Calgary Flames Prospect Named AHL Player Of The Month

Calgary Flames prospect, Derek Grant has been named AHL Player of the Month after notching 19 points across ten games for the Stockton Heat in January.

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With a seeming dearth of Calgary Flames centers behind Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett, maybe he should be given the chance to step up a level again towards the end of the season. It’d be just reward for the Stockton Heat center, given recent form.

Almost half the player’s goals, assists and points for the whole season came in the month of January, per the Stockton Heat’s infographic.

The biggest drawback for promoting the player however lies in the fact he has already appeared nine times for the Calgary Flames this year and would burn a year of his entry contract should he play one more.

With Grant in the lineup, the Heat went 8-1-1-0 during January; numbers that the Calgary Flames would definitely appreciate, though it’s unlikely the team would be weighing as heavily on the individual’s contributions as the Stockton Heat are.

The form of Grant and other prospects does lead to some challenging questions; the Calgary Flames look like they’ll be a draft lottery team this year and nowhere near contention for the Stanley Cup. Should Bob Hartley look to his prospect depth and give guys like Emile Poirer a run?

Related Story: Flames Should Give Emile Poirer A Shot

The Calgary Flames have plenty of defensive depth and have to cover 20 games (barring the appeal process) in which Dennis Wideman will be unavailable. Maybe they should look to the prospect, or at least AHL pool.

Related Story: 4 Best Options To Replace Wideman

Derek Grant, in the month of January, has certainly earned his stars though and has shown himself to be deserving of a place on the Calgary Flames roster.

It seems unlikely it’s going to happen during this season, but there’s certainly now hope that he can make the move to the Calgary Flames line-up next year when a few bigger contracts expire and the need for a third or fourth-line center becomes apparent.

Right now, Derek Grant will have to settle for being dominant with the Stockton Heat in the AHL. Good things come to those who wait, and it seems good things will soon come for both Derek Grant and the Calgary Flames.

Next: Flames Raise Questions About Concussion Protocol

What did you think of Grant in the month of January? Is he ready to make the step up? Should he be given another Calgary Flames run this season?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.