News Flames Team Notes

[Calgary Flames]

Zayne Parekh watch begins in Calgary as Saginaw eliminated from OHL playoffs

With their 6-3 loss to the Erie Otters on Saturday night, the Saginaw Spirit have been eliminated from the Ontario Hockey League playoffs after just five games — but it doesn’t look like Zayne Parekh’s season is over just yet.

Parekh, who the Flames selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is now eligible to enter the organization’s pro ranks at any time. But while it’s technically possible for him to join the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, it’s far more likely he jumps right from the frying pan and onto the Flames’ roster.

Prior to the end of Saturday’s series-clinching win for Erie, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Ron MacLean discussed Parekh’s future during the “Saturday Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada. At the time they recorded the segment, Saginaw was leading Erie by a 3-2 score in the second intermission of Game 5.

Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the #Flames have a plan to bring Zayne Parekh to Calgary if Saginaw is eliminated in the playoffs.

The Spirit are currently down 3-1 in their series against Erie.

But Saginaw is winning 3-2 tonight heading into the 3rd period. pic.twitter.com/dPJ9gB77AV

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 6, 2025

“He’s having a marvellous season, 107 points in 61 games. His team, Saginaw, was down 3-1 to Erie in this series but they are playing tonight as we speak,” Friedman said. “The Flames are just waiting here patiently. I do believe there is a plan to bring him to Calgary and how that would all look.

“We’ll see how it plays out. The Flames are prepared to welcome him, but they’ll be more than happy if the [Spirit] keep winning and he keeps playing.”

To his credit, Parekh recorded two assists and six shots on goal in the series finale, but he also finished with a minus-3 rating and was in the penalty box for Martin Misiak’s game-tying goal in the third period. Parekh finished the series with two goals, nine points, and 21 shots in five games.

The Flames made Parekh the third defenceman off the board when they nabbed him with the No. 9 pick in 2024, following Chicago selecting Artyom Levshunov at No. 2 and Ottawa taking Carter Yakemchuk at No. 7. After being snubbed from Team Canada’s roster at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, Parekh went on a ridiculous tear in the second half of the 2024-25 season, collecting 75 points in his final 32 games.

With seven games to go in the 2024-25 NHL season, the Flames currently sit five points back of the Minnesota Wild for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Parekh’s arrival could give them a huge boost in their chase, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be given a spot over the likes of experienced NHLers like Jake Bean, Joel Hanley, and Brayden Pachal.

---

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/zayne-...lgary-as-saginaw-eliminated-from-ohl-playoffs

 

[Calgary Flames]

Recap: Early jump earns Wranglers 3-1 win over the Reign on Saturday

The Calgary Wranglers are in the playoff qualification race and are just points away from securing a spot. They helped their own cause on Saturday when they hosted the Ontario Reign and earned the win on home ice. With some work from newcomers Ty Tullio, Calgary kid Carter Wilkie and an insurance marker from Yan Kuznetsov in the third period, the Wranglers earned a 3-1 win.

Wranglers lines​

Rory Kerins – Sam Morton – Ty Tullio

William Stromgren – Sam Honzek – Martin Frk

Lucas Ciona – Clark Bishop – Parker Bell

Carter Wilkie – Kaden Bohlsen

Ilya Solovyov – Jonathan Aspirot

Yan Kuznetsov – Hunter Brzustewicz

Artem Grushnikov – Jeremie Poirier

Joni Jurmo

Devin Cooley

Game at a glance​

Devin Cooley was back between the pipes for this game after picking up the win earlier this week against the Tucson Roadrunners. On the other end, Phoenix Copley got the start for Ontario. The Reign had a bit of a shaky start and the Wranglers picked up on this early.

Just 3:24 into the game, Rory Kerins fed the puck up to Ty Tullio from behind the net, and Tullio, the birthday boy, scored the opening lamp lighter. Sam Morton also assisted on this first goal.

GOAL FOR THE BIRTHDAY BOY pic.twitter.com/i1hNnEcMEB

— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 5, 2025

Shortly after this goal, the Wranglers had another look when Parker Bell was able to win the puck battle along the boards and this knocked the puck free for Carter Wilkie to score his first professional goal off a sharp-angled shot. Jonathan Aspirot and Ilya Solovyov picked up the assists.

What a way to make his return home!! Wilkie pockets his first AHL goal pic.twitter.com/4LSefu3LCj

— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 5, 2025

The action didn’t stop after these two goals either when just about a minute and a half later, Parker Bell and Kaleb Lawrence dropped the gloves for one of Bell’s best tilts of the season at 6:40. They took their respective fighting majors and still had some chirps to exchange once they made it to the box.

The Reign were able to get a few shots off after being caught on their heels to start the period. At 14:50, the Reign were called for holding, then another penalty at 16:18 for delay of game. The Wranglers didn’t add to their lead on either of these opportunities but still finished the first period ahead 2-0. Calgary also doubled up Ontario 10-5 in shots in the opening frame.

