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2025 Calgary Flames Under-25: Top 25 Players Who Define the Future
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- 2025 Calgary Flames Under-25: Top 25 Players Who Define the Future
Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Fall is finally in the air and prospect tournaments/games have been happening for a while. With that being said, we are going to quickly run through the annual tradition (formerly from Matchsticks and Gasoline) for the Top 25 Calgary Flames Players Under the Age of 25.
A quick note on eligibility, a player must either have their rights owned by the Flames or currently be under NHL contract/ELC with the club to make the list.
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It is important to remember that this list is heavily weighed with fan feedback so please don't yell at us too much.
Table of contents
2024 Top 25 Recap
Here is a look at the Top 25 list as compiled in 2024:
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Sam Honzek
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Andrew Basha
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Etienne Morin
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Luke Misa
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Jacob Battaglia
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Artyom Grushnikov
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Jaden Lipinski
In total there were 42 eligible players for the 2024 list. That number stayed the same as departures matched additions to the Under 25 age pool within the Flames organization over the last year.
Here is a quick look at the Top 25 players who either left the franchise or aged out in 2024 along with their most recent ranking in the Summer 2024 list:
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Martin Pospisil, RW, #5 – Aged Out
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Jakob Pelletier, LW, #6 – Traded
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Kevin Bahl, LD, #13 – Aged Out
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Ilya Solovyov, LD, #17 – Aged Out
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Cole Schwindt, C, #21 – Lost on Waivers
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Brayden Pachal, RD, #24 – Aged Out
Top Under 25s (#42 – #26)
Most players who fall near the bottom of this list are usually recent late round picks or older depth free agent signings that don't really move the needle for the fanbase. Let's get to #42 through #26.
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42. D Nikita Okhotiuk , Last Year: #41 (-1)
Okhotiuk only remains eligible for this list because the Flames do technically control his rights after his return to the KHL.
41. D Jakob Leander, Last Year: NA
A 7th round pick, Leander starts his journey with the Flames near the bottom of the rankings but the 6'4" Swedish defenceman could be an interesting name to follow over the long-term. Leander will attempt to become a regular with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League.
40. C Cade Littler, Last Year: #39 (-1)
Littler moved from the BCHL to the NCAA for the 2024-25 season, joining the University of North Dakota. He posted 9 points in 33 games in his first season and as a 2022 7th rounder, he is definitely facing an uphill battle within the organization after not being at the summer development camp. Per Puckpedia, the Flames own his rights through June 2027 so there are a couple of years for him still to develop.
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39. F Yan Matveiko, Last Year: NA
Matveiko is an interesting prospect, not so much for his draft slot as a 7th rounder, but that the Flames clearly saw something in him. The Flames ended up moving their 2026 7th round pick to the Detroit Red Wings in order to draft the Russian forward. Matveiko is no doubt a long-term project as he continues his junior hockey journey in Russia.
38. G Owen Say, Last Year: NA
Note: Rankings were compiled prior to Prospects Game vs EDM otherwise Say would be higher already
The Flames signed Say out of Notre Dame (NCAA) in March to look at building up some goaltending depth for the franchise. Say put up an impressive .920 SV% this season in front of not-very-good team. At 24 years old, Say will need to make a rather immediate impact with the franchise if he hopes to stick around. Say was the starting goalie in the opening prospect game on Friday night against Edmonton and put together an impressive performance as he hopes to provide some AHL depth to the Wranglers this season.
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37. G Daniil Chechelev, Last Year: #35 (-2)
At this point the 2020 4th round pick is more or less out of the Flames system, it's just that they own the Russians rights perpetually. He spent some time in the ECHL and AHL for 2021-22 and 2022-23 but failed to stick and has since returned to Russia.
