Jaden Lipinski and Samuel Honzek were a Calgary Flames draft pick package deal from the Vancouver Giants in the 2023 NHL Draft. After being drafted to the same NHL club, the two played last season together for the Giants for the third consecutive season. While Lipinski was able to stay healthy and play in most of last season’s games, Honzek did face some injury troubles that kept him out of the lineup for just under half the season.

The focus is on Lipinski for this prospect profile as he cracked the top 20 in this year’s FlamesNation prospect rankings, coming in at number 16.

Jaden Lipinski

Centre; Shoots Right
Born December 2, 2004 (age 19) in Scottdale, AZ
6’4”, 205 lbs
Drafted in the fourth round (112th overall) by the Calgary Flames in the 2023 NHL Draft

Lipinski played youth hockey between Anaheim and Phoenix. He started U13 play in AAA for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks then moved to the Phoenix team for the next three seasons to play with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes until 2020-21. Jaden Lipinski started his jump into junior with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in 2021-22.

In this centreman’s first season in the WHL, he played in all 68 games putting up eight goals and nine assists for a total of 17 points. His plus minus rating was a -30 and it has not even come close to that ever since. In his first season in the minors, the Giants did qualify for playoffs and he put up four points in 12 games.

The following season was his draft year and he showed a huge improvement statistically speaking to put himself on the radar of prospective NHL organizations. In the 2022-23 season, Lipinski played in 66 games and put up 19 goals and 32 assets for a total of 51 points. He did once again qualify for playoffs but did not register any points in his four post-season games.

That summer, Lipinski’s name was called by the Calgary Flames at the NHL Entry Draft and he went 112th overall. That fall, he was named alternate captain for the Vancouver Giants and had his best offensive year. He played in all regular season games but one and registered a total of 66 points consisting of 24 goals and 42 assists. That tied him for top team scoring, second in goals, and second in assists.

The Giants did qualify for post-season play this year and were knocked down by Dustin Wolf’s former team, the Everett Silvertips, in six games. Lipinski put up three assists in this time and joined the Wranglers after his season concluded. He only played in the one game for the Wranglers on on Apr. 12 and didn’t register any shots or points.

Derek Neumeier from McKeen’s Hockey contributed some insight into Lipinski’s game saying:

“The Vancouver Giants have been a bit of a mess over the past few seasons, but Lipinski has been a consistent stabilizing presence for them during that time, and he deserves a lot of credit for that. He’s an ox of a center who plays a lot of heavy minutes in all situations and never seems to wear out. When he gets the puck down low he really bares down on it and can muscle his way to the net with ease. His feet are pretty heavy and clunky, however. While speed will never be the key to his game, he will still need to gain more quickness in order to play in the NHL day.”

Jaden Lipinski feels like he’s close in regards to putting it all together and help from the Calgary skating coaches and some quicker-paced games in the AHL could give him that edge he needs to jump to the next level of his career.

Expectations for 2024-25

Jaden Lipinski could be set to play his first professional season with the Wranglers this fall. He did make it into one game last season but with call-ups returning from the Flames and others returning from injuries, he was on the sidelines for the majority of his time. He’s eligible to play in the AHL as a 20-year-old, though he has yet to sign an entry-level deal and him returning to the Giants as an overage player remains an option.

There is a bit of competition in the centre position with the Wranglers in the fall but he still has the capability to start on the third or fourth line as he gets his feet wet in the league. Above him for now would be guys like Clark Bishop and Cole Schwindt but he could challenge the other centres on the roster from the get-go.

I give Lipinski the first half of the season to get used to the ways of the Wranglers and to build some confidence. Then come early 2025, he’ll start to show signs of being an impact player. He could surprise and continue his high production but this year feels like it’ll be the start of a developmental year for the young centre.