Flames' top prospects to watch at 2024-25 training camp
The Calgary Flames are likely entering a rebuild, so the performance of their top prospects in 2024-25 will tell us a lot about their future.
If they show in training camp that many of them are ready to contribute, it could be a quick rebuild for the Flames. However, if some of their projects struggle, the future in Calgary could get very murky.
The Flames' 2024-25 season produces plenty of questions . Will their top-end players show up and get them back to contention, or will they find themselves near the bottom of the standings?
Flames pave way for Dustin Wolf
It's almost impossible to believe that Dustin Wolf is still a prospect. The undersized goaltender has been around professional hockey for a long time, including a season in the American Hockey League where he won the MVP award. Wolf couldn't secure a full-time role with the Flames, as he had two goaltenders in front of him. However, after trading Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils, the Flames gave him that opportunity this season.
Calgary has been adamant that Wolf won't be gifted the role. They even signed Devin Cooley to "compete" for the platoon role with Dan Vladar. The word compete is in quotations because it doesn't seem like Cooley will contend to start the year in the NHL. Wolf will at least start the year, and if he struggles like last season, the Flames could decide to make a switch.
The Flames will have some confusion about where to go if Wolf struggles again this season. They've put all their eggs in his basket after the Markstrom trade, but he hasn't been able to be as effective in the NHL as he was in the AHL. Undersized goaltenders succeeding in the NHL is rare, so there has to be some concern in the organization that he will be a bust.
Craig Conroy and the Flames' front office will want to see if Wolf can put together some quality performances in the preseason. He appeared in 17 games last season, recording a 3.16 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. Vladar wasn't much better, so both struggling goaltenders could make this a long and disappointing season for the Flames .
Zayne Parekh could be the next great offensive defenseman
The best-case scenario for the Flames will be if Zayne Parekh becomes the next Quinn Hughes. He has elite skill , which he showed in the Ontario Hockey League last season with 33 goals and 63 assists. A young team doesn't often win the Memorial Cup in the CHL, but the Saginaw Spirit did it last season with Parekh and 2025 NHL Draft prospect Michael Misa being part of the core.
Parekh's chances of making the NHL this season are slim to none. He will go back to Saginaw and play alongside Misa in his draft year, or could be a good piece to trade if Saginaw is out of contention. Parekh may not be ready next season, as he is still a work in progress in everything except his offensive game.
Parekh's defensive and physical game is well behind the NHL level, which isn't surprising with a 6-foot, 178-pound frame. When you watch Parekh on the ice, his metrics seem like they are being generous, as 178 pounds looks high for someone of his stature. However, Parekh makes it work with elusive skating and puckhandling that can turn opponents inside out.
This training camp will be a good chance for Flames fans to see the future of their blue line. He isn't ready to debut yet, but he has the potential to be a star.
Jeremie Poirier could be defenseman of the present
Parekh may not be ready to debut in the NHL, but Jeremie Poirier will give the big club a run. He played just 23 games in the AHL last season, tallying three goals and ten assists. However, the stats didn't show how big of an offensive threat he can be.
Poirier can get into trouble by being too aggressive to create offense. It looked like that part of his game was leaving last season before he went down with an injury, but it took him some time to get back to top speed once he returned.
Poirier has some of the highest upside in the organization but is also a mystery. He could be a bust who can't carve out a role in the NHL, or he could challenge Parekh as the best offensive defenseman prospect. At 22, this could be the make-or-break year for Poirier, and his performance in training camp for the Flames will tell much of the story.
