When Calgary Flames fans think about the organization’s prospects, a few names immediately come to mind.

Understandably, fans are excited about Zayne Parekh. The club’s other recent first-rounders – Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter – merit a lot of attention. Local product Andrew Basha returned from a pretty significant ankle injury to help Medicine Hat win a league championship. Several prominent prospects are headed onto new challenges with good college programs in the fall.

In this context, let’s talk about 2024 second-rounder Jacob Battaglia, who scored 40 goals and 90 points for the Kingston Frontenacs last season and may still somehow be underrated when we discuss Flames prospects. He had a big leap forward offensively in 2024-25, increasing his goal output from 31 and his point output from 65. He was asked about the secret to his scoring increase.

“Honestly, I feel like I just got better in the off season, just kind of translated that into the hockey season,” said Battaglia. “Didn’t really try to do too much, just kind of wanted to kind of play more simple and try to keep the puck on my stick and less hope plays and throwing it away. And I think that helped me a lot, just being able to possess the puck longer on the ice and make better plays and higher end plays that ultimately result in a goal or at least an offensive chance.”

Back in November, the developmental hockey landscape changed as the NCAA voted to allow Canadian junior players to become eligible to play college hockey starting in 2025-26. That led to a veritable gold rush as junior-aged CHLers began to make college commitments. One of the most prominent CHLers who didn’t do that was Battaglia, who signed his entry level deal with the Flames in late March, closing the door on any possible collegiate move.

“I mean, my dream and always the route I dreamed of playing was playing in the OHL and going to the NHL from there, even taking one or two years in the AHL and getting to the NHL,” said Battaglia. “That was always kind of the dream route. Even when I chose the OHL at 16, again, never really thought of school, always had in my mind that OHL was going to be the way. So I thought might as well just stick to what I chose before and not change up and make it too hard on myself, just go out there and play the game.”

On Mar. 28, the Flames announced they had signed Battaglia to a three year entry-level deal – presuming that Battaglia spends the upcoming season in the OHL, his ELC won’t kick in until 2026-27. Coming at the end of a really strong season for him, it was some validation that he was on the right path towards his goals.

“Yeah, I got that call the day after my birthday from my agent,” said Battaglia. “So it was kind of a little belated birthday gift. Even that experience, just getting that phone call is so cool. Just the reaction for me was more just a relief and feel that they have been watching me and they’ve been seeing me put in work and that they believe and they want to give me a chance to be a Calgary Flame. So just knowing you have that from the management and the coaching staff and everyone else around that they believe in you and they want you to be a Calgary Flame is just so inviting and you just feel so comfortable around them to be yourself.”

Battagalia is a 2006 birthday, so he’s not eligible to go pro and play in the American Hockey League this coming season. More likely than not, he’ll be back with the Frontenacs for the 2025-26 season. And while he played some really good hockey last season, he remains hungry to prove himself as he works towards his ultimate goal of the NHL.

“I mean, well, the job’s not finished,” said Battaglia. “Obviously that’s just, again, just another stepping stone in the dream plan of eventually playing in the NHL. So yeah, just trying to stay the course and entrust the process. No, it’s not always going to be direct work, go to the OHL, get drafted, sign a contract, play in the NHL. It’s going to be a lot of adversity throughout the way and throughout the journey and just trying to stay the course and stay level with myself, stay level headed, not trying to get too up, not trying to get too down. Just kind of stay right in the middle there and feel where I’m most comfortable on and off the ice.”