Flames have two forward prospects lighting up the AHL
Things may not be going well for the Calgary Flames right now, but there is reason for fans to remain optimistic.
Heading into training camp, there was chatter that several prospects may crack the opening night roster as the team was hoping to get younger. While Matt Coronato and Jakob Pelletier remain with the big club, another young talent who some hoped would stick around but got sent to the AHL was Connor Zary.
To Zary’s credit, he never once complained and instead has been lighting it up with the Calgary Wranglers in hopes of getting noticed by the Flames coaching staff. Through four games, the 2020 first-round pick is already up to eight assists.
Zary isn’t the only Flames prospect up front who has started off the season blistering hot, as his teammate, Adam Klapka, has four goals and seven points in four games. It has been an impressive start to the season for two players who could receive an opportunity with the Flames later in the year if they keep it up.
After struggling in his rookie season in the AHL, Zary was able to improve his totals tremendously in 2022-23, scoring 21 goals and 58 points in 72 games. It looks like he is in store for an even bigger season this year.
Klapka, meanwhile, played in his rookie season with the Wranglers in 2022-23. The undrafted 6-foot-8 winger scored 13 goals and 25 points in 60 games and is on his way to smash those totals thanks to a bigger opportunity given so far this season.
On the back end, Jeremie Poirier was also off to a fantastic start with seven points in four games but will be out of the lineup indefinitely after suffering a skate laceration in a recent game versus the Abbotsford Canucks. Prior to his injury, he was also looked at as a player who could see some NHL action this season.
While the Flames 2-4-1 record on the year has fans feeling down in the dumps, they can hang their hat on the fact that there are some impressive players in the organization’s pipeline who should be able to contribute at the NHL level sooner rather than later.
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