Five Flames hopefuls to focus upon during prospects camp

Skaters have an opportunity to separate from the pack this week

As Calgary Flames fans anticipate a trade or two involving players from the club’s 2024 free agency crew, a chance to see parts of the future will help alleviate the wait.

The Flames will have 38 players converge on WinSport for the annual summer prospects starting on Thursday, a perfect opportunity to check out the pool of hopefuls.

Whether draft choices, trade or free-agent acquisitions or invitees, there will be plenty of players to investigate during the on-ice skill sessions and scrimmages.

Of note, Jeremie Poirier will attend but will not be on the ice and 2023 third-round pick Aydar Suniev will not attend due to the immigration process. Fellow 2023 draft picks Yegor Yegorov and Axel Hurtig also are not part of it.

Here are five players to key on during the week.

Matt Coronato, RW

After all the attention placed upon him as his NCAA season ended and he joined the Flames late in the campaign to skate in the season finale, it’s easy to forget Coronato is still only 20-years old and was drafted just two years ago.

The Harvard University product will have every chance to make the Flames roster this season — as will also be the case for Jakob Pelletier — and this is an opportunity for Coronato to take a valuable step. Even though he will not be among the oldest players at the camp, he can provide leadership and show some separation from the bulk of the prospects.

Topi Ronni, C

Calgary’s top pick in the 2022 draft, 59th overall, played for Tappara Tampere in Finland’s top loop last season, and collected two goals and five points in 22 games. He also played for Finland at the world juniors, and should have a bigger role at the next tournament. At the junior level, he collected two goals and 10 points in seven regular season games for the U-20 squad, and then five goals and 15 points in 10 playoff outings.

A 6-foot-2 center, Ronni is signed to another season in with Tappara, which should help his development. Ronni attended the prospects camp last season, and this is an opportunity to show how far along he has developed.

Lucas Ciona, LW

A sixth-round pick in 2021, Ciona has pushed himself very far up the club’s prospect list, and for good reason. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound, 20-year-old was captain of the WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds and collected 28 goals and 75 points during the regular season. The disappointment for Ciona was losing to the Quebec Remparts in the Memorial Cup final.

Ciona, who signed an entry-level contract last fall, will likely turn pro this season — although he could return to junior for an overage campaign — and this camp is an opportunity for him to show he has pushed even further ahead of his peers.

Yan Kuznetsov, D

While Poirier receives more attention because of his offensive skills, Kuznetsov was drafted first among the two by Calgary, chosen 50th overall in 2020 (Poirier was taken in the third round). The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Kuznetsov is more of a defensive player, but did collect five goals and 19 points in 63 regular-season games, after netting only two points in his first 31 outings.

A 2022 Memorial Cup champion along with Poirier with the Saint John Sea Dogs, Kuznetsov has steps to take to be with the big club, but opportunities may present themselves with six of the club’s top eight defensemen due to become unrestricted free-agents after the 2023-24 season.

Samuel Honzek, LW

This will be the first chance, or at least one of the first chances, for fans to watch closely any of this year’s draft choices live and in person. Honzek, the 6-foot-4, 194-pound winger who was selected 16th overall, is the biggest headliner.

Honzek, who collected 23 goals and 56 points in only 43 regular-season games last season for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, a season shortened because his leg was cut by a skate during the world juniors tournament, will have an opportunity to show how he compares to those who already have a year or two of pro experience.

The prospects will be broken into two groups, with on-ice sessions 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Saturday will have a 10 a.m. skills session followed by a three-on-three scrimmage.