The Flames have sent left wing prospect Andrew Basha back to juniors to finish the season with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, per a team announcement.
It will mark the 20-year-old Basha’s fifth and final season of junior hockey. Viewed as a potential fit by multiple public scouts in the 2024 draft, he ended up slipping to Calgary at No. 41 overall in the second round.
At the time, Basha was coming off a 30-goal, 85-point breakout in 63 games for Medicine Hat. The following season, he was a member of the Tigers’ WHL championship team but struggled with injuries. Limited to 23 regular-season contests, he still racked up nine goals and 29 points but lost important development time.
That missed development was apparent as Basha attempted to make adjustments to the pro game this season. Assigned to AHL Calgary out of training camp, he’s gotten plenty of reps but hasn’t produced. In 27 games, he’s put up a 1-4–5 scoring line with 33 penalty minutes and a -7 rating.
A good playmaker with physical acumen, he’s not an A-list prospect in a deep Calgary pool. Nonetheless, his toolkit points toward him being an effective fourth-liner even if the offensive production never really spikes at the pro level. The Flames are hoping that isn’t the case, though, and he can develop into something of a top-nine power forward. Getting some confidence back in Medicine Hat should help him on the way.