Calgary Flames Should Call-Up Kenny Agostino

The Calgary Flames are currently residing in the basement of the NHL standings, and with only 17 games remaining it’s time to call in some reinforcements in the form of young prospects.

Who tops the list of players deserving a look from the Calgary Flames?

Kenny Agostino.

Agostino led the Adirondack Flames in scoring last year with 43 points in 67 games, and is currently leading the Stockton Heat in scoring with 42 points in 49 games this season.

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Agostino has been one of the most consistent Calgary Flames prospects over the last two years, and it shows with his point production.

He hasn’t gotten any NHL time these past two seasons, with his only NHL experience coming in 2014 when he got into some games after signing with the Calgary Flames.

The time is right to bring him up to the NHL. Stockton doesn’t look to be in a good position to make the playoffs, and the Calgary Flames should have an abundance of ice time available to give to their young players.

When the season starts turning sour like it has for the Calgary Flames, then you simply play the crap out of your young players and get in some good developmental time for next season.

A player like Agostino has earned a shot playing in the top-nine for Calgary, after all he will be 24 years old in April.

Agostino has great speed, a good shot, and has enough experience these last few seasons so he can be relied upon as a two-way player.

Other than Derek Grant, who definitely deserved to be the first call-up if not for breaking his jaw, Agostino has been the Heat’s best forward all season.

While I will never be happy with the return we got from the Iginla trade (Hanowski is playing in Europe at the moment), I do believe Agostino can be a top-nine player in the NHL.

He just needs the opportunity to prove what he can do in the big leagues.

Other players who could warrant a call-up as well would be players like Hamilton, Shinkaruk, and possible Poirier if he continues his play from the last week or so.

While I believe Shinkaruk will be called-up at some point, he still has only 5 games for the Heat under his belt, scoring three points in that span.

I say you give Hunter more time in the AHL to get acclimated to Calgary’s systems and call him up for the last 5- 10 games of the season.

Freddie Hamilton has been a solid two-way guy all year, and probably deserves a look as the teams fourth line centre as that is what he projects to be.

All these players could warrant a call-up at some point or another, but Kenny Agostino’s name should definitely be at the top of the list.

The Calgary Flames season is already over. There is no meaning left in the remaining games, but one.

The development and showcasing of young players.

We already know what veterans like Matt Stajan, Lance Bouma, Joe Colborne and Brandon Bollig bring to the table, so why not call-up some young players to see what they can do instead.

Next: Calgary Flames Need To Drop Jonas Hiller

Look how well Garnet Hathaway and Joni Ortio are doing, they are young players proving themselves as capable NHLer’s, and should be well prepared for next season with a stretch of games under their belts.

Kenny Agostino is no different.

Is he a top-six player? A bottom-six guy? Can he even make it in the NHL?

We will never know until he gets recalled and I think its safe to say he has earned a look with the Calgary Flames.

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