When he was hired as Calgary Flames general manager, Craig Conroy pledged to give young players a chance. And if you look at the Flames’ current roster, that’s happening.
If you look at FlamesNation‘s summer top 20 prospect rankings, five of the top 10 players have spent time on the NHL roster. (And another two players in the top 20, and another player that just missed the top 20.) But the challenge with the Calgary Wranglers losing some of their best and brightest to the NHL is that they still need to compete and win games.
The Wranglers played this weekend without reigning most valuable player Dustin Wolf. And Adam Klapka and Matt Coronato, who were both summoned to the NHL. Cole Schwindt was also recalled later in the week. As a result, the Wranglers’ depth was a bit stretched.
The good news is that Oscar Dansk, signed as a reliable veteran backup, has arguably exceeded expectations and boasts goaltending stats that aren’t all that far off from Wolf. And William Strömgren, who’s been a solid if unspectacular two-way checking winger this season as he learns the North American game, had four assists over two games.
Eventually we’ll see Jakob Pelletier suit up. And some of the call-ups will return to the Wranglers. (And some of their injured players will return.) For now, though, there’s a lot of ice time in key situations up for grabs. Let’s see who grabs hold of it.
Let’s dive into this week’s prospect snapshot!

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
34
19
17
36
29
21
19
137
26.22
2022-23
55
25
39
64
51
36
28
187
28.82
Bell slowed down a bit offensively this week, with an assist over two games.

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
20
0
1
1
1
1
1
23
1.37
2022-23 (NCAA)
37
1
4
5
3
5
3
42
3.69
Boltmann finally registered his first point of his senior year in his 19th game. It was his first point in nearly a full year.

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
33
2
1
3
2
3
2
41
3.62
2022-23 (WHL)
63
28
47
75
53
54
37
194
29.48
Ciona keeps plugging along. He plays with pace. He plays physical. He doesn’t score a ton. But he doesn’t look out of place at all.

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
27
12
17
29
21
20
14
94
42.80
2022-23 (NCAA)
34
20
16
36
31
19
16
141
24.31
Coronato spent this week in the NHL.

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
11
5
9
14
10
5
4
36
31.52
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 is still getting his mojo back offensively after missing so much time. His five-on-five production is a bit lean so far, but he’s already pretty consistent and productive – and he probably has a gear above this current one.

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
15
3
4
7
5
7
5
31
17.30
SHL season to date
1
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
Hurtig keeps doing his thing. He split this week between Rögle’s junior side and a loan to HockeyEttan. He’s a top pair junior player and a second pair player in the third tier of Swedish pro hockey.

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
37
12
12
24
19
20
15
94
28.85
2022-23 (AHL)
71
17
37
54
41
28
21
202
30.31
Jones had a power play goal. He’s played every single Wranglers game this season, and he’s generally been really reliable and consistent.

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
29
11
12
23
19
14
11
67
31.61
2022-23 (ECHL)
38
17
20
37
31
25
21
117
22.36
Kerins keeps plugging along. His scoring pace isn’t as strong as, say, Matt Coronato, but his draft pedigree isn’t there either. He’s still a great bright spot for the Wranglers, especially offensively.

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
33
10
11
21
18
16
13
88
25.36
2022-23 (AHL)
60
13
12
25
18
16
11
103
16.61
Klapka spent this week in the NHL.

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
21
2
3
5
4
4
3
36
5.47
2022-23 (NCAA)
37
7
11
18
12
10
7
67
13.28
Koumontzis was quiet this week for Idaho.

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
33
3
5
8
6
8
6
40
9.66
2022-23 (AHL)
63
5
14
19
11
19
11
65
12.02
Kuznetsov returned to action after spending time in the NHL, and scored a goal. Hooray!

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
43
12
27
39
27
14
10
105
22.46
2022-23 (WHL)
66
19
32
51
36
35
23
152
19.14
Lipinski had a power play assist this week.

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
15
5
8
13
10
5
3
5.69
2022-23 (BCHL)
51
29
39
68
47
36
27
8.75
The BCHL was off this week as they had their All-Star festivities going on.

