Pals, this is an exciting time of year in hockey.
The NHL and AHL are in the midst of the homestretch towards the ends of their regular season. Canadian junior hockey is about to start their post-season this weekend. And in the NCAA, college conference playoffs are done and the NCAA national tournament begins this coming weekend, too.
With most of this year’s hockey done for the organization’s prospects, one thing shines through: a lot of players are having strong offensive seasons. Eight different skaters have scored at over a point-per-game pace, and another three are slightly below that pace.
In the CHL, Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat), Jacob Battaglia (Kingston), Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan), Henry Mews (Ottawa/Sudbury), Luke Misa (Brampton) and Zayne Parekh (Saginaw) all exceeded a point per game.
In the NCAA, Trevor Hoskin (Niagara) and Aydar Suniev (UMass) also did so.
Just missing the mark are Etienne Morin (Moncton, four points off), Rory Kerins (Wranglers, three points off) and Jaden Lipinski (Vancouver, one point off). (Yes, the Flames missed having a third defensive prospect scoring at a point-per-game pace by just four points.)
Now, onto the updates!
Jonathan Aspirot – D/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
25; signed as a free agent; 6’0″, 200 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 55 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 67 | 17.39 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 66 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 94 | 19.93 |
Aspirot had an assist this week.
Andrew Basha – LW/C, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
19; Calgary’s second round pick (41st overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 174 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 5th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 23 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 73 | 31.22 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 63 | 30 | 55 | 85 | 69 | 52 | 41 | 189 | 33.41 |
Basha remains out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
Medicine Hat plays Swift Current in the first round of the WHL’s playoffs. There’s no definitive timeline for Basha’s return, but the Tigers would need to go on a pretty decent run to make it a possibility.
Jacob Battaglia – LW, Kingston Frontenacs, OHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (62nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 11th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 68 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 67 | 57 | 45 | 239 | 35.06 |
2023-24 (OHL) | 67 | 31 | 34 | 65 | 54 | 39 | 34 | 168 | 25.70 |
Battaglia had two assists this week to get his season total to a nice round 90 points.
Kingston faces Henry Mews and Sudbury in the first round of the OHL’s playoffs.
Parker Bell – LW/C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 192 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 54 | 8.27 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 59 | 33 | 31 | 64 | 50 | 35 | 31 | 231 | 26.86 |
Bell has had a modest offensive output this season, but he’s playing in a checking role while learning the pro game. (Lucas Ciona went through a similar adjustment last season.)
Jake Boltmann – D, Northeastern University Huskies, NCAA/Hockey East
23; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 188 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 36 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 24 | 9.10 |
2023-24 (NCAA) | 30 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 1.82 |
Northeastern’s season is done and we think Boltmann has finally exhausted his NCAA eligibility. (With how COVID mucked around with NCAA eligibility, we’re only mostly sure.)
Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver; 6’0″, 190 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 3rd-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 61 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 63 | 15.68 |
2023-24 (OHL) | 67 | 13 | 79 | 92 | 46 | 65 | 34 | 140 | 36.37 |
Brzustewicz has had a production dip from last season, but he’s also a 20-year-old in the second-best league in the world learning to play against grown men. He’s adjusted really well to a lot of the game already.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 210 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 58 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 80 | 13.74 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 55 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 67 | 4.35 |
Ciona had two points this week. He’s carved out a really nice second pro season as a checker and depth scorer for the Wranglers.
Matvei Gridin – RW, Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL
18; Calgary’s first round pick (28th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 182 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 6th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 56 | 36 | 43 | 79 | 58 | 40 | 32 | 236 | 32.85 |
2023-24 (USHL) | 60 | 38 | 45 | 83 | 67 | 49 | 42 | 208 | 31.76 |
Gridin closed out his first (and perhaps only) QMJHL season with a four point week. He led Shawinigan in scoring and also led all QMJHL rookies in scoring. By a lot.
Shawinigan faces Val-d’Or in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.
Artem Grushnikov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas; 6’1″, 203 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 17th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 38 | 3.76 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 63 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 65 | 3.80 |
Grushnikov isn’t a massive offensive producer, but he’s consistent, and scoring at about the same points pace as last season.
Sam Honzek – LW/C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Calgary’s first round pick (16th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 186 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 4th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 42 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 59 | 18.98 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 33 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 86 | 23.26 |
Honzek returned from injury this past week. Like Brzustewicz, he’s 20 and learning how to play pro hockey in the second-best league in the world. (And if it makes you feel better, this season is a “slide” year for him, and he still has three seasons left on his entry-level deal.)
