The strange career arc of Matt Bartkowski continues. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reported this morning that Bartkowski has been released from his minor league contract with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Bartkowksi had two goals and eight assists in 34 games for the P-Bruins, and had been somewhat underwhelming at both ends of the ice. Just when you think that maybe that’s it for the 28-year-old’s pro hockey career, there’s this follow-up tweet from Divver: Bartkowski will sign with the Calgary Flames. Divver adds that deal is expected to be a two-year, two-way contract. However, the Flames have since announced that (for now) Bartkowski is just on a professional tryout.
If you don’t know much about Bartkowski you’re not alone. After all, he was on a minor-league contract this season. Yet, just a few years ago, Bartkowski’s career was trending in a very different direction. A seventh-round selection of the Florida Panthers in 2008, Bartkowski’s rights were traded to the Boston Bruins along with Dennis Seidenberg at the 2010 Trade Deadline. Bartkowski left Ohio State University after the 2009-10 season to join his new organization. In his first three pro seasons, Bartkowski was an impressive two-way threat in the AHL for the Providence Bruins, and each year would earn some play time in Boston as well. In 2013-14, Bartkowski finally earned a role with the Bruins and somewhat burst on to the scene with 18 assists and a very solid +22 rating in 64 games. Bartkowski appeared to have the makings of a top-six NHL defenseman, and Bruins Assistant GM Jim Benning thought so too. After another year in Boston with a reduced role and less production, Bartkowski became an unrestricted free agent and bolted for Vancouver, where Benning had taken over as GM of the Cancuks. Bartkowski played in a career-high 80 games with the Canucks in 2015-16, going from zero career goals to six by the end of the season and adding 12 assists along the way. However, the uptick in offense came with a bit of a breakdown in defense. While still a physical player, he became somewhat of a liability in his own end, finishing the season at -19 and losing ice time as the year progressed. Vancouver chose not to re-sign Bartkowski this summer and the blue liner saw little interest before returning to his roots with a PTO-turned-contract with the Providence Bruins.
Now, in a wild twist, he’ll be back in the NHL. Bartkowski was reportedly on the ice for Flames practice this morning and ready to begin his PTO. Calgary isn’t exactly desperate for defense with Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Dougie Hamilton, Dennis Wideman, and Deryk Engelland in the fold, but what they don’t have is anyone they’re willing to lose in the upcoming Expansion Draft. If Divver is right, and Bartkowski’s PTO is a front for an eventual two-year contract, that is a very strategic move by GM Brad Treliving. As we recently discussed, the Flames would have to expose one of Giordano, Brodie, and Hamilton if they made no further moves before June 21st to meet the quota of having one defenseman available to the Vegas Golden Knights that has term on his contract and 40 NHL games played this season or 70 NHL games over the past two years. Bartkowski presents a very rare opportunity; he was on a minor league contract and could be acquired without having to give anything up in a trade and he played in 80 games just last year, fulfilling the games played requirement. If the Flames hand Bartkowski a two-year deal as Divver suspects, he immediately qualifies to be exposed even if he doesn’t play a single NHL game this season. This could be a genius maneuver by Treliving and is worth following over the next week or two.