Flames rookie Honzek will miss time with an upper-body injury
The Calgary Flames have announced that Samuel Honzek is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Though it isn’t officially confirmed when the injury was suffered, many are pointing towards a huge hit he took late on Tuesday. He attempted to throw a hit on Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Connor Murphy but ended up on the receiving end.
Likely the reason why #Flames will be without Honzek going forward https://t.co/kLpblNuKmQ
— Colton Pankiw (@Coltonpankiw) October 17, 2024
Honzek was a pleasant surprise in training camp, forcing his way onto the Flames roster thanks to an impressive showing in exhibition play. Instead of returning to the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, which many figured he would, he has remained in the NHL. Though there has been talk about him being sent down to restore some offensive confidence, it seems now that a reassignment would instead see him go to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.
What made his play so surprising was that he struggled in Penticton at the Flames’ prospect training camp in September. Some began to question whether he was the right selection at 16th overall in the 2023 draft, though those doubts have quickly been put to bed.
With Honzek out of the lineup, Adam Klapka will likely get another opportunity to prove himself to Ryan Huska and the rest of the Flames’ coaching staff. The 24-year-old cracked the roster out of training camp but has sat out the past two games as a healthy scratch.
The Flames, who are already without Yegor Sharangovich and Kevin Rooney, will likely call up another forward from the Wranglers to make up for the loss of Honzek. Potential options include Jakob Pelletier, Dryden Hunt, and Walker Duehr.
More to come…
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