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5 Calgary Flames prospects facing make-or-break seasons

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Sep 16 2025, 8:31 pm
5 Calgary Flames prospects facing make-or-break seasons
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames will have some interesting battles for fans to keep an eye on in the coming weeks, with training camp set to get underway.

Although the Flames brought in very little in terms of free agents, they have a number of prospects, most notably Zayne Parekh, who are eyeing a spot on the roster this season. While many will be focused on Parekh, there are a number of other prospects who are preparing for not only a massive camp but also the upcoming season.

While the Flames boast some great young prospects who aren’t ready to make their mark just yet, they have a number of others who will need to make some noise this season if they hope to be a part of the organization moving forward. Here’s a look at five who will need to have big seasons in order to remain a part of the future plan.

Rory Kerins

  • Age: 23
  • Position: C/LW
  • 2024-25 stats: 63 GP, 33 G, 28 A, 61 PTS (Calgary Wranglers/AHL)

Entering what will be his fourth professional season, the time is now for Rory Kerins to prove he has what it takes to be a regular NHLer moving forward. The 23-year-old is coming off a big AHL season in which he scored 33 goals in just 63 outings.

Kerins suited up for five NHL games in 2024-25, where he chipped in with four assists. The offensive talent is undeniable, but his skating and questionable defensive play have held him back. After agreeing to a one-year extension in the offseason, he will need to show he’s added more dimensions to his game in order to crack the Flames roster.

Ilya Solovyov

  • Age: 25
  • Position: D
  • 2024-25 stats: 59 GP, 6 G, 22 A, 28 PTS (Calgary Wranglers/AHL)

Many felt that 25-year-old defenceman Ilya Solovyov would push for a spot on last season’s Flames roster, though he failed to impress enough in training camp and wound up being placed on waivers.

flames-solovyov

Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

Solovyov went unclaimed on the waiver wire and wound up spending the vast majority of the 2024-25 season in the AHL. Given his age and the number of blueline prospects the Flames have, this feels like it may be his final shot in his quest to develop into a full-time NHLer.

Sam Morton

  • Age: 26
  • Position: C
  • 2024-25 stats: 70 GP, 20 G, 25 A, 45 PTS (Calgary Wranglers/AHL)

Although his age may suggest he doesn’t have a future as a regular NHL player, Sam Morton is entering just his second professional season after spending four seasons with Minnesota State University.

Morton was able to suit up for his first NHL game last season and is a dark-horse candidate to crack the Flames roster. If he fails to do so, he’ll need to ensure he has a strong start to the season with the Wranglers in order to get a shot with the Flames at some point during the 2025-26 campaign.

Jeremie Poirier

  • Age: 23
  • Position: D
  • 2024-25 stats: 71 GP, 5 G, 37 A, 42 PTS (Calgary Wranglers/AHL)

With some strong puck-moving defencemen such as Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Henry Mews in the fold, Jeremie Poirier has become somewhat of an afterthought in the Flames organization. The 23-year-old hasn’t taken the step forward through his first three seasons as a pro that people have been hoping to see.

Though Poirier is a long shot to crack the Flames roster, he is going to need to make a big statement with the Wranglers early on in the 2025-26 season to prove to the organization that he is deserving of being in their long-term plans.

Adam Klapka

  • Age: 25
  • Position: RW/LW
  • 2024-25 stats: 31 GP, 6 G, 4 A, 10 PTS (Calgary Flames)

Thanks to some strong play with the Flames to wind down the 2024-25 season, Adam Klapka feels like a lock to crack the roster out of training camp, especially given the fact that he was signed to a two-year, $2.5 million deal early in the offseason.

flames-klapkia

Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

While Klapka’s two-year deal gives him some security, he’s yet to become an effective player on a consistent basis through his short 37-game span in the NHL. That consistency is going to need to show itself in 2025-26 in order for him to be an everyday player for the Flames moving forward.

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