The Flames and the rest of the NHL are set to return from the Olympic break*, so expect more moves around the system in the coming weeks. With the trade deadline looming on March 6th, the Flames are expected to add to the prospect pool as (hopefully) sellers.
Let’s take a look at all their current prospects in the system.
Welcome to the TWC Calgary Flames prospect update. We have defined a prospect as a skater who has played fewer than 65 NHL games and was born in 2001 or later.
*This article was written 24/2/26.
Andrew Basha, Forward, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
Basha’s Season so far
The 2005-born forward’s season has been full of ups and downs so far. The Calgary-born product initially started the campaign with his hometown Calgary Wranglers of the AHL, but after limited opportunity and production in 27 games, Basha was reassigned to the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL on January 1st.
Since New Year’s, the story of Basha’s season has flipped entirely as the over-ager is lighting up the WHL at a 1.40 PPG rate and averaging 18:37 of TOI. His on-puck game is definitely improving with reps, as Basha also averages a staggering 119 puck touches per game.
What is his game like in the WHL?
Basha still plays a two-way forward game, highlighted by elements of playmaking. Basha’s game continues to stand out for the forward’s high-end skating, senses, and puck skills. The Tigers forward is most dangerous on the rush, but continues to show growth in shooting, compete level, and physicality.
The Alberta product’s skating is one element that really allows Basha to dictate pace, drive lanes hard, and turn any chance into a dangerous rush-based scoring chance. His solid posture, smooth stride, with rapid stride recovery/acceleration, and improving agility continue to project above NHL average.
Basha’s skating generates both quick rush-based attacks and smooth controlled zone entries to the tune of seven per game.
The Flames draftee’s Hockey sense remains on full display with high-end hockey IQ, awareness, and instincts. The second-rounder continues to have no problems with play processing and creation.
Basha is an expert at using his motor, pace, and energy to create scoring chances for the Tigers out of nothing plays.
Basha’s puck/passing skills have improved with advanced levels of deception, as his poise, confidence, and facilitation demonstrate quality puck management and creativity. Specifically, this gain in confidence has improved his decision-making, and he pushes the pace with elements like dekes with 3.2 per game.
The 6’00 forward’s hockey sense and puck skills contribute to his staggering 2.9 scoring chances per game, and he has an 11% conversion rate.
Hypothetically, if that finishing rate of 11% improves to the WHL league average of around 12–14%, it means the WHLer could be scoring even more than his 0.37 goals expected rate, and 1.40 PPG suggests.
Defensively, Basha remains a stable, calm and collected forward, employs responsible positioning, an active stick, and is still quite the opportunist on the forecheck and in established zone play, which further articulates his hockey IQ. He even directly prevents 1.8 scoring chances per game.
His usage has also improved with Medicine Hat, as Basha is used more in a scoring role than in a defensively oriented shutdown role, but Basha excels in both. This adaptability of the 20-year-old demonstrates his overall versatility as a professional next season.
The largest area of improvement for Basha is his shooting mechanics, which show a snappy release, elevated levels of deception, and zero hesitation in shot selection. The Flame’s 2nd-rounder is trusting himself more, and it is paying off quite nicely.
There’s no aspect of the game that Basha is objectively bad at for his age, which makes his reassignment to the WHL puzzling. Basha is just stuck in an awkward spot, where he’s too good for the WHL, but also faces limited opportunity at the AHL level.
Where does Basha fit in with the Flames organization?
The Medicine Hat Tigers forward is quite a versatile player and can play any role asked of him. Expect Basha to have another rookie season with the Wranglers for the 2026–2027 campaign, and this time, he should adjust more smoothly to the professional ranks.
With the core of his skating, hockey sense, and puck skills, Basha has a toolkit that complements professional aspirations quite well and is not as raw as other prospects entering the system. Expect him to play two or three seasons with the Wranglers before making the jump up to the Calgary Flames full-time.
With the Flames, Basha likely projects as a reliable top-9 forward with some middle-six upside if everything goes right.
Calgary Flames prospect updates
AHL
- The Wranglers had an undefeated week. Calgary beat their rivals, the Bakersfield Condors, 5–4 in OT on the 20th, and followed this up with a 4–3 OTW against San Jose the following day. The Wranglers are now on a 3-game win streak.
- Despite this win streak, the Wranglers remain 9th in the AHL’s Pacific division with a 19–20–12 record. There has been a lack of offence and clutch performances from the club.
- Wranglers prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Matvei Gridin are expected to rejoin the Flames in the coming days, with the Olympic break now over. Both prospects are high-impact players in the AHL in the meantime.
- Forward Ryan Chyzowski was called up to the Wranglers from the Rapid City Rush on the 23rd.
ECHL
- The Rapid City Rush remain inconsistent this season. The Rush went 1–2–0 this past week, dropping a pair of games to the Worcester Railers: 3–2 on the 19th and 5–4 on the 20th, but did secure a 5–3 win on the 21st.
- The Rapid City Rush sit sixth in the ECHL’s Mountain Division with a 22–23–4 record.
- Goaltender Connor Murphy remains one of the few candidates from the Rush who could see more time with the Wranglers this campaign.
- 1997-born forward Maurizio Colella joined Rapid City on the 22nd. Defender Kaleb Tiessen and forward Lucas Helland have both left the Rush organization, also on the 22nd.
