How much input does the team have, with unsigned prospects, on development paths?
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FlamesNation Mailbag: In the midst of the stretch drive!
Photo credit: Mike Gould
The Calgary Flames have 16 games remaining their 2025-26 regular season schedule. They remain mathematically alive in the Stanley Cup playoff race, but they’re far more likely to pick top three in the 2026 NHL Draft than to participate in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
As we continue the stretch drive, let’s check in with the mailbag!
In terms of in-season stuff, like how a team uses an undrafted prospect, the Flames typically have ongoing dialogues with the coaching and management staffs of teams that have their prospects on them. That’s fairly typical league-wide, as college and junior teams are in the businesses of both winning hockey games and producing talented young players for NHL teams. Have open discussions about player progress, development and deployment is in everyone’s best interests. The Flames also have ongoing dialogue with every prospect’s representation about how that player’s future in the Flames system – again, very typical.
Any of the recently acquired college prospects going to get NHL games in this season?
Will Castagna play an nhl game this season?
When will Gross play?
Tyson Gross is under contract and will be joining the Flames imminently. He’ll get NHL games this season.
Abram Wiebe and Jonathan Castagna are the most likely collegiate prospects to be signed, but both guys are likely going to be playing in the NCAA championship tournament. An early exit and a quick NHL signing for either guy means we’ll see them play games in April. If either player advances to the Frozen Four – Apr. 9 and 11 in Las Vegas – it’ll make the timing a lot tighter to get them into the final week of NHL games.
I understand the 50 contract limit, but can the flames not sign any of their college draftees after July 1 (Reschney, Wyttenbach) when they chose not to re-sign current UFA players in the NHL AHL? What’s the down side if they wait till after July 1 to do so?
That’s totally a possibility. That said, one of the benefits of signing a deal that begins right now is that prospects get their signing bonuses right now and it gets them potentially a little bit closer to their next contract. For Ethan Wyttenbach and Cole Reschny, since they’re both teenagers, their first contract year would slide anyway unless they play in 10 NHL games this season, so there’s much less urgency. (Plus, the chatter seems to be that both guys are leaning towards going back to college for their sophomore seasons in 2026-27.)
But the gist of the argument to sign faster, as the answers tend to be, boil down to “money.”
Do you think Conroy trades Coleman this summer or holds onto him now until next TDL?
I think Craig Conroy trades Blake Coleman when one of the 10 teams on Coleman’s trade list meet Conroy’s price. I’m of the mindset that one of those teams steps up after a disappointing playoffs and Coleman is moved over the summer. But I’ve been wrong before.
When will Kirkland be back up with the flames, he had a two goal game last game.
I like Justin Kirkland. He’s a great AHLer. But I think the Flames may use their three remaining recalls on bringing up players they haven’t seen very much yet at the NHL level, like Sam Morton or William Stromgren or Nick Cicek or Rory Kerins.
Ryan Let’s say the flames do indeed draft 2nd overall. Can you please give us your best guess at an opening night roster for game 1 next season. No need to explain your rationale on why. Thanks!
Completely pulled out of thin air, entirely guesswork.
Huberdeau – Frost – Coronato
Honzek – Backlund – Stenberg
Sharangovich – Strome – Gridin
Zary – Pospisil – Farabee
(Morton, Klapka
Honzek – Backlund – Stenberg
Sharangovich – Strome – Gridin
Zary – Pospisil – Farabee
(Morton, Klapka
Bahl – Maatta
Kuznetsov – Whitecloud
Hanley – Parekh
(Pachal)
Kuznetsov – Whitecloud
Hanley – Parekh
(Pachal)
Wolf
Cooley
Cooley
Update: I totally forgot Joel Farabee. That’s my bad. He’s been very good. He’ll be around. But I’m struggling to find a “good” spot for him.
1. When can we get another back burner show to talk about how current Flames prospects have performed this year Related who have been the biggest risers/fallers in the Flames prospect pool system this year
Once games are done, we’ll definitely be doing more Back Burner episodes to start the run up to the 2026 NHL Draft.
Biggest riser: Ethan Wyttenbach. He could legitimately win the Hobey Baker Award this season.
Biggest faller: Arguably Henry Mews, and that’s just because he barely played because of his knee injury early this season. A lot of players did a nice job throughout the system.
Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan.Pike [at] BetterCollective.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)
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