36. LW Parker Bell, Last Year: #29 (-7)
Bell takes one of the bigger drops in the entire rankings this year. He played his first professional year in 2024-25, spending the entire campaign with the Wranglers. He posted 7 goals and 2 assists in 61 games. With his size there is still some intrigue but he will have to prove himself as a strong bottom six forward at the AHL level in the coming year or two to really have any sort of NHL shot.
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35. RW Aidan Lane, Last Year: NA
The 2025 6th round pick comes in at #35 in his first year with the Flames organization. He spent the majority of last season as the captain of St.Andrew College prep hockey team before concluding the season with the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL. This season he will be joining Harvard as he heads to college hockey.
34. G Yegor Yegorov, Last Year: #33 (-1)
The best name in the system continues to develop in Russia at this point in time. It has only been a couple of years since he was drafted in the 6th round of 2023 so there is time for the prospect, but you'd like to see him in North America at some point before you get any higher on him.
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33. C Hunter Laing, Last Year: #40 (+7)
Laing split last season between the Prince George Cougars and the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. His point totals jumped from 25 in 66 games up to 48 in 64 games. He also scored the opening goal in the first prospects game (which isn't taken into consideration for the rankings) and figures to play a more prominent role on a Blades club going through a transition this season.
32. RW Trevor Hoskin, Last Year: #32 (+5)
Hoskin put up 39 points in 36 games in his first season with Niagara University (AHA). His point total was good for 4th in his league including 2nd in assists. Drafted as a 20 year old out of the OJHL, Hoskin's path was always going to be different than the norm. We will see if he can take another step this season at Merrimack College.
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31. C Jaden Lipinski, Last Year: #25 (-6)
For the 2nd year in a row, Lipinski finished one below a point-per-game pace with the Vancouver Giants (WHL). You would've liked to see him dominate more in his D+2 season. He is heading to the University of Maine (NCAA) this season.
30. F Lucas Ciona, Last Year: #31 (+1)
Ciona saw his role with the Wranglers grow during his 2nd professional season and responded with his point total jumping from 6 to 22. It's hard to say if he has much more ceiling than an AHL energy guy, especially with a lot of other prospects graduating to the AHL this season.
29. D Eric Jamieson, Last Year: #38 (+9)
The Calgary native had a strong season with Everett (WHL) which included him being named captain for the season. Definitely strikes as more of a project on the back-end but he showed some flashes to be sure. He heads to the University of Denver this season.
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28. D Axel Hurtig, Last Year: #32 (+4)
Hurtig made the move to North America in 2024-25 and actually made the move to Calgary, but to join the Hitmen (WHL) in this instance. His season also included representing Sweden at the World Juniors. Expect him to be back with the Hitman and to take on a big role this season with the team.
27. C Carter King, Last Year: NA
King joined his hometown franchise after signing with the Flames following the conclusion of his season at the University of Denver where he was the captain. As a natural center, King projects to have an important role with the Wranglers this season and may even sneak into a game or two at the NHL level.
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26. D Mace'o Phillips, Last Year: NA
The Flames definitely turned heads when they drafted Phillips who is listed at 6'6" 234 lbs. Despite his large size, Phillips has impressed being rather quick on his feet for his size and has used his body well in battles. Phillips was the only 2025 drafted prospect to join the fray at this year's fall prospects camp. After spending 2024-25 with the USNTDP, he now heads to Green Bay (USHL) for a season before joining the University of Minnesota in 2026-27.
Top Under 25s (#25 – #11)
25. G Kirill Zarubin, Last Year: #36 (+11)
2024-25 Team: Tula Mikhailov Academy (RUS-MHL), 12-9-0, .935 SV%
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The 2024 3rd round pick saw his rankings jump more than any other player in the entire Top 25 Under 25 list as intrigue continue to grow for a goaltending that is still an unknown. He has put together back-to-back solid seasons in Russia's MHL (KHL's Jr League) with .944 and .935 SV% in the last two years respectively.
He was a relatively early goaltending selection for the Flames who have traditionally drafted a goalie in the later rounds, but they clearly have high hopes for the Russian netminder. He has yet to make a journey to Calgary for either development camp or prospect camp, but that day will come for the young goaltender that the team appears very high on.
