Calgary Flames forward Sam Honzek is set to miss up to six months after undergoing surgery this week, the team announced on Friday.

Honzek sustained an upper-body injury in last Saturday’s contest against the Winnipeg Jets. Following a collision with teammate Mikael Backlund in the second period, he left the game and did not return. On Sunday morning, head coach Ryan Huska classified him as “week-to-week,” but now it appears the 21-year-old will miss months, and possibly the remainder of the season. With the 2026 Winter Olympics looming in February, it seems unlikely that he’ll be back in time to represent Slovakia at that event.

Through 18 games with the Flames so far this season, Honzek scored two goals and added two assists, averaging 12:21 TOI per night. His first career NHL goal came at the end of October against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Honzek was selected 16th overall by the Flames in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. A native of Trencin, Slovakia, he began his playing career in his home country before joining the WHL’s Vancouver Giants for two seasons. Honzek then made his NHL debut last season, playing five games with the Flames in October without registering a point. He then spent the remainder of the season in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers, scoring eight goals and adding 13 assists in 52 games played.

The young forward also boasts a number of international appearances, including at the World Juniors and last year’s World Championships, where he contributed a goal and an assist.

Following the conclusion of last season, he landed #11 on FlamesNation’s 2025 summer prospect rankings. He had been working hard at his NHL emergence this season, but unfortunately now faces a setback with this injury. Honzek’s entry-level contract runs through the 2027-28 season, giving him plenty of time still to cement a place in Calgary moving forward.

Along with Honzek, the Flames are currently without rookie Zayne Parekh, who landed on IR this month after suffering an upper-body injury, and forward Martin Pospisil, who was injured late in training camp. Parekh is currently listed as week-to-week with no specific timeline for his return. No specific timeline has been shared for Pospisil’s return.

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