The 2026 Winter Olympics are almost over. After that, the NHL will be back at full strength. The Calgary Flames still have some unfinished business, especially on the trade front. Expect the Flames to make at least one more trade before the trade deadline this year. The NHL trade deadline takes place on March 6 at 3:00 PM EST. After this, the Flames may have some open roster spots. Let’s take a look at possible call-ups from the Calgary Wranglers.
Rory Kerins, Forward
One of the top players to get a call-up is forward Rory Kerins. The Flames drafted Kerins in the 6th round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Since then, he has spent most of his time in the AHL. Kerins has always been a very dangerous attacking player. He tore it up in the OHL and has continued to do so at the AHL level. Kerins made his NHL debut in January 2025. Here he posted his first NHL point during his first shift against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kerins played only five games for the Flames that season. Fortunately, he made the most of it and provided four assists in just five games. For the remainder of that year, Kerins had a breakout AHL season, scoring 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games. To top it all off, so was Kerins named an AHL all-star and showed serious promise of NHL potential. It’s just a shame he doesn’t get a consistent chance.
Looking at this year, Kerins has only appeared in two games with the Flames. He continued to score at the AHL level, with 39 points in 46 games. Kerins would be a fantastic replacement for someone like Blake Coleman. A third-line option is exactly what Kerins offers the Flames. Hopefully it’s only a matter of time before he gets that opportunity.
William Stromgren, Onward
Another forward who is a strong call-up option is William Stromgren. He is in the middle of his third full season as a Wrangler and was fortunate enough to make his NHL debut this year. Stromgren appeared in three games for the Flames. Unfortunately, Ryan Huska barely let him play, which dampened the excitement about his call-up. Shortly afterwards, Stromgren was sent back to the Wranglers.
The Flames drafted Stromgren in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. After finishing his time in Sweden, Stromgren came to Calgary as a member of the Wranglers. It took him some time to adapt, but he broke out in the 2024-2025 season. Stromgren scored 49 points in 70 games, making him a potential depth option for the Flames the following year.
This year was Stromgren’s best season overall. After 43 games in the AHL, he has 31 points. Like Kerins, Stromgren would play a similar role with the Flames. He would be a solid third liner who can provide some secondary scoring in the lineup. Does Stromgren deserve another call-up after his limited opportunity earlier this year?
Sam Morton, Forward
Sam Morton had a long journey to reach the NHL. He was an undrafted forward who signed with the Flames as a free agent. He finished the 2023-2024 season as a member of the Wranglers, scoring seven points in 13 games. The following season he established himself. Morton was a full-time member of the AHL and was really starting to find his game. Morton is a true grinder who sets the tone in every game. During the 2024-2025 season, Morton scored 20 goals and 45 points in 70 games. At the end of the year, Morton was rewarded.
In the Flames’ final regular season game, Morton was given the opportunity to make his NHL debut. The 25-year-old scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to help the Flames win. This is probably the top moment of Morton’s career, as it happened against a strong Los Angeles Kings team. This season, Morton continued to play strongly at the AHL level. Could he be a possible call-up down the road? He only played in three games for the Flames this season.
Dryden Hunt, forward
The final potential call-up is veteran forward Dryden Hunt. Like Morton, Hunt had to play his way into the NHL as an undrafted player (fun fact: Hunt actually helped set up Morton for his first NHL goal). He started his NHL career with the Florida Panthers and then bounced between the Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs. In March 2023, Hunt was traded to the Flames and has been a member of the organization ever since.
Hunt is often one of the first players called up to the Flames. He has always been a solid AHL player, scoring nearly a point per player each season. This makes him stand out as a call-up, especially for depth scoring. In the 2023-2024 season, Hunt played in 28 games with the Flames. Here he scored three goals and eight points while receiving limited ice time.
Hunt has dominated the AHL over the past two seasons. He was one of the top scorers for the Wranglers last year and currently leads the team in points. Is he a potential call-up as a depth forward? Even though he’s an older player, he can still play some bottom-six minutes.
Next: Analysis of the Calgary Flames blueline’s year-over-year scoring pace
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