News Flames Team Notes

[Calgary Flames]

Could the Flames be major players in NHL free agency?

Friends, there are two things we know about the Calgary Flames right now.

The first is that they feel like they took a big step forward in 2024-25, posting 96 points and missing out on the Stanley Cup playoffs on tiebreakers in a season where many thought they would be bottom-dwellers. The second is that the Flames have, mathematically-speaking, oodles of salary cap space heading into the off-season.

And the combination of some upward standings momentum and ample cap space has led some to ponder whether the Flames will be a main character in the upcoming free agent market.

On Tuesday over at Daily Faceoff, Anthony Di Marco reported that the Flames could be “big-game hunting” this off-season:

Speaking with a source close to the situation in Calgary, the Flames are going to explore ways to bolster their lineup this summer. But the plan is not to acquire just any name; if the Flames are to make an outside addition, it will be a top UFA or trade target. Based on conversations I’ve had with those inside the organization, the Flames plan to go “big game hunting” in Free Agency; if Calgary cannot land one of the bigger-name free agents, they will explore the trade market or carry their cap space into next season and go from there.

Here’s the broad strokes of the Flames’ salary cap and roster situation right now, with 15 NHL incumbents under contract following Matt Coronato’s recent contract:

• Forwards (9): Jonathan Huberdeau ($10.5 million), Nazem Kadri ($7 million), Matt Coronato ($6.5 million), Yegor Sharangovich ($5.75 million), Joel Farabee ($5 million), Blake Coleman ($4.9 million), Mikael Backlund ($4.5 million), Ryan Lomberg ($2 million) and Martin Pospisil ($1 million)
• Defencemen (5): MacKenzie Weegar ($6.25 million), Rasmus Andersson ($4.55 million), Jake Bean ($1.75 million), Daniil Miromanov ($1.25 million) and Brayden Pachal ($1.19 million)
• Goaltender (1): Dustin Wolf ($850,000)
• Retained salary: Jacob Markstrom ($1.875 million)

The Flames have about $64.87 million committed under the $95.5 million salary cap, leaving them $30.63 million in space. Once they lock up restricted free agents Morgan Frost, Connor Zary and Kevin Bahl, they’ll still have tons of cap space.

But based on what Flames general manager Craig Conroy was saying during exit interviews last month, don’t expect the Flames just to spend money willy-nilly:

“Our goal is to make the playoffs and go from there,” said Conroy. “But it’s going to take some more young guys, and we’re going to look in free agency to see if there’s something that makes sense. Again, we’re not just going to spend money.”

Asked if a quiet free agency period could be expected, Conroy noted that he’s challenged the pro scouting group to find “different maker” players that could be long-term fits, but acknowledged that it’s unlikely that the club’s wish list would be a very long one.

“You know, obviously we didn’t make the playoffs, but 96 points, close,” said Conroy. “You know, is there someone that could push us over that edge? We’re going to look to see if we can find that person and add them next year. But if we don’t, I would say we would not do a lot.”

The Flames were one of the NHL’s lowest-spending teams in 2024-25, and they very nearly made the post-season. They’ll probably spend a bit more in 2025-26, especially with the salary cap going up, but we’ll see if one of the players on the Flames’ wish list become available, or if they end up having another quiet free agency period.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/could-the-flames-be-major-players-in-nhl-free-agency

 

[Calgary Flames]

What’s Going On In The Playoffs: Oilers, Hurricanes, and Stars have a 3-1 series lead

The second round may end sooner rather than later.

This is What’s Going On In The Playoffs, where we look at how each series is going so far this post-season. Three teams have a 3-1 series lead, with all three of them having an opportunity to close it out by Friday.

Let’s take a look what what’s happened in the post-season since last Wednesday!

Oilers push the Golden Knights to the brink​

Game 2 of the Edmonton Oilers/Vegas Golden Knights series was last Thursday. The Oilers allowed the first goal of the game, a shocker, but answered with three consecutive goals to take a 3-1 lead. With less than two minutes in the second period, William Karlsson cut the Oilers’ lead to one.

Evander Kane scored an early goal in the third period to restore the Oilers’ two-goal lead, but the Knights tied the game thanks to goals from Victor Olofsson and Alex Pietrangelo, bringing the game to overtime. The Oilers failed to capitalize on a five-minute power play in overtime, but the referees missed a very obvious trip on Viktor Arvidsson, with Leon Draisaitl scoring the game-winner not long after.

MCDAVID TO DRAISAITL

Connor McDavid makes a beautiful move to set up Leon Draisaitl for the @Energizer overtime winner in Game 2! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/DkMXp2kuhw

— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2025

The series shifted to Edmonton for Game 3. It was the Oilers that found the board first, as Corey Perry scored two consecutive goals. In under a minute towards the end of the first, that lead was erased with goals by Nicolas Roy and Reilly Smith. With three minutes left in the second, William Karlsson gave the Knights a 3-2, which held until Connor McDavid scored a goal with three minutes left in the game.

Game 3 went to overtime, right? Wrong. The Oilers stopped playing, Stuart Skinner ended up in Lethbridge trying to cut down an angle, and Draisaitl deflected the puck into the back of his own net with 0.4 left in the game.

A BUZZER BEATER OF ALL BUZZER BEATERS

REILLY SMITH WINS IT FOR VEGAS WITH 0.4 SECONDS LEFT IN REGULATION!!! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/PZIGMQE1Ba

— NHL (@NHL) May 11, 2025

You’d think that the last-second goal would give the Knights life to tie up the series, but the Oilers played their best game of the post-season in Game 4. Adam Henrique scored the game-winner 87 seconds into the game, added his second with just under seven minutes left in the first. Kane scored an insurance goal in the second period, as the Oilers coasted to a 3-0 win to take a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5 returns to Vegas, with that game starting at 7:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday. When it’s needed, Game 6 will be on Friday in Edmonton, and Game 7 will be back in Sin City on Sunday.

Stars have a 3-1 lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets​

Game 1 of the other Western Conference semifinal started last Wednesday, with the Dallas Stars defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. The Jets’ Nino Niederreiter opened the scoring, but Mikko Rantanen scored his second hat trick of the post-season to give the Stars a 3-1 lead. Late in the second, Mark Scheifele scored to cut the lead to one, but that’s all they’d get as they dropped Game 1.

A HAT TRICK FOR MIKKO RANTANEN

IT'S ONLY THE SECOND PERIOD pic.twitter.com/JxCmKlnuMj

— ESPN (@espn) May 8, 2025

The Jets responded in Game 2, defeating the Stars 4-0 to even the series at one. Gabriel Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers scored in the first period, Adam Lowry added an insurance goal in the second, and Ehlers scored his second of the game into the empty net. Connor Hellebuyck had his best game of the post-season, saving all 21 shots he faced.

Nikolaj Ehlers nails the empty netter try, extending the Jets lead to 4 with under 4 minutes to play!#GoJetsGo | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/QuIs73RjJ4

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 10, 2025

With the series shifting to Texas, the Stars took control of the series. Game 3 saw a back-and-forth game in the period, as the teams traded two goals each. It was all the Stars in the third, though, as Alex Petrovic, Rantanen, and Wyatt Johnston scored to give the Stars a 2-1 series lead and a 5-2 win.

Game 4 saw fewer goals, but another Stars victory. Mikael Granlund opened the scoring in the first, with Ehlers equalizing the game just 62 seconds into the period. Granlund scored the game-winner with just over two minutes left in the second, and he scored his hat trick goal in the third period for the 3-1 win and 3-1 series lead.

THAT'S MIKKE GRANLUND FROM MIRO HEISKANEN AND MATT DUCHENE FOR THREEEEEEEEEE!!! pic.twitter.com/stg7WqTWgS

— X – Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 14, 2025

Game 5 is on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. MT in Winnipeg. If needed, the series will shift back to Dallas on Saturday and Game 7 would be on Monday in Winnipeg.

Leafs and Panthers are even at two games apiece​

Shifting to the final Canadian team in the post-season, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 2-0 series lead with a 4-3 win in Game 2. Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov opened the scoring, but Max Pacioretty evened up the game late in the first. Brad Marchand scored to give the Panthers an early lead in the second, but the Leafs once again found the game-tying goal courtesy of William Nylander.

Max Domi gave the Leafs a lead late in the second, before Anton Lundell evened the game five and a half minutes into the third. Mitch Marner scored just 17 seconds later, giving the Leafs a 4-3 victory. This marked the most post-season wins they’ve had since 2004.

The series shifted to Sunrise, Florida, and the Panthers cut the series lead in half with a 5-4 victory. In the first period, the Leafs jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Matthew Knies and John Tavares. Barkov scored to cut the lead in half with just over 12 minutes to go in the period.

John Tavares put the Leafs up 3-1, but the Panthers scored three consecutive goals from Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gajovich for the 4-3 lead. Midway through the third, Morgan Rielly tied the game, but it was Marchand who scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

BRAD MARCHAND WINS IT IN OT FOR THE PANTHERS pic.twitter.com/fUP840Yv4q

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 10, 2025

It was all the Panthers in Game 4 of the series. Verhaeghe scored in the backend of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Midway through the third, former Calgary Flame Sam Bennett scored to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead, all they’d need to even up the series.

THE PATIENCE FROM SAM BENNETT pic.twitter.com/MXPPNNctzJ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 12, 2025

Game 5 is in Toronto on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. MT. The series will shift back to Florida for Game 6 on Friday, and if needed, Game 7 is on Sunday in Toronto.

Hurricanes up 3-1 over Capitals​

Thanks to an overtime goal in Game 1, the Carolina Hurricanes had a 1-0 series lead over the Washington Capitals. Still on home ice, the Capitals responded with a 3-1 victory in Game 2. Connor McMichael scored early in the first, and John Carlson extended the lead with a goal early in the third. Shayne Gostisbehere cut the lead in half midway through the third, but Tom Wilson scored an empty-netter for the 3-1 victory.

