Latest news with #SamMorton
National Post
15-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Under-25 power rankings at centre position
Article content Power rankings are always great for debate. Article content Article content In this case, it's not just the pecking order that should spark conversation. Article content As part of our Flames Retool Tracker, we'll be examining their current stockpile of under-25 talent at each position. What you'll notice on this list of centres is that several of these guys come with the same asterisk — does he more likely project as a winger at the NHL level? Article content Article content We are not breaking news when we tell you the Flames are short on future faceoff men. This rundown will only reinforce that, although it's worth noting that a couple of candidates just aged out in Morgan Frost (26) and Sam Morton (25). Article content Without further ado, our power rankings of Calgary's current U-25 depth at the pivot position: Article content How acquired: Selected in first round, No. 24 overall, of 2020 NHL Draft. Article content Working in his favour: Zary loves to attack on offence and has both the hands and the moxie required to dance around a defender in a one-on-one scenario. Article content Still working on it: Could he become a better distributor? He collected just six even-strength assists in 54 games with the Flames this season. Article content Earlier this week, we made the case the Flames must continue to invest in determining if Zary can be a difference-maker up the middle. That's why he lands in the top spot on this list. If not for injuries, Zary likely would have potted 20 goals this season and that's certainly a realistic target for 2025-26. As the Flames move across the street to Scotia Place, he will be both a fan fave and one of their most dangerous offensive weapons. Article content Article content Article content How acquired: Selected in sixth round, No. 174 overall, of 2020 NHL Draft. Article content Kerins worked the wing during his five-game call-up in January, but he was primarily a centre during a breakthrough campaign with the Wranglers. While he doesn't do anything that is going to drop your jaw, Kerins just finds a way to produce offence, plain and simple. With 33 goals and 61 points, he was the youngest dude to finish inside the Top 10 in the AHL's scoring race. He already has four assists on his NHL stat sheet.
National Post
14-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Could Carter King be solution at centre?
Article content Every year, King's numbers improved. He went from being a guy who scored three goals and eight assists in his first season, back in 2021-22, to being a first-line centre who potted 21 lamp-lighters and added 22 helpers this year. Article content 'If you look at his stats, there's just a natural progression that occurred every year,' Carle explained. 'Our 2022 team, he was our fourth-line left-wing, then he slid over into the middle his second year then moved up our line chart his junior year and then in his senior year he was our first-line centre. Article content 'He's played power play and penalty kill every year for his last three years, so he's one of the few guys who had the responsibility of doing both and really did a nice job and excelled with it. If he didn't improve his offence he wouldn't have had the opportunities he did on the power play.' Article content None of this is to say that King should be expected to start next season playing full-time with the Flames. There's an adjustment that comes for any player when they're making the jump to pro hockey and King will rightfully be given time to find his game with the Calgary Wranglers. How quickly he can adjust to the speed of playing against pros every night will be a major factor in determining if and when he gets NHL minutes. Article content Article content But ideally, he'll push to get in the mix the way Sam Morton did. Morton, another free-agent centre the Flames signed at the conclusion of his NCAA career, put up 20 goals and 25 assists with the Wranglers and then scored in his NHL debut in the final game of the year. Article content Morton likely will be pushing for playing time as the Flames fourth-line centre and Justin Kirkland could be doing the same if he's re-signed. Article content Could King factor into their plans? It wouldn't surprise anyone if he does and he put up two points in two regular-season games with the Wranglers after signing. Article content It was brief, but the Flames hope that cameo will provide King with an idea of what he needs to do to push himself over the summer. Article content 'I think for Carter, being able to come in at the end was massive for him,' Edwards said. 'In our meetings, it was, 'OK, I've seen what it is now and I know I have to adjust my game and my training and my mindset, in terms of how you have to check and the pace and the competitiveness and the size and the strength and all that stuff. It's invaluable for those guys to come in at the end of the year and get a taste of what it's like. Article content
