What to know about the Flames' six picks in 2023 NHL Draft
The Calgary Flames had a relatively busy two days at the 2023 NHL Draft, selecting six prospects.
This draft felt especially big for the Flames given what has transpired as of late. With reports that several players want out of town, they must draft well over the next few years to help retool for the future. Thankfully for Flames fans, they were able to do a good job of that over the past two days. Here is a look at the six players they took.
Samuel Honzek (1st round, 16th overall)
With the 2023 draft being dubbed as one of the deepest in some time, the Flames couldn’t afford to miss with their 16th pick. Though Samuel Honzek was projected to go slightly later than the Flames took him, this still appears to be a very solid choice.
The 18-year-old Slovakian forward suited up for 43 games this season as a rookie for the Vancouver Giants, scoring 23 goals and 56 points. At 6-foot-4, 186 pounds, there is plenty to like about him. As Elite Prospects 2023 NHL Draft Guide points out, he brings plenty of other attributes as well.
“Rare is a shift where Honzek’s ability to protect the puck doesn’t appear,” they wrote. “The 6-foot-4 winger gets and keeps defenders on his backcheck, using body positioning to create offence.”
Etienne Morin (2nd round, 48th overall)
With their next pick, which came in the second round at 48th overall, the Flames selected Etienne Morin. The 18-year-old defenceman is coming off his second season with the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL, where he scored 21 goals and 72 points in 67 games.
Along with his offensive abilities, Morin also has a nasty edge to his game which will only progress as he continues to grow. On top of all his potential, he likely also won some Flames fans over when he described their uniform as “the best jersey in the league.”
Etienne Morin told me he doesn't remember exactly how long ago, but he visited Calgary with his family at some point
"It’s a rodeo city, it’s a great city and the jersey is incredible. It’s the first thing I said when I put it on, it’s the best jersey in the league."
— Danny Austin (@DannyAustin_9) June 29, 2023
Aydar Suniev (3rd round, 80th overall)
With their third pick at 80th overall, the Flames selected Russian forward Aydar Suniev. The 18-year-old was highly thought of entering the draft, with TSN’s Craig Button slotting him in at 36th overall on his draft projections list.
Aydar, who stands at 6-foot-2, has spent the past two seasons playing for the Penticton Vees in the BCHL. In 50 games this season, he recorded 45 goals and 90 points. He is set to play for the University of Massachusetts next season.
Jaden Lipinski (4th round, 112th overall)
In the fourth round at 112th overall, the Flames chose Jaden Lipinski. The Scottsdale native is coming off a season with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL in which he scored 19 goals and 51 points in 66 games. This again appears to be an excellent choice by the Flames, as Button had Lipinski slotted at 89th overall in his list.
Lipinski is yet another big body drafted by the Flames, standing at a massive 6-foot-4, 209 pounds. Older than most of this year’s draftees due to being a late-born 2004, he is one of the more NHL-ready prospects from a size perspective.
Yegor Yegorov (6th round, 176th overall)
The Flames’ next pick, which didn’t come until the sixth round, saw them take their first goaltender in Yegor Yegorov. The 18-year-old is a relatively unknown prospect but impressed in 15 games in Russia’s junior league Molodyozhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga (MHL), posting a 2.29 goals-against average along with a .915 save percentage.
Yegorov still has plenty of development to go before being considered NHL-ready, but offers plenty of promise at this time. On top of that promise, you will be hard-pressed to find a better name in this entire draft class.
Axel Hurtig (7th round, 208th overall)
The final pick for the Flames came in the seventh round at 208th overall. The 18-year-old Swedish defenceman suited up for 34 games with Rogle BK J20 in the J20 Nationell this season, scoring two goals and eight points.
Hurtig also possesses a massive frame, standing at 6-foot-4, 203 pounds. He comes from a family of hockey players, as his dad Bjarne, played in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-highest professional league. Meanwhile, his brother, Arvid, was able to suit up for two games in the SHL this season at just 19 years old.
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