Calgary Flames Prospect Update: Prospects in the Playoffs

With the Flames, Wranglers, and Rush all eliminated from playoff contention, hockey in the system is almost concluded for the 2025–2026 campaign. The University of North Dakota and its three Flames prospects were also eliminated by Wisconsin last week.

It is not all bad news, with a handful of prospects still in their respective playoffs. Flames defensive prospect Eric Jamieson is now a national champion with the University of Denver. Additionally, University of North Dakota defenceman Abram Wiebe officially signed his ELC with the Flames on April 10th.

Welcome to the TWC Calgary Flames prospect update. We have defined a prospect as a skater who has played fewer than 65 NHL games and was born in 2001 or later.

Flames Prospects Who are Still in the Playoffs

Hunter Laing, Forward, Saskatoon Blades, WHL

The 6’06 power forward was a clutch finisher for the Blades in their first series against the Edmonton Oil Kings, posting eight points across seven games. Laing thrives in the gritty areas of the ice, with improved hockey sense, compete level, and is a physically imposing presence both defensively and offensively.

Think shades of Zach Hyman with more size and worse skating.

The Blades are in the second round of the WHL playoffs against the juggernaut Prince Albert Raiders has been a completely different story as the entire team has been shut down, posting one goal across the Blades’ first three games, while conceding thirteen goals.

Andrew Basha, Forward, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL

The speedster has all the tricks in the book, and boy, are they working, as the overager is leading his club in playoff points by a 5-point margin. The crafty all-situations forward was one of the key pieces that helped the Tigers beat the Pats in the first round in five games, with four multi-point games in that span.

In the second round, Medicine Hat is already up 3–0 against the Calgary Hitmen. Basha has also received more help from the Tigers’ secondary scoring units this series, but expect him to be a difference maker in the third round of the playoffs, barring a reverse sweep from the Hitmen.

Theo Stockselius, Forward, Djurgårdens IF, U20/SHL

Stockselius has had an up-and-down season, quite literally, between medical concerns and call-ups; the Swede has been everywhere. The playoffs are no exception, as the highly skilled Stockselius has played 12 playoff games already (3 SHL and nine J20).

In his junior games, he is dominating in all aspects of the puck, with consistent playmaking, vision, and hockey IQ. Djurgårdens IF U20 is undefeated with Stockselius in the lineup, winning against Brynäs IF U20 in the first round, Leksands IF U20 in the second, and is now up 1–0 against Frölunda HC U20 in the third.

Stockselius should be poised to make the full-time jump to the SHL next season, or even a jump to the CHL if he doesn’t make an SHL roster, as the Calgary Hitmen do have his rights if he so chooses.

Axel Hurtig, Defence, Calgary Hitmen, WHL

There was no containing the physical, puck-stripping, outlet-pass fiend that was Hurtig in his first-round series against the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Hitmen swept Brandon with stinginess on defence, allowing more than two goals only once, and an offensive finish on their chances.

Hurtig even found the scoresheet regularly, posting two assists and a goal in that first-round series. The second round against the Medicine Hat Tigers? A bit of a different story, as their swarming, high-pressure offence has generated three straight losses, and a grim outlook for the Hitmen making it to round 3.

Calgary Flames prospect updates

AHL

• The Wranglers had a week to forget after dropping both of their games to the Abbotsford Canucks in regulation. Calgary lost 5–4 on the 10th and 4–0 on the 11th.
• This now brings the AHL affiliate to 10th in the AHL’s Pacific Division, and to last place in the entire AHL with a 21–34–15 record. Their 59 (-63 possible) points would be the lowest total since the franchise’s relocation to Calgary.
• The Wranglers have two games against the Colorado Eagles left and are set to wrap up their season after the 18th.
• Only one move for the club in the past week: the Calgary Flames called up forward Rory Kerin on April 13th.

ECHL

• The Rapid City Rush also had a rougher week, going 0–1–2 all against the Utah Grizzlies.
• The Rush sit sixth in the ECHL’s Mountain division, with a 28–35–7 record. Rapid City has games on the 17th and 18th left on their schedule against the Tahoe Knight Monsters.

Europe

• In the U20 Nationell postseason round robin, defender Jacob Leander is unlocking another step in his playmaking game, as he has five assists in ten games, which is almost half of his regular season total. Leander is also proving to be a reliable shutdown defender who has growing defensive awareness and gap control upside.

NCAA

• It was announced earlier this week that Flames 2025 first-rounder Cole Reschny will be returning to UND for a sophomore season. There is no need for the Flames to rush the prospect, and this is a healthier alternative than assigning him to the Wranglers.
• Fellow 2025 first-rounder, Cullen Potter, is also extending his college stay, as the sophomore has officially transferred to the Michigan State Spartans for the 2026–2027 season.
• 2022 7th-round forward Cade Littler also entered the transfer portal. The soon-to-be 22-year-old largely played in a fourth-line role for the Fighting Hawks, and ideally, a move elsewhere will increase his ice time and opportunities in his junior year.
• No other Flames prospects entered the transfer portal as of the 14th, and all are expected to continue their NCAA careers.
• 2025 3rd-round prospect Maceo Phillips and his club, the Green Bay Gamblers, have been eliminated from the USHL playoffs after dropping their first two games 2–1 in a best-of-three series to the Madison Capitols on the 10th and 11th.

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