Latest news with #Coronato
Calgary Herald
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Emergence of two righties provides hope on wing
The most encouraging storyline of the 2024-25 season for the Calgary Flames was the emergence of Dustin Wolf. Article content Article content You need a stud goalie if you're going to win in the NHL and the Flames look like they've got one. Put a checkmark next to that box. Article content Is it possible, though, that two right-handed wingers breaking through would be the second-biggest development? Article content Only a year ago, the — completely correct — consensus was the Flames were severely lacking on the right. There were times late in the 2023-24 season when Andrei Kuzmenko was the only right-handed forward playing on a nightly basis for the team. Article content Article content Here is what my colleague Wes Gilbertson wrote when he broke down the Flames' depth chart on the wing around this time last year. Article content Article content 'He could have company in Matt Coronato, who seems ready for a full-time gig. There is opportunity, too, for the towering Adam Klapka.' Article content Twelve months later, those words seem prescient. Article content A big part of the Flames' retool is developing youth at every position and there might not be a spot on the ice where the Flames are further ahead in doing that than right wing — other than between the pipes. Article content Coronato not only proved he was ready for a full-time gig this season, he was an offensive driver who showed real star potential. In his first full NHL season, the 22-year-old was third in team scoring with 47 points, including 24 goals. Article content Article content And it felt like he was only scratching the surface of what he can do as an NHLer. Selected 13th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Coronato was rewarded with a seven-year contract that will pay him $6.5 million US annually, securing his place as a core piece of the Flames' future. Article content Article content 'I think now he kind of knows what he needs to do, how to score, where he needs to go on the ice, find those quiet areas, when to leave the zone early to maybe get some chances off the rush,' Flames GM Craig Conroy told Postmedia after the signing. 'And he's only going to get more and more comfortable with that. And as he does, as an organization, we're hoping the (goal) totals go up too.' Article content If there were question marks around Coronato last spring, they revolved entirely around how long it might take him to fully find his feet at the NHL level. Fortunately for the Flames, he appears to be a quick learner.
National Post
04-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
With one deal done, what's next for Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy to do?
Shortly after Saturday's announcement that right-winger Matt Coronato had signed a seven-year, US$45.5-million extension with the Flames, another of Calgary's emerging core pieces congratulated his teammate and close friend on social media. Article content Article content Article content One of Matt Coronato's close buddies, Connor Zary, reacts to his seven-year extension with #Flames … — Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) May 3, 2025 Article content While we agree that Coronato should probably pick up the tab the next time these pals are out for steaks or chicken parm, Zary could soon be celebrating a new contract of his own. Maybe he's next. Article content Around the same time that Zary was posting about Coronato's mega-deal, general manager Craig Conroy was jokingly apologizing to a beat reporter for keeping him off the golf course or patio on a sun-scorched Saturday afternoon. Article content With the amount on his plate, it certainly isn't a surprise the Flames GM is working through the weekends. As the ink dries on Coronato's 7×6.5, let's refresh Conroy's to-do list … Article content The restricted free agents Article content After burying 24 goals during a breakthrough campaign, Coronato headlined the Flames' crop of pending restricted free agents. So Conroy can cross off one name. Who's next? Kevin Bahl seems like the most obvious candidate for a long-term pact. The 24-year-old defenceman showed this winter that he can log heavy minutes in a shutdown role. If Rasmus Andersson isn't extended (and more on him in a minute), Bahl may be an ideal partner for prized prospect Zayne Parekh. Zary, whose sophomore NHL season was derailed by a pair of injuries, would likely prefer a bridge deal. That buys some time for the 23-year-old to fulfil his offensive potential and for the Flames to sort out exactly where he fits in the lineup. Adam Klapka, who boosted his bargaining power with some timely tallies during the wild-card chase, is eligible for arbitration. Ditto for both Morgan Frost and Sam Morton. Article content Article content The NHL's rule is that you can't sign an extension until there is only one year remaining on your current contract. That's why you always see a few big-money re-ups on July 1. Could the Flames make a Canada Day splash with a long-term whopper for their rising-star goaltender Dustin Wolf? There's an obvious starting point for these negotiations — Jeremy Swayman's eight-year extension with the Boston Bruins, which was inked last fall and carries an annual cap hit of US$8.25 million. While Wolf will be a fixture at the Saddledome and then Scotia Place for years to come, Andersson has admitted that it's hard to predict what his future holds. The two sides will exchange offers, but will they find middle ground on length and dollar value, or will the workhorse rearguard either be traded away this summer or start next season as a soon-to-be UFA? At age 28, this next contract should be the richest of Andersson's career. Question is, does that sort of commitment make sense for the Flames? Article content Article content On locker clean-out day at the Saddledome, Dan Vladar revealed that he's been talking contract with the Flames for months already, reiterating his desire to stick around as Wolf's backup. Will he put pen to paper soon, or will the 27-year-old Vladar be tempted to find out what sort of opportunity and loot he may be offered in unrestricted free agency? With Frederik Andersen staying for another season in Carolina, the goalie market is thin. Justin Kirkland and Joel Hanley have also expressed that they'd love to re-sign with the Flames. Kirkland, who was one of the NHL's feel-good fall stories before he suffered a season-ending ACL injury, should appeal as a guy who can provide some versatility in a bottom-six forward role and can snipe in the shootout. Hanley was an unsung hero on the blue-line but he is also 33, so Conroy may be better off shopping for a permanent partner for MacKenzie Weegar.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Flyers, Tyson Foerster Are Affected by Matt Coronato Contract
