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It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re breaking down the Calgary Flames.

The 2024-25 season saw the Flames promote Dustin Wolf and Matt Coronato to full-time NHL duty. Wolf went on to challenge for the Calder Trophy, while Coronato just missed out on registering 50 points. Even Jakob Pelletier played 24 games with the big club before getting shipped off to Philadelphia at the NHL Trade Deadline.

So while the actual season wasn’t a success for the Flames, it was good to see two of their top young prospects take big steps forward and become vital pieces of the team’s core.

And they’re not done. There’s a high likelihood that defenseman Zayne Parekh will be in the NHL to start the season, with many believing he’ll stick around for the majority of the year. Samuel Honzek looks ready to see more NHL action, and a few others are set to become pros for the first time.

The Flames might not have much going for them in the NHL, but there are some nice pieces coming along throughout the deep pipeline.

Biggest Strength

The Flames have a ton of depth at center now, using their two first-rounders to bet on middlemen with skill to burn. Cole Reschny is one of the best playmakers outside of the NHL today, while Potter didn’t let a smaller frame slow him down in college. If you’re looking for someone with more power-forward makeup, Theo Stockselius can knock guys down, and Honzek has experience at the center and the wing. Want an energy forward? Try Luke Misa, who is the fastest skater in the Flames’ pipeline. The Flames might miss a true game-changing forward – someone you could rely on to score big goals – but they’ve got plenty of center depth to work in a way they couldn’t have said a year ago.

Biggest Weakness

The Flames have a lot of depth in their pipeline. They don’t have much goaltending help now that Wolf is an NHLer, but I’m not too worried about it (I do like Arsenii Sergeev, though). What the team lacks is a true first-line forward. Reschny is a good forward, but he’s not a first-liner. Beyond that, I see a bunch of guys with middle-to-bottom-six potential, which is still very important. But if you’re not content with the Flames’ top six right now, I’m not sure anyone in the system will sway your opinion any other way.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Craig Conroy
Dir. Amateur Scouting: Tod Button
Dir. of Player Development: Ray Edwards
AHL Affiliate: Calgary Wranglers
ECHL Affiliate: Rapid City Rush

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Cole Reschny (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Zayne Parekh, RHD, 19 (Calgary Flames)

Acquired: Drafted ninth overall, first round in 2024

Parekh is as close to an “elite prospect” as you’ll find in Calgary’s system and is easily one of the best defensive prospects in the game today. He plays with so much confidence and so much energy – he’s a rockstar. Parekh is going to be somebody people pay to watch play because he’s so skilled. He’s very unique in the way that he can dominate in so many elements of the game. It felt like early in his junior career he had that offensive potential but he was making too many mistakes in his own zone. We just don’t see that as much these days, which allowed him to put up triple-digit numbers in Saginaw. I don’t think he has any reason to head back to Saginaw, but does he have a spot locked up with Calgary? We’ll see after training camp.

2. Cole Reschny, C, 18 (University of North Dakota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 18th overall, first round in 2025

There’s a lot to love here – and I think there’s true top-six potential. Reschny’s ability to produce no matter the situation makes him so intriguing. He’s not huge, but he makes up for it with explosive speed and elusiveness, making him a tough player to contain on the rush. He’s an outstanding playmaker, maybe one of the best in this class. Reschny’s competitive nature will take him far, and he has proven internationally he can be an offensive catalyst with other high-end prospects. Reschny’s penchant for creativity will make him a great fit alongside a high-end shooter one day.

3. Hunter Brzustewicz, RHD, 20 (Calgary Wranglers, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by Vancouver Canucks in 2024

Brzustewicz was a dominant offensive threat in the OHL, and he carried that over to the AHL, registering 32 points in 70 games as a rookie. It’s hard to score as a first-year pro, especially as a defenseman. So Brzustewicz’s continued improvement as the season wore on – plus his NHL debut in April – was huge for his development. I love Brzustewicz’s game with the puck, and he’s the most mobile defenseman on this list. It also feels like he got better at closing gaps and limiting own-zone mistakes the more the season wore on. Don’t be surprised if he cracks the 50-point barrier this season.

4. Matvei Gridin, RW, 19 (Calgary Wranglers, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, first round in 2024

Gridin dominated the USHL and then did the same in the QMJHL this past year. Next up? The AHL, where he should be given a big role with the Wranglers. Gridin plays with a ton of pure power, and he’s stout playmaker. While he’s known better for his passing ability, Gridin had 83 goals over the past two years, so he’s no slouch there. Gridin still needs to improve his footwork and his overall speed, but he’s still early in his development and will have plenty of time to round his game out as a 19-year-old in the AHL. I didn’t love the Flames using a first-rounder on Gridin last year, but I’m excited to see if he can continue trending upward.

