For the first time since mid-November, Sam Honzek was back on the ice with his teammates for practice.
On Friday morning, the Calgary Flames held an optional practice at the Saddledome.Â
There was Honzek, who was having a breakout season with the team before an upper-body injury caused by a collision with teammate Mikael Backlund ended his campaign on Nov. 15.
That hasnât changed, despite his return to practice signalling that thereâs been real progress with the 21-year-oldâs recovery.
The Flames confirmed that Honzek will not play again this season.
Still, though, seeing him back on the ice should be encouraging.
Picked in the first round, 16th overall, of the 2023 NHL Draft, Honzek is very much a part of the young core the Flames are trying to build around. He wonât turn 22 until November and at 6-foot-4 and 186 lb., he has the big body to be a genuine difference-maker.
The Slovak winger had established a role for himself on a line with Backlund and Blake Coleman in the early days of the season and had recorded two goals and two assists through 18 games.
If nothing else, his return to practice suggests his recovery has gone well and he should be on track for a normal off-season training regiment to get him ready for a full campaign in 2026-27.Â
Honzek wasnât the only player who was back after missing time on Friday.Â
Both Yan Kuznetsov and Connor Zary were back on the ice, as well.
Neither player has been out for nearly as long as Honzek, but the 24-year-old Zary has missed the last three games after finding himself on the receiving end of an ugly hit from behind by the Florida Panthersâ A.J. Greer on March 20. Greer was assessed a game misconduct and was later suspended for three games for the hit.
Kuznetsov, meanwhile, has been out since he left the Flamesâ 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders on March with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old blueliner has broken through in a major way this season since getting called up from the Calgary Wranglers in early November, playing in 52 games and establishing himself on the teamâs second pairing.
Both Zary and Kuznetsov are considered day-to-day by the Flames, who take on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night at the Saddledome before heading out on a six-game road trip.