TAMPA — The newest Flames defenceman won’t be in the lineup tonight when Calgary takes on Tampa Bay, but two of his former teammates are eagerly awaiting his arrival.
Daniil Miromanov was acquired late Wednesday evening from the Vegas Golden Knights, and within minutes of the deal being announced the 26-year-old had put pen to paper on a new, two-year contract extension in the Stampede City.
Here in Florida, both Jakob Pelletier and Brayden Pachal gave rave reviews about the Russian rearguard: Pelletier spent one season with Miromanov with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, while Pachal was paired with Miromanov at times over their three years together with Henderson of the AHL.
For Pelletier, Miromanov’s arrival in the Sunshine State might act as the perfect birthday gift - the young Flames forward turned 23 years of age Thursday and can’t wait to re-kindle his relationship with the blueliner.
“My first year in junior, I played with him,” Pelletier said Thursday morning. “First of all, he’s an unreal guy, like he’s funny, but he’s an unreal player: he’s got a wicked shot, he’s got good hands and for a big guy, he moves well, too.
“Back in junior I used to look at him and was like ‘phew, this guy’s really good, you know!’”
Pelletier and Pachal both agreed, Miromanov has the tools to potentially help a Flames defence corps that has pumped home 39 goals this season.
He had a 62-point season with Acadie-Bathurst in the Q, and over his last 89 games in the AHL, Miromanov has compiled 68 points, dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season.
For Pachal, Miromanov’s arrival is a chance to reconnect, but also to potentially play together, as they did when they first met in the Desert in 2021.
“Once he came over, I played with him for probably about 10 games at the end of the season and then through playoffs during the COVID season,” Pachal said. “The last two years as well, we’ve been teammates so it’s been fun watching him develop.”
It’s possible that Miromanov will make his debut this coming weekend, when the Flames play back-to-back contests Saturday in Florida and Sunday in Carolina.
Pachal, who was claimed on waivers from Vegas in early February and has been a fixture on the Calgary blue line ever since, sees similarities between his and Miromanov’s arrival with the club, and the chance he personally has earned over the past month.
“That’s the only thing that you hope for in your career, is the chance to prove yourself,” Pachal said. “When I got here, they’ve given me that chance and it’s up for me to keep playing well and keep showing them that I deserve that opportunity; it’s no different for Miro, he’s going to come here, and he’s going to get his opportunity to show what he can do.
“He’s going to run away with it, and it’s going to be really fun to watch him.”
