Flames making Yegor Sharangovich a healthy scratch vs. Jets

The Calgary Flames are making the forward a healthy scratch for Monday’s game (Sportsnet, 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. MT) against the Winnipeg Jets, coach Ryan Huska told reporters.

The move comes after the Flames lost 6-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, dropping them to 1-5 to start the season.

“Last game, we were like a 50-50 team, is the best way I can put it. There was 50 per cent of our guys that I thought really worked really hard and were committed and then I don’t think we had enough from the other 50. And he would fall into that category,” Huska said about the decision to scratch Sharangovich, per Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia. “You can’t make a 50 per cent change, but certain areas that weren’t acceptable, we can change a few. So it happened to be him.”

Sharangovich, 27, has just an assist through the first six games of the season and is a minus-3. Last season he had 17 goals and 32 points in 73 games, a noticeable dip from the 31 goals and 59 points he had in 82 games in the 2023-24 season.

His performance during the 2024-25 season earned him a five-year, $28.75-million deal ($5.75 million AAV) back in July 2024.

Sportsnet analyst Kevin Bieksa criticized Sharangovich for failing to finish a check on William Karlsson late in the game during an intermission report on Hockey Night in Canada.

“I would absolutely lose my mind if I saw that on the bench,†said Bieksa.

“Thatâ€s a culture thing for me. I would show that clip in practice and say, ‘where are my guys that care?†Play the guys that care. If youâ€re going to get an effort like that, get rid of him. Youâ€re disgracing the NHL with an effort like that. Be a little mad. Hate to lose. That guy doesnâ€t hate to lose. 

“You have so many good young players … you have a young nucleus and you canâ€t have them poisoned by that type of behaviour.”

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