After a slow start to his NHL career, the Calgary Flames have chosen to assign Matt Coronato to the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL.
Coronato, who was selected 13th overall in 2021 by the Flames, was able to crack the opening night roster out of training camp in what is his first season of professional hockey. As impressive as he was in the preseason, however, he struggled through the first 10 games of the 2023-24 campaign, registering a single goal and two points.
Choosing to send Coronato down appears to be the right decision, as the Flames are struggling as a team right now. Instead, the 20-year-old will get to join a very strong Wranglers team and will have a huge role with them. That said, if he goes on a tear while in the AHL, he may very well get another shot with the Flames before the season is said and done.
In a corresponding move, the Flames announced that they have recalled forward Martin Pospisil from the Wranglers. It marks the first NHL call-up for the 23-year-old, who is in his fifth season as a pro. The 6-foot-2, 173-pound forward has gotten off to a good start with the Wranglers this season, scoring three goals and six points through six games.
While Pospisil does have some offensive talent, he also brings plenty of toughness to the lineup. In his draft-eligible season while playing in the USHL, he had a ridiculous 253 penalty minutes in 49 games. While he has toned it down some in more recent years, he still racked up 95 penalty minutes in 47 AHL games during the 2021-22 season.
It hasn’t been confirmed, but there is a good chance that Coronato will make his AHL debut this afternoon as the Wranglers are set to welcome the San Jose Barracuda to town. As for Pospisil, his NHL debut may come tomorrow night versus the Seattle Kraken.
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