Flames rule out F Samuel Honzek (upper body) for 6 months

Samuel Honzek's season is likely finished after the Calgary Flames announced Friday that the rookie forward would miss up to six months to recover from upper-body surgery.

Honzek collided with linemate Mikael Backlund and crumpled to the ice in the second period of Calgary's 4-3 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 15.

He missed a subsequent 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres before undergoing surgery on Thursday.

Honzek, 21, tallied two goals and four points in 18 games while averaging 12:21 in ice time. He played five games for the Flames in 2024-25 but spent the majority of the season with the AHL affiliate Calgary Wranglers.

Calgary drafted Honzek with the No. 16 overall pick in 2023.

The injury removes Honzek from consideration for Slovakia's Olympic roster. He is one of six active Slovak NHL players and previously represented his country at three World Junior Under-20 Championships from 2022-24.

The Flames entered Friday with the worst record (6-13-3, 15 points) and third-lowest goal differential (minus-18) in the NHL. They host the Dallas Stars on Saturday and visit the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

--Field Level Media