[GDT] Next Gen Showcase Game 2: Oilers @ Flames. 4pm MT

[PepsiFree]

I thought Honzek was quite solid throughout and used his size to his advantage whenever the moment called for it.

Liked Suniev a bunch (looked really dangerous a few times), Battaglia was great, King was so impressive, Gridin looked dangerous or invisible, Bell looked solid, and Phillips looked wayyy better than I thought he would, also liked Morin and Brzu even if they weren’t overly flashy.

Overall I came away pretty impressed. Lots of guys where you can see a potential path to the show.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by D as in David

I don't recall skating being a Brz issue before - am I having a senior moment?

He is quite slow.

[Reggie Dunlop]

CalgaryPuck shout-out on Calgary Flames website!

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/home...ng-flames-path

Close to his father, Steve, who’s been King’s biggest champion in the online community, where he goes by the username 'Tacoman.'

“He’s been playing for a senior's men's basketball team, the Fighting Tacos, his whole life,” the younger King chuckled. “So that's where that came from.”

Whether on the Calgarypuck fan forums, or in real life, though, King is grateful for all the support that has come his way.

[getbak]

Whether on the Calgarypuck fan forums, or in real life, though, King is grateful for all the support that has come his way.

[Locke]

We are everywhere.

Give 'em hell Taco!

[Sandman]

That's awesome!

[Sandman]

I gotta give it up to a player I like, Kadon McCann, who was a try-out. He didn't set the world on fire exactly, but he looked quite good in these two games. He's a big C, so hopefully he's not too buried on the Tigers this year, and gets to show what he can do a bit better.

I also thought Mael Lavigne looked decent- he's 20 years old, and will play his final year of junior with Blainville-Boisbriand of the Q.

[Canada 02]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1967664167432970590

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

CalgaryPuck shout-out on Calgary Flames website!

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/home...ng-flames-path

Nice writeup! Impressive that Taquito studied molecular biology at Denver, not an easy major at the best of times let alone when you're a college athlete.

[TheScorpion]

I think King will play NHL games this year. Liked what I saw a lot. Crafty.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Didn't watch the games, but what's the deal with Brisson? Seems like I saw/heard his name a lot, undrafted? Will the Flames sign him or take another look next year?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Didn't watch the games, but what's the deal with Brisson? Seems like I saw/heard his name a lot, undrafted? Will the Flames sign him or take another look next year?

He was undrafted this year. He turns 19 next week, so this was his first year of draft eligibility.

He will be draft eligible again next year, but there's a clause in the CBA that he could be signed before being sent back to junior. It's rare but it has happened (for example, Martin Jones was signed in camp by the Kings after going undrafted in his first year of eligibility).

It's a risk to give him a contract, but it's also a risk that he could have a strong season and get drafted by someone else next year.


He was impressive in the games.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Didn't watch the games, but what's the deal with Brisson? Seems like I saw/heard his name a lot, undrafted? Will the Flames sign him or take another look next year?

Brisson is not big (5'10"), but he plays a rambunctious, energetic, physical game in junior, and is often the hardest-working player on the ice. There's no fear in him in going to the hard areas. He really needs to bulk up and get considerably stronger, especially if he wants to continue playing that style in the pros, and his skating needs work.

Val D'Or finished 13th out of 18 teams in the Q, so the fact that he finished with 72 points in just 62 games is pretty impressive- even if he was one of the oldest players in the 2025 draft class (September 22nd birthday). At 18 years old, he was also Captain of the team.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

CalgaryPuck shout-out on Calgary Flames website!

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/home...ng-flames-path

His father, Steve, is part of the ownership group of the EIHL’s Cardiff Devils

Tacoman is pretty much exactly the same as Ryan Reynolds.

[Calgary Highlander]

I recommend checking out Jacob Battaglia interview with Pat Steinberg (33:30 -> https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/)

He is a better interview at 19 than most NHLers are at 30. Very intelligent and humble dude. Talked about how much he loves it in Kingston and the OHL, and how he didn't think the NCAA was the right fit for him. Excited to see him progress. He should be north of 50 goals and 120 points as a D+2 player.

[Canada 02]

Battaglia is 209lbs
Suniev is 210lbs; added 12lbs since last camp

[Robbob]

That is one of the things that was very noticeable, the Flames are noticeably a heavier team.

[MrSector9]

My uneducated take

goal tending like mentioned before needs some stability, one moment looked great, next fish out of water and could not find the puck... big pressure and first real competition of the year however

King looked great
Wilkie was present and "in the mix"
Wranglers players (guy with 20+ games) as a whole - was hoping for more simply due to the skill level of the league.

Phillips was by far the most surprising to me, get him working with the right people and he looks like he would be a really solid work horse type of player.

Lots of promise coming up through the Calgary organisation, and with the prospects/ages it does not look like it will be losing momentum anytime soon.