What Happened
The Calgary Flames submitted their 23-man opening night roster on Monday and left off forward Aydar Suniev, who had led the team with four pre-season goals. The Flames instead kept Brennan Othmann, who would have had to clear waivers to be sent down; Suniev did not. General manager Craig Conroy said the choice came down to those two players and described the situation as an open competition.
Key Details
- Suniev led Calgary with four goals in the pre-season.
- Othmann would have required waivers to be demoted; Suniev would not.
- Conroy said the decision came down to Suniev and Othmann.
- Conroy said Suniev will likely be back with the Flames soon.
- Conroy said the situation could last a day or a week.
What It Means
Waiver eligibility shaped the final roster spot: keeping Othmann avoids risking him on the waiver wire, while Suniev can be assigned without that risk. Conroy framed the move as temporary, with Suniev expected to earn a promotion as Calgary evaluates its forward group.
What's Next
Suniev is expected to be promoted to the Flames in the near future, with Conroy saying the timing is a matter of when. Calgary continues to evaluate its forwards in what Conroy called an open competition.