TOM WILSON SEALS GAME 2 WITH AN EMPTY NETTER pic.twitter.com/VgbLKIwVmo

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 9, 2025

The series shifted to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Game 3, and it was all the Hurricanes from there. Game 3 saw Andrei Svechnikov score the game-winning goal midway through the second. Jack Roslovic scored late in the second for a 2-0 lead. In the third, Eric Robinson and Jackson Blake scored to give the Hurricanes a 4-0 lead, all they’d need to take a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4 went in favour of the Hurricanes as well. Gostisbehere opened the scoring midway through the first, and Seth Jarvis gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead early in the second. Jakob Chychrun cut the Hurricanes’ lead in half five minutes into the third, but Taylor Hall responded just over three minutes later for the 3-1 lead. Alex Ovechkin scored with just under eight minutes left, but Sean Walker’s goal with just over three minutes in the game was the dagger. Svechnikov added an empty-netter for good measure, as the Hurricanes took a 3-1 series lead.

SEAN WALKER! Walker scores a huge insurance goal, putting Carolina back up by 2 late in the third!#RaiseUp | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/TVthJikqhZ

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 13, 2025

The series returns to the United States’ Capital for Game 5 on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. MT. If needed, Game 6 is in Carolina on Saturday, and Game 7 is back in Washington on Monday.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/whats-...s-hurricanes-and-stars-have-a-3-1-series-lead

 

[Calgary Flames]

Kevin Bahl showed he is an important part of the Flames moving forward

There were a lot of unknowns around the Calgary Flames heading into the 2024-25 season, including defenceman Kevin Bahl.

Bahl was acquired by the Flames as part of the Jacob Markstrom trade from last summer.

The 24 year old defenceman was coming off his first full season in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils. He played in all 82 games, mostly on New Jersey’s third pairing, and put up one goal and ten assists in 82 games.

Were the Flames going to get a number six defenceman? Or were they going to get someone who would take the next step in their career and turn into a legit top four defender? Luckily for the Flames, it was the latter.

Let’s take a closer look at Bahl’s debut season with the Calgary Flames.

The numbers​

As we all know, Kevin Bahl provides value to the Calgary Flames through his defensive game. He is not the type of player who is going to wow you with goals and assists. And we saw that in his production this season.

Bahl scored three goals and 17 assists. Good for a career high 20 points in the NHL. Those aren’t bad numbers for a guy whose job is to be a stay at home defenceman.

One of the stats that stands out is that he was only a minus-6. It’s impressive when you consider his partner all season, Rasmus Andersson set a Flames franchise record with the worst plus minus (minus-38).

The underlying numbers were not great when you compare them to his fellow defencemen on the Flames.

Bahl was below 50% in every shot metric per Natural Stat Trick. He and Rasmus Andersson were given the most difficult match-ups by Ryan Huska for the majority of the season. That produced mixed results. And that’s to be expected. The Flames asked a lot from a 24 year old who was playing in his second full season in the hardest league in the world.

(Among seven defencemen to play 20 minutes at 5v5.)

In a perfect world, Bahl will be on the Flames second pairing moving forward as their number four defencemen. Asking him to play on a top pairing is just too much and the numbers back that up.

The eye test​

There are times when the numbers and the eye test provide different results. That applies to Kevin Bahl.

The numbers, as discussed, were not great. But I thought the eye test was more positive with Bahl.

He does a lot of things well that don’t get tracked with public data. The first thing that stands out when you watch him is that he takes advantage of his reach. He is 6’6″ and has one of the longer sticks in the NHL. He is able to break up a lot of passes before they happen. He’s able to break up plays along the boards using his stick. He’s incredibly difficult get around in one on one situations.

I mentioned in my post game thoughts how I liked Kevin Bahl’s game tonight.

Here are some subtle plays he makes in his own end to break up plays and kill momentum for the opposition.

He looks like a tough guy to play against with that size, strength, and reach. pic.twitter.com/q6evhWKs1I

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 7, 2025

Kevin Bahl makes a great defensive play at the end of the 2nd period!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Flames #Canucks pic.twitter.com/uAWyV3QcNd

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 13, 2025

Not only does Bahl take advantage of his reach, but he also does a great job of using his large frame to his advantage. The hulking 6’6, 230 pound defenceman doesn’t necessarily throw bone crushing hits. He was 7th on the Flames in hits with 109 despite playing the 3rd most minutes on average this season. But he does a good job of boxing out in front of his net, using his body to separate puck from man, and protecting pucks when trying to get it out of the zone.

Those are elements that you’re looking for from a shut down defenceman.

What’s next?​

Bahl is a restricted free agent this summer and is in line for a significant pay raise.

There are two ways Craig Conroy can go about a contract extension. First is a long term contract. A five-to-seven year deal in the $4-5 million range. The other option is a bridge deal, two-to-three years in the $2.75-3.25 million range.

I think it makes a lot of sense to sign the soon to be 25-year-old defenceman for as long as possible. A seven or eight year contract would lock Bahl up for his prime years. You need big defencemen to win in the NHL, and Bahl brings that much needed element to the Flames lineup.

Highlights​

FLAMES GOAL

Kevin Bahl scores his 2nd goal of the season and tie this game up at ones.

: Sportsnet | NHL#Flames #stlblues pic.twitter.com/fFqMxULiji

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) January 15, 2025

FLAMES GOAL

Kevin Bahl scores his first goal as a Calgary Flame! It’s 2-0!

: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/JDmvx3D5cZ

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) December 4, 2024

Kevin Bahl crushes Luke Evangelista into the boards!

: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/A5UufUfVz7

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) December 11, 2024

Alex Holtz might want to reconsider trying to hit Kevin Bahl next time they’re on the ice together. #Flames #VegasBorn
: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/wdNMwTWVsQ

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) October 29, 2024

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/kevin-bahl-showed-he-is-an-important-part-of-the-flames-moving-forward

 

[Calgary Flames]

Adam Klapka joins Dan Vladar, Roman Cervenka in Czech lineup against Hungary at IIHF Worlds

Flames forward Adam Klapka became the tallest player to participate at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship when he entered the lineup for Team Czechia against Team Hungary on Thursday.

Klapka, who emerged as a consistent presence in the Flames’ lineup over the second half of the 2024-25 season, joined one current Flame and another from many moons ago in dressing for the Czechs against the Hungarian underdogs.

Initially named to the Czech national team in late April, the 6’8″ Klapka sat out the first three games of the tournament as a scratch before finally being called to action to kick off the back half of the group stage. The Czechs entered Thursday’s action with a 2-1-0-0 record and eight points, good for third place in Group B.

Klapka drew into the lineup against Hungary as the Czechs’ 13th forward. Wearing No. 24 — the same as his age, and a preview of a possible new jersey number next year? — Klapka did not log any ice time in the first period of Thursday’s game as the Czechs took a 2-0 lead over the Hungarians.

Po dvou dnech znovu do akce.

Adam Klapka si odbyde premiéru na mistrovství světa, v brance opět nastoupí Daniel Vladař.

Tak po osmé se vidíme na obrazovkách @sportCT #CZEHUN #MensWorlds #narodnitym #ceskyhokej pic.twitter.com/0OFJ4ZlwhL

— Český hokej (@czehockey) May 15, 2025

Led by NHL stalwarts David Pastrnak, Martin Naces, and Filip Hronek, as well as a strong goaltending tandem of Karel Vejmelka and four-year Flame Dan Vladar, the Czechs are one of the stronger sides at the World Championship. But their captain is much less of a household name in North America — at least, to those who didn’t watch the Flames in 2012-13.

It’s been more than 12 years since Roman Cervenka last suited up for an NHL game, but even at 39 years of age, he remains one of the top players in the world outside of North America. The 5’11” forward collected 65 points in 65 games split between the regular season and playoffs with Czech club Pardubice HC in 2024-25 and entered Thursday’s contest with five points in three games at the 2025 Worlds.

Cervenka didn’t last long in North America, as his slight frame and limited English adversely affected his ability to adapt to the NHL. He collected nine goals and 17 points in 39 games as a 27-year-old with the Flames in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season before returning to the KHL.

The Flames undoubtedly hope Klapka will stick around much longer, even if he isn’t yet at the top of the pecking order for the national team. The 24-year-old behemoth was terrific in spot duty with the Flames in 2024-25, racking up six goals and 10 points in 31 games while spending time on all four forward lines.

Klapka is a pending restricted free agent who could be in line for his first one-way NHL deal after making $775,000 with the Flames and $100,000 with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers last season. He’s one of a handful of RFAs the Flames still need to sign this summer, along with Morgan Frost, Connor Zary, Kevin Bahl, and Rory Kerins.

For more coverage of the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship, follow along with Adrian Kiss’ series of recaps right here on FlamesNation.

---

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/adam-k...nka-in-czech-lineup-against-hungary-at-worlds

 

[Calgary Flames]

When can we expect the Flames to make off-season trades?

The Calgary Flames’ extensive off-season to-do list has been well documented with the many expiring contracts they’ll need to take care of, but it seems management may have left some room on their plate for a trade or two as well.

So, as we sit here smack dab in the middle of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when can we expect the league to wake up from its slumber and start feeding us some deals to chew on?

There are no rules barring teams from making trades right now, other than the fact that players acquired can’t play until next season. However, front offices generally let the majority of the playoffs play out before making deals, likely because as teams are eliminated, more potential trade partners arise.

General managers are essentially left with no choice but to make moves during the Stanley Cup Final due to its close proximity to the NHL Draft. There’s normally only a matter of days between the Cup being handed out and teams announcing picks, not a large enough window for all the pre-draft business to get done.

This year’s Cup Final will end no later than June 23, and the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is set to take place on June 27 and 28.

Last year’s Cup Final saw six trades take place throughout the seven game series, including the Flames’ dealing of Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey for Kevin Bahl and a 2025 first-rounder on June 19. There were also two trades made last May, a pick swap between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders on May 24, and Ryan McDonagh being shipped from the Nashville Predators to the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 21.

Based on last year’s activity, we could see the trade market fire back up later this month, and really round into form around mid June. But what, if anything, will Calgary be involved in this summer, trade-wise?