Trevor Hoskin – RW, Niagara University Purple Eagles, NCAA/AHA
20; Calgary’s fourth round pick (106th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 175 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 36 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 80 | 17.23 |
2023-24 (OJHL) | 52 | 42 | 58 | 100 | 85 | 60 | 50 | 189 | 5.36 |
Hoskin’s season is over.
Axel Hurtig – D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 202 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 55 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 66 | 7.20 |
2023-24 (J20) | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 54 | 15.10 |
Hurtig had an assist to put a bow on a really effective first WHL season for him as a shutdown defender. His plus-39 rating is tied with teammate (and top 2025 draft prospect) Ben Kindel for 12th in the Dub. Hurtig is also fifth among all WHL defenders in plus/minus and second among all WHL rookies.
The Hitmen face Hunter Laing and Saskatoon in the first round of the WHL’s playoffs.
Eric Jamieson – D, Everett Silvertips, WHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 200 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 66 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 | 27 | 19 | 175 | 13.51 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 66 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 21 | 27 | 18 | 174 | 12.01 |
Jamieson had an assist this week.
Everett plays Seattle in the first round of the WHL’s playoffs.
Joni Jurmo – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL / Rapid City Rush, ECHL
22; Vancouver’s third round pick (82nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver; 6’3″, 190 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
AHL season to date | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.00 |
ECHL season to date | 12 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 19.13 |
2023-24 (Liiga) | 46 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 63 | 4.03 |
Jurmo dressed in one of the Wranglers’ two games this week.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 175 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 27 | 23 | 50 | 43 | 35 | 32 | 119 | 37.60 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 54 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 27 | 22 | 18 | 115 | 23.62 |
Kerins had two assists this week. Kerins isn’t a superb two-way player quite yet, but he’s found a way to produce offensively on a consistent basis this season with the Wranglers.
Adam Klapka – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing; 6’8″, 235 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 15th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 21 | 16 | 14 | 101 | 31.40 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 65 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 34 | 31 | 22 | 182 | 27.59 |
Klapka is in the NHL.
Demetrios Koumontzis – LW/D, Idaho Steelheads, ECHL
24; Calgary’s fourth round pick (108th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 183 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 27 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 45 | 9.35 |
2023-24 (ECHL) | 47 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 84 | 9.28 |
Koumontzis has been in and out of Idaho’s lineup lately.
Yan Kuznetsov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s second round pick (50th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 209 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 20th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 62 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 79 | 12.21 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 63 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 88 | 8.22 |
Kuznetsov had an assist this week. He’s quietly having a really effective season, primarily paired with Hunter Brzustewicz as the rookie’s defensive conscience.
Hunter Laing – C/RW, Prince George Cougars/Saskatoon Blades, WHL
18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (170th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’5″, 205 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 64 | 25 | 23 | 48 | 40 | 35 | 29 | 153 | 18.57 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 66 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 101 | 9.38 |
Laing had three points to close out the season. He took a big step forward offensively this season.
Saskatoon play the Hitmen in the first round of the WHL’s playoffs.
Jaden Lipinski – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL / Vancouver Giants, WHL
20; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 204 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 16th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
WHL season to date | 59 | 17 | 41 | 58 | 45 | 30 | 27 | 134 | 24.34 |
AHL season to date | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
2023-24 (WHL) | 67 | 24 | 42 | 66 | 47 | 33 | 23 | 181 | 24.39 |
Lipinski finished one point off a point-per-game season… just like last season.
Vancouver plays Spokane in the first round of the WHL’s playoffs.
Cade Littler – C/RW/LW, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA/NCHC
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 197 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 9.82 |
2023-24 (BCHL) | 24 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 6 | – | 5.51 |
North Dakota’s campaign is over. Considering he was a freshman on a deep team playing in the bottom six, Littler had a really solid first college season.
Henry Mews – D, Ottawa 67’s/Sudbury Wolves, OHL
18; Calgary’s third round pick (74th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 181 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 9th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 68 | 14 | 68 | 82 | 51 | 40 | 27 | 233 | 31.94 |
2023-24 (OHL) | 65 | 15 | 46 | 61 | 38 | 35 | 24 | 153 | 24.86 |
Sudbury plays Kingston in the opening round of the OHL’s playoffs.
