The playoffs continue for some prospects: a Calgary Flames prospect update

The Calgary Flames’ season ended in mid-April, as the National Hockey League club failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. But here we are, about a month later, with several prospects still actively involved in the post-season.

The Calgary Wranglers, the top minor league affiliate of the Flames, are in the midst of the second round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs. They’re trailing the Coachella Valley Firebirds by a 2-1 margin through three games in the best-of-five series, but all three games have been close. When you consider that the Firebirds were the Pacific Division’s top team and the Wranglers were the lowest-ranked team to qualify for the playoffs in that division, the competitive balance shown in the series thus far is pretty impressive.

Down in the ECHL, Demetrious Koumonzis, who the Flames technically still have the rights to, has dressed a few times for the Idaho Steelheads. The Steelheads are playing Kansas City in the second round of the ECHL playoffs. Kansas City leads the series 2-1.

And down in the BCHL, Cade Littler has recently returned from a lengthy injury absence to rejoin the Penticton Vees in their playoff journey. The Vees are currently playing Salmon Arm in the conference final round, with the series tied 2-2.

Let’s dive into this week’s prospect update!

Parker Bell – LW/C, Tri-City Americans, WHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

20; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
WHL season to date	59	33	31	64	50	35	31	231	26.86
AHL season to date	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
2022-23 (WHL)	55	25	39	64	51	36	28	187	28.82

Bell has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	30	0	2	2	2	2	2	36	1.82
2022-23 (NCAA)	37	1	4	5	3	5	3	42	3.69

Boltmann’s NCAA season is complete. He’s transferred to Northeastern University for the 2024-25 season.

Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Kitchener Rangers, OHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

19; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
OHL season to date	67	13	79	92	46	65	34	140	36.37
AHL season to date	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2022-23 (OHL)	68	6	51	57	32	31	21	110	22.20

Brzustewicz has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	55	4	2	6	5	6	5	67	4.35
2022-23 (WHL)	63	28	47	75	53	54	37	194	29.48

Ciona has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	41	15	27	42	28	27	17	140	40.82
2022-23 (NCAA)	34	20	16	36	31	19	16	141	24.31

Coronato’s been a fixture on the right side of the Wranglers’ top line through five playoff games. He has six points and is one of the players that’s always out there with the game up for grabs.

Riley Damiani – C, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

23; Dallas’ fifth round pick (137th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	66	11	13	24	19	16	13	94	14.49
2022-23 (AHL)	59	13	18	31	24	18	14	87	20.94

Damiani has been used in a checking role for all five playoff games. He’s been perfectly fine.

Artem Grushnikov – D, Texas Stars/Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

20; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	63	1	5	6	5	6	5	65	3.80
2022-23 (OHL)	65	8	9	17	10	14	9	116	6.93

Grushnikov has yet to dress in the playoffs. (The Wranglers are carrying a lot of defenders and even with them dressing seven per game, somebody has to sit.)

Samuel Honzek – LW/C, Vancouver Giants, WHL / Slovakia, WJC / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

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	33	10	21	31	22	16	11	86	23.26
WJC season to date	5	3	1	4	3	2	1	10	n/a
AHL season to date	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
2022-23 (WHL)	43	23	33	56	40	36	26	134	32.25

Honzek has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	27	3	8	11	7	11	7	54	15.10
SHL season to date	7	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’s season is finished. He’ll be joining the Calgary Hitmen next season.

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	72	21	22	43	34	28	22	208	23.80
2022-23 (AHL)	71	17	37	54	41	28	21	202	30.31

Jones has played every playoff game so far in a checking role. He has yet to register a point.

Joni Jurmo – D, Ilves Tampere/KooKoo Kuovola, Liiga/CHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

21; Vancouver’s third round pick (82nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Liiga season to date	46	1	4	5	3	4	3	63	4.03
CHL season to date	6	0	1	1	1	1	1	8	n/a
AHL season to date	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2022-23 (Liiga)	52	5	8	13	8	11	6	118	9.27

Jurmo’s season is finished.

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	54	16	16	32	27	22	18	115	23.62
2022-23 (ECHL)	38	17	20	37	31	25	21	117	22.36

Kerins has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	65	21	24	45	34	31	22	182	27.59
2022-23 (AHL)	60	13	12	25	18	16	11	103	16.61

On one hand, Klapka has seven points in five playoff games and has been very noticeable. On the other hand, he took six minutes in minor penalties in Game 3 against Coachella Valley… and the Firebirds scored twice with him in the box to win the game. He’s good, but he’s not perfect.

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	47	9	10	19	11	14	10	84	9.28
2022-23 (NCAA)	37	7	11	18	12	10	7	67	13.28

Koumontzis has an assist in three playoff games.

