Calgary Flames defenceman Kevin Bahl will miss the rest of the hockey season after tearing his Achilles tendon during an off-ice warmup, the team announced Sunday.
According to the Flames, the 26-year-old blueliner sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon during an off-ice warmup ahead of Friday’s 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and will be placed on injured reserve to undergo season-ending surgery.
Defenceman Kevin Bahl will be placed on the Injured Reserve and will require season-ending surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon.#Flames | @MFradiology pic.twitter.com/D8d5ehhNSg
That’s kind of a freak thing, Flames head coach Ryan Huska told reporters. You don’t hear of that really, ever.
He’s doing fine.
I mean, as fine as he can be.
Bahl leads Calgary with an average ice time of 21:56 across 16 games this season. He was playing on the team’s top defensive pairing alongside Simon Nemec.
It’s just a terrible break for a guy that I would consider our best player up to this point in the season,
Huska said, according to Sportsnet.ca. Unfortunately, sometimes things happen, and because of that we’re losing a really good player for the rest of the year.
The six-foot-six, 230-pound defenceman is in the second season of a six-year, $32.1 million contract carrying a $5.35 million average annual value, which he signed with Calgary on June 28, 2025. Acquired from the New Jersey Devils in 2024 in the trade that sent goaltender Jacob Markstrom the other way, Bahl has recorded one goal and one assist this season while matching up against opposing teams’ top lines.
Head coach Ryan Huska says Kevin Bahl sustained his Achilles injury warming up on Friday night. Huska called it a freak accident. #Flames https://t.co/gLggRE11Z4
You’re gutted for the guy and selfishly, you’re gutted for the team, Flames assistant captain Zach Whitecloud said. Such a big part of this team and plays a lot of minutes.
Joel Hanley slotted into the lineup against Anaheim on Friday following Bahl’s injury.
Calgary Flames defenceman Kevin Bahl will miss the remainder of the season with an Achilles tendon rupture. #Flames pic.twitter.com/fZN7OgsTJA
You look at Joel Hanley right now, getting a chance to get back in the lineup.
Pachal gets called up again.
There’s going to be opportunities for him moving forward.
Insiders suggest the team might look externally for defensive depth.
Bahl sustained the ruptured Achilles tendon during an off-ice warmup session ahead of Calgary’s game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
Bahl is currently in the second season of a six-year, $32.1 million contract with an average annual value of $5.35 million, which he signed on June 28, 2025.
#Flames head coach Ryan Huska discusses the Kevin Bahl injury and thoughts on what he's looking to see from the d-corps moving forward. pic.twitter.com/OHGLDbsNSb
The Flames recalled defenceman Brayden Pachal from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers ahead of their matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.