Calgary Flames re-sign veteran defenceman to cheap two-year contract
The Calgary Flames are continuing to bring back depth pieces to kick off free agency day.
Following the signing of Kevin Bahl and Clark Bishop over the last few days, the Flames have also brought back defenceman Joel Hanley on a cheap two-year contract that carries a cap hit of $1.75 million.
Calgary made the announcement just hours before the free agent market is set to open.
NACHO IS BACK!
Joel Hanley has signed a two-year extension with an AAV of $1.75 million! pic.twitter.com/LpBB57lBNW
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 1, 2025
The 34-year-old appeared in 52 games with the Flames last season, notching two goals and nine points in the process. He isn’t the most entertaining of players on the Flames, but he remains a steady veteran presence on a team full of young talent.
This coming season will be his second full season with the club after being claimed off waivers from the Dallas Stars back in March of 2024.
With Hanley now locked up, the Flames are still flush with cap space. They will have over $18 million to play with when the market opens, with just a few low-cost RFAs to lock up in Connor Zary, Sam Morton, Morgan Frost, and Rory Kerins.
Though it’s a lot of space to play around with, there is no guarantee that the Flames make a big splash. The free agent market has shrunk significantly in the days leading up to now, and there is no urgency for the Flames to take a massive step next season.
There has been speculation that a trade involving Rasmus Andersson is being worked on, so that might be the biggest piece of news out of Calgary, if anything.
Though it would be unwise to predict that on a day like free agent frenzy. We’ll have to wait and see what GM Craig Conroy has planned.