Five Calgary Flames prospects to watch at the Next Gen Showcase

The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers prospects officially play tonight in the first game of the 2025 Next Gen Showcase. This home-and-home series features some of the brightest young stars in each organization as they head into training camp and the start of the season.

While most will be playing in lower leagues or the AHL this season, this tournament is an opportunity to see what the team has in their prospects and to evaluate progress year-over-year as they push to become NHLers.

The Flames will have numerous prospects playing alongside camp invitees, but there are a few to particularly keep an eye on. Here are the five Calgary Flames players to watch at the 2025 Next Gen Showcase.

Samuel Honzek

Samuel Honzek is the name to watch this training camp. After a dreadful season last season in the AHL, where the former first-round pick put up just 21 points in 52 games, he comes into this year 15 pounds heavier to fill out his 6’4″ frame.

This feels like revenge season for Honzek. He was inches away from making the team full-time last season and will be out to prove he deserves a spot in the NHL this year. This tournament should be his coming-out party, and he will be given every opportunity to show his stuff through it. Expect him to play top minutes this tournament and really come out flying.

Etienne Morin

While many eyes will be on his partner Hunter Brzustewicz, who is a more noteworthy prospect, the player to really watch is Etienne Morin. The two-way defenceman graduates from the QMJHL after putting up nearly a point-per-game in the regular season for the Moncton Wildcats.

How Morin translates to the AHL will be the key question. Where Zayne Parekh and Brzustewicz both bring strong offensive ability and weaker defensive reliability, Morin can play both sides of the ice very well. He is expected to play top-pairing minutes through the tournament, and will likely have to cover for his partner in many games. He’s a player to watch to see how he holds his own against the Oilers’ top players.

Andrew Basha

Basha may be the most underrated prospect in the Flames’ system today. Coming off an injury-shortened season, Basha has not gotten the hype other prospects from his draft class have, and this tournament is a chance to show that he is still a player to know.

Known for both his skating and playmaking ability, Basha is an energy player who can play up and down the lineup. Whether he has fully rehabbed his injury is going to be the big question for him this season, and if so, can he make an impact in the AHL this season. He will probably be playing in the middle-six this tournament, but expect him to have some flash to his game this tournament.

Aydar Suniev

One of the older prospects in the tournament, Suniev finished his NCAA career last year, putting up 38 points in 35 games for UMass. He then featured in his first NHL game for the Flames right at the end of the season.

Suniev will be gunning for a spot with the big club full-time and will have his hands full to prove he belongs in the league. Expect him to show he’s too good to be a prospect at this tournament as he hunts for a spot in the NHL.

Matvei Gridin

The former first-rounder was the QMJHL’s top rookie, top offensive rookie, and a member of the CHL all-rookie team this past year as he finished his junior career. Heading into the AHL, Gridin will be looking to prove that he deserves a look in the NHL sooner than later. He likely needs at least a year in the AHL before making the jump, but the winger with a wicked shot and great skating will be looking to get to the big game sooner.

Keep an eye on the Russian winger, as he looks to take the next step in his development.

Puck drops on all of the action in Edmonton tonight at seven pm local time with the return leg at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday afternoon.