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The clock is ticking on Flames prospect William Stromgren’s NHL chances
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Photo credit: David Moll/Calgary Wranglers
Paige Siewert
May 16, 2025, 12:00 EDTUpdated: May 16, 2025, 00:27 EDT
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The William Stromgren we started to see at the end of the 2024 season is not the same William Stromgren we saw for the majority of the 2024-25 season and no one knows it better than him. Prior to this season, Stromgren was on the list of prospects expected to debut with the Flames this year. Instead, he was overtaken by other teammates like Rory Kerins, Sam Morton and Hunter Brzustewicz.
Stromgren addressed the struggles of his season with the media in Wranglers’ exit meetings in mid-April and didn’t shy away from the reality of his depth placement.
His average point production was actually not something of grave concern. Stromgren actually finished second in assists on the team in the regular season, but the performance expectations were still higher. Last season, he had seven goals and 20 assists in 68 games played and this year he increased his production to 14 goals and 35 assists in 70 games. Stromgren said:
“Well, that’s an improvement, that’s it, for sure. It’s been a lot of ups and downs. Like, points are just points. If you want to make it to the NHL, your consistency level has gotta be better. My highs are good, but my lows need to be better. You want to get your teammates better, get your line is better, you want to help your team succeed, and just gotta be more consistent than that.”
Stromgren was expected to be a top liner this season, and while he spent ample time in this position, he would drop to the second line from time to time based on his individual play. It wasn’t that Stromgren didn’t have the size or speed to be playing more minutes, it was that his scoring was inconsistent, and as he pointed out, the puck battles are an area of weakness.
Stromgren said:
“I want to be a productive guy, I want to be offensive, carry the puck. But also, my game, winning the puck back needs to be better. Can’t just go around just waiting for the puck to come you, just kind of gotta work to get that one, and just having that mindset to just be more efficient and instead of waiting for the puck, you want to chase it and get it back.”
Stromgren was being set up for success with the right type of players on his lines. When he’d play on the top line, it was typically with Rory Kerins, Dryden Hunt or Sam Morton based on the call-up timing and when he’d drop down a line, it’d be with Clark Bishop, Sam Honzek and Martin Frk typically. He did his best to gel with these guys but if he wasn’t performing, he couldn’t be eating up top line time that others would take better advantage of. 
That being said, Stromgren has shown very impressive moments that elevate his potential to play in a higher league. Some that got the fanbase talking were his playoff goal against the Tucson Roadrunners in their series last season where he undressed the defencemen.
Then another slick shootout move early in the 2024-25 season that contributed to their win over the Abbotsford Canucks. 
What’s next for Stromgren is a look in the mirror and some hard work over the summer. He saw what Rory Kerins was able to do over a summer but actually takes a lot of motivation out of the career path Matt Coronato has had so far. He looks at him as a role model and someone he absorbed a lot of information from while he played with him with the Wranglers. 
Stromgren said:
“Just being around Matty, I know him pretty good. Seeing how you get ready for whatever you get, it can do a lot of good stuff for yourself. He’s going to have probably a good summer again and he’s going to have a good role with the Flames. That’s where you want to get to and just looking at him, you just want to keep pushing to be the next guy behind him.”
Stromgren is 21 years old and will be in his final year of his entry-level contract next season. He and others on the team are aware there will be new faces on the Wranglers next year also pining for a spot and his chances to make the next step in his game won’t always be there.
Stromgren said:
“The older you get, the less time you have left. You don’t get 100 opportunities, you get a certain amount and if you’re not ready to take advantage of those opportunities, you’re probably not going to be an NHLer.”
Stromgren realizes next season may be his last chance to break through the prospect title in the Flames organization and says this summer is, “My biggest one of my career.”
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