As the NHL regular season comes to an end, the Calgary Flames find themselves in an intense playoff race. With a huge loss over the Anaheim Ducks, the team’s playoff chances look bleak. With only four games remaining, is it safe to say the young guns deserve an opportunity to play? Here are some potential AHL call-ups who could get called up to end the season.
Forward, William Stromgren
The Calgary Flames drafted forward William Stromgren in the second round of the 2021 NHL draft. Although this was a controversial pick to some Flames fans—especially with current NHLer Logan Stankoven being drafted two picks later—William Stromgren has since made significant progress at the AHL level. His first full season was an adjustment for him, where he only put up 27 points across 68 games.
This year, William Stromgren has become much stronger, making him a bigger threat. The 21-year-old currently has 46 points in 66 games played. He seems to have become a bit of a playmaker, as 33 of his points are assists. Stromgren has become an extremely important player for the Calgary Wranglers, who have seriously struggled lately.
Looking to the future, William Stromgren could be someone who could replace a player like Blake Coleman. He would serve as a strong middle-six forward with good size. Stromgren stands at six foot three compared to Blake Coleman’s five foot 11. If William Stromgren does not make his debut to end this season, I think he definitely deserves a chance next year.
Defenceman, Jeremie Poirier
Another Calgary Wrangler who has made significant progress is defenceman Jeremie Poirier. The Calgary Flames drafted Jeremie Poirier in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was a key part of the Saint John’s Sea Dogs, who won the 2022 Memorial Cup. Fellow Wranglers’ defenceman Yan Kuznetsov was also on the team. Both defencemen put up three points in the four games of the tournament.
After winning the Memorial Cup, Jeremie Poirier began the next season with the Calgary Wranglers. His first season was exceptional, and he scored 41 points in 69 games. He had a respectable plus-four rating, which is acceptable for a rookie defenceman in the AHL.
Moving into the 2023–24 season, Jeremie Poirier was looking to have his best year. Unfortunately, things did not plan out that season as Poirier received a serious injury. He suffered a skate laceration on his arm that required surgery. This heavily affected Poirier’s season as he only played in 23 games.
This season has brought many positives for Jeremie Poirier. He has been healthy and is currently the Calgary Wranglers’ highest-scoring defenceman. His bounce-back season provided some relief to Flames fans who were worried that the injury would affect his development. This has not been the case, and an NHL debut for Jeremie Poirier will occur shortly. Zayne Parekh’s call-up may delay this until next year, but he still deserves a shot soon. call-up
Forward, Rory Kerins
Rory Kerins has already had a taste of NHL hockey this season. He played in a five-game stint with the Calgary Flames, where he put up four assists in those five games. Kerins recorded his first NHL point just seconds into his NHL career. He set up former AHL teammate Jakob Pelletier for two goals that night, making it a debut to remember.
Rory Kerins stated, “To start off with a goal right away, wasn’t expecting that”. The 22-year-old could not believe how quickly he found success in the NHL.
Rory Kerins has had a fairly dominant season. The forward is nearly a point per game in the AHL and leads the Wranglers in goals and points. He has been the only true goal scorer for the Wranglers this year, being a massive reason for them being in a playoff push. Rory Kerins was selected to be an all-star alongside teammate Devin Cooley. Both of these players truly deserved recognition for their outstanding play in the first half of the season.
Going forward, Rory Kerins would love to be a full-timer on the NHL squad. I believe he deserved a longer stint with the team as he helped deliver on offence, which is the weakest component of the Calgary Flames. Will Rory Kerins get another shot this season? His offensive mindset would provide some excellent support to the star forwards on the Calgary Flames.
Non AHL call-ups
With the Calgary Flames’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread, is there a chance that Aydar Suniev and Zayne Parekh make their NHL debuts? I believe they both should be in the lineup against the Minnesota Wild on Friday night. The Calgary Flames desperately need a boost of offence, and I think both of these players can help with that.
Yes, throwing them straight into the fire may force them to make some mistakes, but big players need to play in big moments.
The Calgary Flames’ season is on the line. Do you think any of these call-ups deserve a chance to play in important games? Or will they all have to wait until next season?
