The Calgary Flames will be without the services of one of their top young players for a little while.

On Saturday, forward Sam Honzek left the Flames’ game against the Winnipeg Jets following a second period collision with teammate Mikael Backlund. Honzek didn’t return to the game.

On Sunday morning, following practice at the Saddledome, Flames head coach Ryan Huska provided a brief update about Honzek’s injury status.

“So he’s going to be an upper body injury and we’re going to, I guess, classify him as week to week,” said Huska.

Honzek’s injury, off a bit of a freak play, comes as he’s quietly become a key part of one of the club’s most important lines. He had found a home on the left side of the checking line alongside Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, and had found a way to use his size, speed and skill to help augment the skills of his veteran linemates.

Honzek’s absence during a season where he was cementing himself on the NHL roster is obviously disappointing to see.

“I mean, anybody that’s going to miss a little bit of time with an injury you feel for, for sure,” said Huska. “He’s done a lot of great things for us. And I think a better understanding of what he has to be like to play at the NHL on a consistent basis. So, you know, we were really pleased with where his game was trending and I know he’s going to pick up right where he left off.”

This injury continues a stretch of rough injury luck for Honzek dating back to his draft year. That season, 2022-23, he missed a bunch of time after suffering a cut from a skate during the World Juniors. The following season, he suffered an abdominal injury in NHL pre-season that kept him out for awhile, and he subsequently played wearing a facial bubble for several weeks that season after suffering a fractured sinus cavity. Last season, 2024-25, he suffered a concussion in an NHL game against Chicago. Later, after he had return to AHL action, he missed some time dealing with a lower body injury.

The Flames’ first-round pick in 2023, Honzek has managed to overcome these injuries and build his game to the point to where he’s a pretty effective NHL player. We’ll see if he can return to action before too long and remain that effective for the Flames going forward.

Honzek joins Zayne Parekh (upper body) and Martin Pospisil (undisclosed) on the sidelines for the Flames. For the time being, Honzek has not yet been placed on the injury reserve list, though, while Parekh and Pospisil are on it.

The Flames are back in action on Tuesday when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks.

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.