It’s almost playoff szn: a Calgary Flames prospect update
By Ryan Pike
30 days agoLast week, friends, we talked about signing szn when it came to prospects. And hey, the Calgary Flames signed Joni Jurmo shortly afterwards. That’s kind of fun.
This week, let’s talk playoffs!
The NCAA conference tournaments are complete. The NCAA begins their national championship tournament on Thursday. In Canada, major junior playoffs begin this coming weekend.
In terms of the AHL, the Calgary Wranglers are virtually guaranteed a playoff spot. After Tuesday’s loss to Coachella Valley, their magic number to clinch a playoff spot was seven points – earned by them or not earned by Henderson – with nine games left. It’s not a lock, but it’s pretty close. If the Wranglers go .500, they’re in easily.
The fascinating thing, to me, will be to examine how the Wranglers handle their last nine games. They have dates with Coachella Valley (1), San Jose (2), Bakersfield (2) and Abbotsford (4) left on the docket. Aside from the Barracuda, those are seven games against playoff opponents. Can the Wranglers round themselves into playoff form in time for the third week in April? And can they do that while adding some extra bodies from around the Flames system like Parker Bell and Jurmo whose club seasons have ended?
Like I said: it’s going to be fascinating, because the Wranglers have a few different things to juggle all at once.
Let’s dive into this week’s prospect update!
Parker Bell – LW/C, Tri-City Americans, WHL
20; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 59 | 33 | 31 | 64 | 50 | 35 | 31 | 231 | 26.86 |
| 2022-23 | 55 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 51 | 36 | 28 | 187 | 28.82 |
Tri-City missed the playoffs and their season is over. All indications are that Bell will soon be joining the Wranglers for the remainder of the season.
Jake Boltmann – D, University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA/Big 10
22; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 30 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 1.82 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 37 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 42 | 3.69 |
Boltmann’s NCAA season and college career are complete.
Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Kitchener Rangers, OHL
19; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 67 | 13 | 79 | 92 | 46 | 65 | 34 | 140 | 36.37 |
| 2022-23 (OHL) | 68 | 6 | 51 | 57 | 32 | 31 | 21 | 110 | 22.20 |
Kitchener has finished their regular season and Brzustewicz had one of the most productive seasons by a blueliner in the OHL and in Kitchener history.
They’re matched up with the Erie Otters in the first round of the playoffs.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 11th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 53 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 62 | 4.51 |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 63 | 28 | 47 | 75 | 53 | 54 | 37 | 194 | 29.48 |
Ciona played in three of the Wranglers’ four games. He had an assist, but otherwise was quiet.
Matt Coronato – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s first round pick (13th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 2nd-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 40 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 28 | 27 | 17 | 137 | 41.84 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 34 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 16 | 141 | 24.31 |
Coronato is in the NHL. He’s eligible to return for the AHL’s playoffs.
Riley Damiani – C, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Dallas’ fifth round pick (137th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 62 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 93 | 15.43 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 59 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 24 | 18 | 14 | 87 | 20.94 |
Damiani scored his first as a Wrangler against Coachella Valley on Tuesday night. He’s playing primarily in their bottom six.
Artem Grushnikov – D, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 56 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 61 | 4.27 |
| 2022-23 (OHL) | 65 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 116 | 6.93 |
Grushnikov registered his first point as a Wrangler, an assist, against Coachella Valey.
Samuel Honzek – LW/C, Vancouver Giants, WHL/Slovakia, WJC
19; Calgary’s first round pick (16th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 4th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| WHL season to date | 33 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 86 | 23.26 |
| WJC season to date | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | n/a |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 43 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 40 | 36 | 26 | 134 | 32.25 |
Honzek completed a rather pedestrian regular season offensively with an assist this week. This year’s been a bit of a wash for him, between his abdominal injury and then a jaw injury after the World Juniors that saw him wear a shield for awhile. He can erase the bad taste of this regular season with a good playoffs, though.
The Giants are matched up with Everett in the first round.
Axel Hurtig – D, Rögle BK, J20 Nationell/SHL / Kristianstads IK, HockeyEttan
18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| J20 season to date | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 54 | 15.10 |
| SHL season to date | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| HockeyEttan season to date | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | n/a |
| 2022-23 (J20) | 34 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 3.82 |
Hurtig’s season is complete, as Rögle was beaten in three games (of their best-of-three playoff series) with Frölunda. Hurtig had zero points and was minus-3 over three games.
Ben Jones – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing; 12th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 63 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 32 | 27 | 22 | 182 | 25.94 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 71 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 21 | 202 | 30.31 |
Jones keeps doing his thing. He had a goal and an assist over four games.
Joni Jurmo – D, Ilves Tampere/KooKoo Kuovola, Liiga/CHL
21; Vancouver’s third round pick (82nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Liiga season to date | 46 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 63 | 4.03 |
| CHL season to date | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | n/a |
| 2022-23 (Liiga) | 52 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 118 | 9.27 |
Jurmo signed his entry-level deal with the Flames. He’s expected to join the Wranglers on an amateur try-out deal shortly.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 14th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 46 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 104 | 24.26 |
| 2022-23 (ECHL) | 38 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 31 | 25 | 21 | 117 | 22.36 |
Kerins played zero of the Wranglers’ four games this past week.
Adam Klapka – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Free agent signing; 18th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 57 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 31 | 28 | 20 | 156 | 27.97 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 60 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 103 | 16.61 |
Klapka keeps doing his thing. He had four points over four games this past week.
