2026 Calgary Flames Prospect Rankings: #9 Samuel Honzek

Honzek has had many NHL stints with the Flames so far; however, injuries have gotten the better of him. For Honzek to turn out at the NHL level, he’ll need to be on good terms with the injury bug.

Honzek’s development so far

As mentioned, Honzek’s career in pro hockey thus far has been dictated by injuries. He only appeared in 18 games this season before missing the remainder of the season. In short, Honzek is already showing the problems of being injury-prone, and it could hamper his development if it continues.

Honzek’s Strengths

Size and puck protection

Honzek’s greatest physical asset is his combination of size and skill. At 6’4”, he uses his frame effectively to shield the puck, maintain possession through contact, and extend offensive-zone cycles. Rather than relying solely on strength, he positions his body well to keep defenders on his back and create time and space for himself and his teammates. Along the boards, he consistently wins puck battles and is difficult to separate from the puck once he establishes body position.

Net front presence and overall offensive instinct

Despite possessing strong playmaking ability, Honzek is also willing to attack the hard areas of the ice. He consistently drives toward the net, battles for rebounds, and creates traffic for opposing goaltenders. His combination of size, reach, and hand-eye coordination allows him to tip pucks, recover loose rebounds, and generate second-chance opportunities. These habits translate well to the professional game, where scoring often comes from inside the dots.

Honzek’s Weaknesses

Injury history and durability

One of the biggest question marks surrounding Honzek’s development has been his ability to stay healthy. Since being drafted, injuries have interrupted important stretches of his development, limiting his ability to build momentum and gain consistent experience against higher-level competition. While none of his injuries necessarily project as long-term concerns individually, the recurring interruptions have slowed his progression compared to other prospects in his draft class. Moving forward, durability will be an important factor in his development. Staying healthy for a full season would allow Honzek to continue building confidence, refine his offensive game, and establish consistency at the professional level.

Explosiveness and speed

The biggest area Honzek continues to work on is his skating, particularly his first-step quickness and overall explosiveness. While he has improved since being drafted, he is not an elite skater who consistently creates separation through pure speed. His stride is powerful once he gets moving, but his acceleration can limit his ability to beat defenders wide or consistently create offence off the rush. At the NHL level, where pace is significantly higher, continuing to improve his first few strides and overall agility will allow his size and skill to become even more effective. If he can add another gear to his skating, it would significantly raise his offensive ceiling.

Honzek’s next steps

Honzek will be looking to earn a roster spot with the Flames this upcoming season. He certainly has the tools to be a regular at the NHL level, but the question is whether he can utilize his skill set while ensuring that he remains healthy. The expectation is that Honzek competes hard in training camp to ensure he locks in a longer NHL look for himself.

NHL projection

Ceiling: Top-six power forward

Likely Outcome: Middle-six scoring winger

Floor: Bottom-six depth winger

NHL timeline projection

Honzek will look to earn a full-time role with the Flames this upcoming season.

See our other articles on our list of prospect rankings for 2026:

• #10: Tobias Trejbal
• #11: Andrew Basha
• #12: Aydar Suniev
• #13: Henry Mews
• #14: Theo Stockselius 
• #15: Mace’o Phillips 
• Honourable Mentions