The Calgary Flames won't be competing for the Stanley Cup this spring — that much has been clear for some time. But with eight regular-season games remaining, the club still has meaningful work to do: evaluating the depth of their pipeline before the off-season begins.
This season marked the introduction of a new NHL rule allocating each team five non-emergency AHL recalls following the trade deadline, with a maximum of four such players permitted on the NHL roster at any given time. As of early April, the Flames have already used three of those spots — Matvei Gridin, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Brennan Othmann are all currently on the active roster. That leaves two recall opportunities remaining, though the team would need to send one player down before activating their final slot.
So who among the Calgary Wranglers has earned the right to finish the year in the NHL? Here are five names worth considering.
Nick Cicek, Defence
Undrafted out of the traditional pipeline, Cicek carved his own path — a stint with the San Jose Sharks organization on an entry-level deal, followed by a season in Germany, before signing with the Flames system as a free agent last July. The result? He's quietly become one of the most valuable defencemen on the Wranglers' blueline.
Cicek can play both sides and adapts readily to different defensive partners — an asset on a Wranglers team that lost Ilya Solovyov, Yan Kuznetsov, and Brzustewicz for extended stretches. His steady, versatile play has made him the defensive linchpin of the Calgary farm club, and a call-up would be a well-earned reward.
Rory Kerins, Forward
Selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Kerins spent a few seasons finding his footing at the AHL level. Then something changed. Over the past two seasons, he has been posting near point-per-game production with the Wranglers — a striking turnaround for a player many had written off as a long-shot to even receive a qualifying offer.
Kerins has received limited NHL exposure so far and hasn't had a sustained opportunity to show what his game looks like at the top level. With eight games left and little to lose, why not give him that runway?
Sam Morton, Centre
If Cicek is the defensive anchor of the Wranglers' blueline, Morton plays a parallel role down the middle. A college free agent signing, he has grown into one of the most dependable centres in the Wranglers' lineup — not flashy, but reliable in heavy-minutes situations and consistently trusted by his coaching staff.
Morton was briefly recalled earlier this season before John Beecher was claimed off waivers, and he performed capably during that stint. Given how the Flames have struggled with centre depth at various points this year, another look at Morton before summer seems prudent.
William Stromgren, Forward
A second-round pick in 2021, Stromgren has spent three seasons with the Wranglers and has improved his scoring pace in each of them. He made his NHL debut earlier this season, logging a handful of games on the fourth line — limited ice time, but experience nonetheless.
Stromgren's game can be streaky, but when he's engaged, he's an effective offensive contributor. Getting additional evaluative looks at him before the summer could help the Flames make clearer decisions about his role going forward.
Aydar Suniev, Forward
The youngest name on this list, Suniev was a third-round selection in 2023 who impressed over two seasons at UMass before signing his entry-level contract last spring. This has been his first year in professional hockey, learning the pace and structure of the AHL game with the Wranglers.
Wranglers head coach Brett Sutter recently singled out Suniev as his team's most improved player — high praise heading into the off-season. With notable upside and a promising trajectory, bringing him to the NHL for even a brief look before the summer could offer valuable data for the organization's planning.
Source: FlamesNation. Original analysis by Ryan Pike. WestNet News has rewritten and expanded this report independently.