The Flames signed Finnish goaltender Valtteri Ignatev

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With Dustin Wolf currently riding a three-game winning streak at the NHL level, the Calgary Flames continue to compete for the goaltender of the future.

The Flames announced Monday the signing of Finnish puck Valteri Ignatev, who was honored as the top netminder this season in Sweden's second-tier Allsvenskan.

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This is a one-year, two-way deal for the 2024-25 campaign. If he is called up to the big leagues, the contract will be worth $870,000.

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Ignatev, 24, appeared in 45 games as a starter for Mora IC this winter, posting a 26-18 record with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

“He just stood out as a guy that we thought should get a chance,” Flames goaltender Jordan Sigalet said. “He's a big 6-foot-3 kid and he just has an aura about him when he plays. There is such a quiet confidence to his playing. How consistent he's been all year – he's played 45 of 52 games, so he's been a workhorse for Mora and he's put that game on the table every night. They also had a good run in the playoffs and lost the conference finals in Game 6 in double overtime, 1-0. Thus, he won several victories to advance to the finals.

“He's a big kid who can move. He is quiet. And he's confident in her, a little cocky, but a really calm and humble guy.”

While there are plenty of questions about Calgary's folding plans, starting with whether Jacob Markstrom or Dan Vladar will be traded this summer to open up a full-time job for Wolff, Ignatius could be looked at as one of the options in the lineup next winter. for the AHL Wranglers.

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It should be noted that “Alaular” has had some success in searching for undrafted goalkeepers from the ranks of European professionals. The best example is David Rittich, who came out of the Czech Extraliga in 2016, spent parts of five seasons at the Saddledome and even represented the team in the NHL All-Star Game. Rittich is currently busy preparing for the playoffs with the Los Angeles Kings.

Impressed by what he saw while researching the video on Sigalet Ignatev, Sigalet traveled to Sweden in December to play a few games and have dinner with this exciting prospect. The Flames weren't the only team interested in bringing him to North America.

“It's his dream to try to make it to the NHL and I think he sees an opportunity here,” Sigalet said. “He wanted to be a Flame and we're excited about that and looking forward to bringing him here and settling in. It's going to be a little bit of a different game, obviously, on smaller ice, so it might be a little bit of an adjustment period, but we're going to see a lot of positives. He seems like a late bloomer to me.

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“I think he's got a lot of NHL attributes in his game … You hope he's a guy who comes in and steps up and excels. He has tools. Now he has to translate it here.'

The Flames now have four goaltenders under contract for next season – Markstrom, Vladar, Wolf and Ignatev. The organization also highly values ​​Connor Murphy, currently under contract at the AHL level with the Wranglers.

BACK TO BIG

Adam Klapka joined Monday's team photo at the Saddledome — and needed no prompting to smile for the camera.

The right winger was recalled from the AHL Wranglers for an end-of-season audition and will soon add to a resume that includes four NHL appearances.

Since making his first big league appearance in late January, Klapka has led the Wranglers in scoring with 11 goals and two dozen runs in the minors.

“It showed me that it's a much higher level than the AHL,” Klapka said of his first call-up opportunity. “When I came back down there, I worked on things that I thought weren't very good. So I'm just going to improve it and hopefully it'll be better this time.”

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With two games remaining, starting with Tuesday's showdown against the Canucks in Vancouver (8 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan), the 23-year-old Klapka is looking to signal that he might be ready for a full game. temporary duties in the fall.

“He's got to play a role here,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said of the 6-foot-8, 235-pounder. participation. “He's a big man with great speed and skill for his size, but we feel he's most effective when he's buzzing around the offensive zone, hitting hard and creating loose pucks. That's when we feel he's at his best and can really help our team in the future, so that's what we're looking for from him.”

THIRD STAR SALUTE

Nazem Kadri's hot streak did not go unnoticed.

The Flames' scoring leader was hailed as the NHL's third star of the week on Monday.

In the last four games, Kadri has eight points – a mix of four markers and four assists. The 33-year-old center is just shy of hitting the 30-goal plateau for the third time in his career.

Ice chips: Flames winger Blake Coleman won't be an option in Vancouver, but the Flames hope he'll be available for Thursday's season finale against the San Jose Sharks. Coleman, the 2023-24 Peter Maher Good Guy Award winner, is also on pace for 30 goals.

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