Top prospects for Calgary Flames
Parekh, No. 9 pick in 2024 Draft, to get long look in camp; Brzustewicz expected to play in AHL
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1. Zayne Parekh, D
How acquired: Selected with No. 9 pick in 2024 NHL Draft
2023-24 season: Saginaw (OHL): 66 GP, 33-63-96
Parekh led Ontario Hockey League defensemen in goals and points last season, was named the Canadian Hockey League defenseman of the year and helped Saginaw win the Memorial Cup. Calgary is hoping he develops into a top-pair defenseman who can eventually run an NHL power play.
Unless he earns a spot on the NHL roster, the 18-year-old (6-foot, 179 pounds) will return for another year of junior. He’s expected to be given a long look at training camp.
“He’s got hockey sense, skill and swagger,” Flames director of amateur scouting Tod Button said. “He’s a confident kid, confident in his abilities; that’s his game, high-end offense. He’s a confident kid to go and lead OHL defensemen in scoring and be the CHL defenseman of the year, that’s impressive. Confidence can waver a lot in young players, even at the NHL level, so that swagger and confidence was a big factor for him.”
Projected NHL arrival: 2026-27
2. Hunter Brzustewicz, D
How acquired: Trade with Vancouver Canucks
2023-24 season: Kitchener (OHL): 67 GP, 13-79-92
Brzustewicz is a right-shot defenseman acquired in the trade that sent forward Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. The 19-year-old (6-0, 190) was selected by Vancouver in the third round (No. 75) of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Brzustewicz is expected to play in the American Hockey League this season.
“He’s very poised, he’s very patient, he sees the ice well,” Button said. “He can hang on to the puck to wait for the play to develop and then he can deliver. He’s a high-end passer of the puck. He will play in the AHL next year. He has a good chance to run a power play -- he did it in Kitchener -- and he just has to develop his defensive part of the game and physical development is always a factor, not just with him but with Parekh and those guys.”
Calgary feels Brzustewicz will benefit from playing at the next level.
“I think there will be learning curve for him just playing against bigger, older, more mature guys,” Button said. “But the reason we traded for him, the one thing we liked about him was his skill and his hockey sense and his poise at the position.”
Projected NHL arrival: 2026-27
3. Samuel Honzek, F
How acquired: Selected with No. 16 pick in 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 season: Vancouver (WHL): 33 GP, 10-21-31; Calgary (AHL): 2 GP, 0-0-0
Honzek (6-4, 186) has been set back by injuries the past two seasons but is healthy going into this season, and Calgary is counting on him to take a big step in his development in the AHL.
An abdominal injury sustained at the Flames training camp last season limited him to 33 regular-season games with Vancouver of the Western Hockey League.
“He’s really smart. He can play multiple situations,” Button said. “I wouldn’t call him a high-end skill guy, but he complements skill, he can play with skill and he can shoot the puck.”
The Flames are hoping 19-year-old develops into a player who can play up and down the lineup in a variety of situations. Honzek has played in three IIHF World Junior Championships for Slovakia.
“He’s one of those guys that does what is needed on any line,” Button said. “He can play on the first line and help your center or right winger out with his smarts and his size and skill. Or he can play on your third line and be a checker and kill penalties. He’s a very, very well-rounded player, who we think over time is going to add to those parts and become a real solid part of a core team.”
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
4. Jeremie Poirier, D
How acquired: Selected with No. 72 pick of 2020 NHL Draft
2023-24 season: Calgary (AHL): 23 GP, 3-10-13
Poirier (6-1, 196) was cut on his arm by a skate last season, sidelining him for four months. The injury required immediate surgery, and it was feared at the time it could threaten his career.
“We were getting ready to call him up and that happened,” Button said. “He had tendon damage. He’s good now, he’s progressed and he just has to get back in the swing of things, but it was a scary time for sure.”
The 22-year-old was selected by the Flames in the third round (No. 72) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He won the Memorial Cup with Saint John of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League in 2022 and moved on to the AHL the following season, where he had 41 points (nine goals, 37 assists) in 69 games with Calgary.
“He’s got confidence to make plays. He’s got confidence to make plays at the offensive blue line. He’s fearless in that regard,” Button said. “I think his defensive game is coming. He had to learn a little bit more about the detail and structure in his game, but his core asset is offense.”
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
5. Etienne Morin, D
How acquired: Selected with No. 48 pick of 2023 NHL Draft
2023-24 season: Moncton (QMJHL): 58 GP, 12-37-49; Calgary (AHL) 1 GP, 0-0-0
Morin (6-0, 180) had a strong performance with Moncton of the QMJHL last season. His offensive numbers were down from the previous season, when he had 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in 67 games, but he devoted more time to developing his defensive game.
“We drafted him two years ago and he was as smart, really good puck-moving guy, and he could shoot the puck from the point,” Button said. “In his draft year, he played a ton, he played a lot because he was that good and when that happens, they learn to pace themselves and play slow. So, part of the process with our development team last year is getting him to play quicker.”
The Flames would like the 19-year-old to continuing developing defensively and expect him to get much stronger, which should help in that regard.
“The progress last year in his defensive game was part of him being a year older and going into this year it’s about keep playing quicker, keep playing stronger,” Button said. “His offensive game and his vision, that part of his game is really, really mature already, so it’s about adding all the parts to make him a little bit more well rounded.”
Projected NHL arrival: 2026-27
