The excitement around the Calgary Flames organization currently resides mostly at the junior level, with a prospect pool led by Cole Reschny, Ethan Wyttenbach, Carson Carels, Theo Stockselius and others all seeking big years as they push to make the NHL in 2027/28 and beyond.
However, there's still plenty to watch in the NHL, and there, most eyes will be on Matvei Gridin, Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf and Zayne Parekh, and once again, there's another name that has been left off the lips of many Flames fans on many occasions throughout the past 12 months. That would be the first draft pick of Craig Conroy's tenure as Flames GM, Samuel Honzek, who has been very unlucky with injury over the past two seasons.
Samuel Honzek's Rise to the NHL Thus Far
In 2024/25, Honzek made the NHL team out of training camp, but after just 5 games, he was sent down to the AHL where he produced well, posting 8 goals and 21 points in 52 games played, with the former 16th overall pick improving as the year went on. Clearly, the Flames were impressed with his development both mentally and physically, as the once 6-foot-4, 186 pound forward started filling out his frame, adding 15 pounds between the 2024/25 and 2025/26 season, bringing him up to 210 pounds.
As a result, he began 2025/26 in much better fashion, and while he didn't have much luck, Honzek posted 2 goals and 4 points in 18 games played, and as he got better physically, he started to show his confidence and truly take off. Unfortunately, an injury would take him out for the rest of the season, and given how Coronato and Gridin produced down the stretch, many have forgotten just what a positive start Honzek had to the year.
Should the Flames Play Honzek in the Top-Six?
To this point in his career, injuries have been the major factor holding Honzek back, and while he may never be the star that the Flames hoped for when they grabbed him at No. 16 overall in 2023, he's got the size, the drive and the skill to be a very valuable middle-six forward in the NHL for years to come. On a contending team, the current iteration of Honzek would be lucky to play on a third line, but given the Flames aspirations in 2026/27, if they can prioritize Honzek in their top-six and give him the opportunity to succeed or fail on his own, he could potentially lead this crop of prospects into the future.
There's still several questions around Honzek and his potential however, but given that he tallied 33 goals and 87 points in 77 games with the WHL's Vancouver Giants, the offense is clearly there, and if he can combine that with his size and defensive prowess, he could be a good, if not great middle-six forward. The only way to find that out is to play him significant minutes on the Flames second line this year, and after the departure of Blake Coleman, the perfect trio appears to be forming, with Mikael Backlund and Joel Farabee being a very good fit with Honzek on the Flames second line behind Matvei Gridin, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato.
Ultimately, the ceiling is much higher for the likes of Gridin, Reschny and a potential top-three pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, but the Flames shouldn't discount Honzek because of that, and if they prioritize his development in 2026/27, he could be a very valuable player for years to come with his size and skill.
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