Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
Nothing to play for? The Calgary Wranglers disagree.
Calgary went into Place Bell this weekend and took three of four points from the North Division’s first-place team.
The Wranglers will not be joining the Laval Rocket and 22 other teams in the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring. It’s the first time that a Calgary Flames affiliate will miss the postseason cut since 2019.
The Wranglers had a 6-0-2-0 stretch early in the season, but things started unraveling after New Year’s. Calgary got to Laval carrying an eight-game losing streak and a 5-21-3-3 record since Jan. 2.
But none of that mattered Friday. The Wranglers put together one of their best efforts this season, scoring five times in a span of 8:31 during the second period and held the Rocket to 18 shots on goal in a 5-2 victory. Rory Kerins, back in the lineup from a 12-game absence, led the way with two goals and two assists.
Playoff-bound or not, late-season play always retains meaning. Management and coaches continue to evaluate talent for opportunities next season both with the Flames and Wranglers. And there are always 31 other NHL organizations out there to impress as well.
Calgary came back on Saturday afternoon and earned another point in a 4-3 shootout loss, with Martin Frk scoring twice in the third period – including the equalizer with 1:43 to go. Kerins added three more points, and rookie Arsenii Sergeev made 42 saves, shutting down Joshua Roy’s penalty shot late in overtime.
So rookie head coach Brett Sutter’s club heads home to face Abbotsford next weekend, then finishes the 2025-26 season with a two-game visit to Colorado. After that, the roster will scatter across the hockey world. Some players will be back with the Wranglers next season. Maybe some move up to the Flames. Others could move on out altogether.
Kerins, a restricted free agent at season’s end, could be in the mix for a full-time role next season with the Flames. He has 53 points in 53 contests with the Wranglers this year. Sergeev, a 2021 seventh-round draft pick, has shown that he can handle the AHL after backstopping Penn State to the Frozen Four last year. Dryden Hunt, tied for the team scoring lead, is under contract for next season and offers the Flames a reliable NHL recall option who provides ample offense in the AHL. Matvei Gridin, Hunter Brzustewicz, Sam Morton, Brennan Othmann, William Strömgren and Daniil Miromanov have all seen action with the Flames this season.
The key to these types of late-season games, though, is to keep a team-first mentality. There is no room for a group to stray from a team-oriented structure. Statistics can come later. The Wranglers will be looking to finish strong in front of the home fans, and then play spoiler against a Colorado club bidding for a division title.
Calder Cup Playoff hopes may be gone, but laying down the work for next season has already started.
On the American Hockey League beat for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2016.