Calgary Flames rookie Matvei Gridin has a new nickname.
After Saturday’s victory at the Saddledome, Morgan Frost was smiling wide as he referred to his 19-year-old sidekick as ‘The Play-Caller.’
The backstory?
Apparently, it stems from Gridin’s willingness to pipe up and share his opinion with Frost and Jonathan Huberdeau, his much more established linemates.
“It’s because before faceoffs, we always talk about what we want to do,” Gridin explained after a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. “And I say, ‘Let’s do shooter.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, alright.’ So now he calls me ‘The Play-Caller.’ ”
Gone are the days when rookies were expected to be seen and not heard, to simply smile and nod and scoop up all the pucks at the end of practice.
That last part might still apply, but part of what the Flames love about Gridin is that he carries the confidence of a guy who believes he is right where he should be.
Not just in the NHL, but in position to be a difference-maker.
The 26-year-old Frost, who scored a goal of his own, assisted on another by Gridin and swiped 15-of-18 faceoffs in his first-star performance against the Sharks, chuckled when asked about being a mentor to his teenaged linemate.
“He’s still got his own opinions. He doesn’t always listen to me,” Frost quipped. “No, I’m just kidding … He’s super skilled and he wants to make plays out there. I’ve been giving it to him a little, jokingly, but I think we are having fun on the bench and in the room. So hopefully we can keep that going.
“He’s going to be a great player. He’s already pretty good. I think if you stick him with anyone, he’d be good. But I like to play offence, as well, so I’ve enjoyed playing with him so far.”
Related
In their three games as a trio, Frost, Gridin and Huberdeau have undoubtedly been the Flames’ most dangerous forward line.
On their five-on-five shifts, they have outshot and outchanced opponents by a significant margin, with better than a 60 percent share in both categories.
They’ll aim to carry that momentum into Monday’s matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I love playing with them,” Gridin said of Frost and Huberdeau, the old-timer on this line at age 32. “Obviously, they’re two great players. They can make a pass. They can make a play. So it’s fun to play with them. I think we have pretty good chemistry.”
It certainly looked that way on Gridin’s strike against the Sharks.
The young winger drifted away from veteran defenceman Dmitry Orlov, making himself available for a shot from the top of the right circle. Frost put the pass in a perfect spot, and Gridin fired in one silky smooth motion.
Huberdeau, who started this sequence by forcing a turnover on the forecheck, was hanging around the net-front in case of a rebound.
The 28th overall draft pick in 2024 and currently the fifth-youngest forward on any big-league roster, Gridin has now scored two goals in his 11 appearances in the NHL spotlight.
That might not seem like a staggering total, but consider this — going back a decade, he is only the third teenager to register multiple markers in a season with the Flames.
Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk are the others.
Calgary Flames forward Matvei Gridin plays against the San Jose Sharks in first-period NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.
This latest arrival brings an exciting blend of speed, skill and swagger.
He believes he can make plays at the highest level.
Apparently, as revealed by his new nickname, he calls plays, too.
“I think what Matvei has done is help with the speed of that line,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska after Saturday’s victory. “I think they know that if they have to put a puck in, he’ll be a guy that can go and get it. And he can be heavier on the puck. Even though he’s 19 years old, he can be strong in the battle and he can win pucks for those two guys — Huberdeau and Frost.
“Right now, I think they’ve gotten better every game they’ve played together. I feel like they’re giving us a little bit more dynamic of an offensive threat. And we need it, so hopefully they can continue that for us.”