A veteran defenceman is on track to join the Calgary Flames for training camp.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported Tuesday that Tyson Barrie is nearing a tryout agreement with the Flames.
“Tyson Barrie has lots of game left,” Seravalli said on Flames Talk on Sportsnet 960. “I think just from a pure leadership perspective, provided that he comes in and makes the team, this is a guy that is instantaneously going to be part of Calgary’s leadership core. Every team he’s gone to he’s been really well-liked and he’s someone that I could see in short order wearing a letter for the Calgary Flames.”
Barrie, 33, is a 13-year veteran who spent last season with the Nashville Predators. He struggled to mesh with the Predators lineup and appeared in only 41 games, scoring once and adding 14 assists.
But Barrie isn’t too far removed from one of his most productive seasons. In 2022-23, split between the Predators and Oilers, Barries scored 13 goals and 55 points in 85 games. It was his fourth 50-point season.
The Flames have room for another veteran voice on the blueline after Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov were traded last season. Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar are projected to be the defencemen on the power play but Barrie’s skillset as an offensive-first defender is something the Flames lack depth in.