The summer of 2025 is fast becoming the Summer of Marty.
A national team nomination and now, a brand-new, three-year deal that keeps Martin Pospisil in Flames silks through to the summer of 2029.
Pospisil put pen to paper on the new pact - which goes into effect at the beginning of the 2026-27 season - Wednesday.
By doing so, the 25-year-old gets a bump in pay and peace of mind, too, knowing he’s going into the 2025-26 campaign with his short and long-term future secured.
“Right after the season, I was talking with my agent and he said there was a possibility to sign with Calgary after July 1,” Pospisil explained when reached by phone from his native Slovakia. “He asked me if I wanted to do it now, or if I wanted to wait. I said if there was interest from the Flames, I would love to do it before the season starts.
“I’m happy that the contract is done, I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Pospisil set a new career-best with 25 points in 2024-25 - his second full NHL season - but three-and-a-half months on, he’s still looking back on his sophomore campaign as a bit of a lost opportunity.
Calgary came ever so close to qualifying for post-season play, missing out on a Wild Card berth via tie-breaker, and Pospisil has held up that disappointment as motivation for personal improvement.
And for him, that starts with lighting the lamp a bit more frequently.
“I’m not saying I have to score 40 goals, but it would definitely help the team if I scored a couple more goals,” he said. “Maybe if I score 10, 15 goals, maybe we will make the playoffs.
“You learn a lot, I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to shoot more - not just in practice but to translate it to the game - and be stronger around the net.”
He’s got high hopes for the season, both here in Calgary, but also come February in Milano and Cortina, Italy.
Pospisil was named to the Slovak Olympic team when participating countries each rolled out their first half-dozen players in June. And after being held out of the World Championship earlier this spring, he’s eager to pull on the national team sweater once again, as Slovakia bids to defend its bronze medal from four winters ago in China.
“It means a lot, especially that I was in the mix - six guys were announced early, and I was with them,” he said. “It means a lot to represent your country, everyone is gonna watch that.
“And especially to play against the best players, I think it’s super-cool and super-exciting. There’s lots of motivation there, every game is going to matter, and I think it’s going to be fun.”
Back home in Slovakia, Pospisil is back to work training after rehabbing an ailment at the end of the NHL campaign.
And once again, he’s taking Flames prospect Sam Honzek under his wing. Honzek - Calgary’s first-round pick in 2023 - is gearing up for his second North American pro season after making his NHL debut last October.
According to Pospisil, the younger Slovak is putting in the work, too, to be in the best shape possible when Training Camp opens in mid-September.
“He’s way stronger than last year, like he’s pushing me now,” Pospisil relayed. “It’s fun to practice with him.
“I think a lot of people, they are not going to believe what happened with him. He gained - I think - seven kilos, he looks really good.”
The duo will arrive back in Alberta in a matter of weeks, with Calgary’s season-opener set for Oct. 8 in Edmonton.
A perfect matchup to build for: The Battle of Alberta.
For Pospisil, it’s just the right way to settle back into life on this side of the Atlantic.
“I feel really good in Calgary, it feels like my second home, playing in front of the great fans,” he said. “Last year, we had kind of bad luck, not (making) the playoffs. The job is still not done, hopefully we can push it forward for this year.
“That’s going to be the number-one goal, to make the playoffs: once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.”