Brady Lyle – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

24; Free agent signing
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
Season to date
36
5
8
13
7
7
3
83
14.39
2022-23 (AHL)
51
7
24
31
16
13
6
124
24.22
Lyle played once and was scratched once.

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
36
8
25
33
19
13
8
116
21.35
2022-23 (QMJHL)
67
21
51
72
47
34
21
213
25.03
Morin had four assists in three games, though his points came primarily on the power play. (As usual: look at all those shots on goal. He’s generating a lot.)

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
20
2
3
5
5
5
5
18
9.96
2022-23 (ECHL)
40
13
20
33
21
22
15
97
18.94
With a few players above him in the rotation getting called up, Nikolaev rotated back into the lineup. 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
2022-23 (AHL)
35
16
21
37
32
18
14
92
42.13
Pelletier is back practising with the Wranglers. He’s nearing a return to game action.

Emilio Pettersen – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

23; Calgary’s sixth round pick (167th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; 20th-ranked prospect
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
Season to date
37
7
19
26
20
19
13
54
28.00
2022-23 (AHL)
61
19
25
44
35
35
29
118
28.75
Pettersen was held off the scoresheet this week. He remains more or less on the same scoring pace he had last season.

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
4
1
6
7
2
4
2
9
69.74
2022-23 (AHL)
69
9
32
41
20
21
13
172
23.68
Poirier remains out “indefinitely” after suffering a serious laceration early in the season.

Topi Rönni – C, Tappara Tampere, Liiga/SM-sarja U20/CHL

19; Calgary’s second round pick (59th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 10th-ranked prospect
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
Season to date (Liiga)
19
1
1
2
1
1
1
18
3.90
Season to date (U20)
11
6
13
19
15
8
8
30
28.33
Season to date (CHL)
6
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
n/a
2022-23 (Liiga)
22
2
3
5
3
5
3
14
8.42
Rönni had four points in two games for Tappara’s junior team. He hasn’t played a pro game in awhile.

Cole Schwindt – C/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

22; Acquired in a trade with Florida; 9th-ranked prospect
GP
G
A
P
P1
5v5
P
5v5 P1
SH
NHLe
Season to date
37
8
12
20
14
15
10
70
21.54
2022-23 (AHL)
70
14
18
32
20
16
10
118
18.22
Schwindt had a good week. He chipped in a pair of assists for the Wranglers over the weekend, then was called up and made his Flames debut on Tuesday evening.

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
29
2
5
7
4
7
4
52
9.62
2022-23 (AHL)
68
4
14
18
9
16
8
82
10.55
Solovyov had an assist this weekend. He’s a shutdown guy, but he keeps plugging along and chips in points here and there.

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
34
1
7
8
6
6
5
30
9.38
2022-23 (SHL)
45
3
5
8
6
6
5
31
8.69
Strömgren had four points this season coming into this weekend. He had four assists this weekend, doubling his season total.

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
21
8
9
17
13
10
7
55
26.09
2022-23 (BCHL)
50
45
45
90
73
47
40
11.81
Suniev was held off the scoresheet in UMass’ lone game this weekend, but they battled to beat a pretty good Northeastern team in a tight game.

Daniil Chechelev – G, Ryazan-VDV, VHL

22; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
GP
TOI
SV%
Season to date
1
58
.888
2022-23 (ECHL)
39
2135
.892
Chechelev dressed as backup twice.

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
8
460
.925
2022-23 (NCAA)
19
1104
.912
Sergeev continued to split starts with senior Ethan Haider for the second consecutive weekend. For the second consecutive weekend, Sergeev delivered. He made 42 saves in a win and was named the Hockey East conference’s top goaltender for the second straight week.

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
23
1346
.929
2022-23 (AHL)
55
3239
.932
Wolf was in the NHL until Monday and missed the weekend’s AHL games.

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
19
1055
.931
2022-23 (MHL)
15
786
.915
Yegorov dressed as backup once.

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