This week in Flames prospect playoffs

The Calgary Flames are deep down in the draft lottery mix, but there are a good many prospects of the Flames that are actually playing meaningful hockey this week. In the interest of directing your attention over the next seven days, here is a brief glance of which teams (and prospects) are in playoff action this coming week.

WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings (Brett Pollock) at Medicine Hat Tigers (Nick Schneider), Eastern Conference tiebreaker game. The winner faces the powerhouse Brandon Wheat Kings. Can 18-year-old Schneider complete Medicine Hat’s improbable late-season comeback? Whichever Flames prospect doesn’t advance probably gets sent to Stockton afterwards.

OHL: Mississauga Steelheads at Barrie Colts (Andrew Mangiapane & Rasmus Anderson), 5:30pm MT. Game One, featuring two of Calgary’s best prospects up against 2016 NHL Draft prospect Alex Nylander, who may be even better than his big brother William (currently in Toronto).

WHL: Edmonton/Medicine Hat winner at Brandon Wheat Kings, 6:30pm MT. No rest for the weary.

NCAA: Providence College Friars (Mark Jankowski & John Gilmour) vs. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (Worcester, MA), 2:30pm MT. Perhaps the final game of Jankowski’s college career.

OHL: Peterborough Petes at North Bay Battalion (Riley Bruce), 5pm MT

QMJHL: Charlottetown Islanders (Mason McDonald) at Rimouski Oceanic, 5:30pm MT

WHL: Edmonton/Medicine Hat winner at Brandon Wheat Kings, 6:30pm MT

WHL: Calgary Hitmen (Keegan Kanzig & Pavel Karnaukhov) at Red Deer Rebels, 7pm MT. Due to weird building availabilities, the Hitmen and Rebels play three games in three nights to kick off their series.

QMJHL: Charlottetown Islanders (Mason McDonald) at Rimouski Oceanic, 2pm MT

NCAA: Boston University Terriers (Brandon Hickey) vs. Denver Pioneers (St. Paul, MN), 4:30pm MT

OHL: Mississauga Steelheads at Barrie Colts (Andrew Mangiapane & Rasmus Anderson), 5:30pm MT

WHL: Calgary Hitmen (Keegan Kanzig & Pavel Karnaukhov) at Red Deer Rebels, 7pm MT

NCAA: If Providence College wins on Friday, their regional final game is here (Worcester, MA), 7pm MT. If Providence makes it to this game and wins, most likely Jankowski won’t be playing for the Flames this season. He might still sign, but it’ll be really tough to physically get him into a game.

OHL: Peterborough Petes at North Bay Battalion (Riley Bruce), noon MT

NCAA: If Boston University wins on Saturday, their regional final game is here (St. Paul, MN), 3pm MT

WHL: Red Deer Rebels at Calgary Hitmen (Keegan Kanzig & Pavel Karnaukhov), 4pm MT. The only first-round game in the Saddledome, and the last game these teams play until Friday (due to building availabilities).