24. D Artem Grushnikov, Last Year: #22 (-2)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 61 GP, 1G 4A 5 Pts
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Grushnikov was the headline prospect returned in the Chris Tanev trade back in 2024. His first full season with the Flames organization saw him dress in 61 games with the team but struggled to really carve out a regular position with the Wranglers. On some nights he was as high as a top pairing defender, but he was also often a bottom pair guy or even a healthy scratch. There are questions if Grushnikov can provide even a bit more offensive kick to his game despite being a defensive defenceman.
Heading into the 2025-26, he is among an increasingly busy group of young defenders in the Flames organization and will need to take a considerable step forward to not get lost among the crowd. At this point, he seems pretty far down the list on potential AHL graduations for the Flames, but defencemen do often take longer than forwards. The question is if there is enough ice time to go around in a crowded Wranglers system for Grushnikov.
23. RW Ethan Wyttenbach, Last Year: NA
2024-25 Team: Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 44 GP, 24G 27A 51 Pts
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The Flames selected Wyttenbach with their fifth round selection in the 2025 draft. Very fittingly, Wyttenbach was the winner of the first ever USHL Gaudreau Award this past season for embodying the legacies of the Gaudreau brothers. He has made a name with his offensive flair and playmaking abilities. Perhaps slightly on the small side, Wyttenbach is a gritty forward that isn't afraid to battle in the corners but then can also create scoring opportunities coming out of those battles.
With a college season on the way for Wyttenbach at Quinnipac, we will start to get a better sense of how he will perform at the next level up. Wyttenbach really feels like the prototypical Flames pick for Craig Conroy after a couple of years of really solid drafting. We will see if he can jump from a relatively unknown prospect to one of the big names in the system over the coming seasons.
22. D Yan Kuznetsov, Last Year: #23 (+1)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 72 GP, 6G 15A 21 Pts
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Kuznetsov falls into a very similar position as Grushnikov does in that he's part of a busy Wranglers defence core. However Kuznetsov saw his game take a step forward in 2024-25, playing in every single game with the team and taking on an important role. He led the entire team with a +21, the next closest being a +8.
Personally at the handful of Wranglers games I attended, Kuznetsov stood out especially when closing down plays and controlling his gaps. Heading into 2025-26, Kuznetsov holds a new two year contract with the franchise but also now carries waiver eligibility meaning the Flames would have to expose him to return him to the AHL.
Between the waivers and the fact that Year 2 of his contract is a fully guaranteed one-way deal, I would not be surprised to see him have a shot at cracking the Flames roster out of camp this year. I'm personally quite high on him and think he could make a good fit towards the bottom half of the Flames defence lineup. However he will need a good training camp before the discussion can go any further.
21. G Arsenii Sergeev, Last Year: #26 (+5)
2024-25 Team: Penn State (NCAA), 19-9-4, .919 SV%
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Sergeev put together a solid third season of NCAA hockey, spending the season at Penn State as their starter. His games total doubled from 16 to 33 over the season as he really carried the Penn State team for most of the season, making it all the way to the Frozen Four.
The Flames then signed their 2021 7th rounder to his ELC in April and Sergeev should now be in a battle with Owen Say for AHL backup minutes this season. It's hard to judge too much for a 7th rounder from four years ago, but there is a real possibility he could become a backup goaltender down the line. He also put together a decent performance in Calgary's 5-4 prospects game win over Edmonton on Sunday.
Goaltenders always seem to have a random development path, but there is a 7th rounder who is now the #1 goalie with the Flames, could there be another 7th as the #2 in the coming years. That's up to Sergeev.