Early in the second Ty Tullio was called for roughing but on this delayed penalty call, the Reign were able to get about 30 seconds of extra zone time before the whistle was blown. The next player to the box was Glenn Gawdin at 3:19 for hooking then William Stromgren for delay of game at 8:02.

Gawdin used this chance on the man advantage to score on a redirection in the Wranglers’ zone and cut Calgary’s lead in half. Gawdin’s goal came at 8:44 on the power play.

The Wranglers had a couple more penalties to kill off before the second period came to a close but managed to prevent any further scoring from their visiting competition. The score after 40 minutes was 2-1 Calgary and shots in this frame were 9-6 Ontario.

There were only a handful of shots from each side to start the third before Jonathan Aspirot and Francesco Pinelli were called for offsetting minors. Later in the period, the Reign rang a shot off the post at 6:02, then the officials reviewed it and confirmed it was no goal.

Around the midway mark of the period, the Wranglers were stringing some chances together and at 12:49, Sam Morton won a faceoff, which dropped the puck back to Yan Kuznetsov, who corralled the puck and ripped a shot past Copley to put Calgary up 3-1.

A BULLET!!! pic.twitter.com/RfwoJl3c5v

— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 5, 2025

The more comfortable Wranglers braced themselves for the final push from the Reign in the last half of the period. Ontario pulled their netminder at 16:31 and got three shots on Devin Cooley before regulation ran out. Calgary picked up the win with a 3-1 final score and shots finished 24-23 for Ontario. All three stars of the game went to Wranglers, with Carter Wilkie getting the first, Sam Morton getting the second and Devin Cooley getting the third.

Scoring stat summary​

Rory Kerins – 1A

Ilya Solovyov – 1A

Ty Tullio – 1G

Carter Wilkie – 1G

Yan Kuznetsov – 1G

Sam Morton – 2A

Jonathan Aspirot – 1A

Highlights​

Next up​

The Wranglers and Reign’s rematch is less than 24 hours later at the Saddledome. The back end of this back-to-back will get started at 1:00 p.m. MT.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/recap-early-jump-earns-wranglers-3-1-win-over-the-reign-on-saturday

 

[Calgary Flames]

BARN BURNER CANDY BRACKET: THE FINALS ARE HERE!

VOTE LINK

https://commoninja.site/d2258fc2-2c23-444d-b89e-c1a853e20231

After a sugar-fueled showdown that’s seen fan-favorite candies go head-to-head in heated matchups, we’ve officially reached the final round of the Barn Burner Candy Bracket!

It’s all come down to Skittles vs Sour Patch Kids – two powerhouse sweets that chewed through the competition with ease.

How We Got Here:​

• 
  Sour Patch Kids cruised past Gummy Bears, Mike & Ike, and Fuzzy Peaches, proving that sour-then-sweet is a winning formula.
  
• 
  Skittles battled through Twizzlers, Swedish Berries, and the always-popular Cola Bottles to claim their spot in the final.
  

The full bracket shows a wild ride of upsets, blowouts, and razor-thin victories – from Gummy Bears vs Nerds to Cola Bottles dominating Blue Whales. (Check the attached bracket and voting rounds to relive the path to the finals!)

Now it’s up to you to crown the ultimate candy champ. Will it be the rainbow chew of Skittles, or the tangy punch of Sour Patch Kids?

Voting runs from Monday, April 7th at 10 AM until Friday, April 11th at 11 AM.

This is it. No second chances. Only one candy will reign supreme.

Let the finals begin!

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/barn-burner-candy-bracket-the-finals-are-here

 

[Calgary Flames]

FlamesNation Mailbag: Delving into your questions with six games to go!

The Calgary Flames have six games remaining on their regular season schedule. They remain mathematically in contention for a berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, though they have their work cut out for them if they’re hoping to chase down the Minnesota Wild.

As a big, big week looms for the Flames, let’s dive into the mailbag!

I could Google this myself, but then what would Ryan do all day?

Why are the rights for different drafted players held for different amount of years? Why do their club rights expire after 2, 3 or 4 years or are held indefinitely?

— Forever Red (@FanInSectionG44) April 6, 2025

The amount of years an NHL club keeps a drafted player’s rights are negotiated as part of the collective bargaining agreement. Broadly-speaking, it’s four years for Europeans, two years for CHL players, and until a player graduates for college players. Back in the day things were a bit more one-size-fits-all, but over the years things have been tweaked and tinkered with until we reached the current system.

And Russian players are the only ones that have their rights held indefinitely, and that’s just because of a lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian ice hockey federation.

Flames are devoid of Center prospects, what are they not liking with Giants Centerman Lipinski? Other he would be signed already..

