The Calgary Flames finally traded Rasmus Andersson, and after much speculation, it was to the Vegas Golden Knights. In return, the Flames got a first-round pick, a conditional second-round pick, Zach Whitecloud, and defensive prospect Abram Wiebe. Undoubtedly, most people are focused on Whitecloud and the two picks, but lost in the conversation is how good Wiebe could be in a couple of years. Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Abram Wiebe?
The Mission, BC born prospect was a seventh-round selection of the Golden Knights back in 2022, after he put up a decent 31 points in 54 games for the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. The defenceman also had nine assists in 11 playoff games for the team that season.
Clearly, the Knights saw something in him, as the following season, he put up 53 points in 54 games as the Chiefs’ captain, and then added 12 points in 15 playoff games. Abram Wiebe finished second in scoring that season among defencemen, and led his team in scoring by a good distance. Remember, he’s a defenceman putting up numbers better than most forwards.
Wiebethen made the jump to the University of North Dakota and put up a decent 10 points in his first campaign, good for fourth among blueliners on his team. Last season was a breakout year for him, as he put up 24 points in 38 games for the team and finished fourth in scoring. For reference, fellow Flames prospect Cade Littler had nine points that year on the same team, and he’s a forward.
This season, Wiebe has 14 points in 24 games, putting him second among defencemen in scoring and eighth on the team. Flames prospect Cole Reschny leads the team in scoring this season.
What type of player is Abram Wiebe
When you see a defenceman who puts up a lot of points, the big question is whether their defensive play is as good. For Wiebe, the answer is yes! Not only is he offensively capable, but he’s also reliable defensively, able to stand up at the blueline and limit chances against. Take a look at some of his numbers here:
Obviously, the offensive numbers are excellent. To be in the 90th percentile for shooting is excellent. But what is more interesting is his retrievals/60 being nearly 80%. This points to a player who plays hard in the corners.
Most of the other weaker numbers are conditioned by spending a lot of time in the offensive zone, roughly 90% of his time. That means that Abram Wiebe is likely starting a lot of shifts there, but is also likely turning the puck up ice quickly. His blocks, hits, and takeways are going to be lower as a result.
Wiebe has spent most of the season on the team’s second pairing, with some decent special teams usage. These numbers are especially good given he hasn’t been utilized as much as some of the team’s other defencemen. This may change as the season wears on, but he looks to be very good.
Could Wiebe be an NHLer in Calgary?
This is likely his last season in the NCAA, with the Flames not likely to want him to play another season without being signed. Expect him to join the Calgary Wranglers at the end of this season, then full-time next season.
Scott Wheeler had Wiebe as Vegas’ sixth-best prospect before being traded, but given how deep the Flames’ depth chart is, he likely falls into the late teens in their system. That means he probably ends up starting at the bottom of the order in the AHL, then needing to prove himself over the next couple of years.
Absolute worst case, Wiebe becomes handy AHL depth, but most likely, he develops into a tweener, someone who can play a sixth or seventh defender role in the NHL down the line. However, Wiebe has always been a late bloomer, and there is a chance he could do what Yan Kuznetsov has done this season, and find his way to being a handy middle-pair defenceman in the NHL in a few years.
A big body defenceman who is already the right size for pro hockey, expect the 6’3″ 209-pound blueliner to make waves next season. Abram Wiebe is a name you should know.
