Flames trade for Nemec, Middleton to bolster defense

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts in September. Today, the Calgary Flames:

2025-26 season: 34-39-9, seventh in Pacific Division; did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Simon Nemec, D: The 22-year-old was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on June 23, along with forward Maxim Tsyplakov for conditional first-round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft and 2028 NHL Draft, a 2nd-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and defenseman Etienne Morin. Nemec, who signed a five-year contract on July 6, had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 68 games last season. … Maxim Tsyplakov, F: The 27-year-old had four points (two goals, two assists) in 49 games with the Devils and New York Islanders last season. He had a goal and assist in 22 games with New Jersey after he was acquired in a trade on Jan. 27. … Jake Middleton, D: The 30-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on July 2 along with a third-round pick in 2027, a fourth-round pick in 2028 and a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft for forward Blake Coleman and defenseman Olli Maatta. Middleton had 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 75 regular-season games last season and an assist in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He led the Wild with 76 penalty minutes.

Key departures

Blake Coleman, F: The 34-year-old, who was traded to the Wild on July 2, had 35 points (20 goals, 15 assists) in 69 games last season. He played the past five seasons for the Flames. … Olli Maatta, D: Also traded to the Wild on July 2, the 31-year-old had 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 21 games last season after acquired from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman MacKenzie Weegar on Mar. 4. Maatta had one assist in 22 games for the Mammoth prior to the trade. … Ryan Lomberg, F: The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 1. He had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 57 games last season. … Viktor Arvidsson, F: The 30-year-old had 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 78  games for the Flames and Colorado Avalanche last season, including six points (two goals, four assists) in 18 games with Vegas after he was acquired in a trade on March 6.

On the cusp

Aydar Suniev, F: The 21-year-old had 24 points (16 goals, eight assists) in 57 games with the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League last season and one assist in six games with the Flames. Selected in the third round (No. 80) of the 2023 NHL Draft, Suniev is expected to challenge for a roster spot this season. ... Jonathan Castagna, F: Acquired in a trade with Utah on March 4, the 21-year-old signed a three-year entry-level contract with Calgary on March 30. He spent the past three years at Cornell University and had 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 34 games last season. Castagna will be attending his first pro training camp this season, which will give Calgary a good read on how close he is to making the NHL roster. ... Tyson Gross, F: The 23-year-old played six games with the Flames last season after the conclusion of his third season at St. Cloud State, in which he had 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) in 36 games. Signed as an undrafted free agent on March 12, he scored his first NHL goal in his third game with the Flames; a 3-1 loss at the Avalanche on April 9 and is expected to get a good look during training camp where he could compete for a roster spot.

What they still need

Another offensive forward. Calgary was the lowest-scoring team in the NHL last season averaging 2.54 goals per game. They lost a 20-goal scorer in Coleman, which will need to be made up somehow. The Flames are hoping Jonathan Huberdeau can return and have a strong season after undergoing hip surgery in March and that they get more out of Matt Coronato, Yegor Sharangovich and Joel Farabee this season, but could use another veteran forward to chip in offensively. 

They said it

"The one thing we talked about is giving those younger guys the minutes that Coleman won't be getting now and the situations because he played power play and penalty kill and even strength. So, someone's going to get those minutes and that's what it's all about, giving opportunity to young guys to see if they can do it and hopefully they all can. I know they're going to be hungry to steal that ice time, too." -- Blue Jackets general manager Craig Conroy

EDGE stat to watch

Calgary finished in the NHL's bottom three in 20-plus mph speed bursts (1,180; 32nd), max skating speed (22.87 mph; 31st), midrange goals (58; 32nd) and high-danger goals (108; 30th). But, per NHL EDGE IQ, the Flames ranked 10th in goals off the rush (87; goals that come within five seconds of crossing offensive blue line), led by forwards Joel Farabee (13), Morgan Frost (10) and Coronato (nine). Coronato was in the 85th percentile or higher at the position in total skating distance (214.11 miles), midrange shots on goal (84), long-range shots on goal (21) and midrange goals (eight) last season. -- Troy Perlowitz

Fantasy spin

With goalie Dustin Wolf and defensemen Zayne Parekh and Simon Nemec, the Flames are the only NHL team with two defensemen and a goalie among the top 75 of the fantasy keeper and dynasty league rankings which are the top 25-and-younger players for long-term formats. Wolf is tied for 12th in the NHL in wins (52) over the past two seasons, and Parekh (ninth pick in 2024 NHL Draft) and Nemec (second pick in 2022 NHL Draft) are breakout candidates who can take on expanded roles after MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth) and Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights) were traded last season. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Matvei Gridin -- Morgan Frost -- Matt Coronato 

Connor Zary -- Mikael Backlund -- Joel Farabee 

Jonathan Huberdeau -- Ryan Strome -- Yegor Sharangovich 

Maxim Tsyplakov -- Martin Pospisil -- Adam Klapka 

Kevin Bahl -- Zach Whitecloud 

Jacob Middleton -- Simon Nemec 

Yan Kuznetsov -- Zayne Parekh 

Dustin Wolf 

Devin Cooley