isn’t interested in going through a full rebuild. Instead, his goal is to retool his roster on the fly.

He has already made some deals to help in that process, perhaps most notably last season when he acquired Yegor Sharangovich from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Tyler Toffoli.

While the Flames may look to pull off another big trade like that this summer, they could also look to fill some holes on their roster via free agency. Given where they are in their retooling, they would likely prefer signing cheaper deals in the short term. Here are a few forwards that line up with that descriptor and could be pursued by Conroy.

Sam Steel

2023-24 stats: 77 GP, 9 G, 15 A, 24 PTS

Last contract: $850,000 AAV

One area the Flames are lacking in right now is centre-ice talent. Not only do they not have a ton of it on their current roster, but there isn’t much there in terms of prospects, either.

An inexpensive option they could consider is Sam Steel. The 26-year-old has a high skillset, proven by his selection in the first round of the 2016 draft, but he has struggled to produce big numbers in the NHL throughout his 339-game career.

To Steel’s credit, he has adapted his game well, as he was a solid fourth-line centreman for the Dallas Stars this past season. Though he is an RFA, the Stars have several other pending free agents to re-sign, which many believe could result in them letting Steel walk.

Jack Roslovic

2023-24 stats: 59 GP, 9 G, 22 A, 31 PTS

Last contract: $4 million AAV

Another relatively young centreman set to hit free agency this summer is Jack Roslovic. The 27-year-old split the 2023-24 campaign between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers, where he, as he has done throughout his career, showed flashes of offensive potential but never put it all together on a consistent basis.

Roslovic can play both centre and wing, which would make him a versatile option for head coach Ryan Huska. While he would cost more than Steel, the Flames look like they’ll have plenty of cap space this summer, making him an intriguing option.

Tyson Jost

2023-24 stats: 43 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS

Last contract: $2 million AAV

The third and final pick for the relatively young option who could still have some potential is Tyson Jost. The 26-year-old centreman entered the NHL with a ton of hype, having been selected 10th overall in 2016. To this point, however, things haven’t panned out, to the point that he even spent a portion of the 2023-24 season in the AHL.

Out of these first three players mentioned, Jost holds the least appeal. However, with the Flames nowhere close to competing for a Stanley Cup at this point in time, giving him a cheap, one-year deal holds essentially zero risk. At worst, he’s a stop-gap option while the Flames look to improve upon their centre position later this month at the draft.

Tyler Johnson

2023-24 stats: 67 GP, 17 G, 14 A, 31 PTS

Last contract: $5 million AAV

If the Flames would prefer a veteran option instead, Tyler Johnson is an interesting name. The 33-year-old is no longer the player he once was, but he can still put up solid secondary options and, at this point in his career, would come cheap.

Johnson’s biggest value to the Flames is that he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Having a player like that around would be highly beneficial for the younger pieces on this current roster.

Sean Monahan

2023-24 stats: 83 GP, 26 G, 59 PTS

Last contract: $1.985 million AAV

Now for one a bit more fun. The chances of the Flames bringing Sean Monahan are slim, though it has been discussed in recent months. After some injury troubles resulted in him being traded out of Calgary after the 2022 season, he has rebounded nicely and should have plenty of interest in free agency.

Given that Monahan has yet to win a Stanley Cup, he may elect to sign with a contender. That said, he has strong ties to Calgary and would serve as a great mentor in the dressing room. At the very least, he’s a player worth checking in on for Conroy.

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