It’s September, folks, and that means the NHL is right around the corner. The Calgary Flames’ prospects training camp will kick off this week with a pair of games against the Edmonton Oilers starting Friday. With no Young Stars Tournament in Penticton this year, the games in Edmonton on Friday and Calgary on Sunday will serve as a replacement.
Flames fans have an opportunity to see most of the team’s prospects, including Matvei Gridin, Aydar Suniev, Andrew Basha, and Jacob Battaglia, to name a few. While the Flames forwards participating in the camp will not include any NCAA prospects, there’s plenty of opportunity for those attending to make an impression early.
With the season kicking off and a tumultuous forward group on the NHL roster, the Flames will have a lot of competition at the bottom of their lineup heading into main camp. We wanted to know who Flames fans think will fill the 12th forward spot to start the season. We asked, you answered.
Want to take part in Sunday Census polls? We send them out every week on our Twitter at @wincolumnCGY. Follow along or send in ideas for the next poll!
Who fills the last forward spot?
We presented the below question to our readers, for them to choose who they think the 12th forward will be to start the Flames season.
Who do you think the 12th forward will be to start the #Flames season?
— The Win Column (@wincolumnCGY) September 6, 2025
Adam Klapka
Adam Klapka was an impact player for the Flames at times last season and has stayed fresh in fans’ minds over the offseason. Klapper wins this week’s poll by a nose, receiving roughly 47% of the votes. He had six goals and ten points for the Flames in 31 games last season.
At 6’8” and almost 240 pounds, the 24-year-old is a presence on the ice to say the least. His tenacity on the forecheck was valuable for the Flames’ stalling offensive core. Klapka took noticeable steps last season and contributed at a consistent level for the majority of his time with the NHL club. The winger also made his World Hockey Championship debut this spring for Czechia, scoring two goals and three points in five tournament games.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume this is Klapka’s roster spot to lose. Watch this play and tell me the Flames need less of this.
Justin Kirkland
Justin “Costco” Kirkland stole hearts and shootouts in Calgary last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Kirkland is back to start the 2025 campaign healthy and on a new one-year contract. He showed that he still has a grasp on Flames fans, narrowly earning second in this week’s poll, collecting roughly 43% of votes.
Kirkland played 21 games for the Flames last season, tallying two goals and eight points. What made him such a showstopper was his performance in the clutch, especially the shootout. The bottom-six forward scored three times in four shootout attempts.
Outside of his shootout performance, he was dependable for the Flames in his 21 appearances and contributed handily to the team’s cultural shift this past season. The 29-year-old has a recent track record, but so does his competition. Most notably, Klapka. I think it’s likely we see Kirkland start the season with the Flames, although he could see the press box as the 13th forward.
Rory Kerins
Despite leading the Calgary Wranglers with 33 goals and 61 points last season, Rory Kerins garnered only 7% of the votes. The 23-year-old winger appeared in five games for the Flames last season, tallying four assists. Despite his almost PPG production, Kerins’s short stint with the NHL club was it for the year.
There’s no question Kerins has great offensive talent. There is, however, nowhere for him to play right now outside of the bottom six. We saw Matt Coronato do it and have success after another stint in the AHL; maybe Kerins can have a similar trajectory if the Flames give him another look this season. I doubt he makes the roster out of camp, but I hope we get to see Kerins have an opportunity at the NHL level next season.
Have a look at Kerins’s hat trick to start the season with the Wranglers last year.
Sam Morton
Sam Morton finished last in this week’s poll, collecting a measly 3% of votes. Morton made his NHL debut in the Flames’ final regular-season game last season alongside Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Aydar Suniev.
The 26-year-old former Minnesota State University captain signed with the Flames after his NCAA career came to an end in 2024. Morton showed he can play last season, posting 20 goals and 45 points in 70 games with the Wranglers before making his NHL debut.
Morton’s odds are certainly stacked against him. But he is a centre, something the Flames desperately need. I’m not convinced Morton sees a ton of time on the NHL roster next season, but I think Flames fans will see him more than once at some point next season.
Check out his first NHL goal, scored in his debut last season.
Anything can happen
It certainly looks like a two-horse race based on our poll. However, fans don’t always reflect the feelings of management, especially in Calgary. The Flames will be looking for an improvement in their offensive game next season without a doubt, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few bodies shuffle in and out of the bottom of the lineup. Ryan Huska has proven to be committed to shaking up offensive lines. Any chemistry is valuable at this point.
Flames fans will have to wait for Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter.
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