Young Stars Classic Preview - Flames vs. Canucks

The Flames close out their participation at 2024 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C. Monday with first place on the line, with a matinee against the Vancouver Canucks at the South Okanagan Events Centre. For fans in the area, tickets are available HERE.

Puck drop in Monday's contest is set for 3:30 p.m. MT, with the action streamed on CalgaryFlames.com and on the Flames App.

After an up-tempo practice session Sunday, the Flames prospects face their foes from the Canucks in the final game of the 2024 Young Stars Classic. Calgary (1-0-1) sits one point behind Vancouver (2-0-0) in the overall standings.

More important than the tournament table though, Monday's matchup marks another chance for Flames brass to see their prospects in action - with main camp set to get underway back home later this week.

Saturday night against Edmonton, Calgary's bus was driven by relative newcomers to the organization. Andrew Basha and Luke Misa - both members of the Flames' 2024 draft class - lit the lamp against the Oilers, while March signing Sam Morton counted the decider in that 3-1 triumph.

Goaltender Waltteri Ignatjew, inked to a contract by Calgary in April, made 24 saves to earn the win.

Toss in a dash of group confidence, and you've got a recipe for a successful rookie tournament - a weekend meant to help introduce new players to the organization, while adding a level of comfort ahead of what, for some, will be their first NHL main camp back in the Stampede City.

It's just what General Manager Craig Conroy ordered.

The Other Side

Vancouver has brought some veterans to this year's event - take for example forward Arshdeep Bains, an AHL All-Star a season ago - but there's still plenty of excitement about the Canucks' young charges.

Forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki, selected 15th-overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, has impressed, particularly in Friday's 2-0 shutout win over the Oilers.

Anthony Romani had the game-winner in Sunday's 4-2 comeback triumph over the Winnipeg Jets; he led the OHL with 58 goals a season ago, before being selected by Vancouver in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Former Canucks forward Manny Malhotra is back in the fold on the West Coast too, guiding this year's Young Stars roster before taking the reins as head coach at AHL Abbotsford.

Player To Watch

He spent a good chunk of his minor hockey career as a forward, but Henry Mews is best known for patrolling the Ottawa 67's blue line - and Flames Young Stars Classic blue line - as a puck-moving, offensively-minded defenceman.

Selected in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft, the defender has stood out for the right reasons so far in Penticton, all while getting valuable experience at this, his first pro camp.

"My goal is just to learn as much as I can, take in as much information and learn as many things as I can," the 18-year-old told Flames TV Sunday. "So far, it's been great."

He put up 61 points in the OHL last season - joining Flames teammates Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz as some of the top-scoring defencemen in junior hockey in 2023-24.

Here in Penticton, though, Mews is happy to take a different approach, adding more information to his knowledge base along the way.

"On this team, I'm kind of taking a different role, playing safer and better defensively, I think," he said of his first two games at the Young Stars Classic.

"I'm learning a lot, and just watching those two guys, it's been great."