— Derek (@KohutD) April 6, 2025

The big question with prospects is usually “What’s their upside?” You don’t sign prospects just to sign them, you sign them because you think they have attributes or qualities that give them NHL upside. I don’t want to nitpick Jaden Lipinski specifically – I’ve liked him in junior and he hasn’t played enough pro hockey for me to really have a read on him there – but scouts and development staff are trying to use the information available to them to project if 18, 19 and 20-year-olds will become good pros or even NHLers. It’s a tough thing to do, and it involves making judgment calls with what you think you know about players.

Why is yegor still in the lineup when we have suniev sitting watching games? We need scoring and he just turns the puck over whenever he has it

— Mikelitoris90 (@Mikelitoris901) April 6, 2025

I’m going to make a broad statement and a few specific statements here. First of all, the Flames are where they are because of the players that have been on the team all year. You can nitpick individual performances – and it’s probably fair to do so from time to time – but the 20-odd players on the team are the ones that helped this team get close to a playoff spot. They deserve the chance to finish the job.

Regarding Yegor Sharangovich specifically: he’s played over 300 games and the Flames have a good idea of his peaks and valleys at the NHL level, and can probably live with the downsides of his game. Aydar Suniev is 20, and to be blunt, the Flames know a lot less about how he’ll perform in the NHL. And the Flames really like Suniev, want him to succeed, and probably don’t want to throw him into a position where a mistake costs the team a playoff berth.

(See also: Zayne Parekh probably not playing NHL games until the Flames have clinched or been eliminated for similar reasons.)

Why are hotdogs at the saddledome $6 but pocket dogs are $9? Aren’t they pretty much the same thing? The only difference is how the bun is cut.

— Forever Red (@FanInSectionG44) April 6, 2025

In a previous life I ran a movie theatre, and the costs at the concessions are primarily based on the food costs of the individual items. The buns and dogs in pocket dogs are different (fancier!) than regular hot dogs, so they cost more.

What do you think are the team’s three biggest off season priorities?

— Eudaimonic (@JCanadiann) April 6, 2025

1) Figure out a Dustin Wolf extension.

2) Figure out Rasmus Andersson’s future with the club – suss out if you can work out an extension, otherwise start exploring trade options.

3) Find a bit more scoring for 2025-26, whether that’s by adding some youth or by adding veterans, or both.

From David via e-mail: The debate continues about whether CHL players assigned at the end of their season can play in the AHL playoffs if they are assigned to the AHL? Could an underager like Parekh be assigned to the Wranglers now that his CHL season is over and play in the AHL playoffs?

No. Essentially, the rule is that to go down to the Wranglers from the NHL after the trade deadline, you have to be on the AHL roster as of the trade deadline. You can go up from juniors, or join an AHL club via juniors or college on amateur try-out deals, but you can’t go to NHL and then go down to the AHL.

Please go out on a limb. Do the Flames make this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs or not?

— Ed Helinski (@MrEd315) April 6, 2025

A lot needs to go the Flames’ way for them to make the playoffs. Right now, I think they narrowly miss the playoffs. But it’d be fun to be proven wrong.

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-delving-into-your-questions-with-six-games-to-go

 

[Calgary Flames]

Instant Reaction: Flames rally back to beat the Sharks

Welcome to Instant Reaction, where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Calgary Flames game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

The Calgary Flames headed into the Bay Arena on Monday night simply needing to get two points against the San Jose Sharks. They were not especially good in the first period and were merely fine in the second frame. But a fantastic third period gave the Flames exactly what they needed – a bunch of goals.

The Flames beat the Sharks by a 3-2 score to remain alive in the Western Conference playoff picture.

The rundown​

The Flames were pretty disjointed in the opening period, while the Sharks were pretty energetic. Dustin Wolf was really good, and faced way too many quality chances.

Late in the first period, the Sharks opened the scoring. Nikolai Kovalenko beat out Rasmus Andersson to a loose puck behind the net, and Kovalenko fed Will Smith in front of the net. Smith beat Wolf to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.

The Flames get caught puck watching and it ends up in the back of their net. 1-0 San Jose.

: Sportsnet | #Flames pic.twitter.com/I4PkQDGRMB

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 8, 2025

First period shots were 18-8 Sharks. Via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 13-12 Sharks (high-danger chances were 8-2 Sharks).

Neither team scored in the second period, but the Flames were a lot better than in the first.

Second period shots were 11-8 Flames. Five-on-five scoring chances were 12-7 Flames (high-danger chances were 3-2 Sharks).

The Flames kept pressing in the third period.

Midway through the third, Martin Pospisil crashed into the boards awkwardly and Adam Klapka subbed in on Nazem Kadri’s line… and it resulted in a goal! Kadri and Klapka went in on an odd-man rush. Kadri’s initial shot was stopped by Georgi Romanov, but Klapka jammed in the rebound to tie the game at 1-1.

