Flames have several prospects producing in the AHL
While the start to the season has been far from ideal, not everything is doom and gloom for the Calgary Flames.
Flames fans have been able to see glimpses of what the future of this team holds. Connor Zary, who was recently called up from the Calgary Wranglers, has six points through his first six NHL games. Another recent call-up, Martin Pospisil, has impressed as well, with four points in his first five games. Based on the play we have seen from other Wranglers to begin the 2023-24 season, there could be some more help on the way in the near future.
Though he struggled with the Flames to start the year, Matt Coronato has quickly rediscovered his offensive game with the Wranglers, scoring four goals and seven points through five games. While the Flames may opt to keep him in the AHL to allow his confidence to continue growing, his future appears to be very bright.
Also producing for the Wranglers this season is 24-year-old Ben Jones, who was signed by the Flames as a free agent in 2022. Considered a dark horse to crack the Flames roster out of training camp, Jones has scored three goals and 11 points in 11 games this season, and is a player who could very well see some NHL action before the 2023-24 campaign wraps up.
Another to keep an eye on is 6-foot-8 Adam Klapka. The undrafted Czech forward is off to a great start in his second year with the Wranglers, as he has five goals and nine points through 11 games. His size alone makes him an intriguing prospect, but he has plenty of talent in his game as well.
Though the sample size is much smaller, the final Wranglers forward worth keeping an eye on is Rory Kerins. The 21-year-old wound up spending the majority of the 2022-23 season in the ECHL, which was disappointing given the numbers he produced during his time in the OHL.
This season, Kerins earned a spot with the Wranglers out of camp and has looked excellent so far with a goal and four helpers through five games. Having him re-establish himself as a high-end prospect would be fantastic for a Flames team that boasts several intriguing young players in their pipeline.
Given the Flames believed desire to build for the future, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a player or two listed above see some time in the NHL this season.