Calgary Flames

Flames Might Have Just Found Their Next Key Forward

Flames fans, keep an eye on 19-year-old Matvei Gridin—every call-up he’s showing he might be a real difference-maker down the stretch.

by
Old Prof
February 19, 2026

Calgary Flames fans don’t have a lot to cling to right now, but here’s one bright spot: Matvei Gridin. He’s still just a teenager, still figuring out the league, and yet every call-up he looks a bit more like someone who could actually matter in Calgary.

Gridin Is a Young Player Who Keeps Hanging Around

Calgary brought him back up yesterday, and that’s already telling. They wouldn’t burn a call-up on a teenager if they don’t think the kid can help. And with Jonathan Huberdeau shut down for the season, the roster needed someone with a little spark. Gridin fits that bill.

He’s put up three goals and six points in 13 games. That doesn’t sound like a huge total, but on this Flames roster, it ranks eighth in points per game. At nineteen on a team starving for offence, he might be ready for a longer look.

Matvei Gridin Flames — Matvei Gridin of the Calgary Flames.

Gridin Is the Prospect Everyone Debated

What makes Gridin interesting is that he’s been a debate ever since draft day. Some scouts loved him; others not so much. The Flames took him 28th overall in 2024, and prospect rankings were all over the place. Some saw him as the Flames’ second-best forward prospect. Others said he played too much on the outside, didn’t drive the middle enough, and needed to be heavier in the hard areas.

Maybe both sides were right. He’s shown that he has the skill; no one questions that. Thirty-six goals and nearly 80 points in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last year say he can score. But the Flames clearly thought he was closer to NHL-ready than the doubters believed. And to be fair, he’s done nothing this season to prove them wrong.

So What Happens Now with Gridin?

If Gridin is to take the next step, he’ll have to get real minutes. Not charity minutes, but real responsibility. The Flames simply don’t have enough NHL forwards to shelter anyone right now. If you’re dressed, you’re playing. Given that scenario, Gridin hasn’t looked the least bit lost.

What should Flames fans expect from him? More of the same steady progression. A few mistakes—because he’s nineteen—but also a few games where he pops and makes you appreciate his skill set. He’s already shown he belongs. Now he gets to show whether he can stick.

So far, his season hasn’t been a highlight reel. But late in the year, when teams start grinding games out, young players like Gridin can surprise you. Every once in a while, a youngster grabs a job and never gives it back. If the Flames are lucky, Gridin could be that rare prospect who grabs a spot and never lets go.