Flames Prospects - September Schedule - Updated with camp details

[FBI]

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/flam...Fx3QbypXor9nOw

[Tacoman]

Well I can't lie. This is a pretty friggin cool time in my life. To see my son head off to an NHL training camp is one thing. For it to be with the team that I've lived and died with since I was 10 years old is next level excitement.

I tried to give Carter some old man perspective yesterday before he went to the team hotel. When he's 85 years old, he'll have done so many other things other than hockey that he won't be known as a "hockey player". So don't get too stressed or too tight. With the benefit of hindsight, wisdom and perspective, your 85 year old you would be telling you to just go out there and let it rip and force the Flames to take notice in an undrafted free agent.

Easy for me to say! Really looking forward to the next few weeks and months. He'll very obviously start with the Wranglers but would be lots of fun if he puts himself on Huska's radar for future call-ups.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

Well I can't lie. This is a pretty friggin cool time in my life. To see my son head off to an NHL training camp is one thing. For it to be with the team that I've lived and died with since I was 10 years old is next level excitement.

I tried to give Carter some old man perspective yesterday before he went to the team hotel. When he's 85 years old, he'll have done so many other things other than hockey that he won't be known as a "hockey player". So don't get too stressed or too tight. With the benefit of hindsight, wisdom and perspective, your 85 year old you would be telling you to just go out there and let it rip and force the Flames to take notice in an undrafted free agent.

Easy for me to say! Really looking forward to the next few weeks and months. He'll very obviously start with the Wranglers but would be lots of fun if he puts himself on Huska's radar for future call-ups.

So psyched for you and we'll certainly be giving him some extra focus when he's on the ice on Sunday.

[Sandman]

Congratulations, Taco!

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I am feeling the vicarious pride for Tacoboy just by being on the site. Good luck and go get'em!

[Robbob]

looking forward to someone yelling something about a taco or tacoboy this Sunday.

[FBI]

How did tacoboy do at the fitness testing? Guessing it was super grueling?

[Canada 02]

Wranglers signed Simon Mack today to an AHL contract, per Pike's twitter

[Tacoman]

Originally Posted by FBI

How did tacoboy do at the fitness testing? Guessing it was super grueling?

I know he was one of the top guys in July but he said that they didn't give them any of the results afterwards. He was quite pleased that that's the last fitness test of his life with those new "no fitness testing" rules that start next year.

Team intro meeting and dinner tonight.

[Freeway]

When I interviewed Carter after his first AHL game I thought we hit the CP singularity with someone from CP interviewing the son of someone from CP.

[Calgary Highlander]

If a fan in the stands yelled "go get 'em Tacoboy" would he be confused?

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

I know he was one of the top guys in July but he said that they didn't give them any of the results afterwards. He was quite pleased that that's the last fitness test of his life with those new "no fitness testing" rules that start next year.

Team intro meeting and dinner tonight.

There is no fitness testing anymore? What the what?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Robbob

looking forward to someone yelling something about a taco or tacoboy this Sunday.

Good way to identify all the CPers in attendance...

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I noticed that there are a few invites of note to next Sunday's Next Gen Showcase against the Oilers, that have passed through the draft.

-RD Eduard Bondar: https://www.upsidehockey.com/prospec...h.hrulymq0v0sn

-LD Daniil Skvortsov: https://www.upsidehockey.com/prospec...h.aqin4cjk3s7p

-C Kadon McCann: https://www.upsidehockey.com/prospec...h.dyjcn6ohms5z

-LCG Jordan Switzer (6'0",183lbs): 18 year-old Switzer was lucky enough to get to play for the powerhouse Medicine Hat Tigers in 2024-25, playing 32 games with a 23-6-2 record, and a respectable 2.65 GAA, and a .901 SV%. He didn't fare as well in the playoffs, going 2-1-0 in 4 games, with a 3.48 GAA, and an .865 SV%.

-RD Colton Alain (6'4",196lbs): The Vancouver Giants were 13th out of 22 teams in the 'dub in 2024-25, but they actually had a decent blueline, featuring Mazden Leslie, Ryan Lin, Colton Roberts, and Ethan Mittlesteadt- meaning Alain (who is just 18 years old) didn't get a whole lot of ice-time (64gp/1g/6a/7pts,-4, 38 PIM). Alain is a very low-event rearguard with good mobility who can provide solid shutdown minutes, and can move well enough to be effective against the rush. He is calm and poised with the puck in his own end, and makes a smart first-pass, but doesn't move the needle much in the other end of the ice.

