According to TSN’s Frank Seravelli, unrestricted free agent centre Derek Ryan has found a new home. He has agreed to a three-year contract with the Calgary Flames. The deal carries a $3.125 million cap hit per season and carries him through the 2021-22 season.
Expect centre Derek Ryan to sign a three-year deal with the #Flames on Sunday. He left money on the table to reunite with Bill Peters after 20 #NHL teams expressed interest.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1013396041960308736?s=12
Calgary Flames to sign Free Agent Forward Derek Ryan
In Ryan, the Flames get an enthusiastic centre, who has fought tooth and nail to be in the NHL. Last season, he scored 15 goals and 23 assists for 38 points in 80 games played. He also added 28 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers are strong with a 57.1 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of +3.2. Those totals are an improvement over the 2016-17 season, where he scored 11 goals, 18 assists for 29 points. Over his short three-year NHL career, Ryan has been a Hurricanes man since joining them as an undrafted free agent in the 2016-17 season. Although he only played six games of that season, since then he has put up 28 goals and 41 assists for 69 career points in 153 career games.
Ryan is coming off a one-year, $1.425 million contract that he signed with the Hurricanes last summer.
What This Means for the Future
The Flames will receive a faceoff specialist and a solid bottom-six player. He has ample experience, playing in multiple leagues in his career. His spirit and his patience should be rewarded in his new role. He also provides effective minutes on the penalty kill. After last week’s trade for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, the Flames continue to add pieces familiar to new head coach Bill Peters.
Main Photo:
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RALEIGH, NC – FEBRUARY 06: Carolina Hurricanes Center Derek Ryan (7) shoots the puck during the 1st period of the Carolina Hurricanes game versus the Philadelphia Flyers on February 06, 2018, at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
