Flames roster is officially set for the 2023-24 season

There were plenty of difficult decisions to be made, but the Calgary Flames have their roster set for the upcoming season.

While many players on this roster were a lock heading into training camp, there were spots up for grabs, particularly up front. Players up front who were on the bubble that have made the final cut include Adam Ruzicka, Matt Coronato, and Dryden Hunt. AJ Greer, who was claimed off of waivers yesterday, will also be on the opening night roster.

Of the names listed, Coronato is the one Flames fans will be most excited about. The 13th overall pick from the 2021 draft had a great showing offensively in the preseason and should provide some much-needed secondary scoring for this team. As for the biggest surprise, that goes to Hunt, who was acquired by the Flames at last season’s trade deadline but spent the remainder of the year in the AHL.

On the back end, Dennis Gilbert is the only player who wasn’t a lock but earned himself a spot. The 26-year-old had an opportunity to earn a spot with Oliver Kylington unavailable and beat out Ilya Solovyov in order to do so. He will be the Flames’ seventh defencemen to begin the year but may be called upon when they need a physical presence in the lineup.

Looking at the Flames’ lineup shows you that, on paper, they have a very talented team. Assuming players such as Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and Jacob Markstrom can bounce back this season, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic that this team can get back into the playoffs. It won’t be an easy feat given that their division has some extremely tough opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and LA Kings, but if the Flames play at the level they are capable, they should be able to compete.

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