Welcome to the first player profile in our annual The Win Column Calgary Flames Prospect Rankings. Coming in at the 15th spot is 2021 second-round pick William Stromgren. The Swedish winger took strides this year in the right direction but does have much more to show if he is to be considered a real part of this team’s future. Let’s break it down.
Stromgren’s development so far
With Logan Stankoven, Nikita Chibrikov, Aaty Raty and other big names still left on the board, the Flames reached for William Stromgren with their second pick in the 2021 draft. However, following the draft, the Head of Amateur Scouting spoke very highly of Stromgren saying, “he has a lot of raw ability….he’s got reach, he’s got vision, he’s a really good skater, he’s got quick feet, he just has to gain experience and go through the necessary physical development and he’s in a good spot next year”.
Stromgren however did not really progress the way he was expected the following season, spending almost the entire year in the J20. The expectation was that he would be in the SHL, Sweden’s top men’s league, but he played just six games there that season and had no points.
He wouldn’t jump up to the SHL until the following season, playing 45 games for Brynas and logging just eight points in 2022–23. Stromgren also played mostly on the fourth line and as the spare forward, really not getting many minutes, but also not showing that he deserved more than he got. He did get a chance to play for Sweden at the World Juniors that year and recorded one assist in seven games for the team.
Last year he made the jump over to North America and joined the Wranglers. The first half of Stromgren’s career was very forgettable, and he probably deserved fewer games than he got until December. However, his back half was excellent, and the forward really found his groove, scoring the majority of his points after the calendar turned in January. He finished the year with 27 points, good for 27th in the AHL among U21 skaters.
He then followed that up with an impressive Development Camp this past month, picking up a couple of goals in the scrimmage and captaining Team White to the win. He was noticeable all throughout the scrimmage for his skill as well as his ability to battle in the corners. This goal exemplifies his game perfectly:
Stromgren has flashes of high-end skill, but where he excels is in making smart decisions and pushing the puck up the ice. He’s got a great shot and good offensive instincts. Standing 6’3″, he’s good at using his body to protect the puck and win battles along the boards. While he still is not the quickest guy on the ice and doesn’t always make the smartest decisions, he has taken strides in the right direction and it looks like the Flames have a player in him.
Stromgren’s next steps
Barring him having an outstanding camp this year, I would expect Stromgren to start the year in the AHL and then if all goes well he’ll earn his first NHL look sometime this season. He will probably need a couple of trips up and down from the AHL before he really settles into an NHL role, but he does look to be an NHLer down the line.
As good as he has been and how much he has developed, Stromgren probably tops out as a reliable depth option who floats between a replacement-level NHLer and a decent above-replacement NHLer. With his offensive upside being where it is and his size and pedigree, he could be a good third line option for the Flames if things work out perfectly.
For next season, it would be great to see him push to be a point-per-game AHLer right off the bat and use his production to earn an NHL call-up. More realistically, he will spend the majority of the year in the AHL, putting up point totals ideally between 0.75 points-per-game and a point-per-game pace and will earn his first NHL look. This would be a success for him this year, and would likely see him push up the prospect rankings next year.
If he can do this, the future looks very bright for the young Swede as well as for the Flames, who do need good depth players to fill in their roster as part of a rebuild.
Calgary Flames 2024 Top 15 Prospects
Honourable Mentions | #15 William Stromgren | #14 Jacob Battaglia | #13 Aydar Suniev | #12 Luke Misa | #11 Etienne Morin | #10 Henry Mews | #9 Samuel Honzek | #8 Matvei Gridin | #7 Jakob Pelletier | #6 Andrew Basha | #5 Jeremie Poirier | #4 Hunter Brzustewicz | #3 Matt Coronato | #2 Dustin Wolf | #1 Zayne Parekh
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