20. D Jeremie Poirier, Last Year: #11 (-9)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 71 GP 5G 37A 42 Pts
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Poirier played in all but one game for the Wranglers last season which was a step forward after an injury riddled 2023-24 season. However we continued to see many of the issues that have plagued Poirier throughout his development. He continued to bring offense but once again it was the defensive zone that hampered him. There is only so much offense he can provide which isn't enough to offset the defensive lapses.
As a result Poirier has really become lost among a growing group of younger and frankly better Flames defensive prospects. With the organization continuing to add young defensive pieces, Poirier is going to need a strong 2025-26 season to even just stick around with the franchise.
19. C Rory Kerins , Last Year: #28 (+9)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 63 GP 33G 28 A 61 Pts
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Kerins really wasn't on the average fans radar heading into the 2024-25 season after an okay 2023-24 with the Wranglers. However he parlayed a strong start to the season into a NHL callup where he dressed in five games for the Flames and racked up four assists. Kerins was ultimately returned to the AHL and didn't get another recall for the rest of the season, so make of that what you will.
Kerins turned 23 in April, so there's still some years for growth for the 2020 6th round pick. Given that he now has a handful of NHL games under his belt, he could find himself on the bubble for one of the final few roster spots with the Flames heading into camp. He is also now waiver eligible which may work in his favour if the Flames don't want to risk exposing him at the end of camp.
18. D Etienne Morin, Last Year: #14 (-4)
2024-25 Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), 62 GP 14G 44A 58 Pts
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Morin was an integral part of the Moncton Wildcats run to the Memorial Cup last season, playing in the majority of critical situations for the team. In his D+2 season, Morin really looked strong against younger CHL talent which is to be expected.
The challenge for Morin will turning pro this season alongside a Wranglers roster already full of AHL talent. Much like the other defensemen on the Wranglers, he will have to stand out in training camp to ensure he gets regular ice time although they will obviously be more patient with him. The Flames clearly like what they have in the player, jumping to sign him to his ELC last summer.
17. C Luke Misa, Last Year: #18 (+1)
2024-25 Team: Brampton Steelheads (OHL), 67 GP 34 G 51 A 85 Pts
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Misa has become a very intriguing prospect for the Flames, at least more so than a traditional 5th round pick. The consensus at the 2024 draft was that the Flames got themselves a steal when they selected him in the 5th round and he has lived up to those expectations with another strong OHL season. He has seen his OHL goal total jump each season, from 13 to 26 to 34.
Heading into 2025-26 the hope for Misa is that he continue his development after he announced a move to Penn State (NCAA) joining the likes of Gavin Mckenna as part of the exodus from the CHL to top US college programs. There's a lot of reason to be excited about Misa especially given his late draft status. It's another piece in the cupboard for a Flames management team that has quickly built a strong prospect system.
16. LW William Stromgren, Last Year: #12 (-4)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 70 GP 14 G 35 A 49 Pts
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Heading into training camp in 2024, there was some consensus that Stromgren might have found his way into an NHL callup in 2024-25 with a strong season. It seems like that opportunity has passed him by at the moment after he failed to really stand out at the AHL level last season. He did take a step forward to be sure, but it wasn't as large of one that fans or management might have hoped for the 2021 2nd round pick.
Much like with Poirier, Stromgren is quickly becoming lost among a growing crop of newly drafted prospects along with guys being signed into the organization like Carter King. This season could quickly become a make-or-break type year for the Swedish forward with other young prospects (Suniev, Gridin) looking ready to turn pro and potentially become "next call-up" material.
Stromgren will certainly get a few pre-season opportunities and will need to really excel to turn some heads as the organization's talent pool continues to deepen.
15. C Theo Stockselius, Last Year: NA
2024-25 Team: Djurgardens Jr (SHL Jr), 40 GP 22 G 29 A 51 Pts
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Stockselius was the Flames 2nd round selection in this summer's entry draft. He was selected 54th overall, the pick originally acquired from Washington when the Flames traded Andrew Mangiapane . Being a center with a strong scoring prowess in Swedish junior hockey, there is already a lot of excitement for Stockselius as his development continues.
