Samuel Honzek

Um, next up on my list i- is, is an interesting one, because this guy hasn't played a full season for the Flames yet.

Injuries love to, uh, attack Sam Honzek and drag him down, so it's a lot of stop and start with this guy.

But I'm excited to see if he can build on what he started last year with Michael Backlund.

You put him on that line with Backlund and Coleman, and they seem to almost immediately click and, and Ryan Huska seemed to have a lot of faith in that trio.

Matthew Gridden, who came on at the end of last season with Matt Coronado.

Sam Honzek's coming off an injury.

Another young kid coming in.

These kids are getting an opportunity to play in bigger roles and better roles, and then they have these veterans that are around them to helps, help, you know, insulate them a little bit aro- around the NHL here.

Looks like the Czechs have him as sort of in the three, four hole there.

And then, uh, Honzek, I have been a yo-yo on this guy.

I've been very high, I've been, "It's never gonna happen," and I'm kinda back.

I really like the small sample we saw last year on the backline.

We start The Pender Report with the update on the top 20 Calgary Flames prospects.

A tie at fourth place between two Flames, Sam Honzek-

What? More ties?

I know, we had a tie at 18 as well.

The Calgary Flames come in next at number eight, led by Carson Carls, Simone Nemech, who they acquired from the New Jersey Devils, and Zane Perak, giving them a very talented offense Blue line in their future.

They also have Cole Rajni and Jack Hextall, Chase Harrington up front, Samuel Honzek as well, who was off to a pretty good start to the season before unfortunately having to undergo shoulder surgery.

And number nine is the New York Islanders in which the 2025 draft class reopens.

really change their future, in which they landed Matthew Schaefer, Kashawn Aitchison, and Victor Eklund all in the first round, three of their top five prospects, in my opinion.

But again, I thought that was quite nuts to have him so high.

The other one that I kind of explained was Honzek.

Why is he above Grinnan? So again, his tier is a middle-of-the-lineup player.

Skating, puck skills, uh, NHL average.

His hockey sense below NHL average, and then the compete above NHL average, which is all over the place.

Analysis: Honzek started off the season all right in the NHL before a shoulder surgery knocked him out.

He's big, skates quite well for his size, and has some skill in his game.

He's certainly not overly creative or instinctive with the puck, and he creates offense in a basic, direct way.