Flames select 6-foot-4 Samuel Honzek in the first round of the NHL Draft

The Calgary Flames have selected Samuel Honzek 16th overall at the 2023 NHL Draft.

This pick was a bit of a surprise, as Honzek was projected to go slightly later on most draft projection lists. That said, there is plenty to be excited about the 18-year-old, as he showed plenty of skill in his rookie season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants, scoring 23 goals and 56 points in 43 games.

Heading into the draft, Elite Prospects had Honzek projected as the 20th overall pick, while TSN’s Bob McKenzie had him in the 17th spot. Another TSN member in Craig Button wasn’t quite as high on the 6-foot-4, 186-pound winger, as he had him slotted in at No. 21 overall.

While Honzek has plenty of developing to do before he is ready to become a full-time NHL player, there are several intriguing assets in his game.

Thanks to his large frame, he rarely loses puck battles, which also speaks highly of his work ethic. As Elite Prospects 2023 NHL Draft Guide points out, he is also a great, crafty skater.

“He fakes cutbacks in one direction before going the other, turns to wait for pressure to arrive before accelerating, and combines the edges with in-motion handling to slip around defenders.”

With the uncertainty facing the Flames right now, Honzek will be given plenty of time to develop properly. General manager Craig Conroy has already traded Tyler Toffoli and may be forced to move several others in Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, and Noah Hanifin in the coming months, which will help further improve the future of the organization.

With players like Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary, Dustin Wolf, Matthew Coronato, and now Honzek in the fold, there is reason to be excited about what is to come for the Flames.

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