4. Tyson Gross
Last season, Tyson Gross arrived in Calgary as an NCAA free agent, and while he appeared in just six overall games, the hometown kid managed to show off what he can do at the NHL level. While the impact on the scoresheet wasn't exactly substantial, and after having multiple goals taken off the board, he ended his six game run in Calgary with 1 goal and a -2 differential.
Heading into the new season, the Flames don't exactly have a specialist fourth-line centre, with many around the organization seeing the 23-year-old Gross as a potential long-term answer at the position. He may not be the most physical, but Gross is responsible and fantastic in the face-off circle, and given that he's on a very cheap contract, fighting for a role on the fourth-line could help the Flames for years to come.
Ultimately, the fourth line will be a tough one to crack with the likes of Martin Pospisil, Adam Klapka and Maxim Tsyplakov all expected to find themselves there, but in Gross, the Flams could invest in the youth and the future once more at the position.
3. Hunter Brzustewicz
Ever since he was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in the Elias Lindholm trade, Flames fans have been very excited about 21-year-old defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz, who got his first full-time look in the NHL this past season. The offensive production hasn't quite translated to the NHL yet however, as he showed just flashes with 2 goals and 7 points across 34 games played in 2025/26.
Given that he's still young, there's time for Brzustewicz to develop, and while the team need to be focusing on and prioritizing the youth, clearly they still need to play veterans, and that will likely force Zach Whitecloud into the lineup over Brzustewicz on the right side.
However, with a good training camp, Brzustewicz could force himself into the lineup one way or another, and while it's more likely than not that he'll start the new season as the Wranglers top RHD, the talent is unquestioned, and if he can start producing at a high level, this could be the year that he truly breaks out.
Add us as a preferred source on Google