Matt Coronato heads to the American Hockey League: a Calgary Flames prospect update
By Ryan Pike
8 months agoMatt Coronato began the 2023-24 season in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames. He bounced around the lineup quite a bit, never really finding a niche or a role to call his own.
As a result, he’s been assigned to the next-best league in the world, the American Hockey League.
The idea is probably that Coronato can play in all situations in the AHL, develop some comfort in a wider array of potential roles, and eventually return to the NHL with some swagger and renewed confidence. Through two games, Coronato has a single (game-winning) AHL goal. So far, so good.
Let’s dive into our weekly prospect snapshot!
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 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 27.02 |
| 2022-23 | 55 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 51 | 36 | 28 | 187 | 28.82 |
Bell left Tri-City’s game against Spokane over the weekend after he got clocked with a high hit. He missed Tuesday’s Americans’ game and it’s unclear when he’s expected to return to the Tri-City lineup.
Jake Boltmann – D, University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA/Big 10
21; 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 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 37 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 42 | 3.69 |
Boltmann hasn’t played since Notre Dame’s 8-2 loss to Boston University. He’s reportedly injured, but we haven’t been able to confirm one way or the other.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; 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 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4.98 |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 63 | 28 | 47 | 75 | 53 | 54 | 37 | 194 | 29.48 |
The Wranglers didn’t score a ton this week, lighting the lamp twice in two games. Ciona wasn’t in on either goal. He’s playing on the checking line alongside Clark Bishop and Mitch McLain.
Matt Coronato – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; 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 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 19.93 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 34 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 16 | 141 | 24.31 |
Coronato scored a goal, the game-winner, in his first AHL game. He’s playing on a line with Rory Kerins and Cole Schwindt.
Samuel Honzek – LW/C, Vancouver Giants, WHL
18; 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 | |
| Season to date | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 43 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 40 | 36 | 26 | 134 | 32.25 |
Honzek remains out with an injury.
Axel Hurtig – D, Rögle BK U20, J20 Nationell
18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 18.53 |
| 2022-23 | 34 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 3.82 |
Hurtig’s been back in action for a couple weeks after undergoing shoulder surgery during the off-season. He’s playing first pairing minutes (in all situations) for Rögle’s junior squad. He’s generated a lot of shots so far.
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 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 24.91 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 71 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 21 | 202 | 30.31 |
Jones had a secondary assist this week, factoring in on one of the Wranglers’ two goals scored. He’s centring the second line, working between Emilio Pettersen and Adam Klapka.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; 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 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 39.85 |
| 2022-23 (ECHL) | 38 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 31 | 25 | 21 | 117 | 22.36 |
The Wranglers scored two goals this week. Kerins had primary assists on both of them, playing in his first AHL games of the season after being a healthy scratch for the Wranglers’ first six games. He’s playing with Cole Schwindt and Matt Coronato.
Adam Klapka – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Free agent signing; 18th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 34.87 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 60 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 103 | 16.61 |
Klapka had no points this week, playing on a line with Emilio Pettersen and Ben Jones.
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 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4.98 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 63 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 65 | 12.02 |
Kuznetsov was held off the scoresheet this week, playing on a pairing with Colton Poolman.
Jaden Lipinski – C, Vancouver Giants, WHL
18; 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 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 39 | 17.69 |
| 2022-23 (WHL) | 66 | 19 | 32 | 51 | 36 | 35 | 23 | 152 | 19.14 |
After a slower start to the season, Lipinski is starting to pile up multi-point games and points in general. With Honzek out for a little longer, he’s being leaned on to lead the way for the Giants right now.
Cade Littler – C, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, USHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 13 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 19.43 |
| 2022-23 (BCHL) | 51 | 29 | 39 | 68 | 47 | 36 | 27 | – | 8.75 |
Good news: Littler had another good, as he continues to be a really reliable offensive producer in the USHL. Bad news: he missed Cedar Rapids’ Sunday game with an unspecified 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 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 4.98 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 51 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 124 | 24.22 |
Playing on a pairing with Ilya Solovyov, Lyle had no points this week.
