Checking in on the Flames centre prospect pipeline

Gang, the Calgary Flames are on the cusp of a big changing of the guard up the middle.

Mikael Backlund, two-way ace and Swedish 200-foot stalwart, is 36 and turns 37 on St. Patrick’s Day. Nazem Kadri, the team’s top scorer for the last while, is 35 now. As the Flames progress through their retool, their ability to transition to a new crop of younger centres will determine how painful the process ends up being.

Right now, we’ll turn your attention to five active prospect centres – the sixth, Cullen Potter, is unfortunately out for the season with an injury, but don’t forget about him entirely.

In college, the Flames have Cole Reschny at North Dakota and Luke Misa at Penn State. Reschny is winning 55.5% of his face-offs and generating a ton offensively. Misa, meanwhile, is winning 55.4% of his draws… but his offensive production has lagged a bit.

In Europe, Russia’s Yan Matveiko (50.1%) and Sweden’s Theo Stockselius (50.5%) have performed well offensively but their face-off numbers are merely fine. Ditto for Andrew Basha (50.6%), who’s played a bunch at centre since being re-assigned from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Flames need centres like someone dying of thirst needs water. If someone in their pipeline can show some prowess – looking at you, Reschny – watch out.

Onto the updates!

Andrew Basha – LW/C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL

20; Calgary’s second round pick (41st overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 174 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 8th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
AHL season to date	27	1	4	5	4	5	4	18	7.38
WHL season to date	10	5	13	18	10	9	5	32	40.52
2024-25 (WHL)	23	9	20	29	24	12	9	73	31.22

Basha had four points in two games this week.

Jacob Battaglia – LW/RW, Kingston Frontenacs/Flint Firebirds, OHL

19; Calgary’s second round pick (62nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 7th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	44	17	14	31	24	22	17	123	18.66
2024-25 (OHL)	68	40	50	90	67	57	45	239	35.06

Battaglia had zero points in two games this week.

Parker Bell – LW/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

22; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 192 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	32	2	1	3	2	3	2	40	3.74
2024-25 (AHL)	61	7	5	12	9	12	9	67	7.84

Bell didn’t dress for either Wranglers game this week.

Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

20; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver; 6’0″, 190 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 3rd-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	23	4	8	12	9	6	5	28	20.79
2024-25 (AHL)	70	5	27	32	19	20	13	75	18.22

Brzustewicz is in the NHL.

Nick Cicek – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

25; free agent signing; 6’3″, 201 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	42	4	10	14	8	11	5	41	13.28
2024-25 (DEL)	50	3	14	17	10	16	9	75	9.81

Cicek had a goal in two games this week.

Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

22; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 210 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	30	4	1	5	5	4	4	38	6.64
2024-25 (AHL)	68	8	14	22	18	17	14	91	12.89

Ciona had a goal in two games this week.

Matvei Gridin – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

19; Calgary’s first round pick (28th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 182 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 4th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	32	10	18	28	20	21	16	89	34.87
2024-25 (QMJHL)	56	36	43	79	58	40	32	236	32.85

Gridin is in the NHL.

Artem Grushnikov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

22; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas; 6’1″, 203 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	37	0	1	1	1	1	1	35	1.08
2024-25 (AHL)	61	1	4	5	3	4	3	43	3.27

Grushnikov had zero points in two games this week.

Trevor Hoskin – RW, Merrimack College Warriors, NCAA

21; Calgary’s fourth round pick (106th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 175 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	23	6	16	22	14	11	7	36	30.82
2024-25 (NCAA)	36	12	27	39	29	28	23	80	17.23

Hoskin had an assist in two games this week.

Axel Hurtig – D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL

20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 202 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	40	3	7	10	8	10	7	62	6.19
2024-25 (WHL)	55	5	11	16	12	14	10	66	7.20

Hurtig had zero points in two games this week.

Eric Jamieson – D, University of Denver Pioneers, NCAA

20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 200 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	27	6	8	14	8	13	8	54	18.67
2024-25 (WHL)	66	14	22	36	26	27	19	175	13.51

Jamieson had an assist in two games this week.

Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

23; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 15th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	39	13	22	35	23	23	16	83	35.76
2024-25 (AHL)	63	33	28	61	52	40	35	135	38.59

Kerins had two assists in two games this week.

Carter King – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

23; free agent signing; 5’11”, 190 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	38	3	4	7	6	6	5	41	7.34
2024-25 (NCAA)	44	21	22	43	31	16	14	116	35.18

King had zero points in two games this week.

Hunter Laing – C/RW, Saskatoon Blades, WHL

19; Calgary’s sixth round pick (170th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’5″, 205 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	40	18	19	37	29	20	18	96	22.91
2024-25 (WHL)	64	25	23	48	40	35	29	153	18.57

Laing had two points in three games this week.

Aidan Lane – RW, Harvard University Crimson, NCAA

18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 192 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	30	5	2	7	7	7	7	42	8.04
2024-25 (OHL)	13	7	6	13	10	10	7	36	26.49

Lane had no points in three games this week.

Jakob Leander – D, HV71, U20 Nationell

18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 196 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	27	2	6	8	7	8	7	38	4.86
2024-25 (J20)	39	1	5	6	3	5	3	33	2.52

Leander had no points in two games this week.

