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The Flames’ European prospects are dealing with growing pains early this season

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

By Ryan Pike

Oct 2, 2026, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 2, 2026, 09:52 EDT

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Friends, the beginning of the hockey season can be a bit tumultuous, especially for younger players.

There’s the excitement of the new season and a fresh start. But there can also be some clunkiness, as players try to figure out their rhythm within a new season and try to figure out their role within a team. It can lead to some wild swings for younger players, and we’re seeing a bit of that for some of the Flames’ European prospects.

On one hand, 2026 second-rounder Alan Shaikhlislamov is producing offensively. (Yay!) But his team is finding ways to lose games, despite Shaikhlislamov’s scoring. Similarly, Yan Matveiko has been moved back to junior from the All-Russian Hockey League – the Russian equivalent of the American Hockey League – after a tough start, and Theo Stockselius’ Swedish team hasn’t won a game yet.

Hockey seasons, much as the rest of life, aren’t necessarily always all rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes things can get challenging. The Europeans appear to be dealing with that reality right now.

Onto this week’s stats updates!

Chase Harrington, LW, Spokane Chiefs, WHL

18; Calgary’s second round pick (36th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 202 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	1	1	2	3	2	3	2	6	41.82
2025-26 (WHL)	61	28	29	57	44	34	28	164	23.14

Harrington returned from Flames training camp, was named Spokane’s captain, had a Gordie Howe hat trick, and then signed his entry-level NHL contract. All within one week. He had a great week.

Joe Iginla – RW, Vancouver Giants, WHL

18; Calgary’s third round pick (65th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 170 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	3	1	1	2	2	1	1	13	9.29
2025-26 (WHL)	59	15	16	31	27	24	19	159	13.01

Iginla is off to a bit of a slow start in terms of scoring, but look at all those shots. If he keeps that up, the points will follow.

Simon Katolicky – LW, Sarnia Sting, OHL

18; Calgary’s fifth round pick (132nd overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft; 6’5″ 197 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	4	2	0	2	2	2	2	8	7.79
2025-26 (U20 SM-sarja)	29	6	11	17	11	10	7	113	9.61

Katolicky is still figuring out the North American style and playing on Sarnia’s third line. So far, he’s generating shots consistently and chipping in offensively here and there.

Bode Laylin – D, Everett Silvertips, WHL

18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (164th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 178 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	3	0	1	1	1	1	1	5	4.65
2025-26 (USHL)	55	11	27	38	26	21	14	119	15.86

Laylin registered his first WHL point over the weekend.

Everett Silvertips

@WHLsilvertips

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SIGNED. SEALED. DELIVERED. 🖊

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2:57 AM · Sep 27, 2026

Jakob Leander – D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL

18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 196 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	3	0	1	1	1	1	1	3	4.65
2025-26 (J20)	38	2	11	13	8	11	8	52	5.61

The Hitmen remain undefeated, and Leander has been on their top defensive pairing alongside Hunter Aura.

Yan Matveiko – C/LW, Zvezda Moskva, VHL / Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL

20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (211th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 150 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
VHL season to date	9	0	3	3	2	1	1	8	10.11
MHL season to date	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.00
2025-26 (MHL)	50	15	22	37	23	28	17	89	8.68

After nine games bouncing around the lineup for the minor-pro Zvezda Moskva, Red Army’s affiliate team, Matveiko was moved down to junior to play with Krasnaya Armiya. He’s in his 20-year-old year so he’s one of the older players in that league, and the hope is probably that he’ll have more of an impact in junior. He’s off to a quiet start, with a pair of games with zero points.

Mace’o Phillips – D, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL

18; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’6″, 228 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	4	1	2	3	2	1	1	7	10.46
2025-26 (USHL)	44	1	10	11	6	9	6	77	5.74

In four games, Phillips has already equalled his goal output from last season.

He scored his first WHL goal over the weekend… and added an assist off a stat correction from the previous weekend.

Medicine Hat Tigers

@tigershockey

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Mace'o Phillips with his first WHL Goal! 🚨🐅

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10:41 PM · Sep 27, 2026

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Alan Shaikhlislamov – RW, HC Tolpar Ufa, MHL

18; Calgary’s second round pick (55th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 190 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	9	7	5	12	12	5	5	35	17.46
2025-26 (MHL)	31	18	17	35	29	20	16	98	13.24

On one hand, Shaikhlislamov generates a ton of shots per game, and he’s consistently producing offensively. He’s among the MHL’s highest scorers early this season. But he is admittedly a bit reliant on the power play to score, and he’s a minus player despite being one of the league’s leading scorers.

He missed Tolpar’s game on Thursday, presumably due to illness or injury (but he haven’t heard one way or the other).

Theo Stockselius – C/LW, Djurgårdens IF, SHL

18; Calgary’s second round pick (54th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 181 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 12th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	5	0	1	1	1	1	1	6	10.50
2025-26 (J20)	11	4	12	16	10	12	9	39	23.85

Stockselius has been a fixture on the wing on Djurgardens’ third line. He’s been reportedly playing fine, but the whole team is struggling out of the games, winning zero of their first five outings.

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