His selection really sticks with the Flames recent motto of picking up players with high offensive upside. He will push to make the Swedish Hockey League this season, and is off to a strong start with four points in two games for the junior team. The other very notable point about Stockselius is that he's a survivor of thyroid cancer which makes him very easy to root for. It will be a lot of fun to watch his two-way game develope in Sweden and then eventually North America.
14. RW Adam Klapka, Last Year: #20 (+6)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 33 GP 14 G 12 A 26 Pts
Klapka made his first major NHL impact in 2024-25, dressing in 31 games and finding his way up in the lineup towards the end of the season. In fact, he averaged in the mid-teens for ice time in the final week of the season while the team was making their playoff push. The Flames rewarded the big Czech forward with a two-year extension with a $1.25M AAV. It's worth noting that both years of the deal are one-way, perhaps indicating that the Flames are ready to commit to Klapka as a full-time NHLer this season.
His journey with the organization has been particularly impressive after signing back in May 2022. Over the course of three seasons, he established himself as a good AHLer, then a very good AHLer, and now a good NHLer. It is another success story from the overseas scouting staff and we are excited to see where his NHL career goes over the coming two seasons. His mix of skill and size is something rarely seen in the NHL.
13. W Aydar Suniev, Last Year: #15 (+2)
2024-25 Team: UMass-Amherst (NCAA), 35 GP 20 G 18 A 38 Pts
After two strong seasons with UMass-Amherst, Suniev signed his ELC last spring and made his NHL debut in Game 82 against the Los Angeles Kings . There are a lot of reasons to be excited about this 2023 3rd round pick after he put together a really strong pair of prospect games this fall. Of course these rankings are generated without any inclusion of performance from this training camp, so his ranking will surely climb a bit when we do our mid-season updates.
He was particularly impressive in the offensive zone where he was generating a number of chances with elite skating and edgework, often leaving the Oilers defence stumbling while trying to chase him down. This season will be a big test for him as he jumps from College to the AHL but he should quickly become can't miss viewing for Wranglers fans.
12. W Jacob Battaglia, Last Year: #19 (+7)
2024-25 Team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL), 68 GP 40 G 50 A 90 Pts
Battaglia saw a big jump in his OHL production from 65 points in his draft year to 90 points last season. He is returning to Kingston for this season and should play a huge role as a forward in his D+2 season. Battaglia should be expected to end up in the Top 5 of scoring in the OHL after finished 11th last season.
He brings an intriguing mix of offensive skill but also a knack of intensity which could make him into a really good power forward. Battaglia put up a few points in the prospect games and will be with the Flames camp for a little while longer before he returns to Kingston. With a final season in junior hockey, Battaglia will aim to continue improving on his skating and defensive play, but overall there should be a lot of excitement for this late 2nd round pick from 2024.
11. D Henry Mews, Last Year: #16 (+5)
2024-25 Team: Ottawa 67's/Sudbury Wolves (OHL), 68 GP 14 G 68 A 82 Pts
Mews might not generate as many headlines as Zayne Parekh, but he is still a very intriguing defensive prospect to follow. He put together a stellar season in the Ontario Hockey League, finishing with 82 points which was good for third in league defensive scoring.
His offensive game has always been his calling card throughout junior hockey but will need to continue to focus on improving his defensive game in case his scoring dries up at higher levels. Mews will get his first test of that this season when he joins the Michigan Wolverines (NCAA). Mews was actually the first player to take advantage of the new CHL-NCAA rules allowing CHL players to move to US College Hockey. Playing in that league should benefit his development more than an extra season of OHL hockey, so the Flames will definitely be watching his games intently over the coming season.
Top Under 25s (#10 – #1)
10. LW Andrew Basha, Last Year: #10 (+/- 0)
2024-25 Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), 23 GP 9 G 20 A 29 Pts
After being selected with the 41st pick of the 2024 draft, Andrew Basha's D+1 WHL season was disrupted by ankle injury that eventually led to the forward electing for surgery in December. This resulted in Basha missing the rest of the regular season and most of the playoffs before returning for the Championship series and the Memorial Cup.