Demetrios Koumonztis – D/RW, Idaho Steelheads, ECHL
23; Calgary’s fourth round pick (108th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 43 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 77 | 9.61 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 37 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 67 | 13.28 |
Koumontzis slid out of the Steelheads’ forward rotation after going cold offensively for a few games.
Yan Kuznetsov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s second round pick (50th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 17th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 56 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 82 | 8.54 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 63 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 65 | 12.02 |
Kuznetsov played twice and was scratched twice.
Jaden Lipinski – C, Vancouver Giants, WHL
19; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 16th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 67 | 24 | 42 | 66 | 47 | 33 | 23 | 181 | 24.39 |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 66 | 19 | 32 | 51 | 36 | 35 | 23 | 152 | 19.14 |
Lipinski finished off a really nice 19-year-old season. He was named a second team divisional all-star.
Cade Littler – C, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, USHL / Penticton Vees, BCHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| USHL season to date | 13 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 19.43 |
| BCHL season to date | 24 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 6 | – | 5.51 |
| 2022-23 (BCHL) | 51 | 29 | 39 | 68 | 47 | 36 | 27 | – | 8.75 |
Littler is out for the rest of the regular season with an injury.
Brady Lyle – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 46 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 100 | 13.00 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 51 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 124 | 24.22 |
Lyle is injured. He last played on Feb. 19.
Etienne Morin – D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; tied for 5th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 58 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 32 | 21 | 13 | 191 | 19.67 |
| 2022-23 (QMJHL) | 67 | 21 | 51 | 72 | 47 | 34 | 21 | 213 | 25.03 |
Morin finished off a fairly disappointing offensive season. But like Honzek, he can erase that with a good post-season. Moncton plays Chicoutimi in the first round.
Sam Morton – C, Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks, NCAA / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| NCAA season to date | 37 | 24 | 10 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 19 | 151 | 24.00 |
| AHL season to date | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 23.91 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 21.00 |
Morton had a couple points over four games this week. He’s settled into a nice spot in-between Ben Jones and Jakob Pelletier on the Wranglers’ top line.
Ilya Nikolaev – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s third round pick (88th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 29 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 33 | 8.25 |
| 2022-23 (ECHL) | 40 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 97 | 18.94 |
Nikolaev didn’t play any of the Wranglers’ games this week.
Jakob Pelletier – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s first round pick (26th overall); 3rd-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 9 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 31.00 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 35 | 16 | 21 | 37 | 32 | 18 | 14 | 92 | 42.13 |
Pelletier found his mojo a bit offensively, with four points in four games. (Disclaimer: three of the points all came in the same game.)
Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; tied for 5th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 16 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 32 | 29.89 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 69 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 20 | 21 | 13 | 172 | 23.68 |
Poirier went a bit quiet offensively, with just a single power play assist over four games.
Cole Schwindt – C/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Florida’s third round pick (81st overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Florida; 9th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 57 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 114 | 23.07 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 70 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 118 | 18.22 |
In 13 fewer games, Schwindt has surpassed last season’s point output. He passed 2022-23’s production with a three point week. And if you look at his underlyings: he’s less reliant on power play time for scoring and putting more pucks on net than a year ago. He’s still just 22.
Ilya Solovyov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 8th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 45 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 77 | 11.51 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 68 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 82 | 10.55 |
The same week that Poirier went a bit quiet offensively, Solovyov – typically a shutdown type – had a two-goal game and three points overall. Hockey’s weird sometimes.
William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 19th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 59 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 67 | 13.51 |
| 2022-23 (SHL) | 45 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 31 | 8.69 |
Strömgren continued his quietly effective back-half of the season with a three point week.
Aydar Suniev – LW/C, University of Massachusetts Minutemen, NCAA/Hockey East
19; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 13th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 35 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 100 | 23.02 |
| 2022-23 (BCHL) | 50 | 45 | 45 | 90 | 73 | 47 | 40 | – | 11.81 |
Suniev and UMass were walloped by Boston College and eliminated from their conference tournament, but qualified for the NCAA national tournament as an at-large team. They’ll face Denver on Thursday in their region’s semi-final round.
Daniil Chechelev – G, HC Vityaz, KHL / Ryazan-VDV, VHL
22; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
| GP | TOI | SV% | |
| KHL season to date | 1 | 58 | .880 |
| VHL season to date | 5 | 271 | .908 |
| 2022-23 (ECHL) | 39 | 2135 | .892 |
Chechelev’s season is finished.
Arsenii Sergeev – G, University of Connecticut Huskies, NCAA/Hockey East
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 15th-ranked prospect
| GP | TOI | SV% | |
| Season to date | 16 | 934 | .913 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 19 | 1104 | .912 |
Sergeev’s season is finished.
Dustin Wolf – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s seventh round pick (214th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; 1st-ranked prospect
| GP | TOI | SV% | |
| Season to date | 35 | 2025 | .923 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 55 | 3239 | .932 |
With Dan Vladar getting shut down for the season, Wolf will be with the NHL club for the remainder of the regular season. He’s eligible to return for the AHL’s playoffs.
Yegor Yegorov – G, MHK Dynamo Moskva, MHL
18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft
| GP | TOI | SV% | |
| Season to date | 25 | 1319 | .917 |
| 2022-23 (MHL) | 15 | 786 | .915 |
Yegorov’s season is finished.
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