Luke Misa – LW/C, Brampton Steelheads, OHL
19; Calgary’s fifth round pick (150th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 170 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 13th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 67 | 34 | 51 | 85 | 58 | 63 | 43 | 204 | 33.41 |
2023-24 (OHL) | 66 | 26 | 55 | 81 | 56 | 58 | 39 | 210 | 32.51 |
Misa had three helpers to close out the season.
Brampton faces Oshawa in the first round of the OHL’s playoffs.
Etienne Morin – D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL
19; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 180 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 10th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 62 | 14 | 44 | 58 | 29 | 40 | 24 | 222 | 21.79 |
2023-24 (QMJHL) | 58 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 32 | 21 | 13 | 191 | 19.67 |
Morin had a five point week to end the season.
Moncton plays Quebec in the first round of the QMJHL’s playoffs.
Sam Morton – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
25; Free agent signing; 6’0″, 185 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 61 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 29 | 18 | 12 | 137 | 25.48 |
2023-24 (NCAA) | 37 | 24 | 10 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 19 | 151 | 24.00 |
Morton had an assist this week. He’s been really noticeable lately for a depleted Wranglers group.
Zayne Parekh – D, Saginaw Spirit, OHL
18; Calgary’s first round pick (9th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 179 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 1st-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 61 | 33 | 74 | 107 | 69 | 52 | 40 | 243 | 46.46 |
2023-24 (OHL) | 66 | 33 | 63 | 96 | 66 | 54 | 39 | 224 | 38.53 |
Parekh closed out his season with five assists.
Saginaw plays Erie in the first round of the OHL’s playoffs.
Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 7th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 61 | 4 | 31 | 35 | 19 | 22 | 12 | 116 | 22.21 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 23 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 44 | 22.53 |
Poirier had two assists this week. He’s producing offensively this season, but his defensive details are still a bit hit and miss.
Ilya Solovyov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 208 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 14th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 49 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 11 | 20 | 9 | 67 | 20.33 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 51 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 88 | 11.72 |
Solovyov keeps doing his thing. He produces pretty consistently offensively and he’s reliable defensively.
William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 8th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 60 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 32 | 23 | 19 | 92 | 29.22 |
2023-24 (AHL) | 68 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 23 | 18 | 15 | 74 | 15.82 |
Strömgren had a goal this week. His production is ahead of last season’s, but he hasn’t really found a way to stand out in a depleted Wranglers forward group lately.
Aydar Suniev – LW/C, University of Massachusetts Minutemen, NCAA/Hockey East
20; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 198 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 12th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 29 | 19 | 15 | 120 | 35.16 |
2023-24 (NCAA) | 35 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 100 | 23.02 |
UMass plays Minnesota in the regional semi-finals in Fargo, ND on Thursday.
Daniil Chechelev – G, Yunison-Moskva, VHL
23; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 187 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 11 | 399 | .888 |
2023-24 (VHL) | 5 | 271 | .908 |
Chechelev’s KHL team, HC Vityaz, and his VHL team, Yunison-Moskva, have both missed the playoffs. His season is now over.
Waltteri Ignatjew – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
25; Signed as a free agent; 6’3″, 200 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 22 | 1172 | .888 |
2023-24 (SWE-1) | 45 | 2614 | .918 |
Ignatjew played once and picked up the win.
Arsenii Sergeev – G, Penn State University Nittany Lions, NCAA/Big 10
22; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 192 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 30 | 1785 | .915 |
2023-24 (NCAA) | 16 | 934 | .913 |
Penn State will face Maine in the regional semi-final round in Allentown, PA on Friday.
Yegor Yegorov – G, HC Tambov, VHL / MHC Tambov, NMHL / MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva, MHL
19; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 183 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
VHL season to date | 4 | 160 | .870 |
NMHL season to date | 8 | 449 | .891 |
MHL season to date | 20 | 1032 | .904 |
2023-24 (MHL) | 25 | 1319 | .917 |
Yegorov started a game, allowed three goals and was pulled after 10 minutes.
The Soviet Wings will play Yegorov’s old team, MHK Dynamo Moskva, in the qualifying round of the MHL’s post-season.
Kirill Zarubin – G, AKM Tula, MHL
19; Calgary’s third round pick (84th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 178 pounds; FN’s 19th-ranked prospect 2024
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 21 | 1157 | .935 |
2023-24 (MHL) | 45 | 2473 | .927 |
Zarubin played once and won.
Mikhailov Academy qualified for the MHL’s post-season and have a bye into the conference quarterfinals.
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
