Tyson Barrie, a proven defenceman and a potential power-play quarterback, will reportedly be attending Calgary Flames training camp on a professional tryout offer.
Ace insider Frank Seravalli revealed Tuesday on Sportsnet 960 The Fan that the 33-year-old Barrie is poised to accept an invite to audition for the Flames. He is currently an unrestricted free agent.
If he earns a contract with the club, Barrie would bring plenty of experience and leadership. His NHL stat sheet shows 109 goals and 396 assists in 809 regular-season outings. Throughout his career, he’s averaged more than 21 minutes per night.
It’s worth noting that Barrie, who hails originally from Victoria, B.C., played his junior hockey in Kelowna, where he was coached by Ryan Huska. It should also be noted he’s posted nearly 42 per cent of his NHL points on the man-advantage, which likely ups the appeal for the staff at the Saddledome. Their power-play struggled mightily last season.
Barrie will be looking to bounce back after managing only one goal and 15 points in 41 appearances with the Nashville Predators during the 2023-24 campaign. He has previously suited up for the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers.
The Flames already have four right-handers on their blue-line in Rasmus Andersson, MacKenzie Weegar, Daniil Miromanov and Brayden Pachal. Thing is, Andersson and Weegar are their best options for top-pairing duties, so Barrie could potentially partner with Kevin Bahl or Jake Bean on the second duo, leaving Miromanov and Pachal to push for spots in the nightly lineup.
It’s been speculated that Barrie might be willing to accept a one-year contract at the league-minimum salary. If that’s true, the Flames could also view him as a valuable trade-chip as the deadline nears.
Training camp opens later this month at the Saddledome. Barrie, on a PTO, is still eligible to sign with other clubs as long as he remains a free agent.