2022 YOUNG STARS CLASSIC PREVIEW

The Young Stars Classic is back.
For the first time since 2018, the tournament is set to run Sept. 16-19 at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) in Penticton. It is a four-team, round-robin format featuring prospects from the Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets. Limited tickets are available
HERE.
Calgary's 2022 roster features a mix of skaters in the junior ranks and players who are set to suit up in the AHL or ECHL in 2022-23. The tournament will give fans an opportunity to see the likes of Jakob Pelletier, Dustin Wolf, Connor Zary, Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Walker Duehr, and Ilya Solovyov - all of whom played big roles in the Stockton Heat's incredible 2021-22 season, which saw make a run to the AHL Western Conference Final in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Flames will kick off their tournament on Friday, taking on the host Canucks at 8:30 p.m. MT.

Flames Schedule

CalgaryFlames.com will be delivering content from the tournament and all Flames games will be streamed on CalgaryFlames.comand the Flames' app.

Forward Depth

This year's tournament will see several forwards don the Flaming C for the first time. Jack Beck, Parker Bell, Evan Boucher, Lucas Feuk, Adam Klapka, and Cole Schwindt will see their first game action as members of the organization.
For Beck, Calgary's 2021 sixth-round pick, a
knee injury
held him out of last season's rookie camp and an exhibition games played against the Oilers. Bell is a 2022 draft pick, fresh off a
career year with the Tri-City Americans
and ready to make his mark with the club. Boucher, who scored 25 goals in 37 games with the Halifax Mooseheads last year, attended this summer's development camp as a try-out and earned himself a roster spot at the tournament. Lucas Feuk, a fourth-round pick in 2019, will be heading over to North America after spending his entire career in his native Sweden. He
signed a one-year, two-way AHL/ECHL contract
with the Wranglers in August. Klapka
signed a two-year entry-level contract
with the Flames in May after playing pro with Liberec Bili Tygri HC last year. Schwindt was acquired in the trade that brought Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary, coming off a 40-point season as a rookie in the AHL.
For the likes of Walker Duehr, Jakob Pelletier, Mathias Emilio Pettersen, and Connor Zary, the tournament will act as a springboard into this season after an impressive run in 2021-22 with the Stockton Heat. Duehr put up 23 points in 59 games and made his NHL debut last season, Pelletier led all Stockton rookies with 62 points in 66 regular season games and seven points in 13 playoff skates, while Pettersen amassed 26 points in 59 regular-season games, and Zary registered 25 points in 53 regular-season games.
Rory Kerins and Ilya Nikolaev wrapped up their junior careers in the spring and are heading into their rookie pro seasons. Kerins was one of the OHL's top players, netting 118 points in 67 regular-season games and 10 points in 10 postseason dates. Nikolaev put up big numbers in the USHL in 2021-22, scoring 23 goals and 72 points in 58 regular-season games. Both Kerins and Nikolaev signed three-year entry-level contracts with the Flames earlier this year.
Lucas Ciona and Cole Huckins are heading into their second rookie camp with the Flames, both being eligible to return to the CHL in 2022-23. Ciona, a sixth-round pick in 2021, scored 17 goals and 35 points in 53 regular-season games and put up 14 points in 24 postseason skates with the Seattle Thunderbirds last year. Huckins, a 2021 third-round pick, dressed for 41 regular-season games with Acadie-Bathurst last year, scoring 26 points.

Defensive Depth

Calgary has a blend of youth and experience on the blueline, with at least six of their defencemen heading into the pro ranks in 2022-23.
Yan Kuznetsov, Simon Lavigne, Jeremie Poirier, Rhett Rhinehart, and Ilya Solovyov are expected to be with the Wranglers this season, with Kuznetsov, Poirier, and Solovyov signed to two-way deals with the Flames, while Lavigne and Rhinehart have inked one-year AHL contracts with Calgary. Jake Lee, who wrapped up his final WHL season with the Kelowna Rockets this past spring, is currently a free agent.
Cole Jordan, Chris Sedoff, and Cameron Whynot are all eligible to play in the CHL in 2022-23. Jordan, the Flames' fifth-round pick in 2021, was limited to 36 games last year due to injuries, managing 11 points in that stretch. Sedoff, who attended Calgary's development camp this summer as a free agent, is heading into his third season with Red Deer Rebels. In 2021-22, he led the Rebels defence in scoring with 61 points in 65 games. Whynot, Calgary's third-round selection in 2021, skated in 45 games for the Halifax Mooseheads last year, scoring 17 points.

Goaltending Depth

When the Flames hit the ice in Penticton, plenty of eyes will be on Dustin Wolf.
In 2021-22, Flames' 2019 seventh-round pick made the leap from the WHL, where he was absolutely dominant with a 1.84 GAA, .935 save percentage, 24 shutouts, and a 106-34-6 all-time regular-season record, to the AHL and quickly established himself as one of the best in league. In his rookie season, the California product went 33-9-4 in the regular season, with a 2.35 GAA and a .924 save percentage, and then put up a 8-5-0 record in the playoffs, with a 2.23 GAA, a .929 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The Flames can also turn to 2020 fourth-round pick, Daniil Chechelev. The 21-year-old spent the bulk of his season in the ECHL in 2021-22, going 12-12-5 with the Kansas City Mavericks. Prior to that, his career was based in his native Russia, where he put up impressive numbers in the MHL and VHL. Chechelev is currently signed to a
one-year AHL contract with the Wranglers
.
Rounding out the trio of netminders at the tournament is Brad Arvanitis, who is
set to play his first pro season with the Rapid City Rush
. After wrapping up his collegiate career at Babson College with a 24-7-3 record, 2.10 GAA, and .930 save percentage in three seasons, he appeared in five games with the Rush last spring, putting together a 3-1-1 record with a 2.80 GAA and .922 save percentage.