Matt Coronato's blockbuster new contract extension with the Calgary Flames has made Tyson Foerster that much more expensive for the Philadelphia Flyers to keep. Coronato, 22, signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) with the Flames Saturday, tying him down in Calgary through the 2031-32 season on the heels of a breakout 24-goal, 47-point campaign. This was also Coronato's first full season in the NHL; last year, the Greenlawn, N.Y., native scored three goals and nine points in only 34 NHL games. Coronato's contract, does, however, set the stage for the Flyers and Foerster, as the latter is a restricted free agent and due for a new contract on July 1. Foerster, 23, is slightly older than Coronato, but with his 25 goals this season, Foerster has reached the 20-goal threshold in each of his first two full seasons in the NHL with room for plenty more. Even despite Foerster's modest point-producing exploits (43 points in Year 2 vs. Coronato's 47 in Year 1), his elite defensive play and contributions on the power play and penalty kill make him equally valuable to the Flyers, if not more than Coronato is to the Flames. Among the 13 forward lines in the NHL that played 500 or more minutes together, Foerster's line of himself, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink allowed the fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.17), per MoneyPuck. Even better is that Foerster's line was dominant at both ends of the ice, controlling 58.3% of the expected goals. This ranked second among the 13 aforementioned lines, trailing Toronto's line of Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner (58.4%) by 0.01%. While the Flyers' offensive production was modest (28.8 expected goals for, ninth out of 13), they still created roughly the same as New Jersey did with Ondrej Palat, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt (26.7 expected goals for) in 49 more minutes together. For the sake of comparison, Evolving-Hockey last offseason predicted Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi's next contract to be worth $21.94 million over four years ($5.485 million AAV), and Vilardi at the time was heading into the last year of a two-year bridge contract at a $3.437 million cap hit with a career-high 41 points. After exploding for a career-high 27 goals and 61 points this season, Vilardi has made himself much more money after taking a bridge deal in 2023. Last summer, Evolving-Hockey projected Foerster would receive a two-year extension worth $5.952 million ($2.976 million AAV), which is certainly out of the window now after the season he had. If the Flyers want to preserve flexibility and opt to sign Foerster long-term now, they are very likely looking at something between Vilardi's old projection--roughly $5 million--and Coronato's new deal at $6.5 million. Foerster might not have the same offensive ceiling as Coronato does, but his size, versatility, and two-way play are things the Flyers cannot readily replace. Plus, one must figure that Foerster's goal-scoring will drastically improve with a competent power play. The Flyers' power play converted 15.6% of their opportunities this season, 12.2% of their opportunities last season, and 15% of their opportunities in 2022-23. The league average power play was 21.64% this season, 20.98% last season, and 21.31% in 2022-23. That's a lot of goals Foerster and the Flyers are missing, but fortunately for the Flyers, it may help them save a heap of money on Foerster's next contract in the end. Coronato has help set the bar, and it's now up to Foerster, his camp, and the Flyers to work towards an amicable middle ground for the future.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘A huge win for us': Calgary Flames sign Matt Coronato to seven-year extension
It doesn't feel far-fetched to think that Matt Coronato could score 30 goals on the regular. Make it an annual habit through his NHL career. If that prediction proves true, this contract extension could turn out to be a dandy of a deal for the Calgary Flames. The organization announced Saturday afternoon that Coronato has inked a seven-year deal worth an average of US$6.5 million per winter. That means the sharpshooting right-winger is locked up through the end of the 2031-32 campaign. Still only 22, Coronato is a major piece of the Flames' future core and it's certainly encouraging that he is willing to commit a bunch of his prime years to Calgary. 'I couldn't be more excited,' Coronato told Postmedia. 'I love all the guys, all my teammates, and the staff as well. I feel like this team is going in such a great direction and I love to being in Calgary, so it's really awesome to get this done.' That's exactly how general manager Craig Conroy was feeling too. 'It's exciting for obviously the organization, for the fans, the city, the team … ' Conroy beamed after Saturday's announcement. 'With where we're building, Matt is going to be a big part of this moving forward. 'To get the seven years and to know that he's going to be here, we just think it's a huge win for us today, for both sides.' Coronato scored 24 goals this season, finishing third on the team charts. He added 23 assists. He was slated to be a restricted free agent this summer. During the Flames' end-of-season interviews, Blake Coleman singled out Coronato as one of the reasons that he believes the future looks so bright in Calgary. 'You look at some of the kids … ' Coleman said. 'Matty comes to mind, just off the top of my head. He's going to be a 30 goal-scorer in this league.' wgilbertson@ More to come.
National Post
03-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
‘A huge win for us': Calgary Flames sign Matt Coronato to seven-year extension
Article content It doesn't feel far-fetched to think that Matt Coronato could score 30 goals on the regular. Make it an annual habit through his NHL career. Article content Article content If that prediction proves true, this contract extension could turn out to be a dandy of a deal for the Calgary Flames. Article content The organization announced Saturday afternoon that Coronato has inked a seven-year deal worth an average of US$6.5 million per winter. Article content Article content That means the sharpshooting right-winger is locked up through the end of the 2031-32 campaign. Still only 22, Coronato is a major piece of the Flames' future core and it's certainly encouraging that he is willing to commit a bunch of his prime years to Calgary. Article content 'I couldn't be more excited,' Coronato told Postmedia. 'I love all the guys, all my teammates, and the staff as well. I feel like this team is going in such a great direction and I love to being in Calgary, so it's really awesome to get this done.' Article content That's exactly how general manager Craig Conroy was feeling too. Article content 'It's exciting for obviously the organization, for the fans, the city, the team … ' Conroy beamed after Saturday's announcement. 'With where we're building, Matt is going to be a big part of this moving forward. Article content 'To get the seven years and to know that he's going to be here, we just think it's a huge win for us today, for both sides.' Article content
