The Calgary Flames are reducing their roster to 22 players, with a pair of forwards eligible to be activated off the team’s injured reserve. The organization announced they’ve reassigned forward Matthew Coronato to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.
Yegor Sharangovich and Samuel Honzek are expected back relatively shortly with the latter likely headed to AHL Calgary upon activation. Sharangovich has yet to play a game for the Flames this season but should immediately be relied upon as one of the team’s best offensive weapons. He’s coming off a debut season in Calgary scoring 31 goals and 59 points in 82 contests.
Honzek surprisingly made the Flames’ roster out of training camp but doesn’t have a comfortable spot in the lineup, especially with Sharangovich expected back. The 19-year-old rookie skated in four games for Calgary before succumbing to an upper-body injury and failed to put himself on the scoresheet while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per game.
Coronato found himself in a similar situation. As the former 13th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, Coronato brought a level of skill to his game that doesn’t typically mix well in any team’s bottom six. He has brought up his level of physicality to start the campaign with 10 hits in five games but doesn’t carry the proper level of defensive awareness required for regular minutes on the third or fourth line.
Coronato could find himself back in the NHL on a more consistent basis depending on Calgary’s contention status during the trade deadline season. The Flames have a pair of potential trade chips in Anthony Mantha and Andrei Kuzmenko which could open up the necessary roster spot for Coronato should a trade happen. He’s coming off a solid rookie season with the Wranglers last year scoring 15 goals and 42 points in 41 contests.