In this week’s edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumours, general manager Craig Conroy made it clear the organization won’t be welcoming back Dillon Dube. In other news, Zayne Parekh is very aware of the eyeballs on him in this year’s training camp. Meanwhile, Jonathan Huberdeau had some recent comments after missing a team skate, which didn’t sit well with the fan base. Last, but not least, Mikael Backlund signed a two-year contract extension.
Dube Won’t Be Returning to the Flames
Despite recently being acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, the Flames won’t be bringing back Dillon Dube. The 27-year-old, along with Carter Hart, Michael, McLeod, Alex Formenton, and Cal Foote can officially sign contracts as of Oct. 15 and are eligible to return to NHL action on Dec. 1. Despite the ruling, however, the Flames have shut the door on a potential reunion with Dube.
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“I think Dillon probably just needs a fresh start,” Conroy responded when asked if he had any interest in a reunion.
Dube has spent his entire 325-game NHL with the Flames. He last suited up for the team during the 2023-24 season before departing as a result of the well-documented sexual assault trial. There is a belief that he and others from the trial will receive NHL interest, though it’s clear that the left-shot forward will not be welcomed back into the Flames organization for the time being.
Parekh Embracing Pressure
Should he put together a good training camp, Zayne Parekh will be a part of the Flames roster this season. After scoring 33 goals and 107 points with the Saginaw Spirit in 2024-25, the prized 19-year-old prospect has nothing left to prove at the junior hockey level. It’s an exciting realization for Parekh, though one that comes with plenty of pressure. Thankfully, he seems more than willing to embrace it.
Zayne Parekh, Calgary Flames (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
“You’ve got to put pressure on yourself. If you don’t, there’s nothing keeping you on your toes and keeping you ready,” Parekh said to reporters last week. “I feel a little bit of pressure, but I want this, I asked for this. This is why I do it.”
Parekh has been viewed as the top prospect in the Flames organization since he was taken ninth overall in the 2024 Draft. With a Rasmus Andersson trade potentially coming at or before the 2026 deadline, Parekh could wind up being in line for a bigger role on the right side than fans may expect.
On just the second day of training camp last week, Jonathan Huberdeau was noticeably absent from the ice. After some initial confusion, the Flames announced that it was a maintenance day for the veteran forward, though the 32-year-old himself had some fun about the situation when speaking with reporters a short time later.
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“Just woke up, didn’t feel like skating, so I didn’t skate,” said a laughing Huberdeau. “That’s what happened.”
Though these comments were very much sarcastic, they have garnered some scrutiny given that Huberdeau’s tenure with the Flames to date hasn’t been a very successful one. Coming off a 62-point season, he still has six years remaining on a contract that carries a ghastly $10.5 million cap hit.
Backlund Is Extended for 2 Years
The Flames got another extension out of the way early last week, as they announced that Mikael Backlund had agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million deal. The Flames captain still had one more year remaining on a previous contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million, meaning his recent extension won’t kick in until the 2026-27 season.
Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Backlund, who is set to enter his third season as the captain of the Flames, scored 15 goals and 32 points in 76 games in 2024-25. Despite being 36 years old, he has continued to be a dependable two-way, middle-six forward for the Flames, and is expected to play a similar role this season.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames have three games on their schedule this week, the first of which will come versus the Seattle Kraken at the Saddledome on Tuesday. They will then face off on the road versus the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday before heading to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Saturday. They have a total of six preseason games ahead before their season opener versus the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 8.
