Back for another year, it’s the FN weekly prospect update! Hockey season truly is upon us now.
There’s not a lot going on in these early weeks, with the first week of the CHL already in the books (and with almost half of the Flames’ CHL prospects absent from the proceedings) and the Europeans just getting into the swing of things, but it’s hockey and we’ll take it and overanalyze it.
Housekeeping
- We are experimenting with a new format for this season, including more notes and news on individual players. Please leave feedback in the comments section if you have any.
- Our fancy table from last year still exists, as I can’t fit every piece of data on here, but it is still under construction so maybe next week.
In case you missed it
- Pat Steinberg takes a look at the polarizing second rounders from the 2014 draft
- Ryan had a chat with Morgan Klimchuk
- The boys from The Win Column (Bill and Karim) give their take on Spencer Foo and Mark Jankowski
Stockton Heat report
The Heat opened training camp yesterday, and will have their first of two preseason games this Friday. They’ll open up the regular season next Friday. Flames prospects currently at the camp include:
- Austin Carroll
- Oliver Kylington
- Josh Healey
- Andrew Mangiapane
- Mason McDonald
- Adam Ollas Mattsson
- Tyler Parsons
- Hunter Smith
We’ll likely have more names for you on this list later this morning.
Notes
- D’artagnan Joly and Zach Fisher have yet to play due to injury. No word on the extent/timetable.
Pavel Karnaukhov – LW/C, CSKA Moscow, KHL/Zvezda, VHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
KHL current | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
VHL current | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 54.53 |
Karnuakhov, still technically Flames property for two more years (though he has signed a contract until 2020), has been lighting it up in the VHL, Russia’s version of the AHL. He’s been involved in half of Zvezda’s 5v5 goals, and just over 40% with regards to all goals. He was in the KHL for a brief stint at the beginning of the season, but got bumped back down almost immediately.
Linus Lindstrom – C/LW, Skelleftea AIK, SHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
Current | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lindstrom is back with Skelleftea for his sophomore season. He’s been bumped up the rotation a bit, playing some third line minutes now. He’s been held scoreless so far this season.
Matthew Phillips – C/RW, Victoria Royals, WHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
Current | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 71.34 |
Phillips and the Royals absolutely crushed it this past weekend against an undisciplined Vancouver Giants squad that struggled on special teams. The diminutive forward scored a hat trick to kick the season off. Here’s one of those goals, where Phillips scores on a 1-on-3 shorthanded.
Last night's Insurance Goal was scored by @mattphillips_8! Check out all the #InsuranceGoals this season at https://t.co/KhAn4ceee6 pic.twitter.com/yqexvnmFpQ
— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) September 23, 2017
For those curious, Phillips played both outings on the RW instead of at center. It’ll be interesting to see if the Royals keep him there all year, but early returns suggest you pretty much have to.
Rushan Rafikov – D, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
Current | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Still Flames property too, I guess. He has zero points through 13 games played.
Adam Ruzicka – C/LW, Sarnia Sting, OHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
Current | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24.6 |
The 2017 fourth rounder kicked off his season with two assists in Sarnia’s 4-3 SO win over Guelph, but was held scoreless the next game. He was, by all accounts, pretty good.
Filip Sveningsson – LW, HV71, Superelit/SHL
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
SHL current | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Superelit current | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 16.4 |
Sveningsson is probably the most unknown quantity of all Flames prospects (injured during dev camp), but he’s had a solid campaign thus far in the Superelit, Sweden’s U20 league. He’s scored two goals (one of them is counted as a goal because he scored twice in the shootout and won it for his team? I guess we’ll count it) and added three assists. He had a brief cameo with the HV71 big team, but should be knocking on the door. He’s been playing on both wings, for those interested.
Eetu Tuulola – RW, HPK, SM-Liiga
GP | G | A | P | 5v5 P | P1 | 5v5 P1 | NHLe | |
Current | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The recently defected Tuulola has only featured in two games for HPK thus far. He was unavailable for some games, loaned to LeKi of the Finnish second division to play in the Finnish Cup, but has been scratched from some games. No word on injury.
Nick Schneider – G, Calgary Hitmen, WHL
GP | TOI | SV% | SA | |
Current | 2 | 119 | 0.929 | 56 |
Schneider was excellent this weekend against the Kootenay Ice, allowing four goals on 56 shots. He also began last season incredibly strong before falling off a cliff so we should wait before making any hasty judgements.