The Calgary Flames started to whittle their training-camp roster Tuesday, reassigning seven teenage prospects to the junior ranks.
Travel will be a breeze for Axel Hurtig. The 19-year-old defenceman is staying put in Calgary to skate for the Western Hockey League’s Hitmen.
Eric Jamieson (Everett Silvertips) and Hunter Laing (Prince George Cougars) also will spend this coming season in the WHL, while Jacob Battaglia (Kingston Frontenacs), Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s) and Luke Misa (Brampton Steelheads) are headed back to the OHL and Etienne Morin (Moncton Wildcats) will continue his development in the QMJHL.
Battaglia, Jamieson, Laing, Mews and Misa were among the Flames’ selections in the 2024 NHL draft. Hurtig and Morin were picked in 2023.
There are now six teenagers remaining at camp at the Saddledome — blue-liners Hunter Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh, plus forwards Andrew Basha, Matvei Gridin, Sam Honzek and Jaden Lipinski.
Brzustewicz, Honzek and Lipinski are eligible to skate this winter in the AHL, while the others must be returned to junior if they don’t crack the big-league lineup. (Honzek is making quite a case that he is ready to go pro with five assists in his two exhibition auditions so far.)
Also among Tuesday’s transactions, the Flames released winger Luke McNamara from his amateur tryout.
There still are 56 names on Calgary’s training-camp roster, including 33 forwards, 17 defencemen and six goaltenders.