Even after making 10 selections at the 2024 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames still lack organizational depth down the middle.

The Flames added just two natural centres at the draft this past June, and none before the fifth round. One of them, Luke Misa, projects more as a winger at the professional level, while Hunter Laing will likely be a bottom-six guy if he pans out. Anything can happen, but the Flames still lack that true blue-chip centre prospect.

Sam Morton, who the Flames signed as an undrafted free agent from Minnesota State University – Mankato back in March, also looks more like a potential NHL supporting piece than a future star. That said, the 25-year-old lefty has met or exceeded expectations at every turn since turning pro late last season and could have a shot at landing a gig with the Flames this fall.

Playing primarily on a line with fellow would-be NHLer William Strömgren, Morton picked apart the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers during his two games with the Flames at the YoungStars Classic in Penticton this past weekend. Morton scored a pair of goals and added an assist over six periods of play and was rock-solid at both ends of the ice, looking every bit the part of the tournament’s elder statesman.

In recognition of their strong play, the Flames elected to give both Morton and Strömgren the day off on Monday as they took on the Vancouver Canucks in the tournament finale. Those two forwards simply operated at a completely different level than their counterparts on an otherwise very young and inexperienced Flames team in Penticton.

It didn’t take long for Morton to make an impression in Calgary after he agreed to terms on his first pro deal with the Flames organization late last season. The Lafayette, Colorado product tallied eight goals and 11 points in 19 AHL games with the Calgary Wranglers last spring, almost immediately establishing himself as a top-six centre with the club leading into the playoffs.

Morton took a rather circuitous route to his first NHL contract, going undrafted while flip-flopping between the BCHL and Union College before entering the transfer portal and finally settling into a rhythm over four seasons at Minnesota State. Due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Morton ended up spending parts of six seasons playing college hockey.

In his final year at Minnesota State, Morton led the Mavericks with 24 goals and 34 points in 37 games and was named a Top 10 finalist for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award. He also served as team captain in the 2023-24 season, all while wearing jersey No. 6 — highly unusual for a forward.

Although the two are separated by a couple of inches, there’s a bit of Derek Ryan in Morton’s game. He’s a versatile and responsible centre who is surprisingly quick and skilled — and, much like Ryan, it’s easy to envision Morton becoming a player who fits in nicely on an NHL third line (or as a luxury on the fourth line).

Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund are locks to play centre on a full-time basis for the Flames this season. It’s safe to say that one of Martin Pospisil, Connor Zary, and Yegor Sharangovich will take the other top-nine centre spot, with the other two likely to settle in on the wings.

But who will centre the fourth line? At 31 years of age, Kevin Rooney is the most established candidate in the organization, but he can also slot in as the 13th forward without much fuss if the Flames want to give a younger player the chance to develop in an everyday role.

That essentially leaves Morton and Cole Schwindt, the latter of whom is still a restricted free agent without a contract for the coming season. Schwindt, who turned 23 in April and shoots right, has been an effective middle-six forward with the Wranglers over the last two seasons but lacks some of the more dynamic elements of Morton’s game.

Morton, being nearly two full years Schwindt’s senior, essentially needs to make the NHL right away — otherwise, he might not at all. He’s pretty much a fully-formed player already. It’s one thing for a 25-year-old to dominate against teenagers, but it’s another entirely for him to stand out in his first NHL training camp and preseason. Those are Morton’s next tests.

Wouldn’t it be fun to see Morton and Stromgren skate together in the NHL at some point this coming season? While they might not be the flashiest forward prospects in the Flames’ system, they’re both coming off great stretch drives with the Wranglers and top-tier showings in Penticton. There are only so many roster spots to go around, but those two seem to have what it takes to make a go of it at the next level.

Don’t sleep on Sam Morton. He’s not going to compete for the Calder Trophy, but don’t be surprised if he follows in Pospisil’s footsteps and becomes a fixture of the Flames’ forward group by the end of the 2024-25 season.