2. Arsenii Sergeev
Last year, Flames fans got a glimpse at Arsenii Sergeev when he stopped all but one shot in his NHL debut against the Los Angeles Kings, but before then, he rose from the ECHL through the AHL all the way to the top level. Next season, his role will be solidified as the Wranglers No. 1 goaltender, and with the team having Wolf/Cooley locked in as the NHL tandem in 2026/27, they have the ability to be patient with Sergeeev as an NHL goaltender of the future.
Last year, Sergeev played behind arguably the worst Wranglers team we've seen yet, and in what was just his first AHL season, he posted a 3.35 GAA and an .898 save percentage across 29 games played.
Given that he's 23-years-old, Sergeev himself has plenty of time to develop, but with great size and good skill, he profiles as a genuine goaltender at the next level, and while he may not dominate the way Wolf did for the Wranglers when they first arrived in Calgary, this is his chance to solidify his place in the future of the Flames organization.
1. Andrew Basha
During the 2024 NHL Draft, some predicted that Andrew Basha could be a first-round draft pick, and while the Flames were criticized by some for passing on him (with the pick that became Matvei Gridin), they ended up landing him in the second-round anyway. Since then, he's gone highly underrated in Flames circles, and last year, he struggled to find playing time with the Wranglers, as he ended up back in the WHL with Medicine Hat.
In that time, he absolutely dominated alongside the Ruck twins, posting 18 goals and 50 points in 32 games played, but the most intriguing part of all was the fact that he played centre for the entire season after being drafted as a versatile forward.
At the next level, Basha still profiles as a playmaking winger with great finishing ability, but with good size at 6-foot-0, 187 pounds, if he can continue to improve his skating and his speed, then he should play a key role for the Wranglers in the upcoming season.
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