The big name that comes to mind is Rasmus Andersson. As beloved as he is, parting ways with the veteran blue-liner may be best for both parties, as the Flames continue to develop a young core that likely won’t be seriously competitive while Andersson’s still in his prime.

Additionally, Andersson has reason not to sign an extension this summer and instead re-up next off-season. It would be foolish to sign after an underwhelming season by his standards, and I’m sure he would have no problem betting on himself, especially with the cap set to rise.

So if Andersson won’t sign this off-season, and general manager Craig Conroy plans on sticking to his philosophy of not letting players walk for nothing, the most likely scenario is that the Malmo native is dealt this summer, or shortly thereafter.

It’s improbable that Calgary makes any large-scale acquisitions, as they’re not in any kind of position to be taking big swings in the trade market. So, aside from a potential Andersson deal, we would only anticipate smaller, savvy moves from the Flames’ brass over the next few months.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/when-can-we-expect-the-flames-to-make-off-season-trades

 

[Calgary Flames]

Andrew Basha’s Medicine Hat Tigers capture the 2025 WHL Championship

Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha capped off his return from a five-month injury absence by helping the Medicine Hat Tigers triumph over the Spokane Chiefs in the decisive fifth game of the 2025 WHL Championship Series on Friday night.

Basha, 19, recorded a pair of assists — including the secondary helper on Hunter St. Martin’s series-clinching goal — in Medicine Hat’s 4-2 win in Spokane on Friday, putting him up to six points in five games since returning to the lineup in Game 1.

Presumptive 2026 No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna also scored as Medicine Hat built a 3-0 lead midway through the third period. Spokane, led by Andrew Cristall (WSH), attempted to mount a comeback in the final frame before an empty-net goal by Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford sealed the deal.

The highlight of Basha’s playoff return came in Game 3 on Tuesday, when he scored one of the nicest goals of the playoffs during 4-on-4 play to help clinch a 6-0 win — a victory that came to define the rest of the series after a back-and-forth first two games.

#Flames prospect Andrew Basha scored a beauty last night in game 3 of the WHL Championship Series

: TSN | WHL pic.twitter.com/iDczQD1yAO

— FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) May 14, 2025

The Flames originally selected Basha in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Many Flames fans had hoped the club would pick the local boy on Day 1 of the draft — they instead opted for Matvei Gridin with their second of two first-round selections — but they ended up having it both ways when Basha fell to Calgary at pick No. 41.

The 6’0″, 187-pound Basha racked up 30 goals and 85 points in 63 games with the Tigers during his draft year but was limited to just 29 appearances in the 2024-25 regular season before being sidelined with an ankle injury. After a long, arduous rehabilitation process, Basha hit the ice for the first time in 2025 on May 9 and made an immediate impact, scoring the first goal of the series just 54 seconds into Game 1.

WHO ELSE BUT ANDREW BASHA?!

The @NHLFlames prospect opens the scoring at the #WHLChampionship in his FIRST shift back from injury!

| @TSN_Sports
| @victoryplustv#FeedingtheFuture | #Flames | @tigershockey pic.twitter.com/sLvFrK09u5

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 10, 2025

The Flames signed Basha to a three-year, entry-level contract back on Sept. 29, 2024. He’s eligible to play with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers in 2025-26, or return to the Western League as an overage player.

Of course, Basha’s 2024-25 season is far from over. Now that the Tigers have won the Ed Chynoweth Cup, their next objective is to compete against the London Knights, Rimouski Océanic, and Étienne Morin’s Moncton Wildcats in the 2025 Memorial Cup.

---

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/andrew-bashas-medicine-hat-tigers-capture-the-2025-whl-championship

 

[Calgary Flames]

2 Flames prospects are headed to the 2025 Memorial Cup

The 2024-25 season will be continuing for a pair of Calgary Flames prospects, despite the playoffs in their respective Canadian major junior leagues either being completed or winding down. Andrew Basha’s Medicine Hat Tigers and Etienne Morin’s Moncton Wildcats will be representing their respective leagues in the 2025 Memorial Cup tournament, starting next weekend.

If you’re unfamiliar with the structure of the Canadian Hockey League playoffs, they’re kind of wild.

Each team plays their own separate season and their own playoffs. But those playoffs are to qualify for the extra playoffs, the Memorial Cup. The three CHL leagues rotate hosting duties – this year’s the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s turn, with the Rimouski Oceanic successfully bidding for hosting duties – and the three league champions join them.

So far two of the league champions have been decided: the London Knights won the Ontario Hockey League’s J. Ross Robertson’ Cup, while Medicine Hat won the Western Hockey League’s Ed Chynoweth Cup. Rimouski and Moncton are still in the process of playing for the QMJHL’s Gilles-Courteau Trophy, but because Rimouski qualifies for the tournament as host regardless of their playoff result, Moncton will be in no matter what as the other finalist.

The Wildcats currently lead the QMJHL’s championship series by a 3-1 margin, and they can capture the championship in Game 5 on Saturday night in Moncton. Since the CHL moved to a four-team model for the tournament in 1983 – the three league champions, plus a host team – the host team has also won their league’s championship seven times, but most of the time hosts take great pains to be competitive so they don’t get trounced in their home arena.

Last year’s tournament was hosted, and won, by Zayne Parekh and the Saginaw Spirit, just a month before the Flames drafted Parekh at ninth overall. The last time a Flames prospect won the Memorial Cup was back in 2022, when Jeremie Poirier and Yan Kuznetsov won with the Saint John Sea Dogs. (A WHL team hasn’t won since 2014.)

The prospects​

If you’re unfamiliar with Morin and Basha, let’s tell you a few things about them.

Morin is a left-shot blueliner born in March 2005 and selected by the Flames in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft. An alternate captain with Moncton in his fourth full season with that team, he’s had a really good season. He posted 58 points in 62 regular season games, and has followed that up with 20 points over 18 playoff games so far. He was voted the 10th-best Flames prospect in our summer 2024 rankings.

Basha is a left shot forward born in November 2005 and selected by the Flames in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The 2024-25 season was his third full season with the Tigers (and fourth season overall), but his regular season ended in late December due to undergoing ankle surgery to deal with a recurring injury. He returned in time for the WHL Championship series against Spokane, though. He had 29 points over 23 regular season games, and posted another five points over five playoff games. He was voted the fifth-best Flames prospect in our summer 2024 rankings.

Both Morin and Basha are under NHL entry-level deals for the 2025-26 season and as 2005-born players, they’re eligible to play in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers. While they could both technically return to junior as over-age players, we could be seeing their major junior swan songs at the Memorial Cup tournament.

The schedule​

Here’s how the Memorial Cup shapes up. All times are MT, and all games are on TSN.

• Fri., May 23: Medicine Hat vs. Rimouski, 5 p.m.
• Sat., May 24: Moncton vs. London, 4 p.m.
• Sun., May 25: Rimouski vs. London, 4 p.m.
• Mon., May 26: Moncton vs. Medicine Hat, 5 p.m.
• Tue., May 27: London vs. Medicine Hat, 5 p.m.
• Wed., May 28: Rimouski vs. Moncton, 5 p.m.
• Thu., May 29: tie-breaker game, if necessary, to determine third place, 5 p.m.
• Fri., May 30: semi-final (second vs. third), 5 p.m.
• Sat., June 1: final (first vs. semi-final winner), 5 p.m.

We’ll have tons of updates on how the Flames’ prospects perform at the Memorial Cup as the tournament unfolds.

This article is brought to you by Crystal Waters​

Crystal Waters is your Crystal Clear Choice for Home Comfort Solutions, including all plumbing, heating, and cooling equipment repairs, maintenance, and installation. Founded in 2001, and completing over 30,000 projects, our qualified professionals are the guardians of your home’s mechanical heart.

Call Crystal Waters Plumbing and Heating today at 403-219-4100 for a complete mechanical system audit, and learn how we can partner with you to ensure your home is optimized for safety, health, and comfort. Or check them out at www.crystalclearcalgary.com

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/2-flames-prospects-are-headed-to-the-2025-memorial-cup

 

[Calgary Flames]

Brady Martin is the right-shot centre the Flames desperately need

The Calgary Flames need some centre prospects.

One centre who could be available when they pick 18th overall is Elmira, Ontario native Brady Martin, who wrapped up his second season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Soo Greyhounds.

Let’s take a look at what the 18-year-old centre has to offer.

Scouting report​

Martin was born on Mar. 16, 2007, in Elmira, Ontario, just north of Kitchener. Standing at 6’0”, 178, Martin is a right-shot centre, something the Flames are desperately lacking in their prospect pool.

In the most recent Daily Faceoff top draft prospect ranking, Steven Ellis ranked Martin as his 14th-best prospect and had this to say about the right-shot centre.

“When evaluating Martin, you must watch his play away from the puck to truly appreciate him, because his game transcends the scoresheet. His second half allowed him to finish with more than 70 points, making him the Greyhounds’ most important forward. But, again, it’s what he does when he’s trying to get the puck back that really shines. He hits everyone in sight, constantly battles hard for the puck and is a noted goal-scorer, too. He doesn’t always have top-level players to play with on the Greyhounds, but he does look like one of the best players to come out of the OHL this year because he does so much all over the ice and never gives up on a play.”

David Saad of Dobber Prospects had similar things to say about the centre in January, noting:

“Few players go hard in the paint like Brady Martin. His competitiveness, his intensity and his confidence pop off the screen with every shift. Nobody will question his effort, especially not with how physically he plays.

That said, Martin is more than a wrecking ball on skates; he’s bringing a ton of skill too. He’s a force in transition due to his raw strength, and he brings soft hands to go along with it. It’s not uncommon to see Martin challenge a defender in the middle of the ice, just for Martin to immediately make a move into space to leverage his powerful shot.

While he’s relatively new to the first-round conversation, Martin has been pulling eyes all over the NHL since he’s been given the reins with the Soo Greyhounds. It’s possible we have another Jett Luchanko on our hands.”

Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala ranked Martin as his 12th-best prospect and echoed similar statements in his late-March update.

