We are in the final stretch of the 2025–26 NHL season. The trade deadline has come and gone. The battle for the last few playoff spots is heating up, and with just eleven games left in the season for the Calgary Flames, they are looking to see what they have for the future.
The Flames have been using some of their younger players more now that they have moved out some of the veterans at the deadline. Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz have both had elevated roles since the Flames traded Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar. Without Nazem Kadri, we have now seen Matvei Gridin in a top-line role. As a result, Head Coach Ryan Huska formed a line consisting of Gridin, Morgan Frost, and Matt Coronato. In the 10 games and just over 80 minutes of 5v5 competition, the trio has shown glimpses of being a really connected line and has been quite creative in the offensive zone.
The question becomes, have the Flames found something that could be a long-term solution in the top-six?
Flashes of brilliance
There is obviously a lot of skill when it comes to this trio. Frost has always been a smooth skater with a deceptive skill set. Coronato has a deadly release that he combines with a strong work ethic and quick feet. Gridin may already be the team’s most skilled player in both transition and the cycle.
They have definitely had some chemistry early on. We have seen the trio make some high-end plays that have led to both scoring chances and actual goals. This stretch of games might be the best that Frost has looked since becoming a Flame. It has definitely been Coronato’s best stretch of the season. Gridin has brought his speed and skill to the line to give the other two a shooter and someone who can make plays in transition. They have meshed well on the offensive side of the puck.
They are making plays that we haven’t seen from a creative standpoint by a line in quite some time. Quick one-touch passes in close, flying past the opposition on the rush, and subtle plays low in the offensive zone have given us more excitement than at any time all season long.
Coronato seems to have found his goal-scoring touch again after a very long drought. As I mentioned above, this may be the best I have seen Frost since coming over to Calgary a year ago. He looks much more comfortable making plays. When his game is at its best, he is skating well and finding his teammates in open spaces. Gridin is way ahead of schedule in terms of his development. The sample size is still quite small at the NHL level, so expectations should be tempered. However, he looks like a player who could be quite impactful for years to come. Maybe it is all just an end-of-year heater with nothing to play for, but they have given us some excitement at the very least.
Have they played a sustainable brand of hockey?
Let’s take a deep dive into the numbers of the three. According to NaturalStatTrick, Gridin, Frost and Coronato have played 77:46 together over this 10-game stretch since they began playing together. In terms of actual goals scored at 5v5, they have scored three and given up three. Well, that’s not too bad. In terms of chances for and against, the trio sits at a CF% of 49.30; they have created 70 while giving up 72. Again, not terrible. Considering they have an offensive zone start rate of 82.35%, you would definitely like to see them creating more chances than giving up.
It is still a work in progress. As I mentioned above, the trio is creating off the rush and making things happen. It hasn’t exactly turned into a pile of goals, and they still are giving up more than they are creating, but I don’t think it is the end of the world just yet. The line is still relatively young. Gridin just turned 20, and Coronato is 23. Frost is the oldest of the trio at 26, but he will be 27 in just a few months. He is not necessarily a younger player getting better; he probably is what he is at this point.
Is what they’re doing sustainable? Well, probably. They aren’t dominating, they are playing a fast-paced game with some much-needed skill added to the flow of the game. We know they aren’t going to be great defensively. The goal for them will be to create as much offence as possible. Gridin and Coronato both still have room to grow and become better players, whereas Frost, as I mentioned, has probably peaked as a 35–40 point player. A true game-changing centre is probably what is needed for the two wingers, which would help push them to another level. For the time being, however, it’s fine. Fans don’t expect the team to be good at this point. More minutes for Gridin and Coronato will only help their development moving forward.
Play the kids, play the kids, play the kids
I have said it so many times during this season, but the development of the younger players is exactly what the Flames need to prioritize over the next few seasons. It is critical to acclimate them to the NHL game.
Now, is Huska the solution behind the bench? I am not entirely sure, and that is a discussion for another day. But with the way he has deployed Gridin as of late, I am willing to give him a pass at least until the year comes to a close.
This time of year, when the season is lost, can be fun. We should see a few more guys come up and play before the season ends. But as I said, the Flames need to give the next generation every chance they can give them.