Calgary Flames fans won’t have to wait long to get a first look at the next wave of talent. Training camp is nearly here, and while the full roster will be announced later, the picture is already clear on who should be in town when camp opens and who won’t be.
The first group to keep off the radar are the players tied up with other commitments. Because the European season has already started and the school year is underway, the Flames will be without a long list of prospects who are either overseas or at NCAA programs.
On the goaltending side, that means Daniil Chechelev, who is with Buran Vorenezh in the VHL, along with Tobias Trejbal of the University of Massachusetts and Yegor Yegorov of Miami University.
On defence, Calgary won’t have Carson Carels of the University of North Dakota, Eric Jamieson of the University of Denver or Henry Mews of the University of Michigan.
The forward group missing from camp is even longer: Egor Barabanov and Max Curran, both at the University of Massachusetts; Jack Hextall of Michigan State University; Trevor Hoskin of Merrimack College; Aidan Lane of Harvard University; Jaden Lipinski of the University of Maine; Cade Littler of Arizona State University; Yan Matveiko of Zvezda Moskva; Luke Misa of Penn State University; Cullen Potter of Michigan State University; Cole Reschny of the University of North Dakota; Alan Shaikhlislamov of Tolpar Ufa; Theo Stockselius of Djurgardens IF; and Ethan Wyttenbach of Quinnipiac University.
The Flames’ camp setup also splits things into two phases: prospects camp first, then main camp a week later. The prospects side is where the younger, less experienced players usually begin, though the team has not yet announced the camp roster. In general, the eligible group includes unsigned draft picks playing in the CHL and signed players who were not on an NHL roster for 50 or more games in 2025-26.
That list includes goaltenders Arsenii Sergeev and Kirill Zarubin.
Among the defencemen eligible for prospects camp are Michael Benning, Hunter Brzustewicz, Andreas Englund, Axel Hurtig, Jake Livingstone and Abram Wiebe.
The forwards in that category are Andrew Basha, Jonathan Castagna, Matvei Gridin, Tyson Gross, Dryden Hunt, Ben Jones, Rory Kerins, Sam Morton, William Stromgren and Aydar Suniev.
There is one additional wrinkle: unsigned restricted free agent Brennan Othmann would be eligible to attend on a try-out basis if he is still without a new contract when camp begins. That said, unsigned RFAs usually don’t show up until a deal is done. If he signs, he would be eligible for prospects camp.
Once main camp gets rolling, the Flames can add everyone already listed above, plus the players who were on NHL rosters for 50-plus games in 2025-26 and don’t need to start earlier.
That main-camp group includes goaltenders Devin Cooley and Dustin Wolf.
On defence, Calgary’s list is Kevin Bahl, Joel Hanley, Yan Kuznetsov, Jacob Middleton, Simon Nemec, Brayden Pachal, Zayne Parekh and Zach Whitecloud.
The forwards eligible for main camp are Mikael Backlund, Matt Coronato, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Samuel Honzek, Jonathan Huberdeau, Adam Klapka, Martin Pospisil, Yegor Sharangovich, Ryan Strome, Maxim Tsyplakov and Connor Zary.
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Why Carson Carels Is Fueling Real Blue-Line Hope In Calgary
Carson Carels arrives in Calgary carrying more than the usual first-round buzz. The Flames took the defenceman sixth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, and even before he plays a game in the organization, his profile already checks a lot of boxes for a team that has spent years looking for a true cornerstone on the back end. His blend of physicality, leadership, skating and offence in the WHL helped push him to the top of the class, and his addition gives the Flames a blue-line prospect worth circling.
There is also a bigger stage waiting almost immediately. Carels has already earned a spot with Team Canada for the 2026 World Juniors, and his next stop is expected to be the University of North Dakota, where he will keep developing against top competition. For Calgary, the appeal is obvious: a highly regarded defender with a real rsum, a demanding path ahead, and the kind of upside that can make a draft day feel meaningful well beyond the moment the pick is announced. [Read more 🡒]
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Hamiltons Hockey Gamble Could Test What Fans Really Want
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TD Coliseum has been part of that push, hosting a PWHL takeover game to help build local interest after major renovations at the building. The timing makes the city feel like it is being asked to decide what kind of hockey it wants to embrace first, and whether the appetite is strong enough to sustain all of these ambitions at once. For nearby hockey fans, including those watching from Calgary, it is a reminder that the sports map keeps shifting in real time, even if the final shape of Hamiltons latest gamble is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]