Martin Pospisil signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $2.5 million and will begin next season.

The 25-year-old forward is entering the final season of a two-year contract he signed Feb. 7, 2024. He had NHL career highs in assists (21) and points (25) in 81 games last season, his second in the NHL.

Pospisil could have become a restricted free agent after this season.

“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 told the Flames website. “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 was named to Slovakia’s preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the first time NHL players will participate in the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

“It means a lot, especially that I was in the mix. Six guys were announced early, and I was with them,” Pospisil said. “It means a lot to represent your country. Everyone is [going to] 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.”

Pospisil, a fourth-round pick (No. 105) in the 2018 NHL Draft, has 49 points (12 goals, 37 assists) in 144 games, all with Calgary. He had seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven games at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and played three games in the 2026 Olympic qualifiers.

The Flames (41-27-14) tied the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference but lost the tiebreaker, regulation plus overtime wins (40-36).

“I feel really good in Calgary,” Pospisil said. “It feels like my second home, playing in front of the great fans. 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 No. 1 goal, to make the playoffs. Once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.”