Top prospects for Calgary Flames

NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the top five prospects for the Calgary Flames, according to NHL.com.

1. Zayne Parekh, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 9 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

2024-2025 season: Calgary (NHL): 1 GP, 1-0-1; Saginaw (OHL): 61 GP, 33-74-107

The 19-year-old was the top scoring defenseman in the Ontario Hockey League last season and had a memorable NHL debut in the Flames’ final game. Parekh scored a goal and showcased his offensive ability in a 5-1 win at the Los Angeles Kings on April 17.

Parekh is expected to get a long look at training camp this season and will be given every opportunity to earn a roster spot.

“He’s coming in as a 19-year-old this year trying to make an NHL roster as a defenseman, which is extremely hard, but there are certain things that he brings to the table that are hard to teach and a lot of teams don’t have,” Flames director of player development Ray Edwards said. “So, when you have those attributes, you have to use them to the best of your ability, understanding there are certain parts of his game that we have to keep grinding away on.”

If Parekh is not able to earn a spot with Calgary, he is ineligible to play in the American Hockey League and would have to return to junior, where he won the Memorial Cup with Saginaw in 2024. Regardless, the Flames are excited about the young prospect and believe he has the ability to develop into an elite NHL defenseman.

“We like his skill, his hockey sense and the moment is never too big for him,” director of amateur scouting Tod Button said. “He plays with a lot of swagger, and he has a lot of confidence. Last year, coming off a Memorial Cup championship, he didn’t get a lot of time to train, so this summer he can get a full summer of training and put the requisite weight and strength to make the jump to the next level.”

Projected NHL arrival: This season

2. Hunter Brzustewicz, D

How acquired: Trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31, 2024

2024-2025 season: Calgary (NHL): 1 GP, 0-0-0; Calgary (AHL): 70 GP, 5-27-32

The 20-year-old was acquired from Vancouver, along with forward Andrei Kuzmenko, defenseman prospect Joni Jurmo, and a first- and fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft for center Elias Lindholm on Jan. 31, 2024.

Brzustewicz had a solid first season of professional hockey in the AHL last season and is expected to continue his development.

An offensive defenseman coming out of junior where he had 92 points (13 goals, 79 assists) in 67 games with Kitchener of the OHL in 2023-24, Brzustewicz is working on his defensive game. He was selected by the Canucks in the third round (No. 75) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

“The biggest thing with Hunter is his poise and his execution with the puck,” Edwards said. “He can make the plays, he has deception in his game, he very rarely makes a poor decision with the puck. He’s dynamic in terms of making that first pass, getting us out of our zone. He can make plays through people and in the middle of the ice and has all the confidence in the world to look off a defender and find people.”

Projected NHL arrival: 2026-2027

3. Cole Reschny, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 18 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

2024-2025 season: Victoria (WHL): 62 GP, 26-66-92

Reschny, 18, had an outstanding second full season in the Western Hockey League and will be attending the University of North Dakota this season.

“He’s a 200-foot guy; he can play in any situation,” Button said. “He’s smart, he’s composed, he penalty kills, he’s good on face-offs, he was really good in the WHL on face-offs, which is rare to see for a 17-year-old. He doesn’t cheat the game. The one thing about Cole is that if he’s not scoring, he can still help your team win, and sometimes that’s not always the case for young players.”

Reschny will be playing against older, bigger and stronger players in the NCAA this season, which should help him take another step toward the NHL.

“We like his offense, but we believe there is much more from him from a 200-foot game perspective,” Edwards said. “We like his mindset and mentality, the leadership he brings, he’s a very mature young man at this age. We feel like we have a complete player that not only can produce but potentially play top minutes against top players and be an effective guy.”

Projected NHL arrival: 2027-2028

4. Matvei Gridin, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 28 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

2024-2025 season: Shawinigan (QMJHL): 56 GP, 36-43-79

The 19-year-old is expected to make the jump to pro hockey this season and play in the AHL. Gridin is eligible because he was drafted out of the United States Hockey League, where he had 83 points (38 goals, 45 assists) in 60 games with Muskegon in 2023-24.

“He’s got a lot of skill and hockey sense,” Button said. “He’s another kid that plays more with his head than with his feet. He’s a good skater, but he plays with his hands and his head and he’s a real good playmaker on the off-side. He has a sneaky quick shot and he’s a very cerebral player the way he plays the game and the way he manages the game. Everything he does is well-thought-out.”

Gridin had a solid first season with Shawinigan of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League in 2024-25, and the Flames expect him to continue to develop, hopefully, in the AHL.

“He has dynamic offensive instincts, he beats people 1-on-1, he can score from distance and score in and around the net,” Edwards said. “He sees the play well and he’s a player that you have to be ready to get the puck, because if you’re open, he’s going to find you.”

Projected NHL arrival: 2027-2028

5. Samuel Honzek, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 16 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

2024-2025 season: Calgary (NHL): 5 GP, 0-0-0; Calgary (AHL): 52 GP, 8-13-21

A versatile forward, the 20-year-old started the season in the NHL before he was sent down to the AHL, where he took on a big defensive role and is expected to continue developing into a strong checking forward this season.

“Sam played center, he played wing, he played in all different situations,” Edwards said. “What I loved about Sam’s year is that we threw him a lot of curveballs, he had to deal with a lot of different things, and he handled it very well. For a young player, dealing with all that stuff, we thought he had a really good year.”

At 6-foot-4, 186 pounds, Honzek has good size and can be effective at both ends of the ice. He took big strides as a penalty killer last season in the AHL, playing on Calgary’s first unit.

“He was out there in the last minute of games, the last minute of periods to make sure we didn’t get scored on,” Edwards said. “That’s really high praise for a 19-year-old who was playing pro when he could be playing junior. We think his offensive game can take another step, but what he showed us last year, is that we can trust him in defensive situations and for a young player, that’s impressive.”

Projected NHL arrival: 2026-2027