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 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 41 | 23.29 |
| 2022-23 (QMJHL) | 67 | 21 | 51 | 72 | 47 | 34 | 21 | 213 | 25.03 |
Morin played one of Moncton’s three games this week (due to a minor injury), but Morin had three points in it. He’s reliant on the power play for a lot of his production, but he’s quite effective at helping generate special teams offence.
Ilya Nikolaev – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; 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 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022-23 (ECHL) | 40 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 97 | 18.94 |
Nikolaev was a scratch for the first eight Wranglers games.
Emilio Pettersen – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s sixth round pick (167th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; 20th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9.96 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 61 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 35 | 35 | 29 | 118 | 28.75 |
Playing on a line with Ben Jones and Adam Klapka, Pettersen registered no points this week.
Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; 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 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 69.74 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 69 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 20 | 21 | 13 | 172 | 23.68 |
Poirier is out indefinitely after suffering an arm laceration that required surgery.
Martin Pospisil – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s fourth round pick (105th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 39.85 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 48 | 19.93 |
Pospisil is in the NHL.
Topi Rönni – C, Tappara Tampere, Liiga/CHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (59th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 10th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date (Liiga) | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6.18 |
| Season to date (CHL) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | n/a |
| 2022-23 (Liiga) | 22 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 8.42 |
While Rönni’s legal proceedings related to the rape charges continue – he’ll be in court in March – he’s returned to Tappara.
Cole Schwindt – C/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Acquired in a trade with Florida; 9th-ranked prospect
| GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
| Season to date | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 14.94 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 70 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 118 | 18.22 |
Schwindt was held off the scoresheet this week, playing on a line with Rory Kerins and Matt Coronato.
Ilya Solovyov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; 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 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 13.28 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 68 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 82 | 10.55 |
Solovyov returned to the AHL after a brief NHL stint, filling in for the suspended Rasmus Andersson. His underlying numbers weren’t great, but he earned praise from the Flames’ coaching staff. He was held off the scoresheet in two AHL games this week, playing on a pairing with Brady Lyle.
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 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4.98 |
| 2022-23 (SHL) | 45 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 31 | 8.69 |
Strömgren was held off the scoresheet this week, playing on a line with Alex Gallant and Brett Sutter.
Aydar Suniev – LW/C, University of Massachusetts Minutemen, NCAA/Hockey East
18; 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 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 19.43 |
| 2022-23 (BCHL) | 50 | 45 | 45 | 90 | 73 | 47 | 40 | – | 11.81 |
UMass played just once this week, a 2-1 overtime win over Northeastern. Suniev was held off the scoresheet.
Connor Zary – LW/C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s first round pick (24th 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 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 66.42 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 72 | 21 | 37 | 58 | 36 | 31 | 21 | 183 | 32.10 |
Zary is currently in the NHL.
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 | 5 | 300 | .916 |
| 2022-23 (NCAA) | 19 | 1104 | .912 |
Sergeev and teammate Ethan Haider keep splitting starts. Sergeev’s numbers are a bit worse than Haider’s, though Haider is a senior with more college experience than Sergeev. We’ll see if that trend continues or if things balance out.
Dustin Wolf – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (214th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; 1st-ranked prospect
| GP | TOI | SV% | |
| Season to date | 6 | 359 | .924 |
| 2022-23 (AHL) | 55 | 3239 | .932 |
Wolf started both of this week’s games. He played well, but didn’t get much run support. He registered a 1-0 shutout win followed by a 4-1 loss, though one of the goals against in the latter game was into an empty net. He remains a very good AHL goaltender.
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 | 9 | 483 | .914 |
| 2022-23 (MHL) | 15 | 786 | .915 |
Yegorov was in net for a 4-2 MHK Dynamo loss to MHK Spartak on Wednesday. MHK Dynamo is juggling three goaltenders right now, so he was scratched for their next game and didn’t even dress as backup.
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