The Calgary Flames had one of the youngest teams at the 2024 Young Stars Classic, but easily the most intriguing from a pure talent and potential standpoint.
While they didn’t end up winning the tournament, they fared well with a 1–1–1 record, and had several noteworthy performances from up and down the lineup.
This year’s Flames team was comprised entirely of players in the organization, with only one being an invitee. This is a testament to how much emphasis the Flames have put on drafting and development the past year or two, and a clear signal of their focus on youth and the future.
Here are a few of the most impressive standouts this year.
Sam Morton and William Stromgren
The duo of Sam Morton and William Stromgren were the most impressive for the Flames all tournament long, even though they didn’t play in the final game. Both have significantly more experience than the average player at the tourney, but even so, they were dominant.
Morton has been a really nice find since the Flames signed him out of college last year. He had a solid showing with the Wranglers at the end of the season and into the playoffs and has clearly put in the work to improve even further over the summer.
This is an older player who is going to play professional hockey next year, the question is just where. There is a legitimate chance that Morton pushes for a depth NHL role in training camp, and he’s definitely a player to watch once main camp opens.
Similarly, Stromgren has a lot more professional experience than others at the tournament, but he was by far the most impressive he’s ever been since getting drafted by the Flames in the second round of the 2021 draft. He seemingly came out of nowhere at the end of last season and became randomly good, but this player has been on an upward trajectory for quite some time.
He’s going to start in the AHL, but he almost certainly will play NHL games this season. It’s a huge win, as many considered Stromgren to be a bust as recently as last season.
Andrew Basha
The 41st overall pick in the 2024 draft came to play. A lot of people had Andrew Basha pencilled in as a surefire first-rounder, but he miraculously fell to the Flames in the second round, and it’s already looking like a steal. The Calgary kid played incredibly over the weekend, showing off his elite speed and skating, and a ton of skill to go with it. His compete level was off the charts and he really did look like the player who put up 30 goals and 85 points in the WHL last year.
The most common concern you hear with Basha is that he was propped up by superstars Gavin McKenna and Cayden Lindstrom in Medicine Hat last year, but he showed that he is a first-round talent in his own right. The Flames may have something special in Basha.
Hunter Brzustewicz
A lot of comparisons are floating around between the Flames’ two blue-chip blueliners in Hunter Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh, but this weekend showed that Brzustewicz’s extra year of development definitely has him ahead of Parekh—at least right now. Brzustewicz was the best Flames defenceman by a wide margin over the course of the tournament, and he showed why he’s regarded as one of the most skilled defence prospects in the game.
He played very well at both ends of the ice and was rewarded by getting the final game of the tourney off. He’ll come into main camp with his eyes on an NHL job, even though the most likely scenario is that he plays the full season in the AHL.
His play was so strong that I truly feel like the Flames would have been happy with just getting Brzustewicz back in the Elias Lindholm trade. Getting the other hundred pieces was just icing on the cake. Brzustewicz is going to play NHL games, and right now should be expected to play a big role for the Flames in the coming years.
Waltteri Ignatjew
Not only does Waltteri Ignatjew have one of the coolest names in hockey right now, but he also has one of the most intriguing profiles. The Young Stars Classic was the first time Ignatjew had played a game in North America. Period. And even if you don’t consider that at all, he was very impressive between the pipes.
He’s just 24 years old, has really good size at 6’3″ and 198lbs, and looks to be a goalie with legitimate professional potential. The Flames apparently beat several teams to the punch in signing Ignatjew, and it looks like there might be something there. Hopefully, he continues to show well as he gets more North American experience against better players. Overall, this was a great first view at Ignatjew as he becomes the organization’s top goalie prospect after the graduation of Dustin Wolf.
Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin
The Flames’ 2024 first-rounders took some time to pop, but they both looked very good by the end of the tournament, especially in the final game against the tournament-winning Canucks.
Parekh took some time to find his groove and his timing, but he got better each period that he played and showed flashes of brilliance in every game. You could clearly see his elite skating ability, his shiftiness, overall hockey IQ, and poise with the puck. Seeing him play in person shows off the smaller details in his playstyle that are even more impressive than what most camera angles can capture.
He hit iron a few times over the tournament, and finally scored a goal in the third game. His defensive work has room for improvement, which he’ll no doubt work on in Saginaw this year.
It’s important to keep in mind that Parekh is just 18, and he has a lot of time to continue developing. He’ll definitely use this tournament as a springboard into main camp, but this was his first time against professional competition and he adapted very well. Overall this was a very positive tournament for the Flames’ top prospect.
Similarly, Matvei Gridin took his time getting adjusted, but got better every game and really popped in the final game against the Canucks. Even from the first game, you could see that Gridin is loaded with raw talent. He was making plays, shooting the puck very well, and generally humming in the offensive zone. He showed off his insane shot on a goal in the final game, converting from the high slot on a wicked snapper.
Gridin’s biggest enemy is going to be himself. He needs to commit to giving it his all every single shift, but if he can do that, he has NHL top-six potential. This was just a taste of what he can do, and he should be expected to absolutely light up the QMJHL this coming season. He won’t be a player to necessarily watch in training camp, but definitely one to follow during the season in the Q.
The future of the Flames looks bright
The small sample of the annual B.C. tournament has shown that the Flames have a promising prospect pool. If everything goes according to plan, there’s a good chance this tournament featured not just a couple, but several future NHLers for the Flames.