Basha made a notable impression in both tournaments alongside a stacked Medicine Hat team that ultimately fell to the also-stacked London Knights in the Memorial Cup final. For Basha it had to be frustrating to miss most of the year, but he is coming into Flames camp ready to roll again and hopefully get a fully healthy season under his belt. With his age, Basha does have the option to go pro by joining the Wranglers this season and all signs point to that being the most likely outcome. He also has the option to return to the WHL, but the AHL seems to make the most sense for him. While he likely won't challenge for a NHL spot this year, he was one of the most noticeable players in training camp in 2024, and a repeat there could put him on the short list for a callup at some point.
9. C/W Sam Honzek, Last Year: #7 (-2)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 52 GP 8 G 13 A 21 Pts
Many folks seem to have cooled their opinions on Honzek after an injury-marred first professional season in the AHL. Personally I think it's way too premature to rule anything out for the 2023 1st round pick. Honzek stormed into main camp last fall and won himself a job after a number of strong pre-season performances. He ended up dressing in five games for the Flames at 19 years old but suffered a shoulder injury and returned to the Wranglers.
Honzek did struggle to put up points in the AHL, at least for the level you would want to see from a former first round pick. However it is common for guys to really take off in their second year and that has to be what the club is banking on. It's also not entirely out of the realm of possibliity for Honzek to put together another strong camp that lands him in the NHL. There is still a lot of parts of a really good player there so the focus has to be on molding them together into a good NHLer this season. He's still 20 years old, give him time.
8. W Matvei Gridin, Last Year: #8 (+/- 0)
2024-25 Team: Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL), 56 GP 36 G 43 A 79 Pts
The Flames selected Gridin with their 2nd pick of the first round, originally acquired in the Elias Lindholm trade. Gridin moved from the USHL to the QMJHL for the season and ended up leading the league in rookie scoring as a 19 year old.
With Gridin graduating to the AHL this season, he's already been making waves after a pair of really strong showings in the Flames rookie games against Edmonton. He was unquestionably the best player on the ice for either team and really made the most of the opportunity. Gridin used his wicked shot to score a pair of goals and was consistently setting up players throughout the weekend. You can read my write up on the games here.
By the end of the meetings, there was even talk on if Gridin had a shot at making the Flames roster. While that may be a little premature, especially with the glut of middle six forwards in Calgary, a strong start to the Wranglers season should put him on the fast track for a potential call-up.
7. C Cullen Potter, Last Year: NA
2024-25 Team: Arizona State (NCAA), 35 GP 13 G 9 A 22 Pts'
If there's one thing with Cullen Potter that comes across in nearly every scouting report, it's his elite skating. He was a near-perfect selection for the Flames went the 32nd overall pick in the draft, a player they probably could've gotten away with selected with their first pick had Cole Reschny not been available still.
Potter is known as a fast and highly skilled player and a natural center. He was ranked as high as a Top 10 pick by some mock drafts and could really be a home run swing by the Flames. While there seem to be some questions about his decision making with the puck, that isn't isolated to just him for players being drafted. It's just so refreshing to have a player that is known specifically for his speed. That is something Calgary has lacked but has put a real focus on acquiring in recent years.
He has all the tools to become a really critical piece for the Flames in the future, and most importantly would do so as a centre which this franchise has desperately lacked for decades.
6. D Hunter Brzustewicz, Last Year: #9 (+3)
2024-25 Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL), 70 GP 5 G 27 A 32 Pts
Brzustewicz turned pro for the 2024-25 season and it was definitely a bit of a learning curve for the young defenceman stepping from the OHL to the AHL. After a slow start, Brz really settled in well to the Wranglers and became one of their most reliable defencemen over the course of the season. He was a staple in the Top 4 for the Wranglers and also picked up a lot of ice time on the powerplay.
