The Calgary Flames have signed center Austin Czarnik to a two year deal worth $2.5 million with an AAV of $1.25 million per season. This deal carries him through the 2019-20 season.
Hearing Ryan deal is approx 3×3.125 and Czarnik 2×1.25 in CAL; word out of VAN is Beagle is 4×3 and Roussel 4×3.25
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2018
Austin Czarnik Joins Calgary Flames
Czarnik has spent his entire two-year career with the Boston Bruins. He has scored five career goals and added 12 assists for 17 career points in 59 career games.
Last season Czarnik had four assists in 10 games. His possession numbers were 57.7 percent Corsi with a relative Corsi of 2.8 percent. Czarnik is coming off a one year $675,000 contract that he signed in July 2017.
Before being signed as an undrafted free agent in March of 2015, Czarnik spent four seasons playing NCAA Division I hockey with the Miami RedHawks. For the RedHawks, Czarnik posted 46 goals and 123 assists in 159 career NCAA games.
While in college, Czarnik earned honors such as CCHA Player of the Year, as well as CCHA First Team All-Star in 2013. He was named to the NCHC First All-Star Team in 2014 and Second All-Star Team in 2015.
After being signed, Czarnik has spent time back and forth between the NHL and the AHL. His longest stint with the Bruins came in 2016-17 when he spent 49 games in the NHL. He posted five goals and eight assists that season after 22 games in the AHL.
Czarnik scored his first NHL goal in a 5-2 loss against the New York Rangers on October 26, 2016.
What This Means for the Future
At 5’9 Czarnik will have to overcome his small size to have a successful career in the NHL but has shown potential at the AHL level. Czarnik had a great year last year leading Providence in goals (25), assists (44) and points (69).
There is no doubt that he can be a 10-15 goal scorer in the NHL with experience. He will be joining a young Flames team who will be looking to rebound after their collapse at the end of the year to miss the playoffs. Expect Czarnik to be battling for a spot on the Flames third or fourth line during training camp this season. He has been praised for his passing ability and ability to make his line-mates better. It will interesting to see how Czarnik fits in with the Flames next season.
Main Photo
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