With all of the CHL champions being crowned in the past couple of weeks, the Memorial Cup is set to start May 22. This year’s tournament features the Medicine Hat Tigers, London Knights, Moncton Wildcats, and the host team, Rimouski Oceanic. Every year, plenty of NHL teams see their prospects compete on this stage, and the Calgary Flames are no different.
It poses the question: How many Flames drafted prospects have appeared in the Memorial Cup within the past decade?
2014–15: Hunter Smith, Dillon Dube
The 2014 second-rounder Hunter Smith appeared with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals during the 2014–15 rendition. Smith had a pedestrian performance, with a single goal coming in the first round robin game. The Windsor-born OHL’er was valued more for his frame and size than anything, standing at 6’7″.
The disgraced former second-round Flames forward, Dillon Dube, also appeared with the Kelowna Rockets at the 2014–15 Memorial Cup.
2015–16: Tyler Parsons and Matthew Tkachuk
The Calgary Flames thought that they had found their next starter in the form of 2016 second-round pick Tyler Parsons. The London Knights goaltender had a stellar Major Junior career, posting a .918 combined save percentage across three seasons in the OHL and a stint with Team USA at the WJC.
One of his highlights as a Flames prospect was winning the Memorial Cup with the London Knights. At the 2015–16 tournament, he got a nod to the Memorial Cup all-star team and was named most valuable goaltender, while posting a .942% and a 1.79 GAA across seven games.
Parsons might have been the only Flames draftee at the time, but Matthew Tkachuk would soon join him in the NHL draft after the Memorial Cup. The talented pest proved himself invaluable to the Knights, posting eight points across four games, and going over a goal a game at the tournament with five in 4.
The rest is well, history.
2021–22: Ryan Francis, Jeremie Porier, and Yan Kuznetsov
The name Ryan Francis might not sound very familiar to many Flames fans, and that is fair. The 2001-born forward was a fifth-round selection of Calgary in the 2020 NHL draft, going 143rd overall. The centre had a moderately successful scoring career in the QMJHL, posting a 0.94 PPG across his five-year career.
This offensive output also translated to the Memorial Cup as the right-shot forward put up six points across four games en route to him and the rest of his Saint John Sea Dogs teammates being named Memorial Cup Champions.
Francis only ever ended up playing four games with the Stockton Heat in the 2021–22 season.
Francis also had two other teammates who were Flames draftees in the form of current Calgary Wranglers defenders Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier. Both of whom served as stable blueliners who had impressive outings. Both put up three points across four games, with Kuznetsov also being named a tournament MVP.
Since playing in the tournament, both have made a nice adjustment to professional AHL hockey with the Wranglers, while also serving as depth options for the Flames when healthy.
2022–23: Lucas Ciona
The second-year Wranglers forward appeared in the Memorial Cup back at the conclusion of the 2022–23 season with the Seattle Thunderbirds. After capping off a quality Major Junior career, the physical bruiser made his mark on the CHL’s biggest tournament, appearing in five games and posting four points.
Lucas Ciona has been a more raw prospect for the Flames, but the Memorial Cup seemed to unlock another level of his development as he showed greater confidence.
The 2021 Flames’ sixth-rounder continues to develop his game at the AHL level.
2023–24: Zayne Parekh
Although not drafted by the Calgary Flames just yet, Zayne Parekh appeared in the 2023–24 champion vs champion tournament. As per usual, he was quite electric, with high-end senses, puck skills, and skating. His performances at the Memorial Cup boosted his draft stock moderately.
2024–25: Etienne Morin and Andrew Basha
As outlined in one of The Win Column’s previous articles, two of Calgary’s high-potential prospects are appearing in this year’s tournament. Playing extra games never hurts, and for a player specifically like Andrew Basha, who hasn’t played a lot of hockey recently, this will be a trend in the right direction for his development.
Other notable Flames draftees to appear in the Memorial Cup
1992–93: Cory Stillman, F, Peterborough Petes, 1992, Rd 1, 6th ovr
1981–82 and 1982–23: Mike Vernon, G, Portland Winterhawks, 1981 Rd 3, 56 ovr
1980–81 and 1981–82: Al MacInnis, D, Kitchener Rangers, 1981, Rd 1, 15th ovr
The Memorial Cup and the Calgary Flames
The year-end CHL tournament is one last good live viewing on prospects for NHL scouts and management as the NHL draft nears. This year, the Calgary Flames are well represented.
Are you looking forward to the Memorial Cup? Will you be watching Basha or Morin? Let us know in the comments below.
