The Calgary Flames have started trimming their camp group after Monday’s NextGen Showcase and Tuesday’s practice, sending seven players back to their junior teams.
The team ended try-outs for forwards Riley Boychuk of Prince Albert in the WHL and Brett Olson of Vancouver in the WHL.
Five more prospects were also reassigned to their junior clubs: defencemen Mace’o Phillips of Medicine Hat, Jakob Leander of Calgary and Bode Laylin of Everett, plus forwards Joe Iginla of Vancouver and Simon Katolicky of Sarnia.
Each of those five is a recent draft pick. Phillips went in the third round, 80th overall, in the 2025 draft.
Leander was taken in the seventh round, 208th overall, in the 2025 draft. Iginla was picked in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2026 draft.
Katolicky came off the board in the fifth round, 132nd overall, in the 2026 draft. Laylin was selected in the sixth round, 164th overall, in the 2026 draft.
The moves clear the way for all five to get their junior seasons started on time this weekend. Leander and Phillips are both expected to make their WHL debuts on Friday night, with Calgary set to face Red Deer and Medicine Hat scheduled to play Lethbridge.
Laylin should make his WHL debut on Saturday night when Everett hosts Portland. Iginla’s third WHL season opens Saturday against Kelowna, and Katolicky is slated for his OHL debut the same day when Sarnia meets Sault Ste.
Marie.
That leaves 17 players moving from Prospects Training Camp into main camp.
Harrington is the only one of those carry-over players who is not under a pro contract with the Flames or Wranglers for the 2026-27 season. He was a second-round pick by the Flames in June’s draft.
Main camp opens later this week.
In Other News...
Connor Zary Has A Real Opening To Change Calgarys Offense
Connor Zary is back in the mix just in time for a camp that could shape the Flames forward picture, and that alone makes him one of the more interesting young players to watch in Calgary. Cleared to participate after a late-season injury issue, he arrives with a chance to show the organization that his skill set can translate into something bigger than the flashes he offered a year ago.
The opportunity is real because the Flames are still looking for more offense in the right places, and Zary has already shown enough to suggest there may be another level there. Last season was useful but not definitive, and camp now gives him a clean runway to press for a larger role if he can stand out among the competition. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Prospects Gave Fans Plenty To Talk About Against Edmonton
The Flames prospects got a first taste of the Battle of Alberta stage at the Scotiabank Saddledome in a NextGen Showcase matchup with the Oilers, and there was no shortage of takeaways even in a lopsided result. Edmonton struck twice in the opening period and stayed in control from there, while Calgary spent much of the night trying to find any rhythm against a group that dictated play early and often.
Still, the game offered a few moments worth noting for Calgarys development staff and the fans watching closely. Aydar Suniev provided the lone bright spot on the scoreboard, and the crease situation became part of the story as Arsenii Sergeev gave way to Kirill Zarubin during the contest. It was the kind of prospect night that left more questions than answers, but also plenty to revisit once the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Huberdeau's Deal May Not Be The Flames Problem Fans Think
Jonathan Huberdeaus long-term deal has been a favorite target for criticism since Calgary acquired him from Florida and locked him in on an eight-year contract, especially as his production has not matched the level he showed before the trade. It is easy to see why the agreement gets lumped in with the leagues roughest contracts, but the broader picture around the NHL has changed enough that the Flames are not dealing with the same kind of cap pain the deal once suggested.
As the salary cap climbs and Calgary moves through a rebuilding phase, the contract has become more manageable than many fans assume, even if it still carries plenty of baggage from a hockey standpoint. In fact, when compared with other big-money bets around the league, Huberdeaus deal looks less like a franchise-breaking burden and more like one part of a messy cap sheet the Flames can live with for now. [Read more 🡒]