The Flames are expected to be active in free agency and after getting a deal done with Derek Ryan, they’ve agred to to terms with winger Austin Czarnik on a two-year, $2.5MM deal, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).
The 25-year-old is relatively untested at the NHL level as he has played in just 59 career games which made him eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency. He did get into ten games with Boston last season and was relatively productive, recording four assists. In his career, he has five goals and 12 assists, all with the Bruins.
What is getting Czarnik this contract is his minor league production. He ranked third in AHL scoring in 2017-18 with 25 goals and 44 assists in just 64 games while adding six more points in four postseason contests. It’s clear that many around the league believe he has some untapped upside as it was reported on Saturday that 24 teams had shown interest in his services. He’ll likely get a chance to start in Calgary’s bottom six and should have an opportunity to prove that he can be a full-time NHL player.