Watch: Matvei Gridin scores his first career NHL goal

Through two periods, Gridin looked like the best Flame on the ice, finishing 40 minutes with a team-high four shots on goal. It’s quite an impressive start to his career, as the 19-year-old was drafted 28th overall in the 2024 draft. He spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season with the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Shawinigan Cataractes, scoring 36 goals and 79 points in 56 games, along with eight goals and 17 points in 16 post-season games.

Late first-round picks usually don’t make the roster for a few seasons, but Gridin had such a strong pre-season that it was hard to deny him a spot on the roster. It’s to be determined what his near future will be, as the Flames have nine games to make a decision on what to do with the 19-year-old.

If he plays more than nine games, the Flames will burn a year off his entry-level contract. Of course, that won’t matter much if the Russian winger becomes a mainstay on the team, but it is something worth keeping an eye on.

Gridin is the second player selected in the Craig Conroy era to make his National Hockey League debut. Like Gridin, Zayne Parekh earned a roster spot out of pre-season, albeit he’s in the press box for the season opener. That said, the right-shot made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2024-25 season, picking up a goal and a penalty.

Hopefully, this is the first of many NHL goals for Gridin.