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Flames make puzzling roster decision as they welcome back Huberdeau

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Oct 17 2025, 8:40 pm
Flames make puzzling roster decision as they welcome back Huberdeau
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau is back to full health and will make his season debut on Saturday.

That is fantastic news for the Flames, who have scored just nine goals through their first five games of the 2025-26 campaign. Huberdeau, who finished second in team scoring with 28 goals and 62 points a season ago, should be able to provide plenty of support when it comes to putting the puck in the net.

While Flames fans are very excited to see Huberdeau return, many aren’t happy with who was taken off the roster to make room for him.

Rather than electing to place defenceman Daniil Miromanov on waivers, the Flames instead re-assigned 19-year-old Matvei Gridin to the Calgary Wranglers. This decision means that, at least for the time being, they will continue to keep eight defencemen on their roster.

Though he wasn’t expected to crack the roster in what is his first season of professional hockey, Gridin gave the Flames’ coaching staff no other option thanks to his phenomenal play in the preseason. Through four regular-season games, he managed a goal while averaging just under 15 minutes in ice time.

Sending Gridin to the AHL is by no means a bad decision. While he is a very promising prospect, it won’t hurt him in any way to get some reps in with the Wranglers as he attempts to get more comfortable with the pro-styled game. He’s also bound to see a ton of ice time, which will help both his confidence and development.

What makes it so confusing, however, is the fact that Miromanov remains on the roster. He’s played in just one of five games this season, a game in which he made countless mistakes, the biggest of which resulted in Vegas Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel scoring a game-winning goal earlier this week.

After dressing for just 44 games a season ago, it’s tough to put a finger on why the organization continues to feel the 28-year-old, right-shot defenceman is worthy of an NHL roster spot.

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