FLAMES GOAL

Adam Klapka puts home a rebound and ties the game for Calgary!

: NBC Sports | #Flames pic.twitter.com/7WSckT8Adn

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 8, 2025

A little later, Klapka was hauled down and the Flames got a power play. With Jonathan Huberdeau parked in front of Romanov, Morgan Frost fired the puck into the Sharks cage to give the Flames a 2-1 lead.

FLAMES GOAL

Morgan Frost scores on the power play! The Flames come back once again.

: NBC Sports | #Flames pic.twitter.com/Iaz3DkuS9W

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 8, 2025

A little later still, Mikael Backlund provided some back-pressure on a Sharks defender as they attempted to skate the puck out of their end. Matt Coronato took advantage of that distraction to swipe the puck, skate in and beat Romanov to give the Flames a 3-1 lead.

FLAMES GOAL

Matt Coronato takes advantage of a San Jose turn over and he buries it! What a shot!

: NBC Sports | #Flames pic.twitter.com/4CYTDLy0Dl

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 8, 2025

The Sharks got a late power play and, with Romanov off for the extra attacker to make it a six-on-four advantage, Smith scored his second of the game to cut Calgary’s lead down to 3-2.

Will Smith cuts the Flames lead in half.

: NBC Sports | #Flames pic.twitter.com/JW17sdmxql

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) April 8, 2025

But that’s as close as the Sharks got, and the Flames escaped the Shark Tank with a 3-2 victory.

Third period shots were 13-5 Flames. Five-on-five scoring chances were 8-2 Flames (high-danger chances were 5-1 Flames).

Why the Flames won​

This can’t have been an easy day for the Flames with Greg Millen’s passing. They looked a bit rattled and off their game early on, and you have to give them credit for finding their rhythm as this game went along. Wolf was excellent throughout this game, and the Flames found their execution and desperation in third frame.

Red Warrior​

Klapka continues to be a gem on the fourth line, and when he was elevated, the Flames found an extra gear.

Honourable mention to Wolf, who was fantastic.

Turning point​

Let’s just say “the third period,” especially that seven minute segment where they scored three goals and found their offensive swagger.

This and that​

After the passing of Greg Millen on Monday, Sportsnet carried the NBC Sports broadcast of Monday’s game rather than produce their own broadcast.

Randy Hahn of NBC Sports California remembered Greg Millen during tonight's Flames vs. Sharks game.

"All of us here with the San Jose Sharks and NBC Sports would like to express our sincerest condolences to all of you and especially the Millen family." https://t.co/gUZaMgpu4c pic.twitter.com/zTEukTVsjZ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 8, 2025

Up next​

The Flames (37-27-13) are back in action on Wednesday night when they visit the Anaheim Ducks.

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 best warranty in the business with ten year warranties available. Check out the showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/instant-reaction-flames-rally-back-to-beat-the-sharks

 

[Calgary Flames]

Flames prospect roundup: Several prospects’ seasons have come to an end

There are only a handful of Calgary Flames prospects still playing playoff games.

This is the Mar. 31 – Apr. 6 edition of the Flames prospect roundup, where we look at how Calgary Flames prospects did this past week, specifically those at the junior and college levels. The American Hockey League prospects have their own article in the Wranglers recaps.

Let’s take a look at the week that was!

Zayne Parekh​

Unfortunately, the Saginaw Spirit and Zayne Parekh won’t get the opportunity to defend their Memorial Cup, as they fell in five games to the Erie Otters.

They got a much-needed win in Game 3, as Parekh picked up an assist and scored twice, including the overtime winner. Parekh had an assist in their 7-3 Game 4 loss and an additional assist in the 6-3 loss that clinched the series.

THE SPIRIT STRIKE FIRST@NHLFlames prospect Zayne Parekh connects with Kristian Epperson on the back door, and Epperson buries it to give @SpiritHockey an early 1-0 lead!#OHLPlayoffs | @CHLHockey | #Flames pic.twitter.com/ZN07UCRvuu

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 3, 2025

In the five games, Parekh had two goals and nine points. For the regular season, the right-shot defenceman scored 33 goals and 107 points. He may get an opportunity to play in the National Hockey League to end the season.

Matvei Gridin​

It wasn’t perfect, but Matvei Gridin and the Shawinigan Cataractes are moving on to the second round of the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs.

Heading into this past week with a 2-0 series lead, the Cataractes fell 4-3 in overtime to the Val-d’Or Foreurs to cut their series lead in half, with Gridin scoring his second of the post-season. It was all the Cataractes from there, though, as they scored four second period goals for the 4-0 win. Gridin picked up an assist. In the series-clinching Game 5, Gridin scored twice and picked up a primary assist in a 5-2 win. So far this post-season, the winger has four goals and 10 points.

