The Calgary Flames’ most recent first-round pick is about to make his professional debut.
The Calgary Wranglers announced that Samuel Honzek has been added to their roster tonight and will make his pro debut when the team finishes off their regular season against the Abbotsford Canucks.
It’s Honzek time
Honzek—who just recently finished his WHL season with the Vancouver Giants—has had a tough D-1 year as the Flames’ most recent top draft pick. Suffering an injury in training camp with the Flames, Honzek only appeared in 33 games with the Giants which resulted in him missing more than half the season with the team.
He still played at just under a point-per-game pace but for a first-round draft pick and one that the franchise highly valued, it was a bit underwhelming. That being said, he has the opportunity to join a very strong Wranglers team alongside his Giants teammate Jaden Lipinski.
The expectations around Honzek’s professional debut should be somewhat muted, as he simply has not played as much as he should be. The lineup for tonight’s game has not been released yet, but it will be fascinating to see where Trent Cull places Honzek in his lineup. Alongside Jaden Lipinski makes sense, but when both players have limited to no professional experience, it would be one hell of a first AHL game.
At the end of the day, it’s always exciting to see a Flames prospect make the professional jump and Honzek is no different. Welcome to the pros!
