With the regular season set to begin on Oct. 1, Calgary’s pre-season has already offered a few clear takeaways - even if the sample size is still small and the exhibition results need to be taken with a grain of salt.
The biggest one? Zayne Parekh looked like the best skater on the ice for the Flames, and it wasn’t especially close.
The 20-year-old was dangerous shift after shift, playing with a level of comfort and confidence that stood out from what he showed at this point a year ago. In his appearances, he piled up 30 individual shots and 15 scoring chances, both team highs.
Matvei Gridin was next in shot attempts with 13, while Sam Honzek finished second in scoring chances with nine. For a defender to drive that kind of offensive volume relative to his teammates is rare.
The performance drew an obvious comparison to Johnny Gaudreau in the early stages of his NHL arrival. Even before he became a regular, Gaudreau had a way of creating highlight-worthy moments against his peers. Parekh had that same kind of feel in the pre-season, which raises the natural question: can he become a dominant force like Gaudreau in his second NHL season?
A few of Calgary’s other bright spots came from the younger group as well. Honzek, Gridin and Aydar Suniev all made noise, but Suniev was probably the most surprising of the bunch after a first pro season that was only so-so. He finished last year with 16 goals and 24 points in 57 games for the Wranglers, and his game had clear rough edges - skating issues, some defensive trouble, and a lot of reliance on his shot.
This time around, though, he looked much more noticeable. Suniev’s stride has improved, and he was more forceful in the offensive zone rather than simply leaning on the heaviness of his shot.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound winger is still with the parent club for now, but a return to the AHL appears likely because of roster limits. If he becomes a leader for the Wranglers, the door back to the NHL should open again before the end of the year.
Not everyone in the spotlight grabbed it as firmly. Simon Nemec was quieter over his two games, showing some offensive touch here and there but nowhere near the kind of impact Parekh delivered. That doesn’t amount to a verdict on the player or the trade yet, but it does mean he’ll need to do more to justify the price Craig Conroy paid and the role Calgary has planned for him.
That deal remains Conroy’s biggest gamble so far as general manager, and it carries pressure for both sides. Nemec’s contract is manageable at $7.25 million per year, so the real issue is the cost of acquiring him: two conditional first-round picks and a second-round pick.
On the back end, Calgary’s logjam still hasn’t been solved. Hunter Brzustewicz was the odd man out after a strong NHL finish last season and was sent to the AHL.
Meanwhile, Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal are still with the parent club, which points toward the Flames carrying eight defensemen to start the year. That keeps the young players in motion, but the organization will eventually have to settle the picture.
There’s also some opportunity opening up up front because Jonathan Huberdeau is out to start the season. That absence gives Calgary a chance to get other players into real roles. Connor Zary gets another shot in the top nine, while Maxim Tsyplakov and Brennan Othmann can also be tested further down the lineup.
Huberdeau’s inability to participate roughly six months after hip resurfacing surgery is not exactly encouraging, though. The 33-year-old is never going to match his $10.5 million US cap hit, but the reports that he has become a valued mentor to younger players matter in their own way. Calgary does not need his cap space right now, so the financial inefficiency isn’t an immediate problem.
The bigger concern is what the surgery means for his playing future. Some NHLers have come back from hip resurfacing and kept going, but plenty of others have seen their careers end or their effectiveness drop sharply.
Niklas Backstrom, Ed Jovanovski and Ryan Kesler were essentially done by it, while John Klingberg was reduced to a supporting role before retiring. Patrick Kane and Nick Jensen are the success stories.
That’s not exactly a comforting list for Huberdeau’s chances of returning at full strength.
Another question heading into the regular season is how much longer the Flames can keep leaning on Mikael Backlund. He turned 37 in March, and with Blake Coleman traded in the off-season, he no longer has his usual running mate.
Farabee and Honzek should be able to help fill that space, but the workload on Backlund remains a real concern. On a roster short on other top-line match-up options, Ryan Huska and his staff are clearly hoping he can hold up for at least one more season.
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 🡒]