Now that the 2022 NHL Draft is behind us, most teams, including the Calgary Flames, will be holding their prospect development camp this week. The Flames announced their plans for development camp on the weekend which kicks off on Tuesday at the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex.
There will be lots of on ice sessions and a scrimmage on the final day, but the Flames are putting extra emphasis on the off ice sessions this year. Since the past two development camps were held over Zoom due to the pandemic, the Flames’ development team is planning many opportunities for the prospects to bond with each other.
The off ice bonding will include a cooking class and competition, something we’ve seen before and the first time we saw the eliteness of Andrew Mangiapane.
There will also be a softball game with the Flames alumni followed by a hotstove. The Flames want to show the prospects how important their legacy and history are to the organization and are integrating the Flames alumni into several parts of the week.
Joining the coaching staff for development camp is Rebecca Johnston, a mainstay in women’s hockey and the Canadian national team for many years. Johnston will be involved with every aspect of the week, both on and off the ice.
The Flames will host 43 players at development camp, some you’ll recognize and some you wont.
Goalies
| Player | Type | Age | Team | League | GP | GAA | SV% | SO | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Black | Invitee | 21 | Nanaimo Clippers | BCHL | 33 | 2.62 | .924 | 2 | 24–7–1 |
| Patrick Leaver | Invitee | 18 | Oshawa Generals | OHL | 49 | 3.20 | .908 | 2 | 22–19–5 |
| Matthew Kieper | Invitee | 18 | Regina Pats | WHL | 35 | 3.68 | .876 | 1 | 16–14–1 |
| Daniil Chechelev | 2020 Draftee | 21 | Kansas City Mavericks | ECHL | 3.64 | .894 | 1 | 12-12-5 |
Notes
- Cooper Black backstopped the Clippers to the finals of the BCHL playoffs with a record of 12–3–1, 2.26 GAA, .935 SV%, and three shutouts. He won 12 straight games before ultimately falling in four games to the Penticton Vees. He’s committed to Dartmouth College in the NCAA in 2022–23.
- Patrick Leaver was the Generals’ starting goalie this year, putting up a 3.20 GAA and .908 SV% in 49 games.
- Matthew Kieper was eligible for this year’s draft but was not selected. His numbers don’t stand out but the Pats were the worst team in their division this season.
- Arsenii Sergeev, TWC’s 12th ranked prospect this year and winner of the USHL’s Goalie of the Year award, is not in attendance.
- Daniil Chechelev played professional hockey for the Flames organization last season, splitting time between the AHL and ECHL but mostly in the ECHL. He could be the backup goalie in the AHL full time next season.
- Croix Kochendorfer was originally on the roster but will not be attending.
Defencemen
| Player | Type | Age | Team | League | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Anhorn | Invitee | 23 | Union College | NCAA | 29 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 6 |
| Jake Boltmann | 2020 Draftee | 20 | University of Notre Dame | NCAA | 40 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 28 |
| Caeden Carlisle | Invitee | 18 | Soo Greyhounds | OHL | 55 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 59 |
| Mikael Diotte | Invitee | 19 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 49 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 32 |
| Aiden Dubinsky | Invitee | 18 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 59 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 50 |
| Cole Jordan | 2021 Draftee | 19 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 36 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 40 |
| Yan Kuznetsov | 2020 Draftee | 20 | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 25 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 14 |
| Simon Lavigne | Invitee | 21 | Blainville-Broisbriand Armada | QMJHL | 65 | 6 | 30 | 36 | 80 |
| Jake Lee | Invitee | 20 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 66 | 16 | 30 | 46 | 40 |
| Jeremie Poirier | 2020 Draftee | 20 | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 67 | 16 | 41 | 57 | 38 |
| Rhett Rhinehart | Invitee | 20 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 53 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 84 |
| Christoffer Sedoff | Invitee | 20 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 65 | 7 | 54 | 61 | 52 |
| Trevor Thurston | Invitee | 20 | Lethbridge Hurricanes Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 46 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 107 |
| Mason Ward | Invitee | 20 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 41 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 82 |
| Cameron Whynot | 2021 Draftee | 19 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 45 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 48 |
Notes
- Almost every defenceman at this year’s camp is huge. Many are 6’5″ and 200+ lbs. There is clearly a type being targeted by Flames brass.
