The middle of March is a very interesting time in the world of hockey.
In European and college hockey, playoffs are either beginning or about to begin. In major junior, teams are either making their last dash towards the remaining playoff spots in their leagues… or preparing for next season.
When it comes to National Hockey League teams, this is the time of year where clubs take a good hard look at the players they have on their reserve lists, compare those players to those potentially available in the various free agency markets, and start to make some tough decisions.
The Flames have signed two players this March already, signing OHLer Hunter Brzustewicz and college free agent addition Sam Morton to deals. There could be more deals, but the Flames likely need to make determinations on the hockey futures of college blueliner Jake Boltmann and Finnish defenceman Joni Jurmo, as their rights both lapse this coming summer. That’s the cold hard reality of signing season: teams can’t sign everybody they’ve drafted or acquired, and this time of year forces decisions to be made.
Let’s dive into this week’s prospect update!
Parker Bell – LW/C, Tri-City Americans, WHL
20; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 56 | 33 | 27 | 60 | 47 | 34 | 30 | 222 | 26.53 |
2022-23 | 55 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 51 | 36 | 28 | 187 | 28.82 |
Bell and the Americans are playing out the string, but Bell continues to contribute offensively. He’s been very consistent for them in his overage season. The Americans wrap up their season on the weekend and then it’s reasonable to assume we’ll see Bell head to the AHL to join the Wranglers.
Bell’s already on an NHL contract, so he can just be assigned to the AHL.
Jake Boltmann – D, University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA/Big 10
22; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 30 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 1.82 |
2022-23 (NCAA) | 37 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 42 | 3.69 |
Boltmann’s NCAA season and college career are complete.
Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Kitchener Rangers, OHL
19; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 65 | 13 | 77 | 90 | 44 | 63 | 32 | 137 | 36.67 |
2022-23 (OHL) | 68 | 6 | 51 | 57 | 32 | 31 | 21 | 110 | 22.20 |
With two games left in the season Brzustewicz (a) has 90 freakin’ points and (b) has more than doubled his five-on-five production from last season.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 11th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 50 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 59 | 3.99 |
2022-23 (WHL) | 63 | 28 | 47 | 75 | 53 | 54 | 37 | 194 | 29.48 |
A fixture on the Wranglers’ fourth line, Ciona played all three games this week.
Matt Coronato – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s first round pick (13th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 2nd-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 40 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 28 | 27 | 17 | 137 | 41.84 |
2022-23 (NCAA) | 34 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 16 | 141 | 24.31 |
Coronato is in the NHL.
Riley Damiani – C, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Dallas’ fifth round pick (137th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 58 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 86 | 15.80 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 59 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 24 | 18 | 14 | 87 | 20.94 |
Damiani is still trying to find his niche in the Wranglers’ lineup. He’s been playing on the fourth line with Lucas Ciona and rotating wingers.
Artem Grushnikov – D, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 52 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 52 | 3.83 |
2022-23 (OHL) | 65 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 116 | 6.93 |
Grushnikov missed a game earlier this week, but aside from that he’s been effective as a shutdown defender. He’s playing primarily with Jordan Oesterle.
Samuel Honzek – LW/C, Vancouver Giants, WHL/Slovakia, WJC
19; Calgary’s first round pick (16th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 4th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
WHL season to date | 31 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 21 | 16 | 11 | 82 | 23.97 |
WJC season to date | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | n/a |
2022-23 (WHL) | 43 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 40 | 36 | 26 | 134 | 32.25 |
Honzek played three games – returning after missing a couple games due to having to take a mandatory exam – and had three points.
Axel Hurtig – D, Rögle BK, J20 Nationell/SHL / Kristianstads IK, HockeyEttan
18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
J20 season to date | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 54 | 15.10 |
SHL season to date | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
HockeyEttan season to date | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | n/a |
2022-23 (J20) | 34 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 3.82 |
Rögle will face Frölunda in a best-of-three eighth-final series beginning Wednesday to kick off the J20 Nationell’s playoffs.
Ben Jones – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing; 12th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 59 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 31 | 26 | 21 | 170 | 26.34 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 71 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 21 | 202 | 30.31 |
Jones had one assist over three games.
Joni Jurmo – D, Ilves Tampere/KooKoo Kuovola, Liiga/CHL
21; Vancouver’s third round pick (82nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Liiga season to date | 46 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 63 | 4.03 |
CHL season to date | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | n/a |
2022-23 (Liiga) | 52 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 118 | 9.27 |
Jurmo’s Liiga season has concluded.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 14th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 46 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 104 | 24.26 |
2022-23 (ECHL) | 38 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 31 | 25 | 21 | 117 | 22.36 |
Kerins played in two of the Wranglers’ three games. He had zero points.
Adam Klapka – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Free agent signing; 18th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 29 | 25 | 19 | 143 | 27.07 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 60 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 103 | 16.61 |
Klapka had a goal over three games this week.
Demetrios Koumonztis – D/RW, Idaho Steelheads, ECHL
23; Calgary’s fourth round pick (108th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 41 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 73 | 10.08 |
2022-23 (NCAA) | 37 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 67 | 13.28 |
Koumontzis had a couple points over four ECHL games last week.