-LW Mael Lavigne (6'4",203lbs): 20 year-old Mael Lavigne has been passed over in the last two drafts, as he's been cast more as a defensive player in the Q. This season, he started out as Captain of the Victoriaville Tigres (32gp/12g/22a/34pts,-8, 46 PIM), who finished dead-last in the Q, and were one of the worst clubs in the entire CHL. He was traded mid-season to the Rimouski Oceanic, who were one of the circuit's best teams (31gp/5g/10a/15pts,even, 32 PIM), and the host of the 2025 Memorial Cup (3gp/1g/0a/1pt,-5, 0 PIM). Lavigne is actually a pretty decent skater, with good puck-skills, and uses his abilities and awareness to be an excellent defensive forward with a strong physical game. In the other end of the rink, he's a capable (if unspectacular) playmaker, and goes to the net hard, but his main weapon is his dangerous shot.

-LW Nathan Brisson (5'10",174lbs): 18 year-old Nate Brisson (he turns 19 on Sept.22nd) may be diminutive in stature, but he plays with a bit of power in his game, and has earned plenty of kudos from scouts due to his sky-high work ethic; he needs work on his strength and skating, but outworks even bigger opponents. He's solid along the boards, competes hard in front of the net for dirty goals, and owns a strong physical game. As Captain of the Val D'Or Foreurs, he put up 62gp/24g/48a/72pts,+17, 54 PIM, and has displayed a rather detailed defensive approach.

Hey Sandman, a little off topic, but are you seeing more Russian prospects in the North American draft eligible rankings in the last few years? Calgary's been drafting more and has a couple NA-playing undrafted Russian prospects coming to camp (Bondar, Skvortsov).

I'm curious and a little speculating that more might be coming over to avoid the Russian draft as, at least anecdotally from watching Calgary, it seems there are more Russians in the North American leagues these days.

It could also just be Calgary tapping into Russian players a little more, or Russian players trying to avoid getting tagged by NHL teams with the "Russian factor," but it's interesting.

[cheevers]

Let's just throw tacos on the ice for every goal he scores.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

Well I can't lie. This is a pretty friggin cool time in my life. To see my son head off to an NHL training camp is one thing. For it to be with the team that I've lived and died with since I was 10 years old is next level excitement.

I tried to give Carter some old man perspective yesterday before he went to the team hotel. When he's 85 years old, he'll have done so many other things other than hockey that he won't be known as a "hockey player". So don't get too stressed or too tight. With the benefit of hindsight, wisdom and perspective, your 85 year old you would be telling you to just go out there and let it rip and force the Flames to take notice in an undrafted free agent.

Easy for me to say! Really looking forward to the next few weeks and months. He'll very obviously start with the Wranglers but would be lots of fun if he puts himself on Huska's radar for future call-ups.

This is so cool man. Congrats and good luck to the Taco family!

[Goriders]

I’m going to the game on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing the young guys and just hockey in general TBH.

[FBI]

Did anybody attend the on-ice session today?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

Hey Sandman, a little off topic, but are you seeing more Russian prospects in the North American draft eligible rankings in the last few years? Calgary's been drafting more and has a couple NA-playing undrafted Russian prospects coming to camp (Bondar, Skvortsov).

I'm curious and a little speculating that more might be coming over to avoid the Russian draft as, at least anecdotally from watching Calgary, it seems there are more Russians in the North American leagues these days.

It could also just be Calgary tapping into Russian players a little more, or Russian players trying to avoid getting tagged by NHL teams with the "Russian factor," but it's interesting.

Interestingly enough, it would seem that the "Russian Factor" isn't as big a concern among scouts as it used to be. I see a lot more Russian prospects talked about leading up to the draft in the last few years (I have been writing more profiles it would seem), and there is INDEED a greater number being drafted into the NHL in the last 5 years than in the 2010's or the 2000's; where there might have been less than 10 in a draft back then, up to maybe the low-teens, there is now perhaps 20-30 drafted going back to about 2018. I can't confirm it, but there seems to also be A LOT more coming over to play in the USHL, and as a guy who likes to watch prospects- I can say it's a lot easier for scouts to get to see them play. Just my opinion.