FN’s mid-season Flames prospect updates: Theo Stockselius

When you look back on the history of the Calgary Flames, several of the most important players in the organization’s history have been from Sweden. From Hakan Loob and Kent Nilsson to Rasmus Andersson and Mikael Backlund, the Flames organization has been chock full of talented Swedes.

The Flames have continued to stock their cupboards with young Swedes, including the selection of centre Theo Stockselius in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

One of the youngest players selected by any team in the 2025 draft – he turned 18 in July – Stockselius has drawn a lot of attention for his resilience, as he notably rebounded from a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment a few years back.

While not nearly as rough as that experience, Stockselius has had to deal with adversity this season in the form of a skate cut to his leg that kept him off the ice for three months and likely cost him a trip to Minnesota for the 2026 World Junior Championship as part of Team Sweden. (He’s still young enough that he’ll be eligible for next year’s event, though.)

Here’s how his 2025-26 season has unfolded so far:

• Three games with Sweden’s under-20 team at the 5 Nations in August, where he impressed.
• Six games in Sweden’s U20 Nationell junior league with Djurgardens in September.
• Two SHL games and two U20 games with Djurgardens in October. Unfortunately, he suffered that skate cut to the inside of one of his knees on Oct. 8 and was sidelined for awhile.
• He had been named to Sweden’s 5 Nations roster for the November set of games, but was pulled due to his injury.
• He returned to action on Jan. 18 and played twice in the U20 Nationell.
• With Djurgardens’ SHL team low on forwards, he played a one-off game on Jan. 24, and he’s spent the past four games since then with the men’s team. He was named to Sweden’s 5 Nations roster for February, but ended up missing that event and played in the SHL instead.

He’s played almost exclusively as a centre in junior and his international games, but as a winger during his time with the SHL team.

Is it ideal that Stockselius has only played 20 games so far this season? Not especially, no. But he impressed in his limited viewings in the U20 Nationell and the Swedish national junior team, and he’s taken advantage of some injuries at the SHL level to get a run of games with Djurgardens’ men’s team. If nothing else, he’s making the most of his opportunities.

The Calgary Hitmen acquired Stockselius’ WHL rights earlier this season. Given how much Axel Hurtig has impressed with the Hitmen and how much the Flames would probably love to have one of their top prospects close by, this season could be Stockselius’ last run in Sweden before he potentially migrates to North America in the fall.