Yan Kuznetsov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s second round pick (50th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 17th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 54 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 81 | 8.86 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 63 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 65 | 12.02 |
Kuznetsov played in two of the Wranglers’ three games. He had zero points.
Jaden Lipinski – C, Vancouver Giants, WHL
19; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 16th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 65 | 23 | 42 | 65 | 46 | 33 | 23 | 175 | 24.76 |
2022-23 (WHL) | 66 | 19 | 32 | 51 | 36 | 35 | 23 | 152 | 19.14 |
Lipinski had six points, all either goals or primary assists, over three games. He’s having a strong season.
Cade Littler – C, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, USHL / Penticton Vees, BCHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
USHL season to date | 13 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 19.43 |
BCHL season to date | 24 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 6 | – | 5.51 |
2022-23 (BCHL) | 51 | 29 | 39 | 68 | 47 | 36 | 27 | – | 8.75 |
Littler is done for the remainder of the regular season with an injury. It’s unclear when he’ll return.
Brady Lyle – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 46 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 100 | 13.00 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 51 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 124 | 24.22 |
Lyle is injured.
Etienne Morin – D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; tied for 5th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 55 | 12 | 34 | 46 | 30 | 19 | 12 | 182 | 19.48 |
2022-23 (QMJHL) | 67 | 21 | 51 | 72 | 47 | 34 | 21 | 213 | 25.03 |
Morin had a goal and assist over four games this past week. Moncton has three games remaining in their regular season, then it’s playoff time.
Sam Morton – C, Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks, NCAA / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; Free agent signing
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
NCAA season to date | 37 | 24 | 10 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 19 | 151 | 24.00 |
AHL season to date | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 39.85 |
2022-23 (NCAA) | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 21.00 |
Morton made his Wranglers debut on Tuesday night, getting the primary assist on Mitch McLain’s game-winning goal. He played with Jakob Pelletier and Ben Jones on the top line.
Ilya Nikolaev – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s third round pick (88th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 29 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 33 | 8.25 |
2022-23 (ECHL) | 40 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 97 | 18.94 |
Nikolaev played in two of the Wranglers’ three games. He had zero points.
Jakob Pelletier – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s first round pick (26th overall); 3rd-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 23.91 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 35 | 16 | 21 | 37 | 32 | 18 | 14 | 92 | 42.13 |
Pelletier was sent down to the Wranglers on Tuesday. He didn’t hit the scoresheet in his first game back.
Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; tied for 5th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 12 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 36.53 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 69 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 20 | 21 | 13 | 172 | 23.68 |
Poirier is starting to look like he looked early this season before his injury. He’s scoring at just shy of a point-per-game pace.
Cole Schwindt – C/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Florida’s third round pick (81st overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Florida; 9th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 102 | 22.56 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 70 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 118 | 18.22 |
Schwindt had an assist over three games this week. He’s just about at last season’s point total, in far fewer games.
Ilya Solovyov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 8th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 41 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 74 | 9.72 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 68 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 82 | 10.55 |
Solovyov returned from his injury this week. He didn’t hit the scoresheet, though.
William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 19th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 55 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 61 | 12.32 |
2022-23 (SHL) | 45 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 31 | 8.69 |
Strömgren keeps chugging along in the Wranglers’ middle six. He didn’t hit the scoresheet this week.
Aydar Suniev – LW/C, University of Massachusetts Minutemen, NCAA/Hockey East
19; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 13th-ranked prospect
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 34 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 94 | 23.70 |
2022-23 (BCHL) | 50 | 45 | 45 | 90 | 73 | 47 | 40 | – | 11.81 |
Suniev played on the second line as UMass beat Providence College in the Hockey East quarterfinal round. They advance to play top-ranked Boston College in the semi-final round next weekend.
Daniil Chechelev – G, HC Vityaz, KHL / Ryazan-VDV, VHL
22; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
GP | TOI | SV% | |
KHL season to date | 1 | 58 | .880 |
VHL season to date | 5 | 271 | .908 |
2022-23 (ECHL) | 39 | 2135 | .892 |
Chechelev’s season has concluded.
Arsenii Sergeev – G, University of Connecticut Huskies, NCAA/Hockey East
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 15th-ranked prospect
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 16 | 934 | .913 |
2022-23 (NCAA) | 19 | 1104 | .912 |
Sergeev played twice. He got the Huskies a win in the opening round of the Hockey East playoffs, but they fell in the quarterfinals to top-ranked Boston College. Their season has concluded.
Dustin Wolf – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s seventh round pick (214th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; 1st-ranked prospect
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 35 | 2025 | .923 |
2022-23 (AHL) | 55 | 3239 | .932 |
Wolf is in the NHL on an emergency recall, so very likely he’ll be returned to the Wranglers when Jacob Markstrom returns to action.
Yegor Yegorov – G, MHK Dynamo Moskva, MHL
18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 25 | 1319 | .917 |
2022-23 (MHL) | 15 | 786 | .915 |
Yegorov’s MHL season is finished, as MHK Dynamo Moskva were upset in a five-game series by Diamond Cherepovets. Yegorov dressed as backup to Maxim Yeryomenko in three of the five games – MHK rotated backups for the series.
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