1. Rasmus Andersson- I’m starting off the first edition of this series with none other than Andersson. He was absolutely red hot to start the season, getting 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points after 10 games. Rumor has it the Flames are trying to re-sign Andersson which isn’t a bad idea, but could prove to be the wrong move for the future of the franchise. Many consider Andersson to be one of the most sought after trade pieces this year. If Andersson continues to perform at the same level throughout the season, I think it’s just a matter of time before he is traded. The Flames were rumored to be looking at trading for a Center throughout the summer that would fit their rebuild schedule, and that mentality has continued into the regular season. If the Flames are to land a C that fits their age group, trading Andersson could be a very serious option to bring that to fruition.
2. Sam Honzek- So at the start of main camp, I predicted Honzek would start with the Wranglers, while also labeling him as a wild card to make the starting roster. Not only did he make the Flames opening night lineup, he shined in his role, until finding himself on the wrong end of a reverse hit, injuring him and taking him out of the lineup for games 5 to 9. Even though he was pointless in the games leading up to the injury, you could see the confidence, speed and impact he has displayed. As of this moment, Honzek has been sent down to the Wranglers, but coach Huska said he intends to see him back up with the big club sooner than later. In the 5 games Honzek has played for the Flames, he’s played an average of 12:24 a night, with a +/- of -1.
3. Connor Zary- Zary has been extremely impressive to start the season. He has more poise and patience than he ever showed last year and it’s allowed him to play with confidence and make dynamic plays almost every time he’s on the ice. He’s played an average of 17:59 per game this season, notching 2 goals and 5 assists in 10 games with 0 as a +/-. This is massive news for the Flames, because it means they finally have another emerging star player. they need to sign him, and lock him up long term like so many other teams do with their future stars. Predictions for a Zary contract have seen numbers starting at 5.75 million × 6 years, to 8 million x 8 years. I think if the Flames can lock him up for a minimum of 6 years at 6 million, it will be a big step in the right direction.
4. Brayden Pachal- Pachal has been excellent to start the season. He’s been in the lineup for all 10 games Calgary has played thus far, and this season has an average ice time of 15:13, which is the highest it’s been since the 22/23 season when he helped the Vegas Golden Knights win their first Stanley Cup. Pachal only has 1 point in those 10 games, but he’s playing a great positional style while punishing opponents with his physical play. If Pachal keeps up his play, he might earn time in the top 4, as he has already been paired with Weegar once this season in that role.
5. Anthony Mantha- What started out as an impressive introduction to Flames fans, has turned into a game of hot potato, as Mantha has gone from playing with Huberdeau and Pospisil on the 2nd line to logging 4th line minutes. Mantha began the season with a Gordie Howe hat trick, scoring his first of the season and first as a Flame shorthanded. He played 16:27 in games 1 and had a +/- of +2. He would score again in games 3 of the season and that would be the last point he earned for 6 games, finally hitting the back of the net in the 10th game of the season against Utah. Mantha has 3 goals and 2 assists with an average ice time of 14:31. At this pace, it feels like Mantha is doing just well enough to stay in the lineup. I’m curious to see if he can be the player we saw in game 1 for the majority of the season. If not, this signing was a complete waste of time.
6. Devin Cooley- Cooley is absolutely tearing up the AHL since being assigned to the Wranglers. After losing the first game he played, Cooley has 6 wins in his last 6 games, posting a GAA of 1.82 and a SV% of 0.946. After getting a good look at Wolf, seeing how well Cooley is playing is a great thing for the Flames depth in goal.
7. Jacob Battaglia- The Calgary Flames picked Battaglia 62nd overall at the 2024 NHL draft, and a lot of fans did not know what to expect. After 11 games in the OHL this season, Battaglia has hammered out 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points throughtout 15 games. With those outstanding numbers, he sits 6th overall in OHL point leaders and 4th in the league in goals scored. The Flames had 2 picks in the second round and Battaglia is looking like an absolute steal early on.
8. Dustin Wolf- To start the season the Flames appear to be rotating Vladar and Wolf every game to create important competition between the two. In the 5 starts Wolf has had, he’s looked excellent posting a 3-2-0 record with a .907 save percentage and an average of 3.19 goals against. If he can continue to improve his game throughout the season, Wolf could make a massive push to win the Calder along with solidifying himself as a legitimate #1 goalie in the NHL.
9. Matt Coronato- Things got off to a great start for Coronato who had 2 goals and was a +4 after the first 2 games he played. The next three games would have him record 0 points and ultimately get him sent down to the Wranglers and that’s when things got a little bumpy. After the Flames had posted the news of the roster change, fans projected their displeasure onto social media, but they weren’t the only ones displeased. John Kofi Osei-Tutu, the agent representing Coronato also took to social media, reposting fan made comments that projected his distaste with the teams decision to send his client back to the AHL. After news of the reposting surfaced, there was almost an immediate correction made, reaffirming that the Flames and Coronato are very much on the same wavelength, and that is was an unjust overplay by the agent. Coronato is in the last year of his entry level deal, and currently has 2 goals and is a +5 through 6 games played.
10. Kevin Bahl- After Markstrom was traded to the Devils, Flames Fans were curious as to what to expect from the 6’6”, 230 pound defender, and where he would even fit into the roster. To some surprise, Bahl has been rock solid to start his first season as a Flames, playing along side Andersson, which has recently been dubbed as the top pairing. Bahl is doing a lot for Andersson, and could easily be contributed with some of Anderssons success. The style Bahl plays with has been allowing Andersson to flourish offensively. Through the first 10 games of the season, Bahl has put up 3 assists and a +/- of +4.
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