FLAMES SEASON PREDICTIONS, TRADE THOUGHTS AND PROSPECTS TO WATCH AT MAIN CAMP!

  As Flames main camp is set to start on ice sessions with the full camp roster finally being released, I want to reflect on who stood out in Penticton, and who I think is going to have big camps heading into the pre-season and ultimately the 24/25 NHL regular season.

Big standouts in Penticton that were obvious were players like Sam Morton and William Stromgren. With the young team Calgary put on the ice, it was nice to see older players lead the way early in the tournament.

  Sam Morton is a very nice pickup for the Flames and I could see him pushing for a fourth line centre role with the big club if he carries over the momentum he had from Penticton into main camp.

  Stromgren lead the way with his physically and puck handling, getting a massive reverse hit in the first game of the Young Stars tournament against Winnipeg. Once a disappointing pick for some Fans now could be someone to watch to push for a roster spot if he’s consistent.

   Hunter Brzustewicz was another older prospect that was closely watched by fans as he displayed his composure and play making ability. Also showed off his scoring touch by scoring off a one-timer from the slot. With how consistent he played, he’s another player to keep a close eye on as he could push for a 7th or 6th spot on the Flames defence if he keeps improving.

  Sam Honzek strikes me as a bit of a wildcard, as he showed noticeable improvements from last year with his skating and size, but will it be enough to push for a roster spot with the Calgary Flames? I like the player and the potential but I see Honzek starting his season with the Calgary Wranglers.

  Zayne Parekh started slow but as each game went by, you could see him improving and finished the tournament looking very strong. The skill he possesses is truly something to behold. The puck handling, the play making, the breakout speed and how he walks the blue line and gets dangerous shots through to the net is remarkable. I don’t see him cracking the Flames line-up at the start of the 24/25 regular season, but I do think he gets a good look in the pre-season. Depending on injuries and how he plays throughout camp, my opinion could change drastically.

A lot of 2024 draft picks played in Penticton and while it’s hard to see the Flames giving these kids NHL opportunities right away, it was impressive how they held their own against some older prospects while making changes to their game throughout the three games played. Its important to remember that there are always going to be mistakes made while learning how to adjust to the game speed and physicality that presents itself at higher levels.

  Though he’s not part of the 2024 NHL draft, I liked the snarl I saw out of Artem Grushnikov and the way he plays the game might make him valuable to the Flames moving forward considering the offensive talent they have on the back end. He can skate, pass and excels at shutting down plays in the D-zone. Expect to see him given a good look at camp as well, probably paired with a more offensive defencemen.

Seeing how the 24/25 season unfolds stems from how the Flames start the year in a lot of people’s eyes. If they have a start similar to last year, could they be looking at trading more of their veteran players? There are 2 players I think are most likely to be traded if the Flames have a terrible start to the year and I think those players are Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman.

Andersson has been with the Flames organization for a long time, and the fans love him, but with the direction the team is heading and the contract he’s currently on, he could fetch a high return if they looked at moving him. I’m sure Conroy has taken calls on a lot of players and he’s also reiterated how every team needs a veteran presence of some kind to help the younger generation and to make sure a culture of losing is not acceptable.
  Even with that being said, I think a lot of teams see Andersson as a true top 4 right shot defenseman, and if Conroy can get what he thinks Andersson is worth, he pulls the trigger on it. It will also depend on how well Andersson plays individually, therefore if a trade does happen, I see it happening well before the trade deadline.

Coleman is everything you could ever want if your a Stanley Cup contender. He’s a Cup champion, a great veteran who plays consistently and battles every game. Also it doesn’t hurt that he had a career year during the 23/24 season that saw him score 30 goals on top of 24 assists for 54 points through 78 games played. Not to mention ending the season with a +/- of +19. Now is the time to move Coleman as his stock has never been higher. With Coleman openly expressing that he wants to stay in Calgary, and the way his contract is structured, he would have to approve a trade if the Flames came to him with one they were interested in from a team that was not listed in his Modified No Trade Clause. 

   Another very interesting story that’s going to dictate the Calgary Flames season is how hard their goaltending trio competes during the games. Obviously there is plenty of time to figure out who is going to start the regular season, but with Dustin Wolf, Dan Vladar and Devin Cooley all pushing for the starting position the Flames will really see what they have in Wolf and if Vladar can take the next step in his career after recovering from surgery. It sounds like their play will also dictate how many starts they will get throughout the season, so I’m curious to see who grabs the opportunity available in camp and runs with it.
   Speaking of goaltending, another great surprise for Flames fans has been the play of Waltteri Ignatjew. He was outstanding in Penticton and he is another player to watch out for once camp starts.

   I think with the team the Flames could have they might surprise some people and land themselves in a wildcard spot. Though I hear the cries from pro rebuild fans in saying that, I don’t think the Flames will ever truly bottom out.
  Therefore my regular season prediction has the Flames finishing with a record of 35-40-7 with Wolf starting a minimum of 25 games this season. I also think we see Pospisil get a long look at the centre position this season. His play with Slovakia in the Olympic qualifyer saw him get three assists along with four penalty minutes in three games, proving it’s something that should be tested at the NHL level.

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