The Calgary Flames are in the midst of what has actually been an interesting training camp. The emergence of several rookie players who are seriously pushing to make the team has complicated the roster selection process, and is forcing the Flames to make tough decisions.

Last season, the Flames carried 13 forwards and eight defencemen for most of the year. However, the strong play of several young forwards has made it impossible for them to continue with this distribution, and they need to make the right decision. With Justin Kirkland all but guaranteed to make the team, the Flames already have 13 forwards, meaning there is no room for anyone new.

The Flames need to carry 14 forwards to start the season, and Daniil Miromanov needs to be the player they put on waivers to get them to seven D.

Undeniable performances from rookie fowards

We’ve discussed how great of a camp Rory Kerins has had, and the last preseason game against the loaded Winnipeg Jets was another feather in his cap. Kerins has been a force for the Flames in the preseason, currently second on the team with four points in four games.

Beyond Kerins though, other young forwards are pushing to be in the conversation. Sam Morton, Sam Honzek, and even Matvei Gridin have had stellar camps, and while they are on the outside looking in right now, there are still three preseason games left for those guys to continue making their case.

At the end of the day, Kerins deserves a look with the Flames to start the season. He’ll have to clear waivers right now if they wanted him with the Calgary Wranglers, and it doesn’t look like there are any issues with him fitting into an NHL lineup.

The odds of Kerins getting claimed on waivers right now are significantly higher than if he starts with the Flames and shows he’s clearly not an NHL forward. Right now though, there are dozens of teams who have seen his impact and will no doubt love to take a shot on a fifth-round former ECHL player underdog story.

Nonsensical logic about Miromanov’s cap hit

The biggest reason I’ve seen as to why the Flames wouldn’t send Miromanov down to the AHL is his cap hit. Since he’s on a one-way deal, there seems to be some weird notion that it doesn’t make sense to have a $1.25M cap hit playing for your AHL team, especially as the lone player they got back in the Noah Hanifin trade with the Vegas Golden Knights

Well, he’s making that money anyway, whether it’s in the NHL or AHL or anywhere else. Why does it matter what league that money is in? CSEC still pays for it all the same. And the Hanifin trade is done, why perpetuate the pain of that mediocre trade by keeping a mediocre player in the NHL?

It actually makes more sense to keep Miromanov in the AHL if he’s the odd man out with the Flames, because they will still save $1.15M on the cap. Add in Kerins’ $775K hit and the Flames are still saving $375K on the cap overall.

The argument that you don’t want a $1.25M cap hit in the minors makes zero sense to me, and if that’s the reasoning that is used to justify keeping Miromanov in the NHL, it is a signal that the Flames are not opening a spot up for a deserving young gun.

Hypocrisy

At the end of the day, the Flames have said time and time again that if you impress in training camp and make a case to be on the team, they will open a spot for you. How can you look at Kerins’ camp and say he’s done anything but that?

The Flames owe it to their players, and their fans, to be true to their word and give Kerins the opportunity to show his stuff at the NHL level to open the season. He’s earned it, and frankly Miromanov hasn’t.

This shouldn’t be hard. Make the right decision, Conroy.

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