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Cade Littler’s the last prospect standing in the playoffs: a Calgary Flames prospect update
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Photo credit: Mike Zitek/Coachella Valley Firebirds
Ryan Pike
May 16, 2024, 14:00 EDTUpdated: May 15, 2024, 23:13 EDT
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Every season, it’s interesting to see which Calgary Flames prospect stays active in the post-season for the longest. Sometimes it’s their American Hockey League farm team. Or maybe there’s a prospect headed to the Memorial Cup.
This year’s post-season iron man is Cade Littler, who ironically enough started the post-season behind the eight-ball as he was out with a lingering injury before rejoining the BCHL’s Penticton Vees for their second round series against the Vernon Vipers. But the Vees beat Salmon Arm in a seven-game clash to advance to the BCHL Final series against Surrey.
The winner of that series will face the winner of the BCHL’s Alberta playoffs, because the BCHL’s structure is very bizarre this season for reasons we don’t need to get into.
Meanwhile, the AHL’s Wranglers were ousted by the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the second consecutive season and the Idaho Steelheads (who feature Demetrious Koumontzis, who the Flames technically hold the rights to) were eliminated by Kansas City in the ECHL post-season.
Let’s dive into this week’s prospect update!

Parker Bell – LW/C, Tri-City Americans, WHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

20; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
WHL season to date
59
33
31
64
50
35
31
231
26.86
AHL season to date
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0.00
2022-23 (WHL)
55
25
39
64
51
36
28
187
28.82
Bell’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in the playoffs.

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 is complete. He’s transferred to Northeastern University for the 2024-25 season.

Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Kitchener Rangers, OHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

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
OHL season to date
67
13
79
92
46
65
34
140
36.37
AHL season to date
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2022-23 (OHL)
68
6
51
57
32
31
21
110
22.20
Brzustewicz’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in 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
55
4
2
6
5
6
5
67
4.35
2022-23 (WHL)
63
28
47
75
53
54
37
194
29.48
Ciona’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in the playoffs.

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
41
15
27
42
28
27
17
140
40.82
2022-23 (NCAA)
34
20
16
36
31
19
16
141
24.31
Coronato played in all six Wranglers playoff games, scoring a goal and adding five assists. He led the Wranglers with 21 shots on goal.

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
66
11
13
24
19
16
13
94
14.49
2022-23 (AHL)
59
13
18
31
24
18
14
87
20.94
Damiani had a goal in six playoff games for the Wranglers. He was tied with Clark Bishop and Jordan Oesterle with a minus-4 plus/minus, lowest on the team.

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
63
1
5
6
5
6
5
65
3.80
2022-23 (OHL)
65
8
9
17
10
14
9
116
6.93
Grushnikov’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in the playoffs.

Samuel Honzek – LW/C, Vancouver Giants, WHL / Slovakia, WJC / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

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
AHL season to date
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0.00
2022-23 (WHL)
43
23
33
56
40
36
26
134
32.25
Honzek dressed for one playoff game, the elimination game against Coachella Valley.

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 finished. He’ll be joining the Calgary Hitmen next season.

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
72
21
22
43
34
28
22
208
23.80
2022-23 (AHL)
71
17
37
54
41
28
21
202
30.31
Jones played in all six Wranglers playoff games, but registered zero points.

Joni Jurmo – D, Ilves Tampere/KooKoo Kuovola, Liiga/CHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

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
AHL season to date
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2022-23 (Liiga)
52
5
8
13
8
11
6
118
9.27
Jurmo’s season is finished.

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
54
16
16
32
27
22
18
115
23.62
2022-23 (ECHL)
38
17
20
37
31
25
21
117
22.36
Kerins dressed for just one playoff game, their elimination game against Coachella Valley.

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
65
21
24
45
34
31
22
182
27.59
2022-23 (AHL)
60
13
12
25
18
16
11
103
16.61
Klapka was all over the place – in good and bad ways – in the Wranglers’ playoff run. He led the team in points… and penalty minutes.

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
47
9
10
19
11
14
10
84
9.28
2022-23 (NCAA)
37
7
11
18
12
10
7
67
13.28
Koumontzis had one assist in five ECHL playoff games for Idaho.

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
63
5
8
13
9
12
8
88
8.22
2022-23 (AHL)
63
5
14
19
11
19
11
65
12.02
Kuznetsov played in all six playoff games, primarily in defensive situations, and he had a goal and was plus-1. Not bad.

Jaden Lipinski – C, Vancouver Giants, WHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

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
WHL season to date
67
24
42
66
47
33
23
181
24.39
AHL season to date
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.00
2022-23 (WHL)
66
19
32
51
36
35
23
152
19.14
Lipinski’s season is finished.

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 the last man standing in terms of Flames prospects active in their post-seasons. He has three points in 12 BCHL playoff games, playing primarily second and third-line centre for the Vees.

Brady Lyle – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

24; Free agent signing
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
Season to date
47
6
9
15
9
7
3
102
12.72
2022-23 (AHL)
51
7
24
31
16
13
6
124
24.22
Lyle’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in the playoffs.

Etienne Morin – D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

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
QMJHL season to date
58
12
37
49
32
21
13
191
19.67
AHL season to date
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0.00
2022-23 (QMJHL)
67
21
51
72
47
34
21
213
25.03
Morin’s season is finished.

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
13
5
2
7
7
5
5
25
21.46
2022-23 (NCAA)
10
6
2
8
7
3
3
28
21.00
Let’s give a stick-tap to Morton, who joined the Wranglers on an amateur try-out deal (in advance of his NHL deal starting in the fall) and basically made it impossible to take him out of the lineup. He played all six playoff games and had four points.

Ilya Nikolaev – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL / Rapid City Rush, ECHL

22; Calgary’s third round pick (88th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
AHL season to date
29
3
3
6
6
6
6
33
8.25
ECHL season to date
6
2
6
8
7
5
5
16
30.61
2022-23 (ECHL)
40
13
20
33
21
22
15
97
18.94
Nikolaev’s season is finished. He didn’t dress in the playoffs.

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
18
5
7
12
8
7
6
45
26.57
2022-23 (AHL)
35
16
21
37
32
18
14
92
42.13
Pelletier played in all six playoff games and registered three points.
Over at Postmedia, Danny Austin had a great piece on how challenging the year was for Pelletier.

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
23
3
10
13
5
5
2
44
22.53
2022-23 (AHL)
69
9
32
41
20
21
13
172
23.68
Poirier played in all six playoff games and seemed to show more and more swagger and confidence offensively as the playoffs wore on. He had four points overall.

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
66
14
22
36
27
23
15
128
21.74
2022-23 (AHL)
70
14
18
32
20
16
10
118
18.22
Schwindt doesn’t get a ton of fanfare, but he was really good in the late stages of the season and into the playoffs. He led the Wranglers in playoff goals with four and had five points overall.

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
51
5
10
15
10
14
10
88
11.72
2022-23 (AHL)
68
4
14
18
9
16
8
82
10.55
Solovyov had a goal over six playoff games.

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
68
7
20
27
23
18
15
74
15.82
2022-23 (SHL)
45
3
5
8
6
6
5
31
8.69
Strömgren had a superb first round, but then quieted down a bit offensively against Coachella Valley. He finished with four points over six games.

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’s season is finished.

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. He’ll be joining Penn State for the 2024-25 season.

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
36
2082
.922
2022-23 (AHL)
55
3239
.932
Wolf was lights-out early in the post-season, but his numbers dipped a bit against Coachella Valley as they tried to get screens going and get him moving laterally. He ended up with a 3-3 record with a 2.84 goals against average and .924 save percentage.

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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