Former Flames Series: Winger's Career Coming Full Circle In California

Since debuting with the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012-13 season, winger Tyler Toffoli has made a few stops around the NHL. Playing for five other teams in between, his career has come full circle. After signing a four-year $24 million contract with San Jose he's returned to California.

In their current rebuild, the young Sharks team needed a veteran forward to provide scoring for a team with a lot of growing to do.  So far in the first year of his deal, he's delivering on that request.

In a Sharks uniform, the goal scorer has 17 goals and 30 points in 47 games. Top of the team in goals while wearing an 'A,' Toffoli has been a leader on and off the ice.

Playing with Macklin Celebrini at times he's helped the star rookie make a case for the Calder trophy this year. A trophy race current Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf has fully entrenched himself in.

When GM Craig Conroy took over from Brad Treliving his first move was trading Toffoli to make the roster younger. When the New Jersey Devils called, Conroy found a great chance to do so.

In June of 2023, the Flames sent Tyler Toffoli to the Devils and acquired a 2023 third-round pick and Yegor Sharangovich. After scoring 45 goals and 96 points in 119 games in Calgary, Toffoli was on his way to his fifth NHL club in four years.

At the time the Belarussian forward Sharangovich first arrived, he got off to a scorching start with the Flames. Playing in all 82 games, he registered 31 goals and 59 points.

Since then, unfortunately, only eight pucks have found the back of the net. With 14 points in 37 games, getting his game back to last years level has been a grind.

After netting the only goal in a 4-1 loss to the St Louis Blues Sharangovich has three points in three games and has a plus +5 rating in that time. Hopefully that hot streak can continue for the Flames as they find themselves in the second wildcard spot.

The third-round pick the Flames acquired from the Devils was coincidentally their own. After changing hands with two other teams, Calgary got back their pick and selected Aydar Suniev. The Russian forward is playing in the NCAA this year and has 26 points in 21 games at the University of Massachusetts.

Conroy made a trade, goal scorer for a goal scorer, and successfully added a skilled young player to his roster. The extra draft capital being used to select a talented nearly point-per-game career college player was a savvy move as well. Not bad at all for his first move as general manager.