2gp, nada

Jaden Lipinski – C, University of Maine Black Bears, NCAA

20; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 204 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	21	3	5	8	6	8	6	30	12.28
2024-25 (WHL)	59	17	41	58	45	30	27	134	24.34

Lipinski wasn’t in the lineup for Maine’s two weekend games. (It hasn’t been announced if he’s injured or not.)

Cade Littler – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA

21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 197 pounds; shoots right

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	24	4	7	11	9	8	6	42	16.50
2024-25 (NCAA)	33	7	2	9	8	9	8	30	9.82

Littler had zero points in two games this week.

Yan Matveiko – C, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL / Zvezda Moskva, VHL

19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (211th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 150 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
MHL season to date	34	13	17	30	18	24	14	54	10.35
VHL season to date	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	n/a
2024-25 (MHL)	42	10	14	24	20	21	17	68	6.70

Matveiko had one assist in two MHL games this week and made his pro debut on Tuesday in Russia’s second-tier VHL, registering an assist there, too.

Luke Misa – LW/C, Penn State University Nittany Lions, NCAA

19; Calgary’s fifth round pick (150th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 170 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 13th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	24	4	7	11	8	6	4	62	12.52
2024-25 (OHL)	67	34	51	85	58	63	43	211	33.60

Misa had zero points in two games this week.

Etienne Morin – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Rapid City Rush, ECHL

20; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 180 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 10th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
AHL season to date	20	1	2	3	1	3	1	14	5.98
ECHL season to date	7	1	3	4	2	1	1	20	13.12
2024-25 (QMJHL)	62	14	44	58	29	40	24	222	21.79

Morin played once and sat once, registering zero points.

Mace’o Phillips – D, Green Bay Gamblers, USHL / United States Junior Selects, WJAC

18; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’6″, 228 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	25	1	5	6	3	5	3	47	5.51
2024-25 (USHL)	25	2	1	3	3	3	3	31	2.76

Phillips had an assist in two games this week.

Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

23; Calgary’s third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	33	1	5	6	2	5	1	55	7.25
2024-25 (AHL)	71	5	37	42	23	26	15	132	23.57

Poirier played once and sat once, registering zero points.

Cole Reschny – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA / Canada National Junior Team, WJC

18; Calgary’s first round pick (18th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 183 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 2nd-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	22	4	21	25	18	14	12	44	40.91
2024-25 (WHL)	62	26	66	92	70	48	46	213	36.75

Reschny had an assist in two games this week.

Theo Stockselius – C, Djurgårdens IF, U20 Nationell/SHL

18; Calgary’s second round pick (54th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 181 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 12th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
U20 season to date	10	3	11	14	9	12	9	34	22.96
SHL season to date	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
2024-25 (J20)	40	22	29	51	38	35	29	93	20.91

Stockselius played a game in the SHL and a game in the U20 Nationell, registering zero points. He got into a bit of a minor scrap in the U20 game, getting his visor ripped off and getting chucked from the game for his part in the shoving match.

William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

22; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 16th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	36	6	23	29	20	19	13	41	32.10
2024-25 (AHL)	70	14	35	49	35	26	20	107	27.90

Stromgren had zero points in two games this week.

Aydar Suniev – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

20; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 198 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 9th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	31	9	2	11	11	6	6	41	14.14
2024-25 (NCAA)	35	20	18	38	31	21	17	119	34.99

Suniev had a goal in two games this week.

Abram Wiebe – D, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA / United States Collegiate Selects, Spengler Cup

22; Vegas’ seventh round pick (209th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vegas; 6’3″, 209 pounds; shoots left

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	26	3	12	15	10	7	3	49	20.77
2024-25 (NCAA)	38	4	20	24	16	11	8	74	22.74

Wiebe had an assist in two games this week.

Ethan Wyttenbach – RW, Quinnipiac University Bobcats, NCAA

18; Calgary’s fifth round pick (144th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 180 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 20th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	G	A	P	P1	5v5 P	5v5 P1	SH	NHLe
Season to date	26	14	22	36	29	21	17	59	31.79
2024-25 (USHL)	44	24	27	51	42	38	30	127	26.61

Wyttenbach had three points across two games this week.

Daniil Chechelev – G, Olympia Kirovo-Chepetsk, VHL

24; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 201 pounds

	GP	TOI	SV%
Season to date	7	391	.929
2024-25 (VHL)	11	399	.888

Chechelev started once and won this week.

Owen Say – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

24; free agent signing; 6’2″, 185 pounds

	GP	TOI	SV%
Season to date	19	965	.889
2024-25 (NCAA)	27	1531	.920

Say is out with an injury.

Arsenii Sergeev – G, Rapid City Rush, ECHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL

21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 192 pounds

	GP	TOI	SV%
AHL season to date	9	481	.911
ECHL season to date	12	714	.922
2024-25 (NCAA)	33	1982	.919

Sergeev started once and lost this week.

Yegor Yegorov – G, MHK Spartak-MAX, MHL

20; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 183 pounds

	GP	TOI	SV%
Season to date	24	1438	.927
2024-25 (MHL)	20	1032	.904

Yegorov started twice, winning once and losing in a shootout once.

Kirill Zarubin – G, AKM Tula, MHL

20; Calgary’s third round pick (84th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 178 pounds; FN’s 18th-ranked prospect 2025

	GP	TOI	SV%
Season to date	31	1686	.929
2024-25 (MHL)	21	1157	.935

Zarubin played 31 minutes in relief this week.