Despite being knocked out of the playoffs Wednesday night, Flames’ forward Kris Versteeg looks back fondly on his season in Calgary. Meeting with the media today, he said he’d “love to be in Calgary” next year. He also joked with Wes Gilberton of Postmedia, saying that “if [he’s] sitting in Switzerland in September, [his] agent is getting fired.” That would hit a little close to home for Versteeg, who last summer was extremely close to playing the season in Bern if it weren’t for a failed medical. 
Versteeg instead took a professional tryout with the Edmonton Oilers, only to leave them just before the season for a deal in Calgary. It was a complicated offseason for Versteeg, who followed it up with another successful year, registering 37 points in 69 games and generally playing pretty well for the Flames. The 30-year old forward hasn’t found much stability in his professional career since being drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round. Suiting up for the Blackhawks, Maple Leafs, Flyers, Panthers, Blackhawks (again), Hurricanes, Kings and now Flames across 619 career games, he’s produced at nearly every stop.
Earning $950K this season was a clear step backwards from the four-year, $17.6MM deal he signed with the Panthers in 2012 and he’ll look to get a raise this summer. Though he’ll never be a top player on a team, his point totals are more than acceptable for a player earning between $1-1.5MM on a short term deal. He should have several suitors, though the Flames would easily be able to afford keeping him around.
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