Flames News & Rumors: Andersson, Farabee, Parekh & More

“I broke my fibula against Seattle,” Andersson said. “So I played the last 12 games with a broken fibula. So that felt great.”

Despite the injury, Andersson appears to be healthy, or at least close to now, as he confirmed he will be representing Team Sweden at the upcoming World Championship. After that, it will be time to focus on his future, as he has just one more season remaining on his contract before he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Joel Farabee Frustrated with Season

Joel Farabee’s days were always numbered with the Flyers, as he had struggled this season and was no longer meshing with now former head coach John Tortorella. The hope was that a change of scenery in Calgary would get him back on track, but that wasn’t the case. The 25-year-old struggled, scoring just three goals and six points in 31 games donning a Flames sweater.

“I think the whole year itself, even in Philly was pretty embarrassing for me,” Farabee said this morning. “I take a lot of pride in trying to be a guy that can provide offence and help out. I think I need to be a lot better in a lot of areas. Having a summer to relax a little bit and focus on some things will help me. Having a little more time off this offseason will be good for me too. Last time I went to Worlds and didn’t take any time off.”

Farabee has proven in the past that he can be relied on to provide more offence. He’s scored two or more goals twice in his young career, and hit a career-high 50 points in 2023-24. The Flames could certainly use that offence from him, not only in 2025-26, but beyond.

Several Other Flames Going to World Championship

Andersson will be one of many Flames competing in the World Championship. Matt Coronato, who scored 24 goals this season, will be representing the USA for the second time after also attending the event in 2023. MacKenzie Weegar also confirmed he will be playing for Canada for the second time in three years, while Dan Vladar will be playing for Czechia.

Dustin Wolf said that he has yet to hear from USA’s coaching staff, but would love the opportunity to play if he were to receive the invite. Meanwhile, both Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund said they’ve had good conversations with their respective countries (USA/Sweden) but have yet to make a decision on whether they’ll be attending.

Parekh & Morton Score in Debuts

The Flames being eliminated from playoff contention before their final game on Thursday versus the LA Kings allowed for Zayne Parekh, Aydar Suniev, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Sam Morton to make their NHL debuts. It was quite the showing, as both Parekh and Morton scored in what was a 5-1 win over the Kings.

This game helped give fans a glimpse of what the future looks like in Calgary, particularly with Parekh, who absolutely dazzled in his NHL debut. The 19-year-old has a shot to crack the roster next season, though, regardless of how that plays out, he has true superstar potential and should be leading the Flames’ blue line for years to come.

Looking Ahead for the Flames

There won’t be much to monitor for the Flames over this next little stretch, though the offseason should be interesting. Not only are there a number of restricted free agents to be signed, but the situation involving Andersson and his future in Calgary should generate more buzz as the summer months approach.