The Calgary Flames haven't called it a rebuild, but they've traded veterans for prospects and draft picks to develop an exciting pipeline. Get the deep dive from Tony Ferrari.
The Calgary Flames haven't called it a rebuild, but they've traded veterans for prospects and draft picks to develop an exciting pipeline. Get the deep dive from Tony Ferrari.
The NHL prospect pool overviews continue today with the Calgary Flames.
Tony Ferrari digs into their strengths and weaknesses, gives a quick overview of their latest draft class, shows their positional depth chart and looks at who could be next in line for an NHL chance.
A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises, except in very specific cases.
First Thoughts
The Calgary Flames have been hesitant to say they are in a rebuild, but the roster and the fact they have the most cap space of any team at this point in the off-season say otherwise.
The Flames have taken a step back in the last couple of seasons since the departures of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk via free agency and trade, but this is the first time they’ve committed to what seems to be a rebuild.
Their prospect pool heading into the 2024 NHL draft wasn’t all that impressive. Thankfully, the 10 selections they made, led by stud blueliner Zayne Parekh, really helped bolster their pipeline. They still have work to do, but they’ve got the building blocks for success now.
Injuries limited 2023 first-rounder Samuel Honzek this season, but when he was fully healthy, he showed exactly why Calgary valued him. The 6-foot-3 pivot is strong on the puck, using his reach and strength to protect it. He always tries to get the puck to the middle of the ice by passing or skating, which puts him on the ice for plenty of high-danger attempts.
Matthew Coronato has been on the cusp of making the NHL roster, playing in 34 games last season, but he couldn’t stick with the big club. He showed he was one of the better offensive producers in the AHL, so getting him into the NHL should be the priority this season. He is a wicked-smart player who has a solid shot, but it’s his playmaking that will get him playing time. Coronato can stickhandle through traffic, but he also plays with enough strength to play through traffic.
Big Swedish winger William Stromgren joined the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers full-time last season. It’s been nice to see him lean into his playmaking more over the last couple of seasons, which has made him a more threatening dual-threat offensive player. What makes the 6-foot-3 Swede special is his ability to motor up ice while stickhandling and weaving through the defense. Stromgren is poised to take a big step in the AHL this year and could reasonably get a cup of coffee in the NHL.
The Flames have done a lot to bolster their blueline prospects, which started when they traded for Hunter Brzustewicz in February. The offensive-minded blueliner was a terror for opposing teams in the OHL last season. He and Parekh were the only two defensemen to surpass 73 points, and both finished with more than 90 on the back end. Brzustewicz relies on his passing to move the puck, but his skating has improved.
Jeremie Poirier missed a massive chunk of last season because of a gruesome lacerated wrist he suffered in a late October game. He fought his way back into the lineup, but it was mostly a lost season for the puck-moving defender. Getting back on track will be pivotal for him as he looks to make his way to the NHL at some point this year. His passing and vision are already NHL-ready. He just needs to round out his defensive game, which has already taken big steps since being drafted.
The Flames have a few defensive-minded blueliners who have seen NHL time in Ilya Solovyov and Yan Kuznetsov, but the upside both bring is quite limited. Artem Grushnikov, the prospect acquired when Calgary traded Chris Tanev, could be a physical second-pairing guy who can help balance a pair out.
U-23 Players Likely to Be on the NHL Roster
Connor Zary (C/W)
2024 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 9th overall - Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw (OHL)
Round 1, 28th overall - Matvei Gridin, RW, Muskegon (USHL)
Round 2, 41st overall - Andrew Basha, LW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
Round 2, 62nd overall - Jacob Battaglia, RW, Kingston (OHL)
Round 3, 74th overall - Henry Mews, RD, Ottawa (OHL)
Round 3, 84th overall - Kirill Zarubin, G, AKM Tula Jr. (Rus.)
Round 4, 106th overall - Trevor Hoskin, RW, Coburg (OJHL)
Round 5, 150th overall - Luke Misa, C, Mississauga (OHL)
Round 6, 170th overall - Hunter Laing, C, Prince George (WHL)
Round 6, 177th overall - Eric Jamieson, LD, Everett (WHL)
The Flames nailed the 2024 NHL draft, which should help set up the next phase of Flames hockey. They balanced going for players with upside and NHL certainty.
They started with the biggest swing for upside and skill outside of the top five with Zayne Parekh, the offensive dynamo on the blueline.
Parekh has been a force of nature for the Saginaw Spirit. He is a cerebral passer in the offensive zone and always looks to jump up in the offensive zone to get into scoring position. His game will always lean on offense, but he has the tools to continue getting better defensively. Parekh arguably becomes the team’s top prospect, and he fills the biggest hole they had in the system on the right side of the blueline.
Matvei Gridin was more of a surprising pick. The Muskegon forward was committed to the University of Michigan, but he's no longer headed there and may head to the QMJHL, where Val-D’Or holds his rights.
