Flames sign winger Troy Brouwer, goalie Chad Johnson to kick off free agency

CALGARY – Home aligned with team for Troy Brouwer. The right-winger says he planned to build a house in Calgary well before he signed with the Flames.

The Flames injected experienced players into their lineup by signing a pair of 30-year-olds Friday: Brouwer and goaltender Chad Johnson.

Brouwer’s deal was reported to be four years at US$4.5 million annually, while Johnson’s was reported to be a one-year pact worth $1.7 million.

Brouwer was a mid-sized fish in this year’s pool of unrestricted free agents. He’s played for successful NHL organizations having won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.

The Vancouver native had 18 goals and 21 assists in 82 games, plus eight goals and five assists in 20 playoff games, for the St. Louis Blues in 2015-16.

“We started thinking about moving to Calgary a year ago,” said Brouwer, who is married with two young children.

“When we played Calgary in March, we met with a builder and checked out a couple potential building sites. It really worked out in our favour that you’re planning on making this your home and you end up working here as well.”

The six-foot-three, 213-pound winger is a candidate to play on the right side of top-line centre Sean Monahan and left-winger Johnny Gaudreau.

Brouwer spent three seasons in Chicago and four in Washington before one season in St. Louis. His contract prior to Calgary’s paid him an average of $3.6 million annually.

“I think he wanted to remain here, but he didn’t have the ties to the community,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “The offers were going to have to equal out for him to stay, and we were a little bit shy of that offer.”

Brouwer has compiled 150 goals and 144 assists in 613 career NHL games.

After bouncing unsuccessfully between four goaltenders in 2015-16, the Flames have picked up two new ones in as many weeks, but neither long-term.

Brian Elliott, a 31-year-old acquired at the draft from St. Louis for a second-round and conditional draft pick, has a year remaining on a contract that counts $2.5 million against the salary cap.

Johnson appeared in a career-high 45 games for the Buffalo Sabres this past season because of Robin Lehner’s early-season ankle injury.

The Calgarian posted a 22-16-4 record in Buffalo with a goals-against average of 2.36 and a save percentage of .920. Johnson has a career 50-30-11 record.

He grew up wearing the Flames jersey playing road hockey. Johnson donned the flaming ‘C’ for real Friday when he and Brouwer were introduced to the media.

“I can’t say it was a major factor, but it was definitely a factor to be able to play in front of family and friends,” Johnson said.

“But for me it’s the hockey side that’s important to me. That opportunity to grow in my career and be a big role, not just be a passenger.

“Last year was huge for me getting the opportunity to prove I can be an every day guy.”

Calgary has yet to announce new contracts for restricted free agents Monahan and Gaudreau, who are 21 and 22 respectively.

“We know we’ve got a couple of signings yet to do,” Flames GM Brad Treliving said. “They’ll get done and we’ll continue to chip away at it, but we’re comfortable with where we’re at today.”

The Flames heavily rely on Monahan and Gaudreau for offence and will also expect more from 20-year-old forward Sam Bennett next season.

Treliving likes the maturity and seasoning that Brouwer, Elliott and Johnson bring to the team.

“We’re a young group. We’ve added some men and you need that component . . . guys who have been around the league a little bit,” Treliving said.

“There’s going to be rough waters we go through and you need to have that experience and those veteran people to tug people along.”

Calgary added size and strength on right wing with Brouwer and the earlier addition of six-foot-four, 208-pound Alex Chiasson.

The Flames got the 25-year-old Chiasson from the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for minor-league defenceman Pat Sieloff.

Three-year Flames winger Joe Colborne was not given a qualifying offer. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

Calgary finished out of the playoffs this past season at 35-40-7. The Flames sacked head coach Bob Hartley and replaced him with Glenn Gulutzan.

— With files from The Associated Press

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