- Dylan Anhorn was born and raised in Calgary, playing for the Calgary Buffaloes in AAA and for the Olds Grizzlies in the AJHL before heading to college.
- Boltmann just wrapped up his rookie NCAA season with the University of Notre Dame, putting up one goal and 13 points in 40 games playing on the second pair. Check out our interview with Boltmann, and our breakdown of Boltmann’s game.
- Caeden Carlisle was eligible for this year’s draft but was not selected.
- Aiden Dubinsky was eligible for this year’s draft but was not selected. He was teammates with Sergeev and Ilya Nikolayev at Tri-City this season. He is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2022–23.
- Cole Jordan missed a large portion of the season with illness and injury, but has a lot going for him. Check out our breakdown of Jordan’s game.
- Kuznetsov signed his NHL contract last summer and split time between the AHL Stockton Heat and QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs this season. He won the Memorial Cup and was a force of nature for the Sea Dogs, earning a spot on Craig Button’s tournament All-Star team. Check out our interview with Kuznetsov, why he’s TWC’s 10th ranked Flames prospect, and our breakdown of his incredible Memorial Cup performance.
- Simon Lavigne was his team’s captain this season as an over-ager.
- Jake Lee has played parts of six seasons in the WHL, suiting up for Canada’s U-17 team back in 2017-18.
- Jeremie Poirier signed his NHL contract last summer and also won the Memorial Cup with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs this season. Poirier set a new Sea Dogs franchise record and was TWC’s seventh ranked prospect. He will push hard to make the NHL next season.
- Rhett Rhinehart served as an alternate captain for the Blades this season. He played for Canada’s U17 Red Team in 2017–18.
- Christoffer Sedoff is the highest scoring defender at camp with 61 points in 65 games. He’s from Finland and has suited up for Finland’s national team at almost every level.
- Cameron Whynot served as an alternate captain for the Mooseheads this season. Check out our breakdown of Whynot’s game.
Forwards
| Player | Type | Pos | Age | Team | League | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Beck | 2021 Draftee | LW | 19 | Ottawa 67s | OHL | 36 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 14 |
| Parker Bell | 2022 Draftee | LW | 18 | Tri-City Americans | WHL | 64 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 33 |
| Evan Boucher | Invitee | LW | 20 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 37 | 25 | 15 | 40 | 28 |
| Braeden Bowman | Invitee | RW | 19 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 60 | 27 | 10 | 39 | 18 |
| Lucas Ciona | 2021 Draftee | LW | 19 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 53 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 77 |
| Elias Cohen | Invitee | C | 19 | Erie Otters | OHL | 65 | 24 | 37 | 61 | 48 |
| Matthew Coronato | 2021 Draftee | RW | 19 | Harvard University | NCAA | 34 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 14 |
| Lucas Feuk | 2019 Draftee | LW | 21 | Vasby IK | HockeyEttan | 27 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 14 |
| Landen Hookey | Invitee | RW | 18 | Soo Greyhounds | OHL | 43 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 25 |
| Max Graham | Invitee | LW | 18 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 64 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 43 |
| Cole Huckins | 2021 Draftee | C | 19 | Acadie-Bathurst Titan | QMJHL | 41 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 61 |
| Jagger Joshua | Invitee | LW | 23 | Michigan State University | NCAA | 32 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 68 |
| Rory Kerins | 2020 Draftee | C | 20 | Soo Greyhounds | OHL | 67 | 43 | 75 | 118 | 49 |
| Adam Klapka | 2022 Signee | RW | 21 | Bili Tygri Liberec | Czechia | 44 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 72 |
| Cade Littler | 2022 Draftee | C | 17 | Wenatchee Wild | BCHL | 50 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 32 |
| Ilya Nikolaev | 2019 Draftee | C | 21 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 58 | 23 | 49 | 72 | 83 |
| Josh Nodler | 2019 Draftee | C | 21 | Michigan State University | NCAA | 36 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
| Billy Norcross | Invitee | C | 19 | Crushing Academy | USHS-Prep | 26 | 11 | 20 | 31 | – |
| Topi Ronni | 2022 Draftee | C | 18 | Tappara U20 Tappara | U20 SM-sarja Liiga | 30 19 | 11 2 | 18 2 | 29 4 | 53 2 |
| William Stromgren | 2021 Draftee | LW | 19 | Rogle BK J20 | J20 Nationell | 44 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 18 |
| Gleb Veremyev | Invitee | LW | 19 | Lincoln Stars | USHL | 55 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 133 |
| Liam Walsh | Invitee | C | 22 | Merrimack College | NCAA | 34 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 41 |
| Cooper Walker | Invitee | C | 20 | Guelph Storm | OHL | 68 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 18 |
| Carter Wilkie | Invitee | C | 22 | RIT (Rochester Inst. Of Tech.) | NCAA | 38 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 37 |
Notes
- The forward invitees are also very large. Many over 6’3″ and 180 lbs. There is a definite theme to this year’s camp.