Brz finished eighth in team scoring, second highest for defencemen with his 32 points and ended the season on a bit of hot streak with eight points in nine games. Brz was then rewarded with his first NHL game in Game 82 for the Flames. While Brz may still be a year away from locking into an NHL job, there is certainly reason to be excited about him as a prospect. A step forward with the Wranglers in 2025-26 would go a long way to perhaps securing him a job with the Flames in 2026-27 and beyond.
5. C Cole Reschny, Last Year: NA
2024-25 Team: Victoria Royals (WHL), 62 GP 26 G 66 A 92 Pts
The Flames had to feel a bit lucky at this summer's draft when Reschny fell to them with the 18th overall pick. He was exactly the type of player that the organization desperately needed to add. Calgary has been a franchise devoid of natural centers, especially in the prospect system for a long time so drafting Reschny quickly fill some of that need.
Reschny will be joining the University of North Dakota for the 2025-26 season as he joins the exodus of players from the CHL, but it serves well from a Flames perspective to have him taking on older players from a younger age. Expectations have to be sky high for a player who has really dominated throughout his career, and he is sure to be a major contributor for UND and Team Canada at the World Jrs this year.
It is worth noting that Reschny is a Saskatchewan kid who grew up as an Oilers fan, but we believe that can be fixed.
4. C/W Connor Zary, Last Year: #4
2024-25 Team: Calgary Flames (NHL), 54 GP 13 G 14 A 27 Pts
The 2024-25 campaign had to have a combination of elation and frustration for Connor Zary. We really started to see moments where Zary could use his skill to take games over, but there were numerous occasions where the puck just refused to go in for him for whatever reason.
His season was also marred by two freak knee injuries, the later of which ended his season not long after he returned. Much like his goal-scoring, the injuries were very unlucky as he was on the receiving end of a knee-on-knee hit in Anaheim, and then was taken out on a weird play by a falling Mikko Rantanen. Zary also had a strange summer with his contract negotiations dragging all the way September 5 before the sides ultimately agreed to a three year $3.775M AAV deal.
The biggest question going into this season for Connor Zary is simply: What position is he? There has been so much talk about him playing center, but the spots really aren't opening up and thus it feels likely he at least starts the season on the wing. It feels as if the Flames are doing a disservice to one of their top young players by not really giving him the opportunity to show what he can be, especially in a timeframe right now where the focus has to be more on the future than the present.
3. RW Matt Coronato, Last Year: #3
2024-25 Team: Calgary Flames (NHL), 77 GP 24 G 23 A 47 Pts
Matt Coronato evolved from a promising prospect to long-term core piece of the Flames during the 2024-25 season. After making the team out of camp, Coronato briefly bounced back to the AHL in late October for two games. He quickly came back to the NHL and cemented himself as a permanent fixture in the Flames lineup after that.
While not a "rookie" by league standards, 24-25 was Coronato's first full NHL season and he broke out with 24 goals with arguably the most deadly shot on the Flames roster. The most impressive piece of Coronato's game last season was that he really became more comfortable with controlling the puck and using his strength to win battles.
It has been a quick development path for the 2021 1st round pick after beginning his first pro season in just 2023-24. The Flames rewarded Coronato's year by giving him a seven year contract extension this summer with an AAV of $6.5M. With the salary cap increasing, this deal has the potential to look very good for Calgary if he can find another level or two to his game. Either way, he is now 100% part of the long-term core for the Flames and should only do more to cement himself in the top six or even top line this season.
2. D Zayne Parekh, Last Year: #1
2024-25 Team: Saginaw Sprit (OHL), 61 GP 33 G 74 A 107 Pts
Before I even start into the discussion around Parekh, I want to iterate that he fell from #1 to #2 through zero fault of his own and it was an extremely close vote between him and the player at #1. It was a fairly large gap between Coronato at #3 and Parekh at #2, which really shows the strength of the Flames organization at the very top of this list.
