Russian theatre director Konstantin Stanislavski is widely attributed with coining the phrase, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” It’s meant to convey that even with a small amount of time on stage, an actor can create a big impression on the audience.

The same credo can be true in the world of hockey, and the Calgary Flames are seeing an example of this in the performance of rookie forward Jonathan Castagna.

Originally from Etobicoke, Ontario, a Toronto suburb, Castagna spent time at St. Andrew’s College, a prep school with a strong hockey program – Postmedia’s Danny Austin recently spoke with Castagna (and his former coach) about how his time at SAC helped lead to bigger things. Among them were being drafted by the then Arizona Coyotes in 2022, and three seasons at Cornell University.

The Flames acquired Castagna’s NHL rights as part of the MacKenzie Weegar trade, and he had already built an impressive college resume with various individual and team accolades over two seasons with the Big Red, including a pair of ECAC playoff tournament crowns. Castagna finished the 2025-26 season strong, leading to being named the ECAC’s top defensive forward and a first team conference all-star (alongside fellow Flames prospect Ethan Wyttenbach).

Castagna signed a three year entry level contract in the spring and despite his strong resume, it was natural to presume that he would need some time to adjust to the various nuances and rigours of professional hockey.

Castagna scored a pair of goals in his first-ever pro game, a season-opening victory for the American League’s Calgary Wranglers. After an impressive second game, he was summoned to the NHL along with teammate Aydar Suniev when Flames management opted to shuffle up the big club’s roster a bit after a sluggish start.

Castagna made his NHL debut on Oct. 8 against Colorado and registered his first NHL point, an assist on Adam Klapka’s goal, in his first outing. He played 9:09 and made an impression, even in a limited minutes, fourth-line role.

In each of his subsequent NHL games, Castagna’s played a little bit more and he’s been given more and more trust. He’s been added to the penalty killing rotation, even playing 1:46 on special teams on Sunday against Carolina. His ice time has gradually ticked up, hitting 15:52 against Carolina. He’s been winning face-offs consistently.His line is constantly given a steady diet of defensive zone starts, yet keep finding ways to add value when they hit the ice.

And with Mikael Backlund banged up late against the Hurricanes, Castagna was thrust into duty trying to hold onto a one-goal lead in the final minutes against the defending Stanley Cup champions. He was up to the challenge.

“I loved him tonight,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska after Sunday’s game. “And his line too. George does everything right. He’s a bigger body. He’s a heavy body. He skates really well. He knows exactly what he’s supposed to do. The one part talks about his character a little bit too. He knows that if he can be really good in the face-off circle, it’s going to allow him to earn more ice time. He’s been digging into that practice time. He’s asking what other things he needs to do. And if he can bottle that effort and game that he brought to the table tonight, he’s going to be here a long time.”

It’s still early – and he’s only played seven pro games – but even in a small role, Castagna seems to be making a big impression with the Flames.

The Flames return to action on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.