
On Sunday evening, the Calgary Flames pulled the trigger on a very significant trade that sent long-time Flames fixture Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for four assets – a conditional 2027 first-round pick, a conditional 2028 second-round pick, blueliner Zach Whitecloud and college blueliner Abram Wiebe.
Let’s delve into Wiebe, the younger of the two defenders that the Flames acquired in this swap.
A product of Mission, British Columbia, Wiebe is a left shot defenceman listed at 6’3″ and 209 pounds. He came up through minor hockey in his home province, playing with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs for three full seasons (2020-21 to 2022-23), spanning his 17, 18 and 19-year-old seasons. He was one of the youngest players eligible for the 2021 NHL Draft as an August 2003 birthday, but he wasn’t selected. Following a strong 2021-22 season with Chilliwack, he was selected in the seventh round, 209th overall, by Vegas in the 2022 draft in his second year of eligibility.
He moved onto the NCAA, joining the University of North Dakota in 2023-24 as a 20-year-old freshman. He had a fairly quiet freshman season offensively, posting one goal and 10 points. But he made a leap forward as a sophomore in 2024-25, jumping up to four goals and 24 points. Through 24 games this season, he has three goals and 14 points. He’s been playing on UND’s second pairing, playing on the left side of 2026 NHL Draft prospect Keaton Verhoeff. He also represented the U.S. Collegiate Selects at the 2025 Spengler Cup.
Here are some scouting reports from throughout the hockey sphere:
Abram Wiebe is a longshot to becoming more than an occasional NHL call up, but he has a big frame and is playing a ton of minutes at the University of North Dakota.
Bit of a late-bloomer, and still improving. Good project guy to have. I think he'll be a solid AHLer, at least.
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) January 18, 2026
Wiebe is a great addition for the #Flames. A strong defender who plays responsible on the blue and hard in the corners.
He is having a standout year, marked by a trip to the Spengler Cup. https://t.co/eopsiNXUrU pic.twitter.com/XztBgU0l18
— Foley (@NHLFoley) January 18, 2026
Dobber Prospects’ Alex Wyatt, October 2025:
In his third collegiate season, Wiebe sees himself skating with an ‘A’ on his chest, and the extra responsibility for the team could have boosted his confidence on the ice somewhat. He has come out of the gate with a goal and two assists across his first four matchups, and is consistently seeing 20 minutes in ice-time a night.
Wiebe will be a long shot to skate on the Vegas Golden Knights blue line for meaningful minutes, but his development has been on a consistent uptrend for the University of North Dakota. He remains a watchlist, not a roster, and his eventual transition to the NHL will give us more data to see if that becomes necessary to change.
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, January 2025:
He’s a big boy who has worked to turn his shot into a weapon from the point on the power play. He’s a competitor who moves well for his size (I like his mobility laterally and pivots) and plays the game with intention. He has a good first pass. He has a good stick but can also step up and close gaps in physical engagements. There’s some pro quality there and he looks like he’s on a path to getting signed.
A profile of Wiebe from Grand Forks Herald reporter Brad Elliott Schlossman from February 2025:
“Abram symbolizes consistency in his game,” UND coach Brad Berry said. “When he goes back to break out a puck, he has a plan. He knows the next play. He’s invests in himself on a daily basis, which gives him an opportunity to be ready in games and to be an impact player. That says a lot for a young guy in NCHC hockey to make an impact.”
If you’re looking for comparables within the Flames system, we might point to blueliner Eric Jamieson. Jamieson was drafted by the Flames in his second year of eligibility in the 2024 NHL Draft after being overlooked as one of the 2023 draft class’ youngest players. He moved onto college this year as a 20-year-old. While Wiebe is currently working with Verhoeff, Jamieson worked alongside exceptional status WHL blueliner Landon DuPont last season. Both are really versatile, reliable lefties, though Jamieson is two years younger than Wiebe.
Wiebe is in his third year at North Dakota, playing alongside now fellow Flames prospects Cole Reschny and Cade Littler. We’ll see if Wiebe pursues a contract with the Flames this spring, or opts to return for his senior year instead.
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