The Calgary Flames’ future is starting to show up everywhere, and the AHL is no exception. With the organization leaning hard into youth, the Wranglers’ preseason lineup in Abbotsford offered a clean look at how many young names are already knocking on the door.
The Wranglers dropped their first preseason game 3-0 to the Canucks on Sunday, but the result wasn’t the point. The lineup itself was the story, packed with prospects and younger players who should become familiar to Flames fans soon enough.
Wranglers at Abbotsford (pre):
Kerins-Gross-Stromgren
Nylander-Jones-Hunt
Wilkie-Morton-Basha
Gallant-Castagna-Dineen
Wiebe-Brzustewicz
Walker-Benning
Hurtig-Livingstone
Sergeev
Zarubin
- Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) September 28, 2026
There are still veteran pieces in the mix. Ben Jones, Alex Gallant and Dryden Hunt give the forward group some experience. But the bigger picture is obvious: this roster is being shaped by younger players, and the names climbing through are getting louder.
Rory Kerins, Sam Morton and William Stromgren are part of that wave, but the list doesn’t stop there. Jonathan Castagna looks like a player who should be pushed beyond a fourth-line role once the games count.
Andrew Basha, a former second-round pick, is getting his shot to prove he belongs. Alex Nylander, newly signed and already turning heads in preseason, adds another layer of intrigue.
The blue line tells the same story. Abram Wiebe and Hunter Brzustewicz already logged NHL time a year ago, and a strong season could put them in the conversation for meaningful third-pairing roles down the road. Then there’s Axel Hurtig, the former seventh-round pick who brings a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame and the kind of physical edge that could matter in 2026/27.
One notable absence from that lineup was Aydar Suniev. He has impressed throughout preseason, and while he has earned a look in the NHL, the more likely path is a top-six AHL role to start 2026/27. That would give him a chance to produce, settle in and strengthen his case as a key part of the Flames’ future.
Even in goal, the youth movement is front and center. Arsenii Sergeev and Kirill Zarubin give the Wranglers a young tandem with real upside, and either one has the ability to steal a game on a given night.
The Wranglers still have playoff ambitions, but the direction is clear. This season is about young players taking a step, and there’s enough talent here to believe they can chase development and wins at the same time.
In Other News...
Flames Opening Night Roster Sends An Early Message About This Team
The Flames have settled on their opening-night group for the 2026-27 season, and the first look at the roster says plenty about how Calgary is trying to start this year. The club is carrying 13 forwards and 8 defensemen, with Brennan Othmann sticking around after a strong preseason showing, a sign that the team is at least willing to reward camp performance when it matters.
There is also a clearer picture of the veterans the Flames trust to help set the tone. Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal are on the roster, while Aydar Suniev was assigned to the American Hockey League, trimming one more young option from the mix. Jonathan Huberdeau is on injured reserve, which adds another layer to the early-season puzzle as Calgary works through its first lineup decisions without one of its most established names. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Opening Roster Puts Forward Depth In Focus Fast
The Flames have settled on their 23-man active roster for the season opener, and the first look at the lineup says plenty about how the club is approaching its forward group. Calgary is carrying two goaltenders, nine defensemen and 13 forwards, with the opening-day mix built around a roster that still has room to sort itself out as the season gets going. Salary-cap commitments and available space are also part of the picture, making the roster math as important as the personnel decisions.
Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Huberdeau were both moved off the active group, which keeps the focus squarely on forward depth and what it means for the team early in the year. Huberdeau is working his way back from hip surgery and is expected to return in seven to nine months, so his absence will linger well beyond opening night. For Calgary, the bigger question now is how the forwards handle the workload while the roster settles into place. [Read more 🡒]
Wranglers Scoreless Debut Raises An Early Concern Up Front
The Calgary Wranglers first pre-season game in team history ended the way no new club wants to start, with a 3-0 loss to the Abbotsford Canucks and an offense that never found a breakthrough. Abbotsford grabbed control early with two first-period goals, while Calgary had to lean on goaltender Arsenii Sergeev, who made several key saves to keep the score from getting worse as the game went on.
Even with the puck spending plenty of time in the Canucks end, the Wranglers could not convert their chances and left the ice looking for answers up front. The late empty-net goal only added to the frustration, but the bigger concern was the same one that lingered from the opening period: Calgary generated looks, yet never managed to turn pressure into a goal. [Read more 🡒]