The trade deadline for the 2023–24 season remains three weeks away, and the retooling era has barely begun for the Calgary Flames. Prominent trade chips still include: Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin. Let the trades continue.
With Flames General Manager Craig Conroy looking towards the future, acquiring prospects will surely accomplish that. We aren’t talking top round picks who everyone and their dog knows has potential, but here are some of the later round players the Calgary Flames could scoop up from the Western Conference.
Identified below are some sleeper prospects that the Flames could wrestle from the reserve lists of Western Conference contenders.
Maros Jedlicka (2002), Colorado Avalanche
- Drafted: 2023, 7th Round, 219th Overall
- Pos: LW/RW
- Height: 6’02” / Weight: 198 lbs
- Born: Trnava, Slovakia
- Current Team: HKM Zvolen
- AVG TOI: N/A
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HKM Zvolen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Maros Jedlicka has been injured for the entire season, suffering an upper-body injury in a preseason game against the Dallas Stars. This is partly why he could be such an intriguing option, as a prospect dark horse. The former Slovakian national team player has turned heads, and it remains to be seen if this upward momentum can continue when Jedlicka returns.
From games last year, he averaged top six minutes—around 17:30 a night—and showed great promise, leading to the Avs selecting him in the seventh round of this past draft. Immediately noticeable is his high motor and compete level. The big Slovak is an efficient forechecker that harnesses a physical edge, always finishing his checks. On the defensive side, he also has a decent active stick that interrupts opponents’ passes and consistently makes him a threat. Jedlicka also has quite the jets and accelerates through the neutral zone, leading to quick entries often paired with some deception. In the offensive zone, the Trnava-born forward has decent vision and above-average soft skill.
There are a few minor quirks with Jedlicka’s game, including a lack of scanning that can often lead to throwaway pucks that can then convert to opposition chances. To make it to the next level of North American professional hockey, work with decision-making and risk assessment are required. If this adjustment can be made and no major setbacks from being on the shelf for so long are incurred, there’s no reason Jedlicka could not be a quality contributor in a top-nine or bottom-six role at some point in his future.
The Avs have already recognized this upside in the sheer notion of giving him preseason games without an NHL contract, so maybe the Flames could as well. Plus, with the Avs looking to win their second championship in three years, they might be willing to move on from a player like Jedlicka.
NHL ETA: 2 Years
Jeremy Hanzel (2003), Colorado Avalanche
- Drafted: 2023, Round 6, 187th Overall
- Pos: LD
- Height: 6’01” / Weight: 196 lbs
- Born: Coquitlam, BC
- Current Team: Seattle Thunderbirds
- AVG TOI: Top 2 Defenceman 27:57
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Thunderbirds | 51 | 11 | 36 | 47 |
Jeremy Hanzel is another Avs prospect that is worth a look by Flames management. In the past year, Hanzel has taken positive steps in play-reading, which serves as the core to his game. He is a new-age playmaking defender who thrives in the offensive zone. The Thunderbird has decent hockey IQ, highlighted by his good on-ice vision and offensive instincts. One particular area he shines is in off-the-wall activations that can add just another layer to an offensive chance. Hanzel’s puck skills are above average, but definitely shine more in zone play than on the breakout. He has good senses, but he needs to develop them more to succeed at the next level of professional hockey.
Some of the main limitations of Hanzel revolve around his skating. He struggles to gain momentum and acceleration. These struggles are then not helped in the slightest by his upright skating posture, which also harms his leverage creation in transition and in-zone.
Hanzel has the opportunity to be a prime offensive chance-generating defenceman, and these next couple of seasons will determine if he can transition his game to the next level. A low risk, high reward situation for a team like the Flames if they can get betting early.
NHL ETA: 4 Years
Ty Mueller (2003), Vancouver Canucks
- Drafted: 2023, 4th Round, 105th Overall
- Pos: F
- Height: 5’11” / Weight: 201 lbs
- Born: Cochrane, AB
- Current Team: University of Nebraska-Omaha
- AVG TOI: Top 6 Forward 19:50
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Omaha | 28 | 8 | 15 | 23 |
Does Craig Conroy go to the Vancouver well once more? If he does, Ty Mueller could be a last minute throw-in for the deal that once again—like all of these players highlighted—has a low risk, high reward type of feeling to them. The junior is in his third season with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and consistency is the name of his game, showing steady improvements.
The center of Mueller’s game is his play-reading and offensive awareness, as he is able to identify all passing options and execute. There are some limits, as he is not the most creative forward out there. All-in-all, he is a solid and calm decision-maker with quality vision and hockey IQ. For the Alberta product, there are questions about how he might translate when he struggles with offensive predictability, finishing, and puck skills.
NHL ETA: 4 Years
Matt Copponi (2003), Edmonton Oilers
- Drafted: 2023, 7th Round, 216th Overall
- Pos: C
- Height: 5’11” / Weight: 174 lbs
- Born: Mansfield, MA
- Current Team: Merrimack College
- AVG TOI: Top 6 Forward 18:00
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack College | 30 | 7 | 25 | 32 |
If Matt Copponi wasn’t a player, he’d be an excellent coach because he thinks the game that well. Rarely does a late-round NCAA player have as quality of senses as Copponi does, and it serves as the staple to his game. He has a high hockey IQ that is really evident through his offensive awareness, as it allows him to find or create open ice and lanes. This space-creation allows the Mansfield-born to excel in creative offensive situations, and this can create all the leverage he wants against opposing defenders. He has above-average puck skills and puck protection which allows him to extend plays and chances. There is a lot to like about Copponi.
His main knock is his skating—where there are times he looks like he’s stuck in cement—and his skating posture doesn’t do him any favours either. If he could add another level to his release, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to say he could be a quality bottom-six NHL centreman. Only time will tell though.
NHL ETA: 3 Years
Honourable Mentions:
Maxim Beryozkin (2001), Edmonton Oilers
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl—under contract in KHL for 2024–25 season
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | 59 | 7 | 22 | 29 |
Pros: excellent puck skills, passing, deceptiveness, physical edge
Cons: positioning/in-zone awareness, skating, power
Dmitri Rashevsky (2000), Winnipeg Jets
Dynamo Moskva—under contract in KHL for 2024–25 season
| 2023–24 stats | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamo Moskva | 64 | 21 | 20 | 41 |
Pros: goal-scorers toolkit, high motor, great puck skills, shot
Cons: defensive instincts, acceleration
Many sleeper prospects the Flames could add
There are a lot of sleeper prospects for the Flames to like in both the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. With the team looking to retool, now would be the perfect time to buy low on diamonds in the rough.
Are there any late round picks you would want the Calgary Flames to get?
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
