NHL Prospect Watch: Calgary Flames

Ahead of the 2024-25 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight WHLers who have been signed to an NHL contract, were recently drafted, or are included in the NHL’s definition of a rookie. Join us for a brand-new season of NHL Prospect Watch.

Our tour continues in Cowtown with a look at the Calgary Flames system.

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Andrew Basha

Hometown player, incoming! The Flames snapped up the Calgary Native with the 41st pick in the second round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The confident power forward is coming off a career-best season with the Medicine Hat Tigers that saw him pot 30 goals and 55 assists for 85 points in 63 games. Basha finished second on the Tigers in regular season goals and game-winning goals (four) and third in points, while leading the squad with three goals in five postseason games. The 5-foot-11, 176-pound winger has hit some tidy career milestones with 55 goals and 100 assists in 178 career WHL matches and will be a key piece of a dangerous Medicine Hat squad that will look to challenge for a championship in the seasons ahead.

🎥 ANDREW BASHA – HIGHLIGHT REEL 🎥

Playmaker. Sniper. Power Forward. Andrew Basha’s got it all. @tigershockey | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/CLWaGBMgsQ

— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 28, 2024

Parker Bell

The Flames’ fifth-round pick from 2022 closed out his WHL career with a personal high in goals, potting a team-leading 33 goals and 31 assists to match last season’s total of 64 points in 59 games. Bell tallied three hat tricks in his 20-year-old season and registered eight three-point games, graduating from major junior hockey with 77 goals and 107 assists for 184 points in 239 games over five seasons, all with the Tri-City Americans. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound left winger put pen to paper on a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flames in September and suited up for a pair of games with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers upon the conclusion of Tri City’s regular season.

Hot Hands, brought to you by Parker Bell. @TCAmericans | ANHLFlames pic.twitter.com/AcJyYe6hJ6

— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 10, 2024

Lucas Ciona

The former Seattle Thunderbirds Captain made his professional debut in 2023-24 with the Wranglers, embracing a role that showcased his physical play more than his point production. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound winger lit the lamp for his first pro goal against the Abbotsford Canucks on October 1 and had his biggest offensive night with a two-goal effort against the Colorado Eagles on March 1. Ciona would close out his rookie season with four goals, two assists and 82 penalty minutes in 55 matches. With two more years remaining on his entry-level deal, the Edmonton, Alta. product has plenty of room to grow now that he’s gotten a taste of the pro ranks. Ciona, a 2021 sixth-round pick of the Flames, is a proven winner at the junior level, finishing second among Thunderbirds skaters with 75 points in the 2022-23 regular season and adding another nine in playoffs en route to clinching the second WHL Championship in Seattle’s history. Ciona had two more goals and assists at the Memorial Cup, where the Thunderbirds fell just short in the final.

Make it ✌️ for Lucas Ciona! pic.twitter.com/dvfWgvpR5m

— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) March 2, 2024

Axel Hurtig

Swedish defenceman Axel Hurtig is taking his talents west after being selected in the seventh round, 208th overall, in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old will join the Calgary Hitmen for 2024-25 after being picked by the club in the first round of the 2023 CHL Import Draft. Hurtig spent the bulk of the past season with Rögle’s J20 program, netting three goals and eight assists in 27 games and earning call-ups to Rögle BK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). The 6-foot-5, 205-pound blueliner finished the regular season and playoffs on loan to HockeyEttan’s Kristianstads. Hurtig has played for Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championship and will represent his country again at the World Junior Summer Showcase next month. 

It may be July, but Flames prospect Axel Hurtig is ready to hit the Saddledome ice with the @WHLHitmen!

🎥 | @NHLFlames pic.twitter.com/3dye9bZh9u

— The WHL (@TheWHL) July 10, 2024

Samuel Honzek

Slovakian sensation Sam Honzek may have had another shorter campaign, but he’s made an impact on the ice every chance he gets. After being selected 16th overall by the Flames in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and putting pen to paper on his entry-level deal, Honzek impressed Calgary brass and made it into preseason action. The 6-foot-4, 194-pound forward was named the first European Captain of the Giants and went on to bury 10 goals and 21 assists in 33 regular season contests, finishing fourth on the team with an average of .94 points per game and recording eight multi-point outings. Honzek scored twice in five postseason contests before getting called up to the Wranglers and making his professional debut with a pair of regular-season games and one playoff match. Honzek has been working out with his countryman and fellow Flame Martin Pospisil and hopes to make a full-time jump to pro sooner rather than later.