TourignyGridin (!!)#JeSuisCataractes#Flames pic.twitter.com/XfK4hLxE7Y

— Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) April 5, 2025

The QMJHL first round is still ongoing, as the Halifax Mooseheads have taken the Drummondville Voltigeurs to seven games. If the Mooseheads win, the Cataractes will play the Sherbrooke Phœnix. If the Voltigeurs win, the Cataractes will face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, even more isolated than the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

Andrew Basha​

Andrew Basha has yet to play in the post-season, but his top-ranked Medicine Hat Tigers easily disposed of the Swift Current Broncos in five games. They fell 5-4 in Game 3, but won Game 4 by a score of 4-3 in overtime, followed by a 3-2 win to clinch the series. Basha was on the bench as they clinched the series, celebrating with his team.

Find someone who is happier that the @tigershockey are moving on than Andrew Basha!@NHLFlames | #Flames | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/OHv4oGJRtH

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 5, 2025

The final Western Hockey League’s Eastern Conference series has yet to be decided, as the Prince Albert Raiders and Edmonton Oil Kings need to play a Game 7. After that’s done, the Tigers will know their opponent.

Jacob Battaglia and Henry Mews​

It wasn’t even a close series between Jacob Battalgia’s Kingston Frontenacs and Henry Mews’ Sudbury Wolves. Coming into the week, the Frontenacs were up 2-0, and it took only two games to clinch their ticket to the second round.

Game 3 saw the Frontenacs defeat the Wolves 4-2 to put the Northern Ontario team on the ropes. Battalgia and Mews each picked up an assist. In the series-clinching Game 4, Battalgia broke the 2-2 deadlock midway through the third period with his first goal of the post-season, helping the Frontenacs move on.

BATES COMES THROUGH!@NHLFlames | #Flames https://t.co/SBZRTQ2q8L pic.twitter.com/gwrqPDQHgN

— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) April 4, 2025

The Frontenacs will face the Barrie Colts in the second round of the Ontario Hockey League post-season, with Game 1 coming on Thursday at 5:00 PM MT. Game 2, also in Barrie, will be covered in next week’s roundup.

Kirill Zarubin​

Kirill Zarubin and the Tula Mikailov Academy played three games this past week, winning Game 1 of their post-season 3-1, followed by a 2-1 and 4-2 loss to fall to 2-1 down in the series.

The first game didn’t feature Zarubin as he backed up Ilya Kanarsky, who saved 67 of 68 shots for a .985 save percentage. I’ve never seen that before. Zarubin played in Game 2, saving 45 of 47 shots for a .957 save percentage, but he had a lack of run support. Kanarsky returned between the pipes in their 4-2 defeat, allowing four goals on 43 shots for a .907 save percentage.

However, the good news is that Mikhailov Academy is still alive. On Tuesday, they host JHC Dynamo SPB in Game 4 at 9:30 AM MT.

Luke Misa​

Another Flame prospect’s Canadian Hockey League season has come to an end, as Luke Misa and the Brampton Steelheads fell in six games to the Oshawa Generals.

Coming into the week, the two teams had split the first two games, but the Generals took control from there on out. Game 3 saw the Steelheads fall 7-5, with Misa picking up an assist. They fell to 3-1 in Game 4 as they lost 4-1, with Misa picking up the secondary assist on their lone goal. In the potential series-clinching Game 5, Misa scored once and picked up four assists as the Steelheads defeated the Generals 6-3 to stay alive. Unfortunately, they fell 4-1 in Game 6, with Misa picking up another assist.

Sometimes you gotta just catch your own rebound pic.twitter.com/oJvllfxvl6

— Brampton Steelheads (@OHLSteelheads) April 5, 2025

Misa finished his post-season with two goals and 12 points in six games. We’ll see if he signs an amateur tryout to finish his season with the Calgary Wranglers.

Hunter Laing and Axel Hurtig​

Two Flames late-round picks matched up in the Western Hockey League’s first round: Hunter Laing’s Saskatoon Blades and Axel Hurtig’s Calgary Hitmen.

Coming into the week, the Hitmen got the better of the Blades in the first two games, and that dominance continued in Games 3 and 4 as the Hitmen continued that in a four-game sweep. In Game 3, Hurtig picked up an assist in a 4-1 win, while Laing was a -3. Game 4 saw the Hitmen win 6-2, with both Laing and Hurtig being held pointless.

Laing finished his post-season with a goal in four games, while Hurtig had two assists in those four games. The Hitmen continue their post-season with a match-up against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Game 1 will be on Apr. 10 at 7:00 PM MT in Calgary, followed by Game 2 on Apr. 12 at 6:00 PM MT.

Eric Jamieson​

It may have been tough, but Eric Jamieson and the Everett Silvertips got it done.

