Calgary Flames Prospect Countdown: No. 9

The Calgary Flames have had some solid drafts over the past few years, and at this point, we can’t be sure whether or not they will pan out as expected, but right now, it appears the team may have hit some home runs in the 2023 NHL Draft. Likewise, it’s going to be a few years until we can see production at the NHL level, but based on production and potential, the class has already seen two names land on our list, the first of whom is Moncton Wildcats defenceman Etienne Morin.

The 18-year old boasts solid size, standing at 6-foot-0, 180 pounds, but unlike defenceman we’ve seen Calgary draft in the past, it’s all offensive upside with Morin, as he put together one of the best offensive seasons from anyone in the QMJHL in 2022-23. In 61 games, Etienne managed 21 goals and 51 assists for 72 points on the season, and while he’s a long way from being NHL ready, that’s exactly the type of x-factor on the blue line that the Flames are missing, both at the NHL level and throughout their system, with Jeremie Poirier being the only top-tier defenceman prospect in the organization.

It’s a shock that Morin was even able to fall as far as he did in the draft, and the Flames believe they’ve landed an absolute steal with a fantastic two-way game, excelling in transition, and at the next level, he appears to be exactly what teams are looking for. On top of that, Morin plays both on the powerplay and the penalty kill, making him even more versatile, and if he continues to develop, he could be a key on the top blue line pairing in Calgary for years and years to come.