Captain Sam Honzek.

3-0 VAN | 3rd 0:41#GiantNewEra | #Flames | @NHLFlames pic.twitter.com/gjmLWNrN4E

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) February 10, 2024

Eric Jamieson

Calgary made another local pickup by selecting Everett Silvertips defenceman Eric Jamieson with the 177th pick in the sixth round of this year’s draft. The 6-foot-3, 204-pound blueliner led the Silvertips with a +34 rating and put up a career-best 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points in 66 games. The 19-year-old was also named an assistant captain in his second full season with Everett, helping the squad advance to the second round of the 2024 WHL Playoffs. Jamieson entered the season with something to prove after going undrafted in 2023 but snagged an invitation to Seattle Kraken development camp, setting the stage for a breakout season in 2023-24.

Ready or not @NHLFlames fans, here comes the BOOM.

Eric Jamieson does it all.#NHLDraft | #Flames pic.twitter.com/BXsRky71Tn

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) June 29, 2024

Hunter Laing

Calgary loves having some size in the prospect pool, and Hunter Laing happens to be the tallest WHLer selected at the NHL Draft in 2024. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound centre intimidated opponents while lighting the lamp 11 times and tacking on 14 assists for 25 points in 66 games in his first full season in the Western League. Laing scored his first WHL goal and added an assist for his first WHL multipoint game in an 11-2 thrashing of Victoria on September 29. The 18-year-old from Kelowna is fresh off his first NHL development camp with an intimidating challenge ahead- Hockey Hall of Famer and Laing’s family friend Jarome Iginla has jokingly challenged the youngster to a garage wrestling match to test his mettle.

LAING GANG LAING GANG LAING GANG#NHLDraft https://t.co/4C9LMDzfv9 pic.twitter.com/FawjxjQISb

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) May 3, 2024

Jaden Lipinski

Honzek’s Vancouver Giants teammate built on a breakout season with new personal bests across the board. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound centre led the Giants with 24 goals (including seven powerplay goals, two shorthanded markers and two game-winners), finished second in assists with 42 and tied for first with 66 points in 67 games. The Giants alternate captain was named to the B.C. Division Second All-Star Team and also got his rookie lap in with the Calgary Wranglers for one game at the end of the season on an amateur tryout agreement. Now 19 years old, Lipinski has amassed 51 goals and 83 assists for 134 points over three seasons with the Giants. The Scottsdale, Ariz. product was picked up at 112th overall in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Your 2023 Vancouver Giants Teddy Bear Toss goal scorer JADEN LIPINSKI sends the bears FLYING!!! 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 pic.twitter.com/8DrdjtYufD

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 10, 2023

Dustin Wolf

After earning nearly every major award at the WHL and AHL levels, Dustin Wolf appears primed to take over the Calgary Flames crease. After playing a single NHL game in 2022-23, Wolf made 17 appearances for the club this season, going 7-7-1 with a 3.16 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. The two-time WHL goaltender of the year seemed to find his footing near the end of the campaign, closing out the season with four straight wins and coming within nine seconds of his first NHL shutout in a 5-1 win over San Jose on April 18. With the Wranglers, Wolf posted a 20-12-3 record, a 2.45 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage (good for third in the league) and four shutouts. The 6-foot, 180-pound netminder posted similar numbers in the Calder Cup Playoffs- a 3-3-0 record, 2.84GAA, a .924 save percentage and one shutout. He’s previously been named the AHL Goaltender of the Year twice, AHL Most Valuable Player in 2022-23, and left an incredible legacy with the Everett Silvertips after a near-perfect major junior career. The Gilroy, Calif. product went 106-34-4-2 over his career with a 1.84GAAm a .935 save percentage and 24 shutouts. He was selected by the Calgary Flames in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Dustin Wolf makes an incredible save! HOLY! #Wranglers

🎥: AHL TV pic.twitter.com/fwF39upokI

— FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) April 25, 2024