One of the Calgary Flames’ most promising young prospects won’t be hitting the ice for awhile.

2024 draft choice Andrew Basha, currently playing with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers, will be out “long term” with a lower body injury according to comments from Tigers general manager and head coach Willie Desjardins on Tuesday, courtesy of Medicine Hat News sports reporter James Tubb.

In the WHL’s weekly roster and injury report, published on the league’s official site, Basha is listed as having an “indefinite” injury. Between Desjardins and the league, there’s no estimated timeline for Basha’s return to action. Basha last played in Dec. 28’s clash between the Tigers and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

A Calgary kid – who wears #34 for the Tigers because of his affinity for legendary Flames netminder Miikka Kiprusoff – Basha was selected by the Flames in the second round, 41st overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. He impressed at Flames training camp in the fall, playing in two pre-season games and signing his entry-level contract before being returned to the Dub. (He’s eligible to play with the Calgary Wranglers in the American Hockey League in the 2025-26 season.)

After missing the season-opener (because he was at Flames camp), Basha posted 20 points over 17 games for Medicine Hat before suffering an upper body injury and missing 11 games. Returning a month later, he played six games, posting nine points in that span before leaving the sixth game due to injury. Through 23 games this season, Basha has nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points.

We won’t speculate about the severity of the injury or how long he’ll be out – we’re not doctors or fortune-tellers – but Medicine Hat has 29 regular season games left, and then the WHL’s playoffs last about two months (until mid-May). The Tigers are a strong team in the Dub, boasting top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna, NHL prospects Hunter St. Martin (Panthers), Ryder Ritchie (Wild), Veeti Vaisanen (Utah), Niilopekka Muhonen (Stars) and Harrison Meneghin (Lightning), and just acquired Nashville prospect Tanner Molendyk.

Even if they don’t get Columbus prospect Cayden Lindstrom back from injury this season, Medicine Hat is a wagon, and could be playing well into the spring months. Time will tell if Basha finds his way back from injury before the Tigers play their final game of the season.