Most seasons are now underway, which is good news for the Calgary Flames organization as they look to rebuild. A large number of cuts from the Flames’ preseason camp have taken place over the last week. These cuts mean more prospects starting their seasons with their normal teams.

Let’s take a look at everything that has happened this past week with Calgary Flames prospects.

Welcome to The Win Column’s Calgary Flames prospect update. Each week, we’ll take a dive into how the Flames’ prospects have done in their respective leagues and feature one standout prospect. We have defined a prospect as a skater who has played fewer than 65 NHL games and is younger than 25 years of age.

All data is from QuantHockey and EliteProspects.

Matvei Gridin, F, Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL

The 28th overall selection of the 2024 NHL draft has had a stronger training camp and preseason than many expected with the Flames. The Russian forward has not looked out of place within the lineup for the C of red, and might even be a dark horse to make the team for this upcoming season.

When Gridin was drafted, many praised his skating, shooting, and finishing ability, which have all continued to grow since. He even collected the QMJHL offensive rookie of the year for the 2024–25 campaign. His playmaking, timing, and finishing are on track to develop even more this year.

With all of that being said, there are still some question marks around compete level, physicality, awareness, and top-end speed that Gridin needs to figure out, and that’s fine.

Expectations for the former first-rounder have been raised, and if he doesn’t make the Flames out of camp this year, expect the 2006-born forward to be a serious contender for a roster spot next year.

Calgary Flames prospect updates

AHL

The Flames have sent the following players back down to the Wranglers: Andrew Basha, Parker Bell, Lucas Ciona, Martin Frk, Alex Gallant, Carter King, David Silye, Carter Wilkie, Simon Mack, Sam Honzek, William Stromgren, Aydar Suniev, Clark Bishop, Sam Morton, Dryden Hunt, Yan Kuznetsov, Hunter Brzustewicz, Nick Cicek, Artem Grushnikov, Etienne Morin, Jeremie Poirier, Connor Murphy, Owen Say, and Arsenii Sergeev.

Look for the next round of cuts to the Calgary Wranglers to happen in the next couple of days, and that should leave just the final roster for the Calgary Flames.

Europe

Theo Stockselius proved once again this past week that he is a playmaking machine. Look for him to continue being a deceptive, crafty passer with good lane awareness and timing. He even took nine total shots across two games this past week. He sits with a 1.11 PPG on the season.

NCAA

Mace’o Phillips has been reassigned to the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers this past week. The big physical defender appeared in his first two games of the season this past week against the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

OHL

Jacob Battaglia has recently been named the newest captain of the Kingston Frontenacs. He appeared in his first two games of the season and started right where he left off last season, with two goals and an assist. Battaglia remains a high-end playmaker with a high hockey IQ and timing ability.

WHL

Axel Hurtig is back with the Calgary Hitmen again this season. He played a prominent role with them in the first battle of Alberta against the Oil Kings, where he went a +2 and found the scoresheet with an assist.

Saskatoon is in a Laing-term affair. Hunter Laing began his WHL season this past week after being reassigned to the Saskatoon Blades. He’s a PPG. The 2006-born forward continues to show good awareness, positioning, and playmaking. He projects to be a solid support forward at the next level.

Russia

Flames 2024 third-rounder, goaltender Kirill Zarubin, only appeared in one game this past weekend, but had a solid outing against Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk, stopping 31 of 32 shots he faced for a .969 sv%. He’s off to a solid start this season.

2023 sixth-rounder, fellow Russian goaltender Yegor Yegorov, is also off to a solid start to the season. He played one game this past weekend against MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva, where he collected another win, with a .957 SV% along the way. It’s likely that Yegorov gets a call-up to the VHL this season.

Yan Matveiko only played one game this past week. He continues to build his momentum with another assist on the scoresheet against Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk this past Wednesday.

Forwards

PlayerPositionGPGAPP/GPPIMTeamLeagueRory KerinsC/LW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLCullen PotterC/LW––––––Arizona State UniversityNCAACade LittlerC/RW––––––University of North DakotaNCAAHunter LaingC/RW21121.000Saskatoon BladesWHLSamuel HonzekC/LW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLCarter KingC/LW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLCole ReschnyC/LW––––––University of North DakotaNCAAJaden LipinskiC/RW––––––University of MaineNCAALuke MisaC/LW––––––Penn State UniversityNCAATrevor HoskinsRW/C––––––Merrimack CollegeNCAATheo StockseliusC/LW60771.174Djurgårdens IF U20U20 NatYan MatveikoC946101.114Krasnaya Armiya MoskvaMHLWilliam StromgrenLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLMatvei GridinLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLLucas CionaLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLParker BellLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLAndrew BashaLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLJacob BattagliaLW/RW22131.500Kingston FrontenacsOHLAydar SunievLW/RW––––––Calgary WranglersAHLEthan WyttenbachLW/RW––––––Quinnipiac UniversityNCAAAiden LaneRW/LW––––––Harvard UniversityNCAA

Defence

PlayerPositionGPGAPP/GPPIMTeamLeagueYan KuznetsovLD––––––Calgary WranglersAHLJeremy PoirierLD––––––Calgary WranglersAHLEtienne MorinLD––––––Calgary WranglersAHLArtyom GrushnikovLD––––––Calgary WranglersAHLJacob LeanderRD60220.3335HV71U20 NatHunter BrzustewiczRD––––––Calgary WranglersAHLAxel HurtigLD10111.002Calgary HitmenWHLHenry MewsRD––––––University of MichiganNCAAEric JamiesonLD––––––University of DenverNCAAMace’o PhillipsLD200002Green Bay GamblersUSHLZayne ParekhRD––––––Calgary Flames NHL

Goaltenders

PlayerGPGAASV%RecordSOTeamLeagueArsenii Sergeev–––––Calgary WranglersAHLOwen Say–––––Calgary WranglersAHLYegor Yegorov42.76.9282-2-00MHK Spartak-MAH MoskvaMHLKirill Zarubin52.33.9252-2-00AKM TulaMHL

Related