7 ex-Flames prospects fans once had high hopes for

Though still in the early stages of a rebuild, the Calgary Flames suddenly have several high-end prospects that point toward a bright future.

Players such as Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf, and a number of others are giving Flames fans hope that this team will turn into a contender in the years to come.

As Flames fans are well aware, prospects are no sure thing. Here’s a look at several the organization had in more recent history that never reached the potential many had once envisioned.

7. Leland Irving

• Drafted: 26th overall, 2006
• NHL stats: 13 GP, 3.25 GAA, .902 SV%

The Flames chose to select Leland Irving late in the first round of the 2006 draft, viewing him as the goalie of the future once Miikka Kiprusoff was done. Given that Kiprusoff was still in the early prime of his career, the organization was able to give Irving plenty of time to develop.

Though things looked promising early in Irving’s professional career, he didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2011-12 season. He wound up appearing in just 13 games with the Flames, before heading overseas in 2013-14.

6. Greg Nemisz

• Drafted: 28th overall, 2008
• NHL stats: 15 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT

Things looked bright early on following the Flames selecting Greg Nemisz in the latter part of the first round in the 2008 draft. He put up some great numbers during his time in the OHL, and helped lead the Windsor Spitfires to two Memorial Cup championships.

For whatever reason, things didn’t work out the same for Nemisz at the professional level. He posted some mediocre-at-best stat lines over the course of six seasons in the AHL, and mustered up just one assist in 15 games he was able to suit up for in the Flames lineup.

5. Morgan Klimchuk

• Drafted: 28th overall, 2013
• NHL stats: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS

The Flames looked to be in great shape heading into the 2013 draft, as they had three picks in the first round. The first worked out quite well, as they took Sean Monahan at sixth overall. The other two didn’t pan out as planned.

The final of the three picks was Morgan Klimchuk, who at the time of being drafted had scored 36 goals and 76 points with the Moose Jaw Warriors. He went on to have two more successful seasons at the WHL level, but would eventually go on to play in just one NHL game before retiring after the 2019-20 season.

4. Emile Poirier

• Drafted: 22nd overall, 2013
• NHL stats: 8 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT

The other pick who didn’t work out for the Flames in 2013 was Emile Poirier. The talented winger spent just one more season in the QMJHL after being drafted before turning pro and appeared to be on his way to becoming an impactful NHL player.

Poirier had a solid rookie season in the AHL but was never able to sustain that success afterward. He wound up playing just eight games with the Flames before eventually heading overseas for the 2020-21 season. He is still playing, having spent the 2023-24 season with Bratislava Slovan in the Slovak league.

3. Tim Erixon

• Drafted: 23rd overall, 2009
• NHL stats: 93 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 PTS

When the Flames selected Tim Erixon in 2009, they thought he had the potential to become a top-pairing, two-way defenceman who could star on their blue line for years to come. He wound up refusing to sign in Calgary, however, forcing then-general manager Jay Feaster to trade him to the New York Rangers nearly two years later.

Erixon would go on to have short stints with the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was never able to find his footing. He wound up spending several seasons afterward in the AHL before heading overseas, where he continues to play in the SHL.

2. Sven Baertschi

• Drafted: 13th overall, 2011
• NHL stats: 292 GP, 66 G, 72 A, 138 PTS

The Flames organization was very high on Sven Baertschi after they selected him 13th overall in 2011. The Swiss forward dominated with the Portland Winterhawks in the year following his draft, and was able to suit up for five games with the Flames to close out that season, scoring three goals.

Things stalled out from there, and he wound up being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2015. While he went on to have some decent seasons in Vancouver, it was far from the success many had envisioned he would have in the NHL when he first arrived.

1. Sam Bennett

• Drafted: 4th overall, 2014
• NHL stats: 615 GP, 137 G, 148 A, 285 PTS

A year after drafting Baertschi, the Flames were able to select Sam Bennett, whom they believed had the potential to become a star in the NHL. He was by no means a bust, but his 67 goals and 140 points in 402 games with the Flames were very disappointing given initial expectations.

Bennett wound up being traded to the Florida Panthers during the 2020-21 season, and has excelled ever since. While not as big of an offensive producer as anyone had expected, he is one of the game’s most feared power forwards. Despite how things have turned out, however, there is no denying that this selection turned out to be extremely disappointing for the Flames.

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