Another Calgary Wranglers season is within weeks and while select players are participating in rookie camp and hopefully main camp, the first look at this team as a whole won’t take place until early October. It was an interesting season last year that faced more adversity than what we’ve seen from this AHL squad since moving to Calgary.

Going into 2025-26 now, these are some of the preliminary storylines to track through the first few weeks of the season.

Can Rory Do It Again?

Rory Kerins had an outstanding season with the Wranglers. Much better than anyone could have predicted at this time last year. He went from an ECHLer to an AHL scratch, to a part-time AHLer to one of the best forwards in the league. The question is now, can he keep it up?

He had a five game showcase for the Flames last season where he had four assists in four games before returning to the Wranglers. It felt as if his time at the NHL could have been longer if the situation at that point in the season allowed for it.

With the Wranglers, he put up career-best numbers with 33 goals and 28 assists in 63 games, almost doubling his previous season’s production. This sets a high standard for himself. Is he able to achieve it again? Or will this be his transition year to learn the ropes at the NHL level?

Will Devin Cooley Redeem Himself?

Devin Cooley had an outstanding first few months of the season last year and was a large part of the reason why the Wranglers were at the top of the league prior to 2025. This earned him the recognition of one of the team’s all-stars, along with Rory Kerins. In January, he suffered a concussion, missed a few weeks and upon return to gameplay, did not look like himself.

By the end of the season, he had been passed by Waltteri Ignatjew and did not play in any playoff games. With one year left in his contract and a whole summer away from games, his performance this Fall is of great interest.

Who of the regular Wranglers might make the Flames?

There are a handful of guys that got games in the NHL last year but ended up playing the majority of the season in the AHL. Among that is Ilya Solovyvov, Clark Bishop, Sam Morton, Rory Kerins, Sam Honzek, Dryden Hunt and Hunter Brzustewicz. These players come from a variety of positions with a variety of skill sets. Most if not all, will likely get a good look at main camp with the Flames. Will Sam Honzek make the team out of camp again? Or is there another Wrangler who’s destined to start the year in the show?

How will former captain Brett Sutter do in his first year as head coach?

Brett Sutter entered into the coaching realm last season as assistant coach. In early 2025, Trent Cull was called up to the Flames in an interim basis and Joe Cirella needed to miss a few weeks for eye surgery. This left Sutter as the head coach for a few weeks. Cirella returned in late February and because the Flames did not make the playoffs, Cull was able to return for the two playoff games.

Over the summer, Trent Cull was offered a permanent position with the Flames and Sutter was hired as his replacement. This is an interesting choice due to his family history in the organization and his personal experience training with the Flames and Wranglers.

Sutter was the first Wranglers captain in team history and played two seasons with this squad. He brings over 1,000 games in the AHL and 60 games in the NHL of playing experience and a local and vested interest in seeing this team find success.

5: Will William Strömgren realize his potential or disappear in the pack?

Last season felt like the year for William Strömgren to emerge as one of the Wranglers’ best. Down the stretch of his rookie season prior, he was playing the best hockey we had seen out of him since he came to Calgary. His second season in the city felt like it would be the year we see some NHL action out of him.

In the 2024-25 season however, he went pretty quiet for stretches of games then would show off that gameplay that got people talking for a few games. He still improved in his Sophomore season earning 49 points in 70 games but with more prospects coming to the Flames’ AHL affiliate, he’s going to have to make a case for himself to play higher in the lineup.

These storylines and others will start to come to light when the Wranglers start their 2025-26 season on the road on Oct. 10 against the Colorado Eagles. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. MT.

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