A lot of the attention around the Calgary Flames is pointed at the next wave coming through junior hockey, but Samuel Honzek still sits in a fascinating spot. He may not be the prospect generating the loudest buzz right now, yet he remains one of the most important names in the organization’s longer-term picture.
Honzek’s path over the past two seasons has been shaped as much by injuries as by production. In 2024/25, he broke camp with the NHL club, lasted five games, and then went to the AHL, where he put up 8 goals and 21 points in 52 games. The former 16th overall pick also kept adding muscle, going from 6-foot-4 and 186 pounds to 210 pounds by the time 2025/26 rolled around, with 15 pounds added between those seasons.
That extra strength seemed to show early in 2025/26. Honzek opened the year with 2 goals and 4 points in 18 games, and his game started to sharpen as his confidence and physical presence grew. Then an injury ended his season, just as a few other Flames youngsters, including Matt Coronato and Matvei Gridin, were making noise down the stretch.
The bigger question now is where Honzek fits if Calgary gives him another crack in 2026/27. He was selected No. 16 overall in 2023, and while he may not turn into the star some envisioned, the combination of size, effort and skill gives him a real chance to become a useful middle-six forward for a long time.
There’s still plenty to sort out with his ceiling, but the offensive track record is there. Honzek posted 33 goals and 87 points in 77 games with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, and if that scoring touch can line up with his frame and defensive game, he has the ingredients to be more than just a depth piece.
That’s why the argument is simple: give him meaningful minutes and see what he can do. The Flames’ second line looks like a logical place to test him, especially after the departure of Blake Coleman. A group with Mikael Backlund and Joel Farabee beside Honzek could make sense behind a first line featuring Matvei Gridin, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato.
The top-end upside in Calgary still belongs to names like Gridin and Cole Reschny, with a potential top-three pick in the 2027 NHL Draft also looming in the conversation. Even so, Honzek shouldn’t get lost in that shuffle. If the Flames make development a priority in 2026/27, he could still become a valuable piece for years to come.
In Other News...
Kelly Hrudey Closes A Familiar Chapter For Flames Fans
Kelly Hrudeys long run as one of the most familiar voices around NHL broadcasts is coming to an end, at least for now. The former Flames goalie announced that Sportsnet will not renew his contract for the upcoming season, closing out a broadcasting stretch that stretched for more than three decades and made him a fixture for Canadian hockey viewers, including plenty in Calgary who first knew him from his time on the ice.
Hrudey was careful to say this is not a retirement, and he thanked viewers and colleagues as he reflected on the run that began after he retired from a 677-game NHL career. He entered broadcasting with Hockey Night in Canada in 1998, and while his next step is still to come into focus, the end of this chapter marks a notable change for fans who have grown used to hearing his perspective every season. [Read more 🡒]
Abram Wiebe Is Forcing His Way Into The Flames Blue-Line Picture
Abram Wiebes path to Calgary has been a little unconventional, but it has started to feel like the kind of route that can stick with an NHL club. Acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights and then finished out his collegiate career at North Dakota, the defenseman spent his draft-plus years sharpening his game in college before the Flames brought him into the fold on a two-year entry-level deal. He also gave them a strong final impression at UND, where his junior season ended with conference-title hardware and NCAA all-tournament recognition.
Now the question for Calgary is how quickly that momentum turns into a real blue-line opening. Wiebes late-season debut came almost immediately after North Dakotas tournament run ended, which gave the Flames a first live look at where his game stands against NHL competition. For a team that is always sorting through defense depth and looking for players who can push past the margins, Wiebe has already done the most important part: made it harder to leave him out of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]