The Calgary Roughnecks begin the free agency period by signing Erik Turner and Matthew Abbott and goaltender Cam Macleod

The Calgary Roughnecks have initiated the 2024 NLL free agency period by securing the services of free agents Erik Turner and Matthew Abbott, along with goaltender Cam Macleod, who has signed a two-year contract. In related news, NHL analyst Eric Francis appeared on the FAN Hockey Show to address the speculation surrounding the Calgary Flames and the potential trade of Nazem Kadri, particularly considering his valuable role in mentoring younger players.

Cam Macleod, originally from Georgetown, Ontario, joins the Roughnecks following two seasons with the Panther City Lacrosse Club, where he participated in 20 games and achieved a .755 save percentage. The 25-year-old also excelled this summer with the Edmonton Miners in Senior B, posting an impressive 0.860 save percentage and contributing 9 assists in 8 games. He played a crucial role in the Presidents Cup, completing 6 games in the National Championship with a 6.42 GAA and an 0.853 save percentage. Macleod was selected 10th overall in the NLL dispersal draft on Monday, a result of the Roughnecks trading defenseman Seth Van Schepen to the Georgia Swarm for that pick. Additionally, the Roughnecks drafted forward Mathieu Gautier with the fifth overall pick and forward Justin Morgan with the 19th pick.

Defensemen Erik Turner and Matthew Abbott join the Roughnecks after spending the previous season with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs and San Diego Seals, respectively. Turner, hailing from St. Albert, Alberta, has played 31 career games over two seasons, accumulating 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists) and collecting 104 loose balls. Abbott, who has yet to make his NLL debut after being drafted by the Seals in 2023, recently played for the Langley Thunder in the WLA, where he recorded 5 points throughout the season and achieved a faceoff win percentage of 0.610 (188 wins out of 308 attempts). Furthermore, the Roughnecks have also signed forward Riley Isaacs to a two-year contract this week, bringing the Calgary native back after he was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 Entry Draft and served as a key practice roster player for the team during the 2023-24 season.