“An argument can be made that Martin is the most competitive player in the entire draft class. He’s a relentless, leads-by-example forward for the Soo Greyhounds. In his most recent 10-game segment Martin produced 8G-11A while averaging over 24 minutes per game of ice time and being deployed in all situations. He finished the regular season with 33G-39A overall.

Martin never cuts corners. He only weighs 178 pounds, but plays much bigger than his listed size. He finishes all of his checks, battles in the trenches, drives to the net and makes life generally miserable for opponents.”

The numbers​

Martin’s first Ontario Hockey League season was in 2023-24, where he scored 10 goals and 28 points in 52 games, along with a goal and an assist in 11 postseason games.

The right-shot centre improved drastically in his second season in the league, scoring 33 goals and 72 points in 57 games, good enough for second in both categories, only behind 20-year-old Marco Mignosa, an undrafted prospect.

There wasn’t a ton of talent on the Greyhounds this past season, with just four players who’ve been drafted to National Hockey League teams. Still, they made the post-season, finishing seventh in the OHL’s Western Conference. They fell in five games, but Martin scored two goals and four points, doubling what he had last post-season in six fewer games.

Availability and fit​

Martin is absolutely a fit for the Flames. The Flames don’t have any high-end centre prospects in the cupboards at the moment, much less of the right-shot variety. They signed Carter King recently, while Hunter Laing, Jaden Lipinski, and Cade Littler are right-shot centres they selected in the past three drafts. Even then, none of them have the ceiling that Martin does.

If he’s available is a different question. Elite Prospect’s consolidated rankings have him 19th, which is one spot after the Flames’ pick. Sportsnet has him 12th, as does McKeen’s Hockey, while Daily Faceoff has him as the 14th-best draft prospect. His lowest ranking is by The Hockey News’ Tony Ferrari, who has him as the 31st best draft prospect.

There’s certainly a possibility Martin will be available when the Flames pick 18th overall, but it’s equally possible he’ll go earlier.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/brady-martin-is-the-right-shot-centre-the-flames-desperately-need

 

[Calgary Flames]

Left-shot defender Cameron Reid could be a good fit for the Flames at 18th overall

Aside from centre, the Calgary Flames’ biggest draft need is a left-shot defenceman.

When the Flames pick 18th overall, Cameron Reid may still be on the board. The left-shot defenceman plays in the Ontario Hockey League for the Kitchener Rangers, coming off a good second season in the league.

Let’s take a look at what the 18-year-old left-shot defenceman has to offer.

Scouting report​

Reid was born in Aylmer, Ontario, east of St. Thomas, Ontario, where Joe Thornton grew up. He stands at 6’”, 193lbs, and is best described as a power play quarterback.

Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff had this to say about the 18-year-old defenceman:

“Reid closed out the regular season by playing some of his best hockey. He’s started to put up points consistently, and he’s shooting in more dangerous areas, too. Reid isn’t big, but he can shut guys down. Reid can do a little bit of everything – his three-zone game is so good, and he’s got the intelligence to beat so many players in 1-on-1 situations. Some scouts think he’ll go higher here – I see a good value pickup if taken after, say, No. 12.”

Here’s what David Saad of Dobber Prospects noted in a January scouting report

“Reid has been one of the more surprising standouts of the past month and seems to be involved in everything Kitchener does. Despite his relatively small frame, this especially applies to his defensive game. Reid is remarkably effective with his stick, is very fluid with his motions and reads play spectacularly. Sprinkle in some really impressive offensive IQ and some remarkable mobility, and Reid being outside the top 32 may be laughable in hindsight.”

Jason Bukala from Sportsnet notes that his skating is Reid’s biggest strong suit, and that he has the future role of a power play quarterback.

“Reid is compact in stature, but plenty strong in the trenches. He doesn’t shy away from physical contact, but his most elite element is his skating ability. Reid has the agility and explosiveness to close on opponents defensively and spin off checks to launch the attack offensively. He walks the offensive blue line with purpose as the power play quarterback in Kitchener and produced 14G-40A in the regular season. Reid is deployed in all situations for the Rangers. He averages north of 24 minutes per game TOI.”

The numbers​

Reid made his Ontario Hockey League debut in 2023-24 with the Kitchener Rangers, scoring just two goals and 23 points in 49 games. In 10 post-season games, he added five assists.

The left-shot defence had somewhat of a breakout in 2024-25, scoring 14 goals and 54 points in 67 games, helping the Rangers reach the post-season again, where he picked up five assists in 14 games as the Rangers were eliminated by the London Knights. Reid also finished with a plus/minus of 39, seventh best among OHL defenders.

Availability and fit​

The Flames have a whole bunch of right-shot defencemen in their organization, but not a whole lot of left-shot defencemen. Étienne Morin is the most notable left-hand defence prospect, but Jérémie Poirier, Axel Hurtig, and Eric Jamieson all fit the bill.

Adding a potential high-end left-shot defenceman to the cupboards could pay off big time in the future, even if Reid won’t make an impact as quickly as a prospect like Zayne Parekh.

As for availability, Reid is projected to go around where the Flames will pick. His consolidated ranking from Elite Prospects has him as the 17th-best prospect, with his highest ranking being 12th by TSN’s Craig Button, and his lowest by Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News.

A future defence pairing of Reid and Parekh would be fun.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/left-s...-be-a-good-fit-for-the-flames-at-18th-overall

 

[Calgary Flames]

Why Game 7 of Maple Leafs-Panthers has Flames draft implications

Gang, the running joke in hockey circles is “How does this affect the Maple Leafs?” – people love talking about Toronto, it seems. Well, when it comes to Sunday night’s Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the result of the game, and the series, will impact where the Calgary Flames select in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Let us explain why.

First off, the Panthers owe the Flames a draft selection as part of the July 2022 trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to Florida and Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary. We don’t need to get into the various complex trade conditions – several picks involved in the trade directly or indirectly had top 10 protection, which led to cascading conditions – but the gist of it is that the Flames will send their 2025 fourth-rounder to the Panthers and receive their 2025 first-rounder in return.

The complexities for the Flames related to the draft order stem from how the draft order is determined.

We’ve discussed this before, but here’s roughly how the order of selection in each round of the NHL Draft is decided: Everything is meant to go in reverse standings order, with the worst teams from last season getting the most help via the draft. The first 16 picks went to the non-playoff teams, then the remaining picks are decided primarily based on how far a team goes in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Picks 17 to 28 are given to the teams that are eliminated in the first two rounds, with the division winners getting the later spots, since they had better regular seasons. Picks 29 & 30 are for the teams that lose in the conference finals, pick 31 is for the Cup Final loser, and pick 32 is for the Cup Final winner.

Here’s the current order of the 2025 entry draft. When St.Louis was eliminated, it confirmed Pick 19-20-21.

I was busy in the last few days so I didn’t post about it.

When Florida will reach the Eastern Conference Final or be eliminated, more picks will be confirmed. pic.twitter.com/O7sSEYiABz

— Jean-Francois C. (@MtlfanSakic) May 16, 2025

The Panthers finished the regular season with 98 points – two more than the Flames – and had the sixth-worst record of the 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs. Since they didn’t win their division, if they are eliminated in the first two rounds, they would be allocated 22nd overall based on their regular season performance. That pick would transfer to the Flames to complete the Tkachuk trade.

However, if the Panthers manage to advance to the conference final round, then their pick would slide into the later part of the first round – somewhere between 29th and 32nd overall, depending on how far they go – and the Flames would still receive Florida’s first-round pick, but the placement of that pick would be decidedly different than if the Panthers lost to the Maple Leafs in round two.

We know that a lot of fans have complicated feelings about the Maple Leafs – the Flames and Leafs have a complicated, messy history. We know there’s a contingent of Flames fans that dislike them almost as much as they do the Edmonton Oilers. But if you’re cheering for results that maximize the Flames’ draft opportunities, your only choice for Sunday’s Game 7 is to swallow your pride and cheer for the Leafs.

The 2025 NHL Draft takes place June 27 & 28 in Los Angeles.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/flames-draft-implications-game-7-maple-leafs-panthers

 

[Calgary Flames]

Five Flames Takes: Can the Flames get a third pick in the 2025 or 2026 first round?

Welcome back to one of our newest features here at FlamesNation: Five Flames Takes. After digging into a main topic, Mike will weigh in on five more popular discussion topics involving the Flames and their prospects.

Much has been made over the last 12 months or so about which two picks the Flames will end up with in the 2025 first round, but not nearly as much has been said about whether they might be able to get another.

The Flames have only ever made three first-round picks in the same year once in their history, and only one of them ended up panning out in any way. That, of course, was in 2013, when they hit a home run with Sean Monahan at No. 6 … before whiffing on Emile Poirier and Morgan Klimchuk at No. 22 and No. 28.

So that didn’t work out. But last year, the Flames made two first-round picks — Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin — and they both look to have been well worth the investment. To this point, 2013 and 2024 stand as the only two years in which Calgary has gone up to the podium in the first round more than once. For contrast, they’ve bypassed the first round entirely six times since relocating from Atlanta.

But the times are a-changing. As a result of trades they’ve made with the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames have two first-round picks in both the 2025 and 2026 drafts. While they could stand to add to their stockpile in the later rounds, the Flames are currently slated to end up with six first-round prospects over a three-year span.

And why stop there? The Flames need as much help as they can get, especially at centre, and the best way to land true difference-makers is in the first round. In Rasmus Andersson, the Flames have an expendable (and valuable) player who should draw plenty of interest this summer. If, as our own Ryan Pike opined last week, the Seth Jones trade between Chicago and Columbus in 2021 is of any indication, the Flames shouldn’t have any trouble getting another first-rounder for Andersson — if they decide to move him, that is.

Of course, even if the Flames do pick up another top-32 pick this year or next, it’s far from a given that they end up holding onto it. Quality outweighs quantity, particularly in the Flames’ case, and they could be tempted to shop a few of their picks packaged together in a bid to move up in the draft order.

