Flames Have a Potential Superstar Prospect Nobody Saw Coming – The Hockey Writers – Calgary Flames

It’s been some time since the Calgary Flames have had legitimate star talent on their roster. We all know that Jonathan Huberdeau hasn’t been anywhere close to that since arriving in Cowtown, and while the likes of MacKenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, and Nazem Kadri were all very good players, they generally aren’t considered top-tier talent in the NHL.

The last time the Flames had a true star on their team, one who was capable of changing a game in the blink of an eye, came during the 2021-22 season, which also marks the last time this team made the playoffs. They didn’t have just one, but two in Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, both of whom departed the organization during the 2022 offseason.

Not having that star talent has been very apparent for the Flames in recent seasons, as they’ve struggled immensely to put the puck in the net. Take the 2025-26 campaign, for example, where they finished last among all 32 NHL teams with just 208 goals. Until a star is added, it could be more of the same.

Ethan Wyttenbach Could Change That

The good news for the Flames is that they do appear to have a true game changer on the way, and it was one that they plucked out of thin air. That would be Ethan Wyttenbach, who they didn’t select until the fifth round (144th overall) in 2025.

Wyttenbach seemed like a decent but unremarkable prospect at the time, having scored 24 goals and 51 points in 44 United States Hockey League (USHL) games. His offensive game had promise, but there were concerns regarding his play away from the puck. On top of that, he was slightly undersized at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds. But boy, how things can change.

The 19-year-old winger committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2025-26 season, and has seen his stock rise in dramatic fashion ever since. He led all NCAA players in scoring despite being a freshman with a ridiculous 59 points in 40 games, 25 of which were goals. He didn’t end up winning the Hobey Baker Award, but was a top-10 finalist.

For comparison’s sake, Gaudreau, after being taken in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, put up 44 points in 44 games with Boston College as a freshman. That gives a clear indication as to why so many Flames fans are ecstatic in regards to the future of Wyttenbach.

There is still a long way to go before he reaches star status in the NHL, but he appears to be well on his way. He chose not to sign an entry-level contract with the Flames this offseason, meaning that he will be headed back to Quinnipiac for his sophomore season. You can bet that every Flames fan will be keeping a close eye on him in 2026-27 to see if he can build even further off of what was a truly remarkable 2025-26 campaign.

Flames Have Other Reinforcements Coming

What makes this quick and sudden rise for Wyttenbach so impressive is that in a prospect pool that features massive names including Carson Carels, Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny, Cullen Potter, and many more, Wyttenbach may be the most exciting of all in the eyes of Flames fans. The story of being a late-round pick doesn’t hurt, but much of that excitement is simply due to how much promise he seems to have.

It remains to be seen whether or not he can top his highs from the 2025-26 season, but Flames fans should be expecting to see another big 2026-27 campaign from Wyttenbach. Should that be the case, there is a strong chance he signs his entry-level contract once his season comes to an end, which could mean he gets in a few NHL games with the Flames this coming spring.