Flames re-sign Micheal Ferland: two years, $825K AAV

@NHLFlames resigns Michael Ferland to a 2-year contract reportedly worth $1.65M. AAV $825,000 https://t.co/ZWGKDbLBzH

— Hockey’s Cap (@HockeysCap) September 10, 2015

One of the last matters this summer for general manager Brad Treliving was sorting out a new contract with Micheal Ferland. Now Treliving can breathe a bit as the deal is done: two years at an AAV of $825K. It’s worth noting that it’s a one-way deal too with the first year of the deal paying $750K while the second is $900K. Because of his previous games played, Ferland is waiver eligible if sent down.

The contract itself is right around where you want a bottom-six forward, considering the limited NHL experience Ferland possesses.

As covered previously, Ferland’s regular season wasn’t anything quite spectacular, it was just so-so relative to the rest of the team. Despite that, his elevated play against Vancouver in the first-round did draw attention and ire of Canucks fans. Circling back on the key point of the delays: In reality, Ferland not having much to use as leverage in negotiations and it ended up working out well for the Flames here.

Regardless of it being a one-way contract, it’s still assumed that he still needs to fight for a regular roster spot on the team. The bottom-six situation is all too crowded coming into training camp in a few weeks. With a number of mainstays like Matt Stajan and David Jones, there are also:

• Josh Jooris
• Joe Colborne
• Paul Byron
  
• Drew Shore
• Brandon Bollig
• Mason Raymond
• Markus Granlund

Factor in a few others fighting to impress like Emile Poirier, Morgan Klimchuk, or other longshots like Kenny Agostino and even Bill Arnold then it gets even more dicey. None are locks, but again it adds pressure to existing roster players this fall. Which is a good thing, especially if the Flames want to make a leap forward this coming season.

Ferland will need to up his performance and show everyone he can build up on previous success, regardless of trials and tribulations those other players encounter. No one is truly safe and has a permanent role on the team, making it all the more important he succeeds.

But for now, at least, he has a contract and the newly budding favourite in the Flames fan base is around a little while longer. Now we can all look forward to the Young Stars Classic that starts tomorrow in Penticton, be sure to check out our primer on players to watch.

by Mike Pfeil