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FN’s mid-season Flames prospect updates: Parker Bell
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Photo credit: David Moll/Calgary Wranglers
Paige Siewert
Feb 21, 2026, 14:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 21, 2026, 02:00 EST
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It’s been a hot and cold year for Flames prospect Parker Bell.
At this point in the year, it leans more on the hot side of things. As a player who was very offensively driven in Junior, he’s taken a few years adjusting to his role and how he can be effective in the AHL. This season, he has embraced a physical two-way role with the Wranglers to be on a line that grinds down their opponents and makes space for the producers on the team. He has also been a regular part of the penalty kill. This hasn’t guaranteed an everyday start for Bell but he is still very much a regular core piece of this team
Bell’s 2024-25 season was cut a bit short due to a fight ending badly for him. He was knocked out by a punch to the head and thankfully, his linemate, Lucas Ciona was close by to catch him while he was unbalanced before he fell to the ice. This scenario was towards the trail end of the regular season and prevented him from playing in either of the Wranglers playoff games against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He ended last season with 12 points, consisting of seven goals and five assists in 61 games. 
There was a bit more depth for Bell to work through this season to earn his spot but he still managed to maintain a role similar to what he did last season. Despite the way last season ended, Bell hasn’t strayed away from that physical side of the game but does admit there are aspects of that part of the game he needs to be cautious about. He said:
“Yeah I think at times it was there in the back of your head. It’s happened to me a couple of times. Like scary hits and things like that. I try to move past it and you know I got a job to do so just moving past it and working through it.”
Bell really started showing more of this physical side in the back half of last season and going into this season, his skating and speed has taken a noticeable step forward. When he has the space to take the puck up the ice, it’s been really hard for his opponents on the ice to keep up. Parker talked about the work he did on this and said:
“I think more off-ice, getting stronger. Pro hockey is a lot different than junior in terms of stronger and faster. Yeah I think I worked a lot in the off-season to try and pick up my speed because I think that’s my road to the NHL is being hard on the forecheck and using my feet and being hard to play against.”
On the offensive side of things, Parker Bell wasn’t seeing the results he wanted from the hop and approaching the second month of the season, he was within inches of putting up his first goal of the season multiple games through the November and early December stretch. He finally got that monkey off his back on Dec. 19 against the San Diego Gulls. You could see from his reaction and the reactions of his teammates how much of a relief that one was. 
That’s something Bell would especially like to build on to contribute more on the offensive side of things. In 39 games this season, he has two goals and two assists. When asked about his personal evaluation of his season he said:
“I think it’s been a bit up and down for me. But you know, I’m finding a way to contribute whether it’s not on the scoresheet, just in other ways. Just getting better that way and filling a role on this team.”
He continued:
“Obviously I want to chip in more on my offensive side but it’s not really my job but yeah try to chip in that way and just played the way I have been the last few weeks. Keeping that going and doing a job and being hard to play against. Just fill my role any way I can to help the team out.”
Bell has been playing mostly alongside Lucas Ciona, Alex Gallant, David Silye and Carter King this season and has had individual performances that stand out in like he said, ways that aren’t always shown on the scoresheet. Someone that does pick up on this, is the coaching staff. Brett Sutter has sang Bell’s praises this season talking about how great of a teammate Bell is and how hard he works. Knowing he has the backing of the coaching staff almost comes with that level of respect and understanding between player and coach and Bell is grateful for that. He said:
“It’s a good feeling for sure. Sutts was an honest player when he played. Whatever he says I take that to heart. It’s good having a coach who has your back and you want to play for them.”
Just an isolated view of Parker Bell’s stat line at this point in the season really doesn’t quantify the work he’s doing and the contributions he makes to this team. He has still shown growth and lines of improvement season over season and has more than solidified himself as a key personality in that locker room and a big body on the ice his opponents won’t be getting through easily.
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