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The Wranglers need more secondary scoring
Photo credit: Andreea Cardani/San Jose Barracuda
Friends, the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers are, like their National Hockey League parent, below the playoff cut line right now and looking up at some teams they need to catch.
Unlike the NHL’s Calgary Flames, though, the Wranglers have a bit of runway left to catch the teams ahead of them.
But the four games the Wranglers played this week – two overtime road wins and two regulation home losses – have laid bare a few challenges that the farm team is facing this season.
First, let’s call a spade a spade: they’re not a great defensive team right now. They’re not out-and-out bad, but they’re a group that has lost some big pieces from their blueline group and they’re leaning on some younger and less established players right now. Combine that with a goaltending tandem featuring a veteran (Ivan Prosvetov) with consistency challenges after returning from injury and a rookie (Arsenii Sergeev) who’s still learning the pro game, and playing a simple, structured game in front of them is the key. When they do that, they have a fighting chance most nights.
But the bigger challenge is offence.
Over the past four games, the Wranglers scored 14 goals: 3.5 per game. On those 14 goals, William Stromgren has eight points, Rory Kerins has six points, Daniil Miromanov has four points and Sam Morton has three points. Nobody else has more than two. Heck, a good chunk of the roster has one or fewer points on their last 14 goals.
The Wranglers are really relying on a small handful of players offensively. They need to help them out. Before it’s too late to salvage their playoff hopes.
Onto the updates!
Andrew Basha – LW/C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (41st overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 174 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 8th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
AHL season to date | 27 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 7.38 |
WHL season to date | 20 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 73 | 34.67 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 23 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 73 | 31.22 |
Basha’s basically replicated last season’s production while playing centre instead of the wing. Not bad.
Jacob Battaglia – RW/C, Kingston Frontenacs/Flint Firebirds, OHL
19; Calgary’s second round pick (62nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 7th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 55 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 32 | 29 | 23 | 147 | 19.74 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 68 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 67 | 57 | 45 | 239 | 35.06 |
Battaglia keeps chugging along, playing a mix of wing and centre for Flint.
Parker Bell – LW/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 192 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 42 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 47 | 3.80 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 61 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 67 | 7.84 |
Bell has no points this week.
Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver; 6’0″, 190 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 3rd-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 31 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 45 | 16.71 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 70 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 19 | 20 | 13 | 75 | 18.22 |
Brzustewicz has no points this week.
Nick Cicek – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
25; free agent signing; 6’3″, 201 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 52 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 53 | 12.26 |
2024-25 (DEL) | 50 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 75 | 9.81 |
Cicek had two points this week.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 210 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 41 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 48 | 5.83 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 68 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 91 | 12.89 |
Ciona had no points this week, but did get a chance to play on the top line.
Artem Grushnikov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas; 6’1″, 203 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 45 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 0.89 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 61 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 43 | 3.27 |
Grushnikov played twice and had no points this week.
Trevor Hoskin – RW, Merrimack College Warriors, NCAA
21; Calgary’s fourth round pick (106th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 175 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 26 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 48 | 32.23 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 36 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 80 | 17.23 |
Hoskin remains out with an injury.
Axel Hurtig – D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 202 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 52 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 76 | 7.62 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 55 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 66 | 7.20 |
Hurtig got a goal!… off a stat correction from last week. He’s matched last season’s offensive totals already, on a Hitmen team that scores a bit less than they did a year ago.
Eric Jamieson – D, University of Denver Pioneers, NCAA
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 200 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 62 | 15.75 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 66 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 | 27 | 19 | 175 | 13.51 |
Denver was off this week.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 15th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 50 | 17 | 28 | 45 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 105 | 35.87 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 63 | 33 | 28 | 61 | 52 | 40 | 35 | 135 | 38.59 |
Kerins had six points this week, and that’s with him leaving Wednesday’s game early with an injury of some sort.
Carter King – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; free agent signing; 5’11”, 190 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 49 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 57 | 8.13 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 44 | 21 | 22 | 43 | 31 | 16 | 14 | 116 | 35.18 |
King had two points this week.
Hunter Laing – C/RW, Saskatoon Blades, WHL
19; Calgary’s sixth round pick (170th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’5″, 205 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 53 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 35 | 26 | 21 | 133 | 21.96 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 64 | 25 | 23 | 48 | 40 | 35 | 29 | 153 | 18.57 |
Laing is a point away from matching last year’s production in fewer games.
Aidan Lane – RW, Harvard University Crimson, NCAA
18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 192 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 28 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 50 | 9.02 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 13 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 36 | 26.49 |
Lane had no points this week.
Jakob Leander – D, HV71, U20 Nationell
18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 196 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 41 | 4.10 |
2024-25 (J20) | 39 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 2.52 |
Leander had no points this week.
Jaden Lipinski – C, University of Maine Black Bears, NCAA
20; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 204 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 38 | 13.13 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 59 | 17 | 41 | 58 | 45 | 30 | 27 | 134 | 24.34 |
Lipinski had one point this week.
