2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Calgary Flames

Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Will the sun keep shining in Calgary?

After an offseason that started with a number of quality names in the rumor mill, it’s hard to get a grasp on what the Calgary Flames will look like in the coming months. After a strong 2021-22 season, everything fell apart last year, and now the Flames need to figure out their identity in the post-Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau era.

Fortunately, they’ve got some promising prospects in the pipeline. There are a few expected to join the team this year, such as Dustin Wolf and Matthew Coronato, but there’s a fair share of “bubble” guys who may or may not turn into something notable here. That includes Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary and Jeremie Poirier, three prospects you’d hope will take big steps this year into becoming legitimate long-term options.

It’s OK for a prospect to take their time, but if they’re really going to make an impact, they need the right opportunities, too. The previous Flames’ regime seemed uninterested in giving young talent ice time, and that’ll hopefully change in 2023-24.

Biggest Strength

Having one of the game’s top young goaltending prospects puts the team in a great position. There are some who still question Wolf’s NHL impact as a smaller goalie, but the numbers everywhere he played don’t lie. It was interesting that the Flames signed Daniel Vladar to a multi-year extension knowing Wolf is coming, but Vladar could end up being a decent trade piece. No doubt about it, Wolf deserves to be playing full-time in the NHL.

Biggest Weakness

The blueline needs some work, especially when it comes to defensive or shutdown blueliners. Etienne Morin and Jeremie Poirier are both high-flying, offensive defenders with good potential, especially Morin. But beyond that, they’re lacking. Yan Kuznetsov had a difficult season, and there isn’t a whole lot after that. That’ll be an area for the team to start investing in over the next couple of years.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Grade: B

1. Dustin Wolf, G, 22 (Calgary Flames)

Wolf has won the top goaltender honors in both of his AHL seasons, giving him a nice four-year streak after winning the same award in the WHL before that. All Wolf does is win, proving that teams made a big mistake not selecting him before the seventh round in 2019. The talent is there, with the 22-year-old recording a mind-blowing 77-20-7 record with seven shutouts and a .927 save percentage over 105 AHL games. Wolf still has Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar in front of him in Calgary’s depth chart, but Wolf shouldn’t spend any more time in the AHL. It’s time.

2. Matthew Coronato, RW, 20 (Calgary Flames)

It was a season to remember for Coronato, who recorded his second consecutive 36-point campaign with Harvard. He then turned pro and made his NHL debut before finishing as one of USA’s top players at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. Coronato has done everything right leading up to this point and he’s set for his first season of NHL duty. The Flames have shown a willingness to select smaller forwards, but former coach Darryl Sutter seemed uninterested in giving them a shot. Will that change under new coach Ryan Huska? It should, because the 5-foot-10 Coronato is going to be dangerous.

3. Samuel Honzek, C, 18 (Vancouver, WHL)

Drafted: No. 16, first round in 2023

Honzek was a low-risk pick in the first round, someone who could challenge for a spot in a year or two thanks to some solid NHL-level qualities. An injury at the world juniors didn’t help him, but Honzek showed enough this season to make me believe he’ll be a solid second-liner before too long. For a 6-foot-4 forward, Honzek is a good skater with a good stride and solid top speed. Add in his apparent physical strength and you’ve got a player with a bright future.

4. Etienne Morin, D, 18 (Moncton, QMJHL)

Drafted: No. 48, second round in 2023

More than a few heads were turned when NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr called Morin his top defenseman for the draft. The skilled, two-way defender is still a work in progress, but his offensive flashes and improved defensive play make him an intriguing prospect. With 21 goals and 72 points with Moncton last year, scoring clearly wasn’t an issue. Defensive zone coverage was at points, but Morin is a defender with decent size, clear offensive upside and the willingness to play physical hockey.

5. Jakob Pelletier, LW, 22 (Calgary, AHL)

Drafted: No. 26, first round in 2019

Speaking of smaller players, the 5-foot-10 Pelletier falls into that hole, for better or for worse. With 99 points in 101 games over two AHL campaigns, Pelletier has been among the best in the minors and deserves a proper look in the NHL. He’s skilled, can clearly score and brings good size, giving you all the attributes you’re looking for from smaller skaters. How much more can he gain from sniping on AHL goaltenders for another season?

*Connor Zary (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

6. Connor Zary, C/LW, 21 (Calgary, AHL)

Drafted No. 24, first round in 2020

Zary still hasn’t been given a chance in the NHL after three years of plying his craft in the minors. While generating offense was a bit of a struggle in 2021-22, last season saw him put up 21 goals and 58 points plus another four in the playoffs. Zary’s skating is still a work in progress, and he’s likely not ready for next season, but it was good to see him bounce back and show he’s still one of the best prospects in the system.

7. Jeremie Poirier, D, 21 (Calgary, WHL)

Drafted: No. 72, third round in 2020

Poirier had a wild start to the year before eventually cooling off in the second half of the season. Still, he had 41 points in 69 AHL regular season games and another eight points in nine playoff outings. An offensive defenseman, Poirier was named to the AHL’s all-rookie team, and for good reason. Few defensemen his age can move the puck like Poirier, and the Flames could use a guy like him over the next couple of years.

*Topi Ronni (Jenn Pierce/Calgary Flames)*

8. Topi Rönni, C, 18 (Tappara, Liiga)

Drafted: No. 59, second round in 2022

Some minor injuries caused him to miss some time, but it was still good to see Rönni get into about 25 pro games between Liiga and Champions Hockey League play. He didn’t produce much, and had nothing to show at the world juniors, which was disappointing. That being said, he’s still young and is returning to Tappara, so we’ll see if he can turn on the wick before potentially coming over and playing in the AHL the following season. By all accounts, Rönni should challenge for a top-two center spot on Finland this season at the 2024 world juniors, with Finland looking to rebound after a disappointing early exit.

9. Arseni Sergeyev, G, 20 (University of Connecticut, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 205, seventh round in 2021

Drafting goaltenders can be an absolute crapshoot, and two of Calgary’s best puck-stopping prospects happen to be seventh-round picks. Sergeyev had a solid freshman season at Connecticut after demolishing the USHL with Tri-City the year prior. Connecticut added Nashville Predators prospect Ethan Haider this summer, so it’ll be interesting to see how that affects Sergeyev. But regardless, Sergeyev already looks like one of the biggest steals of the 2021 NHL Draft.

10. Aydar Suniev, LW, 18 (Univ. of Massachusetts, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 80, third round in 2023

A University of Massachusetts commit, Suniev deserves a lot of love for his play in Penticton. He had 45 goals and 90 points in 50 games while playing alongside Bradly Nadeau, helping to round out the most dominant line in Canadian Jr. A hockey. Suniev then finished with 23 points in the playoffs, good for fifth in postseason scoring. He can shoot from anywhere, and he can put some tremendous velocity behind his shots. Let’s see how he adjusts to life in college.

Other notables: Lucas Ciona, LW (20), Parker Bell, LW (19), Axel Hurtig, D (18), Ilya Solovyov, D (23), Mathias Emilio Pettersen, C (23), Cole Schwindt, RW/C (22), William Stromgren, LW (20), Ilya Nikolayev, C (22)

Previous 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool instalments

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