The Calgary Flames prospect pool may not have their next big franchise star, but, what they do have is a deep pool that could feature many future NHLers.
Obviously, the focus this season is on the likes of Chase Harrington, Cole Reschny, Ethan Wyttenbach and Carson Carels, but beyond that there's plenty of depth and players that could prove fruitful this season.
One such player is Russian Alan Shaikhlislamov, who was selected in the second-round of the 2026 NHL Draft, and after a great start to the season, he's earned a major reward in Russia.
Alan Shaikhlislamov Called up to the KHL
Through his first 12 games in the MHL (Russian Junior League) with UFA Toplar, Shaikhlislamov has tallied an incredible 9 goals and 17 points, and while the team has struggled, he's been the standout all season long. At just 18-years-old, Shaikhlislamov is a name that Flames fans may need to get used to seeing, and after his hot start to the campaign, things are getting even better for him now.
A year ago at 17-years-old, he played a single game in the KHL, not recording a point, but now, with injuries to Tolpar's KHL squad, he's once again getting the call up, and this time, he may potentially see more than one game.
With the KHL club dealing with some injuries, Salavat Yulaev Ufa has called up MHL leading scorer Alan Shaikhlislamov, a #Flames prospect.
— Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) October 16, 2026
Obviously, it's not easy to break into the KHL, especially as an 18-year-old, so there's a good chance that he sees little, if any game time, but after his start, it's great to see a reward for his production thus far in the MHL.
What is Alan Shaikhlislamov's Ceiling for the Calgary Flames?
While not one of the bigger names in the Flames prospect pool, the offensive upside for Shaikhlislamov is undeniable, with the talented young winger posting a combined 38 goals in 77 games before this season.
Translating that to the NHL isn't easy, but with the Flames having a long rebuild ahead, it's likely that they'll be patient with him, meaning we could see him play two, even three more years in Russia before he makes the jump to North America. That would still make him just 20 or 21 when he eventually arrives, but right now, the freedom to find his offensive game and continue working on the shot is what he needs, and if that continues, he could rise quickly through the Flames prospect rankings.
As of right now, it's tough to predict whether or not he'll be an NHLer of the future, but at 6-foot-1 with the goal scoring ability we've seen already, this is a name to keep a much closer eye on for Flames fans.
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