5. Cullen Potter, C, 18 (Arizona State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 32nd overall, first round in 2025

I had Reschny and Potter back-to-back in my final draft rankings, and I still think they’re really close. I just have Potter a few spots lower due to some of the other standouts in this system, but I still like them both. Potter played around 20 minutes a night at ASU, and scouts were impressed with his play-driving abilities. I like his commitment to playing in all three zones, and he anticipates plays and gets himself where he needs to be better than most of the draft class. I think the ceiling is higher for Potter than many others around this part of the draft, but he needs to show he can handle the physical challenges as a 5-foot-9 forward. The upside here is massive.

6. Samuel Honzek, LW, 20 (Calgary Wranglers, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 16th overall, first round in 2023

*Samuel Honzek (Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports)*

After a few injury-plagued seasons, it was nice to see Honzek skate in more than 50 regular season games this year. He put up a modest 21 points in 52 games before having a muted production run with Slovakia at the World Championship (a team with very little NHL experience to go around). Honzek even skated in five NHL games, failing to put up any offense in limited ice time. The 6-foot-4 forward has a massive frame, and he has a good work ethic, too. I’m not sure Honzek is more than just a bottom-six NHLer at this point, but with the right development, I think he can really dominate in that role.

7. Jacob Battaglia, LW, 19 (Kingston Frontenacs, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 62nd overall, second round in 2024

Few players in the Flames’ system can do as much with the puck as Battaglia. After a solid draft year that saw him score 31 goals and 65 points, he upped the ante with 40 goals and 90 points in his third season in Kingston. He loves having the puck on his stick and plays with quite the edge, too. But where scouts fall short on Battaglia is his skating ability. It’s one thing to dominate with the puck, but when you’re spending most of the game without it, you need to be able to keep up. Some think he should be higher up on this list – others think he shouldn’t be in the top 10. I always bank high on upside and I think there’s plenty of it. But Battaglia just needs to improve both his top speed and his acceleration to become the player many believe he can be.

8. Henry Mews, RHD, 19 (University of Michigan, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 74th overall, third round in 2024

After a third productive season with the Ottawa 67’s (and, later, the Sudbury Wolves), Mews became one of the first notable prospects to commit to the NCAA. I think Mews is a better player than he gets credit for. He makes every team he plays on better with the puck – period. Mews is a dynamic, two-way defenseman with some of the best pure offensive skill in his class. His rush game is incredible because he reads offensive zone plays as well as many other forwards in this game. When he pinches, he can often make a high-danger chance happen. His skating still needs work, but I really see someone with second-pairing potential.

9. Étienne Morin, LHD, 20 (Calgary Wranglers, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 48th overall, second round in 2023

*Etienne Morin (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)*

Morin had to do a lot of heavy lifting with the Moncton Wildcats over the past four years. He set a personal best of 72 points in 2022-23 but never came close to reaching that total again. That wasn’t due to a lack of effort – his ice time increased, as did his two-way responsibilities. Morin is a skilled defender with a great shot, and I like that he can support his forwards on the rush quickly and effectively. Some scouts thought he’d bring high-end skill to the NHL, and while I don’t think that’s the case, he has the making of someone who can bring skill and defensive awareness to the table and become a solid all-around blueliner. I hope we see him play a ton of minutes in the AHL this coming season.

10. Aydar Suniev, LW, 20 (Calgary Wranglers, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 80th overall, third round in 2023

I loved Calgary’s pick of Suniev in the third round in 2023 after watching him score at nearly a goal-per-game pace with Penticton of the BCHL. Suniev had 20 goals and 38 points as a sophomore this past season, which wasn’t surprising given just how effective of a producer he has been at every single level. He has a high-end shot, great work ethic and seems to make something out of nothing more than most. Plus, he’s got a nice 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. His skating is the only thing that’s holding him back from being a slam-dunk prospect for the Flames right now, but there’s still a ton of potential.

The rest: Andrew Basha, LW (19), William Strömgren, LW (22), Carter King, LW (23), Parker Bell, LW (21), Lucas Ciona, LW (22), Rory Kerins, C (23), Theo Stockselius, C (17), Ethan Wyttenbach, RW (18), Aidan Lane, RW (18), Yan Matveiko, C (18), Trevor Hoskin, C (21), Hunter Laing, C (19), Luke Misa, C (19), Cade Littler, C (20), Maceo Phillips, LHD (18), Jakob Leander, RHD (18), Eric Jamieson, LHD (19), Axel Hurtig, LHD (20), Joni Jurmo, LHD (23), Artem Grushnikov, LHD (22), Jeremie Poirier, LHD (23), Owen Say, G (24), Arsenii Sergeev, G (22), Kirill Zarubin, G (19), Yegor Yegorov, G (19), Daniil Chechelev, G (24)

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