The Calgary Flames may not be looking at a powerhouse lineup in 2026-27, but their prospect pipeline keeps pointing to a much better stretch ahead. Under GM Craig Conroy, Calgary has built one of the strongest prospect pools in the NHL, and a big chunk of that talent could be on display at the 2027 World Juniors.
For Flames fans, that tournament will be a chance to see familiar names finally in meaningful game action. Nine prospects are in the mix to represent their countries, and several of them look like they could play major roles.
Canada’s group starts with Cole Reschny, who already has World Juniors experience. The 19-year-old centre played in the 2026 tournament and scored four goals in seven games. After putting up 35 points in 36 games as a sophomore at the University of North Dakota in 2025-26, he could be in line to handle the No. 1 centre job for Canada if he stays healthy.
Carson Carels is another Canadian who should be in the conversation for a bigger role. The Flames grabbed the 18-year-old blueliner sixth overall in this year’s draft, adding another high-end defense prospect to the system. He had an assist in five games at the 2026 World Juniors, and this time around he could be in position for power-play minutes.
Chase Harrington is more of an outside bet to make Canada’s roster, but he’s not out of the picture. His presence on Canada’s summer showcase roster says plenty about how the Flames viewed him when they took him early in the second round. Harrington is headed back to the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs for a third season in 2026-27, and a fast start could put him back into the selection mix.
The American side features four Flames prospects with varying levels of certainty. Cullen Potter, a centre drafted 32nd overall in 2025, missed USA’s World Juniors roster in 2026, but that looks likely to change.
The 19-year-old recently moved from Arizona State to Michigan State, and his speed is expected to stand out right away. Combined with his offensive skill, that should put him in position for a top-six role.
Ethan Wyttenbach might be the most obvious name on USA’s radar after his freshman year at Quinnipiac. Drafted 144th overall in 2025, the 19-year-old was left off last year’s roster, but that omission is unlikely to repeat after he led all NCAA players in scoring with 59 points. He’s another player who should be in the thick of the roster battle.
Jack Hextall, taken 30th overall in this year’s draft, was a bit of a surprise pick, but he’s already drawn attention by making USA’s summer showcase roster. The centre is not a sure thing to make the final team, yet his complete game gives him a path to a bottom-six role. How he starts his freshman season at Michigan State will matter.
Mace’o Phillips brings a different kind of profile. The 6-foot-6, 234-pound defenseman, drafted 80th overall in 2025, doesn’t offer the same offensive flash as some of the others, but he does bring size and edge.
He piled up 187 penalty minutes in 44 games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2025-26. Like Hextall, he’ll have to earn his way onto the roster, but a bottom-pairing spot is there for the taking.
Sweden’s Theo Stockselius is another prospect worth watching closely. The 19-year-old centre was forced to miss last year’s tournament after suffering a skate cut in October, but he’ll get another shot to show why so many people are high on him. Drafted 54th overall in 2025, he played 16 games in the SHL this past season, a strong sign that he could do more than just make Sweden’s team - he could log real minutes.
Czechia’s Tobias Trejbal rounds out the list. The Flames used the second of their three second-round picks in 2026 on the goalie, a choice that surprised some.
Trejbal responded with a 2.12 GAA and a .916 SV% in 42 appearances for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms in 2025-26. He should be on Czechia’s roster as long as he doesn’t stumble early in his freshman season at the University of Massachusetts, and there’s even a path for him to become their No. 1 goalie.
In Other News...
Scotia Place Is Finally Starting To Look Like The Flames New Home
Scotia Place is starting to look less like a long-term construction site and more like the Flames future home, with visible progress now showing up across the buildings steel framing, exterior envelope work and roof structure. Different corners of the project are moving at different speeds, but the overall picture is the same: the arena is taking shape, and the surrounding pieces, including the parkade and the ESSO Community Rink area, are beginning to fit into place.
The timeline still matters as much as the steel. The building is expected to be turned over to Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation in summer 2027, ahead of the 2027-28 NHL season, and there is still plenty of work to do before fans ever walk through the doors. Once the structure is fully enclosed, the focus shifts inside, where the finishing work will begin and the last stage of the project will finally come into view. [Read more 🡒]
Why Aydar Suniev Suddenly Feels Like A Real Flames Option
Aydar Suniev is starting to look like more than a long-shot prospect for Calgary. Drafted 80th overall in 2023, he has already spent time with the Calgary Wranglers and even gotten a taste of NHL action, enough to put him on the radar as a player whose skill set is beginning to translate against pro competition.
What makes Suniev interesting now is the range of outcomes still attached to him. The Flames see enough upside to keep tracking him closely, but his path still appears to run through more AHL reps with the Wranglers, and he may need another season or two before he is ready to settle in as a full-time NHL regular. [Read more 🡒]