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	63	5	8	13	9	12	8	88	8.22
2022-23 (AHL)	63	5	14	19	11	19	11	65	12.02

Kuznetsov has a goal in five playoff games. He’s been playing primarily in a shutdown role with Colton Poolman.

Jaden Lipinski – C, Vancouver Giants, WHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

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
WHL season to date	67	24	42	66	47	33	23	181	24.39
AHL season to date	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
2022-23 (WHL)	66	19	32	51	36	35	23	152	19.14

Lipinski’s season is finished.

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	24	9	12	21	17	9	6	–	5.51
2022-23 (BCHL)	51	29	39	68	47	36	27	–	8.75

Littler has a goal in nine playoff games for Penticton. At present, the Vees are tied 2-2 with Salmon Arm in the conference final round.

Brady Lyle – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

24; Free agent signing
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	47	6	9	15	9	7	3	102	12.72
2022-23 (AHL)	51	7	24	31	16	13	6	124	24.22

Lyle has yet to dress in the playoffs.

Etienne Morin – D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

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
QMJHL season to date	58	12	37	49	32	21	13	191	19.67
AHL season to date	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
2022-23 (QMJHL)	67	21	51	72	47	34	21	213	25.03

Morin’s season is finished.

Sam Morton – C, Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks, NCAA / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

24; Free agent signing

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
NCAA season to date	37	24	10	34	32	20	19	151	24.00
AHL season to date	13	5	2	7	7	5	5	25	21.46
2022-23 (NCAA)	10	6	2	8	7	3	3	28	21.00

Morton has four points in five games so far in the playoffs, centring the second line. Remember, he came in on an amateur try-out deal – his NHL deal begins next season – but he was so good so quickly that they couldn’t take him out of the lineup.

Ilya Nikolaev – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL / Rapid City Rush, ECHL
 

22; Calgary’s third round pick (88th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
AHL season to date	29	3	3	6	6	6	6	33	8.25
ECHL season to date	6	2	6	8	7	5	5	16	30.61
2022-23 (ECHL)	40	13	20	33	21	22	15	97	18.94

Nikolaev has yet to dress in the playoffs.

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	18	5	7	12	8	7	6	45	26.57
2022-23 (AHL)	35	16	21	37	32	18	14	92	42.13

Pelletier has three points in five playoff games, working the left side of the Wranglers’ top line.

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	23	3	10	13	5	5	2	44	22.53
2022-23 (AHL)	69	9	32	41	20	21	13	172	23.68

Poirier has four points in five playoff games, with three of them coming in Game 3 against Coachella Valley. The Wranglers have used seven defenders seemingly in an effort to manage Poirier’s minutes and usage… and it seems to be doing a decent job keeping him fresh.

Cole Schwindt – C/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
 

22; Florida’s third round pick (81st overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Florida; 9th-ranked prospect
 

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	66	14	22	36	27	23	15	128	21.74
2022-23 (AHL)	70	14	18	32	20	16	10	118	18.22

Playing up the middle on the first line, Schwindt has five points in five playoff games. He’s been quite effective.

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	51	5	10	15	10	14	10	88	11.72
2022-23 (AHL)	68	4	14	18	9	16	8	82	10.55

Solovyov has a goal over five playoff games. He’s been playing on the top pairing, primarily with Jordan Oesterle.

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	68	7	20	27	23	18	15	74	15.82
2022-23 (SHL)	45	3	5	8	6	6	5	31	8.69

Strömgren has four points over five playoff games. He was excellent against Tucson, but he’s been merely pretty decent against Coachella Valley.

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	35	12	13	25	19	16	12	100	23.02
2022-23 (BCHL)	50	45	45	90	73	47	40	–	11.81

Suniev’s season is finished.

Daniil Chechelev – G, HC Vityaz, KHL / Ryazan-VDV, VHL
 

22; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft
 

	GP	TOI	SV%
KHL season to date	1	58	.880
VHL season to date	5	271	.908
2022-23 (ECHL)	39	2135	.892

Chechelev’s season is finished.

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	16	934	.913
2022-23 (NCAA)	19	1104	.912

Sergeev’s season is finished. He’ll be joining Penn State for the 2024-25 season.

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	36	2082	.922
2022-23 (AHL)	55	3239	.932

Wolf’s been pretty good through five playoff games, winning three and losing twice. Teams seem to be trying to crowd his crease to throw him off his rhythm and trying to get him moving laterally to open up holes in his positioning. It’s had mixed results.

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	25	1319	.917
2022-23 (MHL)	15	786	.915

Yegorov’s season is finished.