Wranglers Pre-Season Lines Give an Insight into the Calgary Flames Future

The Calgary Flames, led by the likes of Zayne Parekh, Simon Nemec, Matt Coronato and Matvei Gridin are expected to struggle in 2026/27, but with the No. 1 priority in the organization being the youth movement and the future, that's not the worst outcome.

While the results won't be there, these players will be given every opportunity to find their way at the NHL level, and with more and more prospects and young players being added to the roster year after year, the future is getting brighter.

So, while many Flames prospects are in Europe, the CHL or the NCAA, there's plenty to watch in the AHL this season, and after the Wranglers revealed their lines for their first pre-season matchup, it shows just how much young talent is down in the AHL too.

Calgary Wranglers Roster Loaded With Young Talent

On Sunday, the Wranglers took to Abbotsford to take on the Canucks in a pre-season battle, and while they went down 3-0, the team named a lineup full of young talent that will become familiar to all Flames fans in the years to come.

While they struggled last season, missing the playoffs entirely, the forward group still consists of veterans like Ben Jones, Alex Gallant and Dryden Hunt, but beyond that, the youth movement is becoming very clear. Players such as Sam Morton, Rory Kerins and William Stromgren will lead the charge, but beyond that, this team is made up of some new, exciting names.

The standouts among them are Jonathan Castagna, who should be elevated beyond the fourth line for the regular season, Andrew Basha, a former second-round pick who will get every opportunity to succeed this season and the newly signed Alex Nylander, who impressed many in pre-season.

On the blue line, the teams top pairing represents the future in the NHL, with both Abram Wiebe and Hunter Brzustewicz getting valuable NHL time a year ago, and with good seasons, they could push for significant third pairing spots moving forward. Beyond that, the most exciting piece of the blue line is former seventh-round pick Axel Hurtig, who could use his menacing 6-foot-4, 205 pound frame to make a physical impact with the team in 2026/27.

Can the Wranglers Bounce Back in 2026/27?

The clear name missing from this list is Aydar Suniev, who has impressed many throughout pre-season, and while he's earned a role in the NHL, it's more likely than not that he'll start the 2026/27 campaign in a top-six role in the AHL, giving him the chance to dominate and cement himself as a key piece of the Flames future.

As a a result, the Wranglers outlook is much more promising heading into the new season, and while these young players will be taking big leaps to step up to the AHL level, the talent is a clear step up from a season ago.

In net, the future is on display as well with the duo of Arsenii Sergeev and Kirill Zarubin, and no matter who is in net on any given night, there's a chance that they can steal a game from any opponent. Ultimately, the direction of the organization has been made clear from top to bottom, and while the Wranglers will be clearly pushing for a playoff spot, this year is all about the youth, and in the AHL, there's a chance that they can achieve both goals at once.

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