Calgary Flames Prospect Countdown: No. 6

The Calgary Flames 2022 off-season was an absolutely wild one, as the team went from a devastating series loss to the Edmonton Oilers to losing two of their biggest franchise stars, and the early returns aren’t looking great. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri both disappointed in their first seasons representing the C of Red, but they weren’t the only players brought in as a result of Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau’s departure, as Cole Schwindt was involved in the deal to land Huby.

Sure, he’s not the biggest prospect name that the Panthers had to offer, and he came to Calgary with little expectations, but after a solid campaign with the Wranglers, the 22-year old seemingly has a very bright future ahead of him in the city. Standing at 6-foot-2, 182 pounds, Schwindt has great size for a forward, and plenty of skills to go along with it, and with the departures of Matthew Phillips, Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr, he’s got the perfect opportunity to make himself a top line player for the Calgary Wranglers this season.

In 70 games a season ago, Schwindt was up and down the lineup, struggling to find consistency, but when he was hot, he was red-hot, tallying 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points, a slight step back from his 40 point season with the Charlotte Checkers a season ago. Still, his development as a team player has been on full display, and if he can continue improving his shot and his defensive play, the Flames see someone that can likely be a bottom-six forward for them in the coming years, and after being a critical part of the Huberdeau/Tkachuk trade, this could go a long way to getting the fans back on the side of the organization.

So what do you think Flames fans? Do you think Schwindt can make an impact at the NHL level? What did you make of his play for the Wranglers this past season? Can the team ever come out on top in that blockbuster trade? As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below.