Cade Littler – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA
21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 197 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 29 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 45 | 13.65 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 33 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 9.82 |
Littler played once (and sat once) and had no points.
Yan Matveiko – C, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL/Zvezda Moskva, VHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (211th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 150 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
MHL season to date | 42 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 21 | 27 | 17 | 71 | 9.21 |
VHL season to date | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | n/a |
2024-25 (MHL) | 42 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 68 | 6.70 |
Matveiko had no points this week.
Luke Misa – LW/C, Penn State University Nittany Lions, NCAA
19; Calgary’s fifth round pick (150th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 170 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 13th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 30 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 75 | 15.47 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 67 | 34 | 51 | 85 | 58 | 63 | 43 | 211 | 33.60 |
Misa had three points this week.
Etienne Morin – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Rapid City Rush, ECHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 180 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 10th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
AHL season to date | 25 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 7.97 |
ECHL season to date | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 13.12 |
2024-25 (QMJHL) | 62 | 14 | 44 | 58 | 29 | 40 | 24 | 222 | 21.79 |
Morin played three games and had two points this week.
Mace’o Phillips – D, Green Bay Gamblers, USHL / United States Junior Selects, WJAC
18; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’6″, 228 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 55 | 6.26 |
2024-25 (USHL) | 25 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 2.76 |
Phillips had two points this week.
Cole Reschny – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA / Canada National Junior Team, WJC
18; Calgary’s first round pick (18th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 183 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 2nd-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 28 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 54 | 36.00 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 62 | 26 | 66 | 92 | 70 | 48 | 46 | 213 | 36.75 |
Reschny had two points this week.
Theo Stockselius – C/RW, Djurgårdens IF, U20 Nationell/SHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (54th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 181 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 12th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
U20 season to date | 10 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 34 | 22.96 |
SHL season to date | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.00 |
2024-25 (J20) | 40 | 22 | 29 | 51 | 38 | 35 | 29 | 93 | 20.91 |
Stockselius continues to serve on the fourth line on Djurgardens’ SHL team as they work through some injury challenges.
William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 16th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 47 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 29 | 25 | 19 | 62 | 33.07 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 70 | 14 | 35 | 49 | 35 | 26 | 20 | 107 | 27.90 |
Stromgren had eight points this week.
Aydar Suniev – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 198 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 9th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 42 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 64 | 14.23 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 35 | 20 | 18 | 38 | 31 | 21 | 17 | 119 | 34.99 |
Suniev had two points this weekk.
Gavin White – D, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Dallas’ third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; Acquired in trade with Dallas; 6’0″, 196 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 53 | 6.23 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 46 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 60 | 9.53 |
White had no points this week. He has yet to register a point with the Wranglers.
Abram Wiebe – D, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA / United States Collegiate Selects, Spengler Cup
22; Vegas’ seventh round pick (209th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vegas; 6’3″, 209 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 59 | 28.12 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 38 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 74 | 22.74 |
Wiebe had four points this week and was named the NCHC Defenceman of the Week… for the third consecutive week.
Ethan Wyttenbach – RW, Quinnipiac University Bobcats, NCAA
18; Calgary’s fifth round pick (144th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 180 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 20th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 34 | 22 | 32 | 54 | 41 | 32 | 24 | 85 | 36.47 |
2024-25 (USHL) | 44 | 24 | 27 | 51 | 42 | 38 | 30 | 127 | 26.61 |
Wyttenbach was blanked in one game this weekend, then responded with three points. He remains the top offensive player in college hockey. Like, all of it. All of college hockey.
Daniil Chechelev – G, Olympia Kirovo-Chepetsk, VHL
24; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 201 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 12 | 620 | .927 |
2024-25 (VHL) | 11 | 399 | .888 |
Chechelev is Olympia’s third-stringer, but he keeps giving them solid minutes when they use him.
Arsenii Sergeev – G, Rapid City Rush, ECHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 192 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
AHL season to date | 15 | 788 | .891 |
ECHL season to date | 12 | 714 | .922 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 33 | 1982 | .919 |
Sergeev played twice and had a win and a loss.
Yegor Yegorov – G, MHK Spartak-MAX, MHL
20; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 183 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 32 | 1800 | .918 |
2024-25 (MHL) | 20 | 1032 | .904 |
Yegorov played a lot, but he had some rough outings this week.
Kirill Zarubin – G, AKM Tula, MHL/AKM Tula Region, VHL
20; Calgary’s third round pick (84th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 178 pounds; FN’s 18th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | TOI | SV% | |
MHL season to date | 40 | 2180 | .934 |
VHL season to date | 1 | 60 | .967 |
2024-25 (MHL) | 21 | 1157 | .935 |
Zarubin has played a ton, is playing well, and is one of the MHL’s top goaltenders.
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Breaking News
- The Wranglers need more secondary scoring
- Flames Game Day 57: Back in action against the Sharks (8pm MT, SN1)
- The Flames begin a punishing final 26 games on Thursday in San Jose
- Recap: Wranglers fall 4-2 in season series closer against the Barracuda
- FN’s mid-season Flames prospect updates: Jaden Lipinski