Finishing first in the Western Hockey League, they’re in tough against the Seattle Thunderbirds, as the two teams split the first two games coming into this week. Game 3 saw Jamieson finish with a -1 and five shots on goal in a 6-3 loss. However, the Silvertips answered back with a 6-2 win in Game 4 and a 7-4 win in Game 5 – Jamieson being held pointless in both games.

Game 6 went to double overtime in what became an instant classic. Fighting for their playoff lives, the Thunderbirds put 57 shots on the Silvertips net, with the Silvertips picking up 48 shots of their own. The last one of the series is the one that counted, as Lukas Kaplan scored off a face-off for the 1-0 win and the 4-2 series winner.

Next up for the Silvertips is another match-up against a Northwest Pacific team in America, as they face off against the Portland Winterhawks.

Étienne Morin​

Like Jamieson, Étienne Morin’s Moncton Wildcats finished first in their league. Unlike the Silvertips, the Wildcats won all four games against the Québec Remparts.

Coming into this week, the Wildcats had a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t easy, as Game 2 was the only game where the Wildcats didn’t win 4-3, and even that was a lot closer than the score suggests. Morin picked up two assists in Game 3, a 4-3 overtime victory, and picked up an assist in their 4-3 regulation victory in Game 4.

Next up for the Wildcats are the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. This post-season, Morin has a goal and six points in four games.

Jaden Lipinski​

Jaden Lipinski’s season with the Vancouver Giants came to an early end, as they fell in five games to the Spokane Chiefs.

Coming into the series, the Chiefs had a 2-0 series lead, but Lipinski and the Giants cut that in half with their Game 3 win. Lipinski picked up an assist in their 3-2 win. It went downhill from there, though, as the Chiefs won Game 4 by a score of 6-2, followed by a 9-4 win in Game 5. Lipinski was held pointless in Game 4, but scored a goal and an assist in Game 5.

It's a 8-4 game! Thanks to Jaden Lipinski!@TheWHL | @NHLFlames | #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/H10zICgXSn

— X – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) April 6, 2025

Lipinski finished his post-season with two goals and five points in five games. The right-shot centre has already played with the American Hockey League Calgary Wranglers this season, so it’s not out of the question he returns to the professional team for their stretch run.

Arsenii Sergeev​

Arsenii Sergeev didn’t play this past week, but he will in the coming week as his Penn State takes on Boston University in the Frozen Four. That game is on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. MT. What a nice run they’ve had.

---

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/flames-prospect-roundup-several-prospects-seasons-have-come-to-an-end

 

[Calgary Flames]

Throwback Tuesday: Looking all seven Flames trades with the Ducks

It’s been a hot minute since the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames made a trade.

Earlier this season, when the two teams matched up, we looked at the penalty-filled 2006 post-season. There have been two post-season matchups between the two teams since then, with the Ducks getting the better of the Flames in five games during the 2015 post-season, and sweeping them in the 2017 post-season.

Instead, we’ll look at the seven trades between the two teams since the Ducks joined the league in 1993-94 as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The most recent trade came over a decade ago.

The first trade​

On Oct. 30, 1995, the Flames sent Bobby Marshall to the Ducks in exchange for Jarrod Skalde.

Marshall, a defenceman, was selected in the sixth round of the 1991 draft. After three seasons at Miami University in Ohio, he joined the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League, scoring seven goals and 31 points in his first season. After just 10 games in his sophomore season, Marshall was on the move and finished the season with the Ducks’ AHL team, scoring three goals and 31 points to give him three goals and 36 points for the season.

The North York, Ontario native spent another full season in the AHL in 1996-97, scoring one goal and 36 points, but spent the rest of his career in the Central Hockey League, Germany, United Hockey League, and Western Professional Hockey League. The latter was created by former Flames general manager Brad Treliving.

Skalde had a long career, as he was drafted in the second round of the 1989 draft. He played just one game with the Flames in the NHL, but scored 32 goals and 68 points with their AHL team after the trade. For his career, Skalde played 115 games with 13 goals and 34 points with the New Jersey Devils, Ducks, Flames, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, and Philadelphia Flyers.

The three big ones​

The three biggest trades between the two teams came in a three-year stretch. On Jun. 10, 2000, the first one was made as the Flames traded Jean-Sébastien Giguère to the Ducks for a 2000 second-round pick

Up to this point, Giguère was just a high-potential goalie who hadn’t found results quite yet. That changed after the trade, finishing the 2000-01 season with a .911 save percentage in 34 games. He took over the Ducks’ crease in 2001-02, finishing the season with a .920 save percentage and 2.13 goals against average in 53 games.

The next season, Giguère had the same save percentage and 2.30 goals against average in 65 games. He dragged the Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, where they fell in seven games. Giguère finished with an incredible .945 save percentage in that run, winning the Conn Smythe, just the fifth player on the losing team to win it. He was the latest as well until Connor McDavid won it in the 2024 post-season.

