Calgary Flames prospects Sam Honzek, Jaden Lipinski, and Etienne Morin are set to join the Calgary Wranglers for the rest of the AHL season according to Pat Steinberg.
Honzek and Lipinski, teammates on the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, lost their first-round playoff matchup to the Everett Silvertips.
Morin’s Moncton Wildcats were swept by the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.
How their seasons went
Honzek, Calgary’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, saw his point production drop this season after being given the captaincy of the Vancouver Giants.
In 2022–23, the forward scored 23 goals and 56 points in 43 games. This year, he scored just 10 goals and 31 points in 33 games. He did miss the first 25 games of the year with an injury he sustained while playing a preseason game for the Flames.
He scored two goals in Vancouver’s five-game series and ended with a +1 rating.
Lipinski, a centreman and a part of the leadership core as an alternate captain on the Giants, was picked in the fourth round last year. He ended the season with 24 goals and 66 points in 67 games. He took a big jump in his final WHL season, up from 19 goals and 51 points in 2022–23.
Morin was taken in the second round of the same draft, 48th overall.
He saw his production fall in his D+1 year this season, scoring 12 goals and 49 points in 58 games. But the defenceman’s focus was on his play in his own zone, not offence. He made an impact physically all season.
What’s next for Calgary’s youngest prospects
The three prospects will be joining a Wranglers team preparing for the playoffs and a 35–25–5–3 record. They are all eligible to play in the playoffs.
How much they’ll see the ice is yet to be seen, but even practicing with Calgary will help their development.
Hopefully, they can bring a spark to a Wranglers team that’s had an up-and-down season.
It’ll be fun to watch how their games evolve in the pros.