It’d be sweet to see the Flames enter this year’s draft with three picks in the first round (and maybe an extra bullet in the second). It’d be even sweeter if they could find a way to improve upon pick No. 18. If they move Andersson before the draft, don’t be surprised if more moves follow.

1. If I were a betting man, I’d ballpark it at about a 90 percent chance that the Flames trade Andersson this summer. But while Andersson’s situation is priority No. 1, the writing does also seem to be on the wall for Blake Coleman — at least, to a certain extent. Think about it: Coleman will be 34 in November and is cost-controlled (not to mention eligible for salary retention) for the next two seasons. A prospective suitor would have the opportunity to add Coleman to their roster for less than $2.5 million per year and have him for two playoff runs. Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich are coming off disappointing seasons but both offer long-term upside that Coleman simply doesn’t at this stage of his career. While he may not have as much value as he did immediately following his 30-goal, 54-point campaign in 2023-24, Coleman would still be an appealing target for most of the contenders in the league. Moving him would be a win-win for the Flames, too, in that they’d be able to cash in on the final two years of his contract while also freeing up valuable space for younger players and prospects.

2. Danila Yurov signing his entry-level deal with the Wild just intensifies the speculation around Marco Rossi, whose name has been a fixture in trade rumours for multiple seasons. The Wild apparently intend to use Yurov as a centre, which would put him in direct competition with Rossi, who just scored 60 points but suffers from a bad case of being 5-foot-9. That seems to be untenable to Wild GM Bill Guerin, who reportedly has “no appetite” for signing the Austrian pivot to a long-term extension this summer. The Wild finally have salary cap flexibility this summer — another reason for the increase in media chatter — and Guerin will be determined to improve his team after yet another first-round exit, so don’t be surprised if Rossi ends up changing locales as part of a deal for a more proven (and playoff-suited) replacement. With Craig Conroy leaving no stone unturned in his search for help down the middle, you can bet he has an idea where the Wild stand.

3. There’s a question we discussed on the inaugural edition of “The Back Burner,” FlamesNation‘s new prospects show, during the draft lottery — aside from Zayne Parekh, who is the Flames’ top prospect? It isn’t an easy question to answer, as evidenced by the quantity of names discussed: Gridin, Hunter Brzustewicz, Andrew Basha, and Étienne Morin, to list a few. But my answer was Jacob Battaglia, who was nothing short of outstanding with the Kingston Frontenacs throughout the 2024-25 regular season and playoffs, collecting 43 goals and 106 points in 79 games. Battaglia plays a little bit like a long-lost Tkachuk brother and is one of the younger members of the Flames’ 2024 draft class, having only turned 19 on St. Patrick’s Day. Watch for more Battaglia discussion in a new Back Burner episode this coming week.

4. That end-to-end goal Adam Klapka scored against Kazakhstan at the Worlds on Saturday was a thing of beauty, and it got Flames fans talking once again about how the big man might be able to build upon his strong 31-game stint in the NHL this past season. League record books are littered with the names of forwards 6’7″ and taller who served few purposes beyond sheer pugnacity, with John Scott, Peter Worrell, Mitch Fritz, and Matt Rempe the clearest examples of NHL teams embracing the long-standing tradition of favouring hired goons. Klapka is far more of an anomaly. At 6’8″ and 235 pounds, he towers over the likes of Tage Thompson, Nik Antropov, Eric Dazé, and Martin Hanzal, the NHL’s best big dudes in recent memory. His size puts him more on par with the classic pillars on defence, for whom puck skills are less of a priority. What makes Klapka so fascinating to watch, however, is his ability to control the puck in tight quarters — as you might expect from forwards a foot shorter than him — while simultaneously using his immense frame to its full advantage. He’s a unicorn, and the Flames are lucky to have him.

5. Finally, we need to talk about the Flames’ defensive depth chart. Even if they do move Andersson, they’ll have a bit of a situation to address with both Parekh and Brzustewicz already on the cusp of making the big club. Not only do the Flames have too many bodies on defence, but a majority of them have minimal (if any) meaningful NHL experience. If Andersson goes, their oldest defenceman under contract for next season will be Daniil Miromanov. It’d really just be MacKenzie Weegar, Kevin Bahl, and a bunch of kids and warm bodies. One assumes there’ll be mutual interest in retaining Joel Hanley, but who does he play with if Weegar slides over to the left side? And if the Flames go the UFA route to add more experience and mentorship on the back end, what happens to Brayden Pachal and Jake Bean? If one thing is for certain, it’s that the Flames need to find more high-end lefties to match their stockpile on the right side. Bahl and Morin are decent pieces, and Weegar is more than capable of swapping over from time to time, but it’d sure be nice to have a clear-cut, long-term partner for Parekh waiting in the wings. (Just another reason why adding an extra first-round pick this year wouldn’t be such a bad idea).

---

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/five-flames-takes-rasmus-andersson-trade-nhl-draft

 

[Calgary Flames]

FlamesNation Mailbag: Closing out May Long with reader questions

Gang, it’s Victoria Day weekend – otherwise known as May Long in the Canadas – and hopefully the weather is warm and your long weekend has gone well so far. In the hockey world, some teams are embroiled in the post-season and some are battling in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Let’s dive into the mailbag!

Any news on whether Craig Conroy will wait to start contract negotiations with Dustin Wolf? Doesn't need a new contract until next season. Also, does Coach Huska need a new contract? #Flames

— Maureen (@mbbrennan) May 18, 2025

On Dustin Wolf: the Flames cannot file a contract extension with the league until the final year of Wolf’s current deal starts on July 1. I suspect the Flames and Wolf’s camp will have conversations about the broad strokes of things before then, but they can’t hammer things out until July 1 so I imagine the Flames will be focusing on the current crop of restricted free agents before trying to lock Wolf down. They’re going to work at it, but it won’t be an urgent thing on the to-do list until the other RFAs are figured out.

On Ryan Huska: my recollection is Huska is entering the third year of a three year deal. I suspect he’ll get some years added to his deal before the regular season begins.

Would you every consider offer sheeting Pelletier below the compensation limit just to get the vibes back?

— Snow Bro (@fatshameforall) May 18, 2025

I love Jakob Pelletier. The Flames love Jakob Pelletier. But given his status as a player that requires waivers and the sheer volume of wingers in the Flames system, I just don’t see the Flames bringing him back right now.

Could the Flames solve their top-centre conundrum by drafting/trading for a few 2C-type players? Essentially, instead of a 1C, 2C, 3C top 9, three 2Cs. Like in Moneyball, replacing a #1 centre in the aggregate.

— John Ludwick (@jludwick66) May 18, 2025

Honestly, I think this might be one of the potential lanes for the Flames to progress upward towards where they want to be. They either need to hit it big on a later pick – ala Johnny Gaudreau, Theo Fleury or picks of that ilk – or they need to find value throughout the draft and hope that they can make up for the lack of “elite” talent with a lot of very good players.

The Flames have the benefit right now of having Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund as really reliable veterans up the middle. They should try to surround them with players that can potentially step into their roles over the next few years. The draft is a great way to do that.

How aggressive will Conroy be with free agents? Will he go after a Taylor Hall to fill a couple spots or big names like Bennett, Marner, Boeser for example.

— asimpleplan (@asimpleplan1) May 18, 2025

The Flames have tons of cap space and I think their pro scouts and data team will flag a few to seriously look into. That said, I don’t think Craig Conroy’s cap space is burning a hole in his pocket. The Flames have financial flexibility right now and only really want to use it if they think that investment will pay off in two or three years with the team becoming scary-good. That probably means they won’t be wildly chasing after free agents, but will try to be tactical with whatever they do.

How do you gussy up a grilled hotdog?

— Ed Helinski (@MrEd315) May 18, 2025

I recommend a fancy mustard or a chipotle mayo.

Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan.Pike [at] BetterCollective.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)

The FlamesNation Monday Mailbag is presented to you by Village Honda​

Looking to sell your vehicle? Village Honda wants to buy it. We offer complimentary, no obligation appraisals, payment in 24 hours, top value trade in values and best of all, no stress. Skip selling your vehicle privately and stop in Village Honda today. No appointment necessary.

Village Honda is proud to be your dealership for life in Calgary since 1987. We are located in the Northwest Auto Mall under the giant Canadian flag or online at www.villagehonda.com.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/flamesnation-mailbag-closing-out-may-long-with-reader-questions

 

[Calgary Flames]

Michael Misa would be a game-changing centre for the Flames if they were to trade up

In the last draft, the Calgary Flames selected Luke Misa in the fifth round.

His younger brother, Michael, is one of the top draft prospects ahead of the 2025 draft. As you know, the Flames’ first pick is the 18th overall selection. That said, he’s the game-changing centre the Flames are looking for.

Let’s get to know the 18-year-old centre!

Scouting report​

Misa was born in Oakville, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. The 18-year-old stands at 6’1”, 184 lbs and played alongside top Flames’ prospect Zayne Parekh with the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit.

Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranked Misa as the second-best draft prospect available, having this to say about the centre.

“Misa is coming off one of the most impressive goal-scoring campaigns we’ve ever seen in the OHL. He just knows where to get the puck and can fire at will. I also think Misa’s ability to play both center and wing should take him far, although I expect him to be a winger in the NHL. He continues to find ways to get into scoring positions and impact his team in the best way possible.

If I was a coach and needed someone to score a big goal late to win a game, Misa would be my pick – he has the best offensive instincts of any player in this draft. I want to see him battle harder more often (it feels like he cheats up the ice sometimes) but he’s got the pure skill to be a top-line NHLer sooner rather than later.”

Luke Sweeney of Dobber Prospects wrote about Misa in January (note the World Juniors reference, no, I’m still not over it).

“In another world, Misa would have gone with Team Canada to Ottawa, giving scouts a chance to see how his game measures up to other top prospects like Hagens, Schaefer, or Martone. Instead, we’ll have to settle for his continued dominance of the OHL. Misa is just shy of two points-per-game and a goal-per-game, all while using his fantastic smarts and skating to play a solid defensive game. There are few players this cycle who look as well rounded, or as projectable. Still a first-overall challenger, Misa is looking much more the part of Exceptional Status recipient.”

Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala had a lot to say about Misa, who ranked second in his late-March update.

“Misa moved to the centre ice position this year and it agreed with his skill set. He utilizes the full width of the ice with his speed and drives play with the puck on his stick in transition. Misa has developed into one of the most lethal shooters in the draft class. In the past he leaned playmaker/distributor, but his goal scoring more than doubled from last season’s total of 29.

Misa averaged over 23 minutes per game skating in Saginaw and, like Schaefer, he was also deployed in all situations. His defensive detail has been reliable. Like any offensive star who is still developing he has moments where he needs to keep his feet moving and lock on to his check sooner in his zone, but it’s not an area of weakness that concerns me. Misa finished the season plus-43.”

The numbers​

Misa was the eighth player in Canadian Hockey League history to be granted exceptional player status, joining players like John Tavares, Connor McDavid, and Connor Bedard.

Starting his OHL career as a 15-year-old in 2022-23, Misa scored 22 goals and 56 points in 45 games. In 2023-24, Misa scored 29 goals and 75 points, a good season, but his draft stock took a hit.

It went right back up after his insane 2024-25 with the Spirit, as the left-shot centre scored 62 goals and 134 points, three goals away from being goal-per-game and nearly averaging two points per game. The reigning Spirit were bounced in five games by the Erie Otters in the first round, with Misa scoring twice and picking up an assist in four games.

Availability and fit​

One thing that needs to be addressed is the availability. He’s a consensus top-three pick in the draft, ranking as high as first and as low as fourth, but usually ranking as the second or third-best prospect. The Flames have the 18th overall pick; in no world is Misa dropping that far. So, how does this work? Well, San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier said that the Sharks were open to moving the second-overall pick.

Grier is still open to moving the 2nd overall pick. Same thing he said at exit interviews. Says the package has to make sense for the #SJSharks to move 2nd overall.

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) May 5, 2025

The New York Islanders and the Utah Hockey Club moved up in the lottery to first and fourth, respectively, despite having 3.5% and 3.1% odds to do so. Both teams are close to making the post-season, so maybe there’s a trade option there if the Flames give up one of their young players plus picks.

It’s unlikely, but is he a fit? Well, he’s a dynamic centre who has plenty of skill and plays a solid defensive game. Misa would undoubtedly be a game-changer for the Flames.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/michae...entre-for-the-flames-if-they-were-to-trade-up

 

[Calgary Flames]

The order of all but one of the Flames’ 2025 NHL Draft selections have been set

On Sunday evening, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. Had the Panthers been eliminated by Toronto, the placement of all of the Calgary Flames’ 2025 draft selections would have been locked in.

Now, with the Panthers having advanced to be among the NHL’s final four teams, things are a bit in flux. The Flames are set to receive the Panthers’ first-round selection in this year’s draft, which completes the July 2022 trade involving Matthew Tkachuk. However, because Toronto lost to Florida, the pick the Flames receive could be in one of three slots.

Option 1: 29th overall – if Florida loses to Carolina in the Eastern Conference Final​

Florida had the fewest regular season points of the four teams that remain active. So if they lose in the Conference Final round, they’ll be given the fourth-from-last draft slot in the first round, 29th overall.

Option 2: 31st overall – if Florida beats Carolina but loses in the Stanley Cup Final​

The Cup finalist gets the second-from-last draft slot in the first round.

Option 3: 32nd overall – if Florida wins the Stanley Cup​

The Cup winner gets the last draft slot in the first round.

The picks the Flames own in the 2025 NHL Draft​

• 1st round, 18th overall [1] (from New Jersey)
• 1st round, 29th overall [2][tentative] (from Florida)
• 2nd round, 57th overall [3] (from Colorado, via Washington)
• 3rd round, 80th overall
• 5th round, 144th overall
• 6th round, 176th overall
• 7th round, 2o8th overall

Note 1: The Flames received this pick from New Jersey to complete a June 2024 trade that sent Jacob Markstrom to the Devils in exchange for Kevin Bahl and this pick.

Note 2: The Flames received this pick from Florida to complete a July 2022 trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk and a 2025 fourth-round pick (see below) to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and this pick. [The slotting of this pick has yet to be solidified; it’ll be 29th, 31st or 32nd overall.]

Note 3: The Flames received this pick from Washington as part of a June 2024 trade that sent Andrew Mangiapane to Washington in exchange for this pick. (The Capitals had previously acquired this pick from Colorado in March 2023 in exchange for Lars Eller.)

The picks the Flames traded in the 2025 NHL Draft​

• 1st round, 16th overall [4] (to Montreal)
• 2nd round, 48th overall [5] (to Philadelphia)
• 4th round, 112th overall (to Florida)

Note 4: Montreal received this pick from the Flames as part of an August 2022 trade that sent Sean Monahan and this pick to the Canadiens in exchange for future considerations.

Note 5: Philadelphia received this pick from the Flames as part of a January 2025 trade that sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, this pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick to the Flyers in exchange for Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost.

The 2025 NHL Draft takes place June 27 & 28 from Los Angeles, CA. We’ll have oodles of preview coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft in the coming weeks.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/the-or...lames-2025-nhl-draft-selections-have-been-set

 

[Calgary Flames]

What’s Going On In The Playoffs: Stars, Oilers, and Panthers return to the Conference Finals

The Conference Finals have begun.

This is What’s Going On In The Playoffs, where we look at how each series is going so far this post-season. The second round has wrapped up, with one Canadian team left standing. Moreover, three of the four teams were in last season’s final four.

Let’s take a look at what’s happened in the post-season since last Wednesday!

Oilers score overtime goal to clinch series​

The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights played a tight-checking, defensive game in Game 5. With the Knights’ backs against the wall, the score was 0-0 heading into overtime, before Kasperi Kapanen of all players scored the game-winning goal to send the Oilers to the Conference Finals.

THERE IT IS!!!

KASPERI KAPANEN IS YOUR @ENERGIZER OT HERO IN GAME 5 AND THIS SERIES IS OVER! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Ao34byyu3m

— NHL (@NHL) May 15, 2025

This game was Stuart Skinner’s second consecutive shutout, but the question was, who would they face?

Jets fall in six games to the Stars​

Last Wednesday, the Jets were down 3-1 in their series after a 3-1 defeat in Game 4. They responded well to force a Game 6, as Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Ehlers (again) scored to give the Jets a 4-0 win.

Before Game 6, Scheifele’s father passed away, but the longest-tenured Jet played anyway, scoring a goal five minutes into the second period.

Hours before Game 6, Mark Scheifele's dad, Brad, unexpectedly passed away

Mark decided to still play tonight, and scored first goal of the game. What a moment pic.twitter.com/GMV9ZAnlOa

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 18, 2025

Unfortunately, the Stars tied it and then won it in overtime when Scheifele was in the penalty box. No matter what team you cheer for, this was a crappy ending.

THOMAS ******* HARLEY!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/L4kOLoHhrI

— X – Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 18, 2025

Leafs collapse at home, lose in seven​

The other Canadian team that made it to the second round, the Toronto Maple Leafs, blew a 2-0 series lead to the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Game 5 was in Toronto, and it didn’t go great for the centre of the universe, as the Panthers won 6-1.

With the series shifting to Sunrise, Florida, the Leafs were able to force Game 7 thanks to a game-winning goal from Auston Matthews, the first time he’s scored in the second round. Max Pacioretty scored an insurance goal with just under six minutes left in the third.

That set up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Toronto, which ended in the exact same score as Game 5. The two teams were tied after one period, but the Panthers scored three times in the second for a 3-0 lead. Max Domi scored early in the third to give the Leafs hope, but the Panthers responded with three more goals, iced by a Brad Marchand empty-net goal.

That makes 3 points for Marchy tonight!! pic.twitter.com/pbjT6ORvBx

— x – Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 19, 2025

Hurricanes wrap up the series in five​

Up 3-1 in the series last Wednesday, the Hurricanes made quick work of the Washington Capitals, defeating them in five games. Game 5 was a 3-1 victory, with the teams trading a goal in the first period. It stood that way until late in the third period, when Andrei Svechnikov beat Logan Thompson with a bad-angle shot. Seth Jarvis added an empty-netter for good measure.

SVECH SEALS THE SERIES pic.twitter.com/E6imKxrKiI

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 16, 2025

Panthers defeat Hurricanes in Game 1​

Sticking with the Hurricanes, their first-round match-up is against the Panthers. Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored in the first period, with Sebastian Aho cutting the lead in half with just 16 seconds remaining in the first.

The Panthers took a 3-1 lead in the second thanks to A.J. Greer’s second of the postseason. In the third, former Calgary Flame Sam Bennett scored to make it 4-1, and then Eetu Luostarinen added a fifth for good measure. Jackson Blake scored late in the game for the Hurricanes, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 5-2.

the dogs and cats are loving this one! pic.twitter.com/56MygkViIS

— x – Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 21, 2025

Game 2 is on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. MT, the start time of every game in this series. The third game shifts to Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday, with Game 4 also in Florida.

Setting up the Oilers/Stars series​

For the second consecutive post-season, the Edmonton Oilers and the Dallas Stars play in the Western Conference Finals to determine who goes to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game 1 is on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in Dallas. Game 2 is on Friday, same time. With the series shifting to Edmonton, Game 3 is an afternoon game, starting at 1:00 p.m. MT, disgusting. Game 4 is on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. MT again.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/whats-...-and-panthers-return-to-the-conference-finals

 

[Calgary Flames]

OHL centre Jack Nesbitt could be a late first-round option for the Flames

If you’ve been following the Calgary Flames and their prospects, you’ve probably noticed two general trends. First, they’ve drafted a slew of promising young players from the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League. Second, they lack high-end centres in their prospect mix.

On draft weekend, one player that fits nicely in the overlap on the Venn diagram between “WHL/OHL prospects” and “centre” is Windsor Spitfires pivot Jack Nesbitt, who boasts size and skill… and could be available late in the first round.