Giguère eventually won his Stanley Cup with the team in 2007 and finished his Ducks career with a .914 save percentage and 2.47 goals against average. He’s the best Ducks netminder in franchise history and finished his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche.

As for the pick, it was used to select Matt Pettinger, but not by the Flames. Before the 2000 draft, they traded it to the Washington Capitals for Miika Elomo, who played two NHL games, none with the Flames, and the Ducks’ 2000 fourth-rounder, used to select Hungarian Levente Szuper. I wrote more about this particular trade in this Throwback Tuesday here.

The Flames won the next trade, though. On Sep. 26, 2000, they traded Andrei Nazarov and a 2001 second-round pick for the rights to Jordan Leopold. Nazarov was acquired in the Michael Nylander trade in early 1999 and was coming off a season in which he scored 10 goals and 32 points in 1990-2000. He never came close to reaching those highs again, with his next best season coming in 2001-02, where he scored six goals and 11 points.

As for the pick, it eventually returned to the Flames in a trade with the Phoenix Coyotes, it’s a whole thing. Andrei Taratukhin was picked by the Flames and played just one season in North America with the AHL’s Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights.

Taratukhin played with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik in 2013-14, four seasons later, Nazarov coached that team, but Tratukhin was no longer on it. They were also nearly teammates on Omsk Avangard, but Taratukhin played there in 2002-03 and 2003-04, while Nazarov played there during the lockout season in 2004-05.

Leopold was the best piece of the trade, with the left-shot defenceman playing parts of four seasons with the Flames in two separate stints. He scored nine goals and 33 points with the team in 2003-04, and added 10 assists during their run to the Stanley Cup Finals. They eventually traded him to the Colorado Avalanche before the 2006 draft for Alex Tanguay, and got him back in a trade before the 2009 trade deadline.

After the 2008-09 season, Leopold bounced around the league quite a bit, playing for the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009-10. He spent three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres after the 2009-10 season, scoring a career-high of 13 goals and 35 points in 71 games in 2010-11, but was eventually traded to the St. Louis Blues before the 2013 deadline. In his final season in 2014-15, Leopold split his time between the Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Minnesota Wild.

The last big trade between the two teams saw the Flames send Rob Niedermayer to the Ducks for Mike Commodore and Jean-François Damphousse. Starting with Damphousse, he played just six National Hockey League games, 10 with the Flames organization, before retiring after the 2004-05 season.

Commodore, a defenceman, had limited games with the Flames during the regular season, picking up one assist in 18 games between two seasons. However, he was a key shutdown defender during the Flames’ Stanley Cup Final run in 2004, playing 20 games with two assists. Commodore won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, and played until the NHL until the 2011-12 season, retiring after the 2013-14 season.

As for Niedermayer, he won the 2007 Stanley Cup with the Ducks, scoring five goals and 10 points in 21 post-season games. He retired after the 2010-11 season, finishing his career with 186 goals and 469 points in 1,153 games.

The three most recent trades​

Since the 2009-10 season, there have been three trades between the teams.

The first of the three came on Mar. 3, 2010, as the Flames traded Curtis McElhinney to the Ducks for Vesa Toskala, yes, that Vesa Toskala who allowed a shot in from the opposite end of the ice. Toskala played six games for the Flames that season, posting a .918 save percentage and 2.27 goals against average before playing two seasons in the Nordic countries to end his career.

McElhinney spent his career as a journeyman backup netminder, getting his start with the Flames, but playing with the Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was on the team when the Lightning won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

On Jun. 10, 2010, the Flames traded Jason Jaffray for Logan MacMillan. Jaffray played 49 NHL games with four goals and 11 points, but only three games came with the Flames. MacMillan was selected 19th overall in the 2007 draft, but only played three seasons professionally in North America, before finishing his career in Austria and Great Britain.

The most recent trade between the two teams came on November 21, 2013, as the Flames sent defenceman Tim Jackman to the Ducks for the 2014 sixth-round pick. Jackman’s career-high came in 2010-11 with the Flames, scoring 10 goals and 23 points in 82 games, but he never came close to that success again, finishing his Flames career with 13 goals and 36 points. With the Ducks, he scored eight goals and 11 points in 83 games over three seasons.

As for the pick, the Flames used it to select defenceman Adam Ollas Mattsson. He played parts of three seasons with the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League, but has spent the past six seasons playing in Sweden. He is the only player in this article who is still active.

---

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/throwback-tuesday-looking-all-seven-flames-trades-with-the-ducks

 

[Calgary Flames]

Why Zayne Parekh should play in important games for the Flames

The Zayne Parekh era in Calgary has officially begun. The Flames recalled their star defensive prospect from the OHL on Tuesday afternoon. Flames fans are excited for the potential see the 9th overall pick from the 2024 draft in game action over the next nine days.

The question now becomes when will we see Parekh play for the Flames?

