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Flames Duo Set For May World Championship Stage
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- Flames Duo Set For May World Championship Stage
A pair of Calgary Flames players will extend their season into international duty, with goaltender Devin Cooley and forward Martin Pospisil both confirmed for the 2026 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Switzerland this May.
Cooley, who will suit up for the United States, and Pospisil, representing Slovakia, arrive at the tournament from very different but equally winding paths through the professional ranks.
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For Cooley, the call is the latest step in a grind that has stretched across nearly a decade. Since turning pro in 2017, he's quietly climbed through the NCAA, ECHL, and AHL ranks before finally breaking through at the NHL level this season.
After a strong year with the Calgary Wranglers was briefly interrupted by a midseason concussion, he battled back to win the backup role behind Dustin Wolf out of training camp. From there, he didn't just hold the job—he earned it.
In 31 appearances for Calgary this season, Cooley posted a 10-10-6 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage, solidifying himself as one of the more dependable backups in the league and earning a nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Now, he gets his first real taste of international hockey with USA Hockey on a major stage.
Pospisil's path has been more turbulent, defined by flashes of impact and stretches disrupted by injury.
The 26-year-old forward has been a familiar name in the Flames' system since turning pro in 2019, often on the cusp of a full-time NHL role but repeatedly stalled by setbacks. After finally carving out a spot in 2023-24 as a relentless forechecker and physical presence, his momentum was once again interrupted this past season by a training camp concussion.
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He didn't crack the NHL lineup until late, following conditioning stints in the AHL, and struggled to find rhythm upon his return, finishing the year with 22 games played and just three points while bouncing in and out of the lineup.
Still, Pospisil has long been a fixture with Slovakia's national team program, including appearances at the recent 2026 Winter Olympics. For him, the World Championship represents more than just another tournament—it's a chance to reset the narrative after a difficult year and re-establish himself heading into the offseason.
The 2026 IIHF World Hockey Championships will run from May 15 to May 31 in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.