Parekh's 2024-25 season saw him start the year with Calgary, but struggled to make a huge impact in early preseason games. He returned to the OHL where he eclipsed the point totals he put up the previous year in Saginaw and continued to be the league's dominant force from the blue line. He finished 5th in total OHL scoring and 16 points ahead of the next closest defenceman (Sam Dickinson, SJ).
The spotlight just seemed to find Parekh during the season, most notably when he and a number of other names were surprising omitted from the Team Canada World Jrs roster. That team predictably struggled to score as a result and lost out in the quarterfinals. If only they had a 100+ point PP quarterback around. Parekh joined the Flames at the conclusion of his junior season and made his NHL debut in Game 82, scoring his first career goal on a deflection.
Heading into this season, the only real question around Parekh is how the Flames will mange his playing time this year. While the CHL and AHL/NHL continue to hash out rulings around 19 year old CHLers playing in the AHL, the Flames will plan to keep him in the NHL. If the league's come to an agreement, he could join the Wranglers but for the time being it's NHL or OHL. There is nothing left for Parekh to prove at the junior level and as such, he should be on the Flames roster to begin the season. Whether he is an every night player, or the Flames manage him a bit to begin his first season, he should quickly become an integral piece to the team.
The Flames simply haven't had an offensive dynamo at this level on the blue-line in a very long time. He could be the superstar to power the Flames for the next decade, and it starts this fall.
1. G Dustin Wolf, Last Year: #2
2024-25 Team: Calgary Flames (NHL), 53 GP 29-16-8 .910 SV% 3 SO
Dustin Wolf is him.
Any questions about whether Wolf could perform at the NHL level over a full season were answered in the 2024-25 season. Coming in as a tandem-mate with Dan Vladar to start the season, Wolf took over the net and was very obviously the Flames MVP over the course of the season. He made waves across the NHL and was the key reason the team finished a tiebreaker short of the playoffs when pre-season expectations had them near the bottom of the league.
Wolf started a whopping 34 of the Flames final 44 games, carrying the team with many outstanding performances on nights where the team was being outclassed by more talented opposition. Not only was he the star, but he was the leader on the team, pushing his teammates to be better. Wolf finished 2nd in Calder Trophy voting with a performance that would've won the award in most other seasons.
Off the ice, the Flames rewarded Dustin Wolf with a whopping seven year $7.5M AAV extension this summer, a whole year before he was due to be a restricted free agent. It was the Flames buying into a goaltender who has quickly become the face of the franchise and created a narrative shift in Calgary after a rough half-decade for the franchise. Wolf has become one of the most frequent faces at any sort of Flames charity events in Calgary during the summer. He has simply bought into the city and the city has loved him back.
At 24 years of age, this is his final year of eligibility on this list but it has been a remarkable journey for the 2019 7th round pick. The best part? It has only just begun for Wolf, the Flames, and the fans.
Final List
Here is the full list of players from #1 through #25 (with their ranking change this year in brackets).
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Dustin Wolf (+1)
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Zayne Parekh (-1)
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Matt Coronato (0)
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Connor Zary (0)
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Cole Reschny (NA)
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Hunter Brzustewicz (+3)
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Cullen Potter (NA)
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Matvei Gridin (0)
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Sam Honzek (-2)
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Andrew Basha (0)
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Henry Mews (+5)
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Jacob Battaglia (+7)
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Aydar Suniev (+2)
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Adam Klapka (+6)
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Theo Stockselius (NA)
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William Stromgren (-4)
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Luke Misa (+1)
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Etienne Morin (-4)
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Rory Kerins (+9)
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Jeremie Poirier (-9)
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Arseni Sergeev (+5)
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Yan Kuznetsov (+1)
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Ethan Wyttenbach (NA)
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Artem Grushnikov (-2)
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Kirill Zarubin (+11)
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