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Notes from last game: Flames and Kraken play chippy pre-season game

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

By Cynthia Ryley Delaney

Sep 26, 2026, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 26, 2026, 02:34 EDT

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The real thing is just right around the corner.

For now, we have to watch one more pre-season game, but by this time next week, the Calgary Flames will be playing regular season hockey. The team is expected to be near the bottom of the league in a rebuilding year, but it also means that many youngsters will get long looks this season.

Coincidentally, many of those youngsters played in the Flames’ third pre-season game, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken. Let’s take a look at some notes from that game.

The standout performances

Aydar Suniev was the team’s best player in their first pre-season game, ironically against the Kraken earlier this week. Well, he had another darn good game on Thursday, scoring their third goal of the game and scoring the lone goal in the shootout. If I were a betting woman, I’d have Suniev making the opening night roster thanks to his pre-season performances, he’s been that good.

I liked what Jonathan Castagna has done in the two games I’ve watched. In this one, he managed to score by getting to the front of the net. He’s still a year or two away at best from being a full-time NHL’er, but he was a nice pick up. Getting assists on this goal were Dryden Hunt and Brennan Othmann. Hunt is dogged on the forecheck.

Othmann had a good game, and even played more than 53 seconds, his total from the first pre-season game. In the pre-season opener against the Kraken, Othmann received a game misconduct after an errant elbow caught Ville Ottavainen high. Paired with a fight, Othmann received 20 penalty minutes in just 53 seconds of action.

Well, what if I told you that on top of his assistance, Othmann received another misconduct. Ottavainen was cleanly hit by Othmann in the second, but took exception and started throwing punches on a downed Othmann. Thankfully, Braydon Pachal jumped in to protect the youngster.

It was the final notable scrum that came in the first half of the first period. The first came after Chase Harrington hit a Kraken in the slot, drawing a two-minute roughing penalty. I really like Harrington and think he’ll be a staple of the team’s bottom six when they enter their window of contention. For now, he’ll return to the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs.

Less than 40 seconds later, Rory Kerins got into it with Josh Mahura after the Kraken goalie covered it, which led to a fight between Bobby McMann and Andreas Englund. Sam Morton also got away with a trip just seconds before the scrum.

Pretty exciting stuff for a pre-season game, but the Kraken are getting ready for some fireworks early in the season against the Edmonton Oilers after Ryan Lindgren caught Evan Bouchard up high.

Englund will play in the American Hockey League this season, having already been waived by the time I write this, but he could get a look in the NHL if the Flames have some beef. He’s one tough customer, laying the body several times.

On top of the rough penalty in the scrum, Kerins picked up a goal to make it 2-1 early in the second period. His first game against the Kraken was a quiet one, but he was far more noticeable on Thursday. It didn’t save him from being waived though.

Tyson Gross was one of several cuts the Flames made on Friday, but I really like his hockey sense. There was a play in the first where he nearly picked up an assist. With the goalie down, he elected to pass to the open man instead of shooting it in traffic. He may be joining Harrington in the bottom six when the Flames start to contend.

Alex Nylander had a much better game, picking up an assist and earning a contract on Friday. William Strömgren also picked up an assist, while Othmann had two assists.

The disappointing performances

It’s really hard to point to any disappointing performances, given that it was essentially an AHL team against an AHL team. Othmann and Nylander are basically the only forwards who suited up to be locks, while Suniev has done more than enough to get a look this season. On defence, Joel Hanley, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Braydon Pachal were the team’s regulars. The Kraken had Jordan Eberle, Chandler Stephenson, Matty Beniers, and a whole bunch of other regulars in the lineup.

Andrew Basha had another quiet game, which is a bit disappointing given his prospect shine has worn off a bit after his tough AHL stint in 2025-26. Ben Jones also didn’t have a noticeable game, not great for a player fighting for a main roster job.

On the surface level, Devin Cooley’s .885 save percentage is a bit concerning, but he made several big stops and didn’t have an NHL defence in front of him. It was a better performance than his start last Saturday.

Other notes…

My only non-hockey related note from this game is that the Kraken’s mascot is really stupid looking. The Kraken is a feared mythical creature, why is their damn mascot a dumb looking troll?

The Flames’ final pre-season game is against their geographical rivals, the Edmonton Oilers. On Oct. 1, the real thing starts with a matchup against, you guessed it, the Kraken.

Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFO Calgary, DFO Edmonton, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.

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