Flames recall Drew Shore

Drew Shore hasn’t even played a game for the Adirondack Flames. Just days after trading for him (and giving up inferior prospect Corban Knight in the process – seriously, this was a great trade for the Flames), the Calgary Flames are ready to see what they’ve got at the NHL level.

And at the NHL level he'll likely very well stay, because with just one more NHL game played – his Flames debut – he'll be waiver eligible. And a 23-year-old centre-slash-right-wing who's put up 30 points, including nine goals, over 35 games this AHL season hitting the waiver wire? Pretty good chance he'd be claimed.

So Shore will probably never play a game for Adirondack, and his days as a full time NHLer look poised to begin starting with tomorrow’s game against the Arizona Coyotes.

Shore has already played 67 NHL games, all for the team that drafted him but didn’t have enough room to give him a real chance, the Florida Panthers. Over two split seasons, the 6’2, 190 lb. forward has scored eight goals and 20 points. He’s played limited, sheltered minutes, but has been a positive possession player during them, so he looks to be, at the absolute least, right on the cusp of being NHL ready.

The Flames have a lot of centres on roster. Mikael Backlund, Sean Monahan, and Matt Stajan aren’t likely to switch positions, so barring a scratch, if Shore is lining up down the middle, he may very well take Markus Granlund’s spot.

There is, however, another possibility. With Shore also able to play the right wing, and the Flames so light on right wing prospects, he could find himself a home down the right side, but also able to fill in for centre duties in case of injuries. This is pretty much the role Joe Colborne plays right now.

It'll be interesting to see what role Shore plays for the Flames, as he now has half an NHL season to audition for a regular spot on the team. Shore is a restricted free agent after this season.

With Brian McGrattan assigned to Adirondack, the Flames now have a full 23-man roster, including 14 forwards. Once Josh Jooris comes off the injured reserve, assuming Shore has played at least one game – and by then, he almost certainly will have – Granlund will be the only forward on the roster who hasn’t officially made the NHL who isn’t waiver eligible.

Shore will wear #22 for the Flames:

Drew Shore becomes the 24th player in #Flames history to wear #22 pic.twitter.com/2LFeXHYbIG

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) January 14, 2015

by Ari Yanover