The Calgary Flames could be reaching into the Calgary Wranglers’ forward group almost immediately after making their latest roster move.
On Tuesday, the Flames sent Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal to the AHL, and the expectation is that Calgary will bring up one or two forwards from the Wranglers on Wednesday. Hunter Brzustewicz is not considered a fit for that move, with the Flames already carrying seven defensemen and no real reason to add an eighth.
So the question is which Wranglers forwards are next in line.
Aydar Suniev looks like a natural candidate. Calgary has managed only three goals in its first three regular-season games, and Suniev was the last player cut at the end of training camp. He stood out in the preseason, and nothing in the weekend series against Abbotsford changed that impression.
Tyson Gross also has a case. The local product spent plenty of time as a fourth-line centre late in the 2025-26 season and handled that role well.
He opened this AHL season on Friday with his first goal at that level, finishing a pass from Alex Nylander with a quick strike from the slot. He also brings something the Flames do not have in abundance: he shoots right and plays centre.
Jonathan Castagna is another option because of the way he can be used. He’s a left-shot forward who can play both centre and wing, and he spent the opening weekend at fourth-line centre for the Wranglers.
He did more than hold the spot down, killing penalties effectively all weekend and scoring twice in the season opener. Calgary also didn’t get much of a look at him in NHL games last season because of a minor injury, so this would be a chance to evaluate him further.
Alex Nylander brings a different kind of appeal. He has been a dependable AHL scorer throughout his career and was an important part of the Toronto Marlies’ Calder Cup run last year. With the Flames struggling to produce offense early, a proven AHL veteran who can put the puck in the net makes sense.
Then there’s Rory Kerins, the Wranglers’ newly named captain. He has grown into a strong AHL player who can finish around the crease, and he has already had a few NHL chances.
Another call-up would give Calgary a chance to reward one of its key organizational pieces. Kerins could be a Group 6 free agent after this season, and with several of the organization’s NCAA prospects expected to turn pro late in the year, another NHL look would be a sensible move.
In Other News...
Flames Suddenly Have A Young Forward Decision Fans Didn't Expect
The Flames made a notable young-forward shuffle this week, parting with former first-round pick Connor Zary after placing him on waivers. The move sent a ripple through a Calgary roster that has been leaning on internal competition for depth, and it also opened the door for two more prospects to get a look with the NHL club as the schedule tightens.
Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna have both been brought up from the Wranglers, giving Calgary a chance to see what each can add in a forward group that needs energy and production. Suniev has flashed offensive upside in preseason and AHL play, while Castagna has earned his way into the conversation with strong work in the minors, making this one of those early-season decisions that could quietly shape the teams depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Scoring Problem Puts One Veteran Option In Focus
Three games into the 2026-27 season, the Flames are already facing an offense that has produced just three goals, and that has naturally pushed help-seeking conversations into the open. On TSNs Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun reported that Calgary has at least discussed the idea of adding veteran winger Patrik Laine, a free agent who is still recovering from injury and would bring instant name value to a lineup that has struggled to find it early.
For now, though, the focus appears to be internal, with the team inclined to see what its young options can provide before making a bigger move. Aydar Suniev, Rory Kerins and Alex Nylander are among the Wranglers players the Flames want to evaluate, which leaves Laine as a potential fix rather than an immediate one. The interest is there, but the urgency to act on it does not seem to be. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Turn To Two Young Forwards As One Lineup Question Looms
The Flames are sorting through an early roster shuffle, and it has opened the door for two young forwards who have been waiting for their next NHL look. Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal both went on waivers and cleared, which created the openings Calgary used to bring back Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna as it looks ahead to its next game.
Suniev, a 2024 third-round pick, had only a brief stay in the AHL before getting the call again, while Castagna arrives with some momentum after starting the minor-league season with two goals in two games. The next step is figuring out where each fits once the Flames settle their lineup roles, and that decision is still hanging over the group. [Read more 🡒]