Should Ryan Huska put him in the lineup for must win games down the stretch?

Or should Huska wait to play Parekh until the Flames are mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs?

Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument and come to a conclusion at the end of the article.

Play him​

Simply put, Zayne Parekh will make the Calgary Flames a better hockey team with him in the lineup.

What do the Flames need help with? Scoring goals. Creating offence. The power play. Parekh has the potential to make a positive difference in all of those aspects of the Flames game. He brings an elite set of offensive skills to the Flames. It’s something that this team does not have.

He’s coming off a couple historic campaigns in the OHL where he became the first defenceman since Bobby Orr to score 30 goals in consecutive years. This season, he led OHL defencemen in points with 107 and plus/minus with a +42

Parekh can be an asset when it comes to moving the puck up the ice to his forwards, and carrying the puck up the ice with possession making plays. Something the third pair has had difficulty with at times recently.

One of Parekh’s most impressive skills is his ability to walk the blueline and get pucks through traffic on net. That is exactly what the second power play unit needs right now. Parekh is would already be an upgrade on Rasmus Andersson on PP2 even as a 19 year old.

Zayne Parekh makes it look effortless

Throwing it back to @ZayneParekh’s hat trick against the Flint Firebirds ahead of the 2024 #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/myH5Z6SVIH

— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) June 27, 2024

The key for the coaching staff would be setting Parekh up for success. Play him in a sheltered role on the third pairing at 5-on-5 along side Jake Bean. Let him quarterback the second power play unit. Don’t play him on the penalty kill. Set low expectations for the player and the fan base.

And it’s not like the Flames are playing upper echelon teams in the NHL over the next few games. You’re playing Parekh against the Ducks, Wild, and Sharks. The Kings and Golden Knights will be likely sit their star players. Parekh isn’t going to be matched up against the leagues best players.

In order to get Parekh in the lineup and play him on his strong side, the Flames would have to sit a guy like Brayden Pachal which wouldn’t be a huge deal as he has been a healthy scratch in six of the last 17 games.

Sit him​

The Calgary Flames are in the middle of a push to the playoffs where every game is a must win. Asking a 19 year old defenceman to play his first NHL game under those circumstances is a lot of pressure to put on his shoulders, even if he does play a limited role.

The jump from the OHL to the NHL is huge, especially at this time of year. Going from playing 17-20 year olds in Saginaw, to playing against grown men will be a major adjustment. And it might be too much too soon.

There is no denying that Parekh has the offensive skillset to play in the NHL. He would instantly become the most talented defender on the Calgary Flames.

But the concern for many fans and Flames observers is the play in his own end. The knock against Parekh throughout his junior career has been that he is a poor defender. We saw that from Parekh during the Penticton rookie camp, Flames training camp, and the preseason. He looked overwhelmed and had a difficult time keeping up with the pace of pro hockey.

The Calgary Flames play in a lot of one goal games. In fact, Calgary leads the NHL in the most time spent playing in close games (tied, leading by 1, trailing by one).

Via Natural Stat Trick, the #Flames have spent the most time in close games this season – up 1, down 1 or tied – of any NHL club. pic.twitter.com/Lx5mliSb8y

— Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) April 8, 2025

Do you really want a 19 year old who is prone to defensive gaffs in his own end to be playing in tight checking, must win games? There is a risk to having him playing on a third pairing.

On top of all that, Parekh hasn’t even skated with the team yet. Today’s morning skate will be his first time on the ice with his NHL teammates since training camp. Is he going to be able to get up to speed quick enough to be able to be in lockstep with his teammates?

Speaking of his teammates, how would they feel about seeing one of their own be a healthy scratch for a 19 year old straight out of the OHL? This is a group that has got to this point together, why break that up now?

My 2 cents​

I think having Zayne Parekh in the Flames lineup gives them a better chance to win than with him in the press box. He brings a elite offensive skillset to a Calgary team that desperately needs help generating offence and scoring goals. That has been their achilles heel all season.

If they were a good offensive team and needed help defending, then putting a guy like Parekh in the lineup wouldn’t make sense. But because they struggle to score as much as they do, I don’t think it makes sense leaving the greatest offensive defensemen in modern OHL history in the stands when your team needs to score more goals.

Could he have a couple blunders in his own end? Yes, of course. At the same time there have been a lot of blunders and turnovers from guys like Rasmus Andersson, Jake Bean, and Brayden Pachal this season. Making mistakes is part of the game. Blunders don’t worry me. Not scoring goals is what worries me. And if Parekh can help generate some goals, then it’s worth the risk of playing him.

I don’t see an issue playing Parekh on a third pair at 5-on-5 and get him to run the second power play unit. Give him a limited role and set realistic expectations and I think he’ll be fine. No one is expecting him to come in and be a saviour.

Sponsored by bet365:

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/why-zayne-parekh-should-play-in-important-games-for-the-flames