- Jack Beck had a breakout season and was one of the highest scoring OHLers before he lost a good chunk of the season to injury. Check out our breakdown on Beck, and why he is TWC’s 11th ranked prospect.
- Parker Bell was drafted this year by the Flames. Check out our breakdown on Bell’s game.
- Braeden Bowman missed last year’s OHL season due to COVID, so this was his first OHL season for all intents and purposes. He was second in team scoring with 27 goals, trailing Anaheim Ducks second rounder Sasha Pastujov. The Storm were very good this season with six draftees on the team (some taken in this year’s draft).
- Lucas Ciona was excellent for Seattle in the WHL playoffs, putting up nine goals and 14 points in 24 games. He served as an alternate captain this season. We broke down Ciona’s season here.
- Elias Cohen had a breakout year for the Otters. He put up 19 points in 57 games in 2020, missed 2021 due to COVID, and was almost at a point per game this year. 2021 draft eligible OHLers are an interesting group; since they all lost a full year of development, there are a lot of potential diamonds in the rough.
- Matthew Coronato was the Flames highest pick in last year’s draft. this will be the only time Flames fans will get to see him with the rest of the organization’s players as he will not attend training camp or the Penticton Young Stars tournament as it conflicts with his college season starting. Check out our breakdown of Coronato’s game, a recap of his excellent season with Harvard, and why he’s TWC’s third ranked prospect.
- Lucas Feuk played in Sweden’s third tier men’s league this season. He’s a long shot to even play pro hockey in North America.
- Landen Hookey and Max Graham were eligible for this year’s draft but were not selected.
- Cole Huckins was placed on leave by the Titan this season due to off-ice issues, and missed a large portion of the season as a result. He was traded this offseason and will play for the Sherbrooke Phoenix next year in the Q.
- Jagger Joshua was teammates with Josh Nodler and Mitchell Mattson this year in Michigan. This is likely where Flames scouts picked up on him.
- Rory Kerins had an incredible season for the Greyhounds. He signed his entry-level contract this year and was injected into Stockton’s roster for the playoffs. Despite a crowded field, he managed to play five AHL playoff games this season. Check out our breakdown on Kerin’s game, context on his huge season, and why he is TWC’s eighth ranked prospect.
- Adam Klapka is a former member of the Tri-City Storm and is a huge RW signed out of Czechia.
- Cade Littler was drafted this offseason. He’s just 17 and played in the BCHL this season. He’ll return there next year but is committed to Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2023–24.
- Ilya Nikolayev had a massive season in the USHL. He was a bit old for the league but it was enough for the Flames to sign him to an ELC. Check out our breakdown of Nikolayev’s game and why he’s TWC’s 13th ranked prospect.
- Josh Nodler is in attendance but teammate Mitchell Mattson is not. No surprise there.
- Topi Ronni was the Flames’ first draft pick this year. Check out our breakdown of Ronni’s game.
- William Stromgren was drafted last year by the Flames in the second round. He had a decent year in Sweden, but played primarily on the U20 team instead of the SHL men’s team. It will be the first viewing of Stromgren in North America.
- Gleb Veremyev is a very big winger committed to Colorado College in the NCAA for 2022–23.
- Liam Walsh was al alternate captain in Merrimack College this season and finished fourth in team scoring for both goals and points. He is committed to Northeastern University in the NCAA for 2022–23.
- Carter Wilkie was born in Calgary and played for the Calgary Mustangs in the AJHL in 2017–18, but most recently played out of RIT in the NCAA.
- Notable omissions include Demetrios Koumontzis.
Development camp sets the tone
As always, development camp is one of the first events after the NHL Draft that truly transitions a season from the old to the new. The set of prospects will want to impress as much as they possibly can in hopes of earning a boost to their depth rankings. We’ll soon see which players are standouts and which ones will need more time to work on their game.
