The Calgary Flames have added to their forward group in hopes of providing a boost to what has been a disappointing 2025-26 season.

As confirmed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flames have claimed centre John Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

Calgary claims Beecher

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 18, 2025

Beecher had been placed on waivers by the Bruins on Monday. Plenty believed the Vancouver Canucks would look to grab the 24-year-old, but the Flames, who are currently 32nd in NHL standings, beat them to the punch.

Beecher joins the Flames having suited up for 136 career NHL games. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound centre has suited up for six games in 2025-26, scoring one goal.

Despite being selected 30th overall in the 2019 draft, Beecher isn’t a player fans should expect to turn into a major point producer. After being drafted, he had rather middling stats for three seasons with the University of Michigan. He’s also spent time in the AHL, where he’s produced at more of a secondary scorer’s pace.

What Beecher does do, however, is kill penalties. He averaged 1:31 on the kill last season in the 78 games he dressed. That should be beneficial to the Flames, who sit 24th in the NHL when down a man (77.3 per cent).

Beecher will also help the Flames in the face-off dot. He took 542 draws in 2024-25, winning 52 per cent of them. The Flames have just two players over 50 per cent in faceoffs this season in Mikael Backlund and Morgan Frost. Nazem Kadri is just 45.6 per cent in the dot, while Connor Zary sits at a disappointing 41.6 per cent.

This is a very reasonable and low-risk gamble for the Flames. Beecher is on a one-year contract with just a $900,000 cap hit. He is set to be an RFA at the end of the 2025-26 season.

While it is a low-risk gamble, however, Beecher will need to perform better than he did with the Bruins this season. Head coach Marco Sturm didn’t exactly mince words on his performance after he was placed on waivers.

“For me as a new coach, I gave him a new opportunity. And quite frankly, I thought he would be a little bit better, more effective, and I thought he wasn’t.

“Consistency, effort. I know it’s not easy being out of the lineup. But I have guys just waiting for this moment. End of the day – it’s always up to the player.”

Sturm on the decision to waive Beecher:

“For me as a new coach, I gave him a new opportunity. And quite frankly, I thought he would be a little bit better, more effective ‚ and I thought he wasn’t.

“At some point we have to make a decision how to move forward.”

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) November 18, 2025

With the Flames sitting at just 5-12-3 on the season, there is no real harm in seeing what Beecher can provide. Should he impress, there is a good opportunity for him to remain a bottom-six option in Calgary going forward.

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