Flames Need to Extend Morgan Frost Before 2026-27 Season – The Hockey Writers – Calgary Flames

Taking a glimpse at the Calgary Flames roster for the 2026-27 season, there isn’t much to be excited about. Sure, the likes of Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, and Hunter Brzustewicz will all further along in their development, while Dustin Wolf and Matt Coronato are strong bounce-back candidates. Still, it’s tough to envision this team racking up many wins in 2026-27.

That is due largely to the fact that this team simply doesn’t have a ton of talent. They have a weak forward group and a blueline that leaves plenty to be desired. Perhaps most noticeable when peeking at the Flames’ expected lineup is that Morgan Frost is being listed as their number-one centreman.

No, that is not a typo. The 27-year-old Frost, who has a career-high of 46 points, is presumably going to handle number-one centre duties for the Flames this coming season. That said, despite what it looks like from the outside, it may actually go better than most would think.

Frost showed throughout 2025-26, a season in which he scored a career-high 22 goals, that he has an extreme amount of skill. The issue for him has always been consistency, and what better time to find that than now when he’ll be playing the most minutes of his career.

Making matters all the more interesting is that Frost also has the motivation of playing for a new contract. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2026-27 season, and could be in line for the biggest payday of his career. That is why the Flames should be doing everything they can to get him signed to an extension before his value increases.

Flames Need Help Down the Middle

As you would expect given that Frost is set to handle top-line minutes this coming season, the Flames desperately need help down the middle. On paper, there is a very good argument to be made that they have the worst centre depth of all 32 NHL clubs.

That could change going forward thanks to some good prospects they have in the pipeline, but as we have seen time and time again, not all prospects pan out as planned. For the time being, the Flames need to try and hold onto the good ones they have, and Frost is certainly that.

By no means is Frost a star-calibre player, but on a Stanley Cup-winning team, he would be a good fit on a third line. With the salary cap continuing to rise, a player of that stature is going for roughly $5 million right now. That sort of deal wouldn’t be a hindrance to the Flames, as general manager (GM) Craig Conroy has done an excellent job at keeping plenty of salary open.

The reason why getting Frost signed to a deal with an average annual value (AAV) in the $5 million range is important is because of just how much that number could go up this coming season. With the extra ice time at both even strength and power play, he has a chance to blow past his career-high of 46 points. If healthy, there’s reason to believe he could flirt with the 60-point mark. If that’s the case, it forces the Flames to either overpay him, or trade what is currently the best centre on their roster.

While Conroy could roll the dice and hope Frost’s value stays similar to what it currently is, it would be a massive risk to the Flames, who, despite taking steps in right the direction, still have a lot of unsolved issues down the middle. Though Frost may not be the entire solution, he does help them in that area, and is a player that they’d undoubtedly be able to sign now without breaking the bank.