Gridin is a dual-threat scorer who tactically attacks his opponents by picking apart their defensive structure. He can bring some flashy handling from time to time, but he plays a fairly straightforward game in the O-zone.
Andrew Basha is a fantastic grab in the second round. His puck skill and offensive creativity are among the best in the draft class. Basha is a slick playmaker who can feather a puck through lanes as they develop and use his stickhandling to open space for himself. If he can work off a true play driver, he can be the offensive catalyst. Basha has the potential to be a lethal power-play asset as well.
Battaglia isn’t a great skater, but he’s developed great habits and the ability to work around it at the OHL level. He is strong on his feet and possesses solid vision and a very good shot. He is an excellent complement to players who excel in transition. Battaglia could certainly use some work with a skating coach. If he gets even a bit more agile in small areas or improves his acceleration, he could be a very useful middle-six piece.
Every year, there seems to be a CHL defender who comes into the season with plenty of hype just to fall and be drafted in the third or fourth round. This year, it’s Henry Mews. He reads the ice at a high level and skates quite well, but the rest of his game hasn’t quite rounded into form as of yet. Betting on mobility and intelligence is always a solid bet to make in the middle of the draft.
Drafting a goalie, particularly one who puts up insane numbers, in the middle rounds of the draft is a quality strategy. Kirill Zarubin's 1.99 goals-against average and .944 save percentage are undeniable, even if it wasn’t against top competition in the MHL, Russia's junior league.
OJHL players are always a pretty big risk as they don’t turn out all that often, but there has been some buzz around Trevor Hoskin. The 20-year-old tore up the Jr. A league, which should come as expected for a player his age. He’s heading to Niagara University next year, which typically means there is plenty of time for him to develop, but being 20 already negates most of that.
The Flames’ first selection in the fifth round may be the late-round steal of the draft. Luke Misa is an incredibly productive, highly skilled center who plays with a ton of energy and pace. He is a transitional force who is also a menace on the forecheck. His biggest and only glaring flaw is he is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10 and 174 pounds. Misa’s a playmaking machine who could be a pivotal part of the Flames' rebuild.
Hunter Laing is a massive center who didn’t find the scoresheet all that often this season, his first full year in the WHL with Prince George. The Flames must hope that as he finds a bit more co-ordination and control with his frame, he can really flex his offensive might.
Their final pick, Eric Jamieson, is a physical defender who is at his best when he can take the puck away and then get it to a teammate with quick, simple passes. He must take a step in a variety of ways, from improving his mobility to developing some offensive traits, but he might be a solid bottom-of-the-lineup brute.
Strengths
The Flames went from being a prospect pool with nobody really on the way to having a decent group of players who can play a role in the lineup.
They have excellent wingers, such as Honzek, Coronato and Basha. Their defense group has also improved greatly, with Parekh, Brzustewicz and Grushnikov all coming in over the last six months. They have depth all over the pipeline now, which is huge for them.
Weaknesses
The Flames don’t really have a bona fide star in the forward group. They’ve done a good job of rounding the entire pool into a solid group, but they are still missing the next cornerstone piece up front.
They hope Parekh is that guy on the back end. With Dustin Wolf looking to assert himself in the Flames' net, the management team will likely look to add “The Guy” up front at next year’s NHL draft. If they could add that player down the middle, that would be even better.
Next Man Up: Dustin Wolf, G
Dustin Wolf’s time is now.
With the Flames moving Jacob Markstrom, one of Calgary's top prospects has a clear-cut opportunity to play meaningful games and compete for the starting gig with Dan Vladar ahead of him on the depth chart.
Wolf has dominated every level he has played at over the last half-decade. The 23-year-old has two WHL goalie of the year awards, a CHL goalie of the year award, two AHL goalie of the year titles and an AHL MVP honor.
The only big concern around Wolf is his size. Standing just six-foot, he isn’t the typical NHL goaltender, and there are concerns he may have reached his athletic ceiling.
He reads plays well, has refined movement and always seems to find a way to make the save. Wolf might end up being a Calder Trophy contender this season if he earns the greater workload he should get when the Flames need the youth to come to the forefront.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Samuel Honzek, Andrew Basha, William Stromgren, Lucas Ciona, Aydar Suniev, Rory Kerins
C: Luke Misa, Jaden Lipinski, Ilya Nikolayev
RW: Matthew Coronato, Matvei Gridin, Jacob Battaglia, Trevor Hoskin
LD: Jeremie Poirier, Artem Grushnikov, Joni Jurmo, Ilya Solovyov, Yan Kuznetsov, Etienne Morin, Axel Hurtig
RD: Zayne Parekh, Henry Mews, Hunter Brzustewicz
G: Dustin Wolf, Yegor Yegorov, Arsenii Sergeev, Kirill Zarubin
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch print editions in The Hockey News.