Scouting report​

A product of Sarnia, Ontario, Nesbitt is a January 2007 birthday. He’s a left shot centre listed at 6’4″ and 183 pounds.

After working his way up through local hockey, Nesbitt was selected by the Spitfires in the first round of the 2023 OHL Priority Draft. He became a full-time OHLer the following season. The 2024-25 campaign was his second full season in the OHL with Windsor.

Over at Dobber Prospects, in their November rankings – Nesbitt was 23rd – Kareem Ramadan described why Nesbitt was an exciting player:

If you haven’t heard of Jack Nesbitt yet, it’s time to take notice. The hulking centre’s emergence has been one of the big storylines in the early part of the OHL season and a major reason for Windsor’s rise as one of the best teams in the CHL. Nesbitt is an impressive puck handler with the offensive instincts to match his hands. Concerns over Nesbitt’s skating are overblown; his mechanics are fluid, and once he reaches top speed, he is a lot to handle at his size. Nesbitt thrives below the dots, using his size to protect the puck and attack the middle of the ice. He shows advanced patience and playmaking instincts, waiting for teammates to attack open pockets before threading a pass. His excellent combination of size, skills, and willingness to compete in the hard areas of the ice are why we have ranked Nesbitt as aggressively as we have, and he could very well climb even higher in our midterm rankings if his play continues.

In April, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis had this summary of Nesbitt’s game in his draft rankings:

The Spitfires have a strong case to go the distance this year, which is great for people who want to see more of Nesbitt. He’s been playing some great hockey recently, aggressive but effective. He’s also shooting a lot, too, averaging five shots a game over his past five outings. He’s often been one of Windsor’s better shot generators, and while he isn’t putting up Liam Greentree numbers, he’s still going to finish at close to a point per game. He’s a big, 6-foot-4 center – teams typically like that. I wish he had more top speed, but I think Nesbitt has a solid ceiling.

Nesbitt might not be the world’s greatest skater, but he’s got size and skill. A lot of NHL teams will want that when they make selections at the draft.

The numbers​

Nesbitt had 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points over 65 games – agonizingly close to a point-per-game pace.

Among first-time 2025 draft eligible players, Nesbitt was sixth in points (behind Michael Misa, Porter Martone, Jack O’Brien, Malcolm Spence and Brady Martin) and seventh in goals (behind Misa, Martone, Martin, O’Brien, Spence and Kashawn Aitcheson).

Nesbitt was also one of just eight first-time draft eligible forwards to take 1,000 or more face-offs. He won 51.4% of his draws, slightly more than Michael Misa did by percentage. That’s pretty good company to keep.

Availability and fit​

On public draft rankings, Nesbitt has generally appeared late in the first round or early in the second. He’s 30th on FC Hockey’s spring rankings and 30th on Daily Faceoff’s April rankings. Some rankings have him as high as 15th, but generally he seems like a decent bet to be available late in the first round, potentially when the Flames select with Florida’s pick.

In terms of hit: he’s almost the ideal late-first Flames pick. He’s a centre! (Check.) He’s big! (Check.) He’s from the OHL, one of the two places the Flames to really have success drafting from! (Check.) There may be centres with higher offensive ceilings available in the late first for the Flames, but don’t overlook Nesbitt: he’s quite good and could really provide some value.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/ohl-ce...d-be-a-late-first-round-option-for-the-flames

 

[Calgary Flames]

After an up and down 2024-25, can Daniil Miromanov find a niche with the Flames?

When the Calgary Flames parted ways with Noah Hanifin prior to the 2024 trade deadline, Hanifin went to Vegas in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2024 third-round pick and defender Daniil Miromanov. At the time, Miromanov was a bit of a mystery to many Flames fans and onlookers, but he was somebody that the club’s pro scouts flagged as someone with possible upside.

14 months after Miromanov joined the Flames organization, he’s still a bit of a mystery.

Miromanov’s 2024-25 expectations​

Miromanov is a unique player who’s had a weird journey through hockey thus far. A Russian product that lined up as a winger, he came over to play hockey in Ontario as a teenager and ended up playing in the QMJHL with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for two seasons. (His junior rights were very weird, too: he was drafted by the London Knights in the 2014 CHL Import Draft, but played another season in Ontario, which made him not an import anymore, and that allowed him to be recruited by the QMJHL’s Titan.)

He went back to Russia and went pro, switching to defence, but ended up lured back to the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats for the remainder of his 20-year-old season. He never was drafted by an NHL team, so he spent the next few years bouncing around between the Czech Extraliga, the ECHL, the VHL and the KHL before being signed by Vegas.

He spent three seasons bouncing back and forth between Vegas and their AHL team in Henderson, never quite turning his call-ups into a long-term NHL role. He suffered a knee injury late in the 2022-23 season, and he had only played nine combined games between the NHL and AHL in 2023-24 prior to his trade to Calgary. He signed a two-year contract extension after the trade to Calgary.

During his 20 games with the Flames after his arrival in the Hanifin trade, Miromanov showed flashes of strong play, but couldn’t quite find consistency. Playing primarily with MacKenzie Weegar, he had seven points and showed a bit of chemistry with Weegar. Could he carve out a niche for himself in the top two defensive pairings in 2024-25?

How Miromanov did in 2024-25​

Miromanov began the regular season with Weegar. Over the first half of the season, he gradually played his way out of that spot. In the first 41 games, he played 29 games, mostly with Weegar, though he bounced around a little bit – when the Flames occasionally struggled early in the season and the coaching staff looked to mix up defensive pairings, Miromanov was an easy player to move around or healthy scratch to mix things up.

Joel Hanley found a really nice bit of chemistry with Weegar mid-season, and that was bad news for Miromanov. The third pairing for the Flames was Brayden Pachal (on the right side) and a rotation of players on the left. Because Pachal is a very reliable defensive zone player, and a penalty killer, he was virtually an every-night player for the Flames. And once Hanley found his rhythm in the top two pairings, that meant there was no natural spot for Miromanov.

In the second 41 games of the season, Miromanov played just nine games. When he did play, it was often spot duty to provide a bit of a boost in busy stretches of many games in several nights. He was reportedly shopped in the trade market, but no deals were found. He scored a nice game-tying goal on the road in March against the New Jersey Devils.

FLAMES GOAL

Daniil Miromanov ties the game!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Flames pic.twitter.com/qWqt7w4sjs

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 21, 2025

Unfortunately, impacts like that were few and far between for Miromanov. He had nine points during the season. He was a pair spectator for 38 games.

Next season’s expectations​

It’s probably safe to say that Miromanov has work to do if he wishes to remain with the Flames for the 2025-26 season. Yes, he’s on a one-way NHL contract worth $1.25 million for next season. However, that entire cap hit can be buried in the AHL if Miromanov doesn’t earn a spot on the NHL roster.

Miromanov remains a pretty interesting player. He’s got good mobility and size. He’s got really good offensive instincts. He has shown flashes of brilliance offensively. The challenge is that he’s not amazing away from the puck and the consistency and attention to detail on the defensive side of things hasn’t been up to snuff. And with the current Flames group, there’s no obvious role for him, even if Rasmus Andersson ends up departing the organization this off-season.

We imagine Miromanov will be at Flames camp in September. But it’ll be up to him to really prove to management and the coaching staff that he has what it takes to remain with the NHL group when the regular season begins in October.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/after-...daniil-miromanov-find-a-niche-with-the-flames

 

[Calgary Flames]

Flames prospects Andrew Basha and Etienne Morin begin their Memorial Cup pursuit on Friday

For the first time in awhile, the Calgary Flames will be represented by players on multiple teams at the Memorial Cup!

The crowning tournament of Canadian major junior hockey takes place over the next 10 days in Rimouski, Quebec, and it pits the host Oceanic against the champions of the three regional junior leagues. The Flames will be represented by 2024 second-round pick Andrew Basha (of the Medicine Hat Tigers) and 2023 second-round pick Etienne Morin (of the Moncton Wildcats).

Which prospect will be hoisting the Memorial Cup on June 1? Let’s handicap this year’s tournament.

Medicine Hat Tigers​

Qualification: Won WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup as league’s playoff champions, eliminating Swift Current, Prince Albert, Lethbridge and Spokane.

NHL prospects [8]: G Harrison Meneghin (Lightning), D Tanner Molendyk (Predators), D Niilopekka Muhonen (Stars), D Veeti Vaisanen (Mammoth), F Andrew Basha (Flames), F Cayden Lindstrom (Blue Jackets), F Ryder Ritchie (Wild) and F Hunter St. Martin (Panthers)

2025 draft prospects: D Bryce Pickford, D Jonas Woo

The Tigers have had a very good season despite missing some key players due to injuries. But they’ve gotten healthy at the right time, getting Basha and Lindstrom back for the league final series. As a result, Medicine Hat boasts a team with a ton of depth across all positions. Oh, and presumptive 2026 top prospect Gavin McKenna, too.

London Knights​

Qualification: Won OHL’s J. Ross Robertson Cup as league’s playoff champions, eliminating Owen Sound, Erie, Kitchener and Oshawa.

NHL prospects [12]: D Cam Allen (Capitals), D Oliver Bonk (Flyers), D Sam Dickinson (Sharks), D Jared Woolley (Kings), F Denver Barkley (Flyers), F Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs), F Kasper Halttunen (Sharks), F Jacob Julien (Jets), F Blake Montgomery (Senators), F William Nicholl (Oilers), F Jesse Nurmi (Islanders) and F Sam O’Reilly (Oilers)

2025 draft prospects: D Henry Brzustewicz (younger brother of Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz), G Alexei Medvedev

The Knights have been an absolute hockey factory for years, consistently winning championships and sending players to the NHL in equal measure. It sounds kind of dismissive, but there’s not a ton that differentiates this year’s powerhouse Knights from previous editions: they’re always good and always incredibly dangerous.

Moncton Wildcats​

Qualification: Won QMJHL’s Gilles-Courteau Trophy as league’s playoff champions, eliminating Quebec, Baie-Comeau, Rouyn-Noranda and Moncton.