NCAA
- Defensive prospect Mace’o Phillips had the second multi-point game of his USHL campaign on the 21st against the Chicago Steel. Discipline remains a major issue with Phillips. It remains questionable if he could be trusted with any ice time next season with the University of Minnesota.
- Lipinski and the University of Maine played Merrimack College on the 20th and 21st. Lipinski generated an assist in the second game. Trevor Hoskins was not in the line-up for Merrimack College, likely due to an injury.
- 2024 5th-rounder Luke Misa is on a three-game point streak entering Wednesday. The forward played Ohio State on the 20th and 21st. In the first game, the speedy forward notched two goals and an assist, and in the second, he found the scoresheet with an assist.
- Wyttenbach’s point streak ended after a 6–1 statement loss to Cornell University on the 20th. Wyttenbach took no time to recover, though, potting a goal and two assists against Colgate the following day.
- 2025 1st-rounder Cole Reschny is a consistent facet of UND’s offensive and defensive efforts. The Team Canada Alumni posted an assist in games against St. Cloud State on the 20th and 21st. Fellow Flames draftee Cade Littler only dressed for the game on the 20th. Defender Abram Wiebe had an outstanding weekend, posting back-to-back multi-point games, including a goal and three assists across the past week. The 2003-born prospect has been lights out since his trade from Vegas.
WHL
- 2024 6th-rounder Hunter Laing had a less busy week. He played the Red Deer Rebels on the 20th, posting two assists, and then played the Calgary Hitmen the following day. Laing’s shutdown and down-low supporting elements remain his selling points as a prospect.
Russia
- Goaltender Kirill Zarubin earned his first call-up to the VHL and secured his first-ever pro-victory in a 40/41 save effort in his 2–1 shootout win against Olimpiya Kirovo-Chepetsk on the 20th. The Russian also appeared in two MHL games this past week. Zarubin made an 8-save relief effort on the 21st, and a 22-save 5–2 victory against Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk on the 23rd.
- Fellow Flames goaltender draftee Chechelev played against Zarubin on the 20th. The 25-year old stopped 33/34 shots as his team fell 2–1 in a shootout. The 2020 4th-rounder, then had a second start on the 22nd, stopping 27/28 shots, but similarly falling 2–0 to Ryazan-VDV.
Forwards
| Player | Position | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rory Kerins | C/LW | 48 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 0.90 | 16 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Cullen Potter | C/LW | 24 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 1.08 | 16 | Arizona State University | NCAA |
| Cade Littler | C/RW | 29 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0.38 | 26 | University of North Dakota | NCAA |
| Hunter Laing | C/RW | 52 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 0.87 | 31 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL |
| Carter King | C/LW | 47 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0.19 | 6 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Cole Reschny | C/LW | 28 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 1.00 | 14 | University of North Dakota | NCAA |
| Jaden Lipinski | C/RW | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 0.41 | 31 | University of Maine | NCAA |
| Luke Misa | C/LW | 30 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 0.57 | 2 | Penn State University | NCAA |
| Trevor Hoskins | RW/C | 26 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 1.04 | 10 | Merrimack College | NCAA |
| Theo Stockselius | C/LW | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Djurgårdens IF | SHL |
| Yan Matveiko | C | 42 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0.79 | 16 | Krasnaya Armiya Moskva | MHL |
| William Stromgren | LW/RW | 45 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 0.82 | 34 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Matvei Gridin | LW/RW | 36 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 0.81 | 18 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Lucas Ciona | LW/RW | 39 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0.15 | 65 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Parker Bell | LW/RW | 40 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.10 | 30 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Andrew Basha | LW/RW | 20 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 1.40 | 16 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL: |
| Jacob Battaglia | LW/RW | 55 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 0.75 | 49 | Flint Firebirds | OHL |
| Aydar Suniev | LW/RW | 40 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 0.33 | 8 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Ethan Wyttenbach | LW/RW | 34 | 22 | 32 | 54 | 1.59 | 14 | Quinnipiac University | NCAA |
| Aiden Lane | RW/LW | 28 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 0.39 | 14 | Harvard University | NCAA |
Defence
| Player | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etienne Morin | 24 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.17 | 8 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Artyom Grushnikov | 44 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.02 | 17 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Jacob Leander | 32 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0.25 | 57 | HV71 | U20 Nat |
| Hunter Brzustewicz | 29 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 0.45 | 8 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Axel Hurtig | 54 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 0.30 | 38 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| Henry Mews | 10 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0.90 | 6 | University of Michigan | NCAA |
| Eric Jamieson | 33 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0.45 | 41 | University of Denver | NCAA |
| Mace’o Phillips | 33 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0.27 | 138 | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL |
| Abram Wiebe | 32 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 0.78 | 6 | University of North Dakota | NCAA |
| Gavin White | 30 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.17 | 10 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
Goaltenders
| Player | GP | GAA | SV% | Record | SO | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenii Sergeev | 14 | 3.29 | .894 | 3-4-6 | 0 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Owen Say | 19 | 3.36 | .889 | 6-7-5 | 1 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL |
| Yegor Yegorov | 31 | 2.86 | .920 | 11-15-0 | 1 | MHK Spartak-MAH Moskva | MHL |
| Kirill Zarubin | 39 | 2.01 | .933 | 22–10-0 | 3 | AKM Tula | MHL |
| Daniil Chechelev | 12 | 2.13 | .927 | 3-5-1 | 0 | Olimpiya Kirovo-Chepetsk | VHL |
