With the 132nd pick in the fifth round at the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames selected Simon Katolicky out of the U20 SM-sarja.
Who is Simon Katolicky?
| Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left Wing / Right Wing | Left | 6’5″ / 195cm | 205lbs / 93kg |
As a Czech-born player, Katolicky developed in the country’s youth system. In 2024–25, Katolicky would sign with Tappara in Finland to continue he’s career at a higher level. The towering power forward has worked his way up the Tappara system over the past two years. He upgraded from the U18 league to the U20 league in an attempt to continue to raise his draft stock.
Katolicky’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | D-1 | U18 SM-sarja | Tappara U18 | 30 | 24 | 28 | 52 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | U20 SM-sarja | Tappara U20 | 29 | 6 | 11 | 17 |
In his D-1 season, Katolicky absolutely lit up the U18 league. Across 30 games, he would pot 24 goals and produce 52 points, nearing two points per game, and having the highest on the team. This set him up to be a projected first- to second-round pick in the preseason. However, Katolicky would lose that stock after a disappointing draft year. After joining the U20 team, Katolicky would only put up six goals and 17 points in 29 games. He went from being a team leader to being around the middle of the pack, heavily tanking his draft stock.
Katolicky’s strengths
The first thing that stands out about Katolicky is his size. That should be no surprise, as he stands at a hulking 6’5″, 205lbs. Katolicky has shown that he can apply pressure to the puck carrier with an active long reach or with his body, limiting space for the opponent. He mostly keeps his feet active and does a good job of keeping position. Katolicky also brings pretty good speed from someone his size. There’s an explosiveness to his stride that can cause him to look like a freight train in moments. It can also make him very effective on the forecheck if he’s putting in a full effort. Another thing is that Katolicky is solid at creating high-danger chances. He has a decent sense of finding open ice in dangerous areas and doesn’t pass up a shooting lane.
Katolicky’s areas of improvement
When it comes to Katolicky, you are looking at a very raw player. He certainly has skill and size, but he needs to learn how to use both. Although he can apply immense pressure at times, other times he lets off his forecheck and allows easy outs for his opponents. He also has issues with not using his size as effectively. He’ll opt for a stick check over a physical play in moments he shouldn’t.
There are concerns with consistent perimeter play and on-puck movement as well. Katolicky struggles with cutting to the middle with the puck, causing lots of his offence to be generated from the outside. He also doesn’t flash the same finesse with the puck as he does off-puck. Another thing to add is that his sense can seem lacking at times, trying to force plays that aren’t there because if they succeed, they’ll be a high-danger opportunity, but the success is way too low.
Katolicky’s next steps
Heading into next season, Katolicky is coming over to North America to play for the Sarnia Sting in the OHL. The plan for Katolicky would be for him to hopefully light up the OHL and bounce back to that pre-draft year stock. With how it goes nowadays, it wouldn’t surprise me if Katolicky jumped to the NCAA for 2027–28, especially if he has a great D-1 season. Katolicky is a player who may take a while to see in the AHL with the Wranglers, and definitely will be some time before he is possibly a Flame.
Projection with the Flames
With Katolicky, the Flames are betting on the tools and upside in his game. He is an incredibly raw player and definitely showed struggles at a higher level this past year. However, Katolicky has also flashed the skill set of a pretty valuable player. He just needs to put it all together, which is, frankly, easier said than done. I think if Katolicky can put his raw skill together, you may be looking at a middle-six option. If you can at least flesh out the size and senses, maybe a fourth-line grinder. Either is a valuable player with a fifth-round pick. Nonetheless, it’s going to be a longer path for Katolicky to reach the pros, and he’ll need to prove he has more than just his flashes.