NHL prospects [7]: G Rudy Guimond (Red Wings), D Dyllan Gill (Lightning), D Luke Johansson (Bruins), D Dylan MacKinnon (Predators), D Etienne Morin (Flames), F Juraj Pekarcik (Blues) and F Gabe Smith (Mammoth)

2025 draft prospects: F Caleb Desnoyers

The Wildcats were consistently one of the better team in the Q all season, and they managed to avoid slipping on any banana peels in the post-season. They arguably lack as many high-end weapons that Medicine Hat or London have, but Moncton’s top-to-bottom depth is really effective – they’re a really consistent group that can attack in waves. And there are few players in hockey that have been on the hot streak that Desnoyers has been on through the Q’s playoffs.

Rimouski Oceanic​

Qualification: Memorial Cup host; lost to Moncton in QMJHL championship series.

NHL prospects [6]: D Luke Coughlin (Panthers), D Spencer Gill (Flyers), D Basile Sansonnens (Canucks), F Alexandre Blais (Ducks), F Mathieu Cataford (Golden Knights) and F Eriks Mateiko (Capitals)

2025 draft prospects: no major ones

The Oceanic are, on paper, the weakest team in this event. But they still pushed a strong Moncton team in the QMJHL’s championship series. Do they have the high-end skill of the other three teams? Perhaps not. But they’re a well-rounded bunch that plays a really smart team game and are fully capable of beating strong teams. (Don’t believe us? Ask Moncton how tough an out Rimouski can be.)

The schedule​

All times are MT, and all games are on TSN.

• Fri., May 23: Medicine Hat vs. Rimouski, 5 p.m.
• Sat., May 24: Moncton vs. London, 4 p.m.
• Sun., May 25: Rimouski vs. London, 4 p.m.
• Mon., May 26: Moncton vs. Medicine Hat, 5 p.m.
• Tue., May 27: London vs. Medicine Hat, 5 p.m.
• Wed., May 28: Rimouski vs. Moncton, 5 p.m.
• Thu., May 29: tie-breaker game, if necessary, to determine third place, 5 p.m.
• Fri., May 30: semi-final (second vs. third), 5 p.m.
• Sat., June 1: final (first vs. semi-final winner), 5 p.m.

We’ll have tons of updates on how the Flames’ prospects perform at the Memorial Cup as the tournament unfolds.

This article is brought to you by Crystal Waters​

Crystal Waters is your Crystal Clear Choice for Home Comfort Solutions, including all plumbing, heating, and cooling equipment repairs, maintenance, and installation. Founded in 2001, and completing over 30,000 projects, our qualified professionals are the guardians of your home’s mechanical heart.

Call Crystal Waters Plumbing and Heating today at 403-219-4100 for a complete mechanical system audit, and learn how we can partner with you to ensure your home is optimized for safety, health, and comfort. Or check them out at www.crystalclearcalgary.com

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/flames...in-begin-their-memorial-cup-pursuit-on-friday

 

[Calgary Flames]

Versatile Swedish forward Milton Gästrin offers value late in 2025’s first round

In the long, illustrious history of the Calgary Flames franchise, they’ve developed some tendencies at the NHL Draft. In recent years, especially, they’ve drilled down into the Western Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League quite a bit. But one hallmark of the Flames franchise – dating all the way back to Kent Nilsson in 1979 and Hakan Loob in 1980 – has been drafting impactful Swedish players.

When the Flames look to select late in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, a player that could really provide them with value and versatility is Swedish forward Milton Gästrin.

Scouting report​

A product of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden – the same town that William Strömgren hails from – Gästrin is a June 2007 birthday. He’s a left shot forward that plays centre and the wing, and he’s listed at 6’1″ and 185 pounds.

Gästrin has played the past few seasons in the MoDo Hockey system and he’s progressed quite a bit since joining up. He made his professional debut this season, suiting up for eight SHL games.

Over at Dobber Prospects, Jordan Harris wrote this scouting report of Gästrin back in January:

Gastrin started his draft season off on fire. He was captain of Sweden’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup team and produced 10 points in five games, and that same success bled into his club play with MoDo’s J20 squad. A mid-season injury held him out of the World Junior A Challenge, and his production has tailed off since the injury, but Gastrin remains a promising prospect. Gastrin can play centre or on the wing and could be used up and down the lineup. His tools are solid across the board, even if none of them are considered high-end or elite. He has a good frame which he’ll likely be able to add weight to as he matures. The upside for Gastrin is a 2nd line point producing forward, but he’ll most likely end up as a middle-six player.

In his April draft rankings, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis had this assessment of Gästrin:

Gastrin has been excellent in Swedish national team action, developing into quite a responsible two-way player. Gastrin will not be a point producer in the NHL, but he will do so many other things that excite you. He’s defensively responsible, wins a ton of face-offs and can play the wing when you need him to. We’ve seen him play with some of Sweden’s better players in international junior tournaments, and he has never looked out of place.

Does Gästrin project as a top-tier NHL centre and a game-changer? Not especially. But from what scouts are saying, he’s extremely toolsy and extremely versatile, which could provide the team that selects him with a lot of value and options going forward.

The numbers​

Gästrin played a lot of hockey in 2024-25, suiting up for MoDo in the J18 (Sweden’s national under-18 league), the J20 (Sweden’s national under-20 league) and the SHL, and he also represented Sweden at the Under-18 Worlds and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. (He served as captain for the national team in both events.)

The bulk of his season was spent in the J20, posting 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points over 40 games.

Among first-time NHL Draft eligible players in the J20, Gästrin stacks up pretty nicely:

• He’s fifth in points, behind Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Theo Stockselius, Max Westergard and Mikkel Eriksen.
• He was sixth in goals, behind Ihs-Wozniak, Stockselius, Eriksen, Westergard and Eddie Genborg.

All-in-all, Gästrin posted some very positive results in a strong junior league.

Availability and fit​

In terms of availability, Gästrin has consistently appeared late in the first round on most major public draft rankings. Some rankings have him in the mid-to-late 20s. Some rankings have him just outside of the first round. Daily Faceoff’s April rankings had him at 32nd overall. He’s not a guarantee to be available to the Flames with the Florida pick, but he’s a decent bet to go around that spot.

In terms of fit: is there’s anything that goes together quite as well as the Flames and Swedish draft choices? Heck, Calgary’s current captain was a later first-round choice in 2007 as a toolsy centre from Sweden. Taking a Swedish forward is rarely a bad bet.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/versat...astrin-offers-value-late-in-2025s-first-round

 

[Calgary Flames]

Jake O’Brien is a right-shot centre the Flames should target in the draft

A top-six right-shot centre is a luxury in the National Hockey League.

There is one such player, Jake O’Brien, who could be available when the Calgary Flames make their first pick on Jun. 27, granted, they may have to move up from their 18th overall pick.

Let’s get to know the 17-year-old right-shot centre.

Scouting report​

Born in Toronto, Ontario on Jun. 16, 2007, O’Brien is a right-shot centre that stands 6’2”, 172 lbs. He’s played for the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League the past two seasons.

Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranks O’Brien as his eighth-best draft-eligible, having this to say about the 17-year-old:

“O’Brien has the skills and the smarts to be a very impressive center in the NHL. His off-puck play is great, and he’s always out-thinking his opponents. O’Brien just fell short of 100 points with 98, but he only continued to get better as the season wore on. He’s never going to blow you away with his pure skill, but his work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones will allow him to have a solid career. I wouldn’t be surprised to see O’Brien go even higher in the draft.”

Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala ranks O’Brien as his 11th-best draft prospect, having this to say about the right-shot centre:

“O’Brien is a crafty playmaker. He reads how plays are developing in the offensive zone and has a knack for finding opportunities in the deep slot and around the net. He works the weak side flank effectively on the power play and has added more of a defensive dimension to his overall game. He produced 32G-66A for the Bulldogs in the regular season and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time.

O’Brien’s skating mechanics are sound, but he needs time to add more strength to his frame, which should result in more separation in open ice and the ability to track the full 200 feet even more effectively.”

Lastly, Dobber Prospects’ Whittaker Heart had this to say about O’Brien in a January scouting report:

“Jake O’Brien has been a steady climber this season thanks to his terrific production with

Brantford and, most recently, a great showing at the OHL Top Prospects Game. He’s a smooth skater with excellent hockey sense and playmaking ability from the middle of the ice. Standing at 6-2 170 lbs, O’Brien has substantial progress to make physically, which will only elevate his toolbox. He is matching his outstanding junior rookie season by scoring well above a point per game pace so far with the Bulldogs. O’Brien projects as a potential top 9 playmaking centre with lots of room in his frame to grow.”

The numbers​

O’Brien made his Ontario Hockey League debut in 2023-24 with the Brantford Bulldogs, scoring 13 goals and 64 points in 61 games, great numbers for a 16-year-old in one of the best junior leagues in the world. In the post-season, O’Brien scored a goal and five points in six games.

He only got better in his age-17 season, as the right-shot centre scored 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games. A natural playmaker, O’Brien’s 66 assists ranked seventh in the Ontario Hockey League, below Flame prospects Henry Mews and Zayne Parekh.

The Bulldogs found more success in the 2025 post-season, playing 11 games en route to a second-round exit. O’Brien scored three goals and 11 points.

Availability and fit​

Like Michael Misa, the Flames will likely need to trade up if they wish to select O’Brien. However, this one seems a lot more realistic as O’Brien seems to be around the 10th overall pick range, with Daily Faceoff’s ranking being his highest.

That said, teams around that pick may be more willing to move it than a team in the top three. The Detroit Red Wings (13th), the New York Rangers (12th), the Buffalo Sabres (9th), and the Seattle Kraken (8th) may be willing to deal those picks for NHL-ready prospects, a young regular, or top-four defencemen (the Red Wings need a right-shot defenceman).

As for his fit, the Flames need centre prospects. Add in the fact that O’Brien shoots right, and he’s the perfect prospect for the Flames’ prospect pool.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/jake-o...-centre-the-flames-should-target-in-the-draft