Troiani Rink Report

With the Flames at the bottom of the league with a 5-12-3 start to the 2025-26 season, Calgary plucked center Johnny Beecher off the waivers Tuesday from the Boston Bruins.

The fourth-line center appeared in just six games for Boston, scoring one goal on six shots, while going 0-for-3 from the dot in those contests.

Beecher tallied three goals and eight assists over 78 games in 2024-25 season with the Bruins, after recording 10 points across 52 games in the 2023-24 campaign.

With the number of injuries the Black and Gold have been piling up as of late, it appeared to be an easy decision to put Beecher on waivers based on what first-year head coach told reporters after the club’s optional practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

“For me, as a new coach, I gave him a new opportunity and quite frankly I thought he would be a little bit better, more effective, and I thought he wasn’t,” Sturm said Tuesday morning before the Flames claimed Beecher. “And at some point, I think we have to make a decision to move forward, and I think that’s where we’re at.”

Several Bruins players have been in and out of the lineup this season, but Sturm pointed out Beecher’s effort and consistency were an issue.

“I know it’s not easy being out of a lineup, but I have guys just waiting for this moment,” Sturm said. “And at the end of the day, it’s always up to the player. He had a new voice, new fresh set of eyes, I didn’t really care about his past. But it was up to him. That’s how I see it. For some reason, it didn’t work out.”

In the offseason, Beecher signed a one-year contract extension that pays a guaranteed $900,000 this season. With him being picked up by Calgary, the Flames will be responsible for the remainder of his cap hit. Beecher will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.