The Calgary Flames are turning towards their youth to allow the young blood to compete for jobs next season.
The NHL club has called up seven players from their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, one of which includes Carter Bancks, the son of Kootenay Ice assistant coach Jerry Bancks.
The AHL playoffs, which will begin shortly, will not feature the Abbotsford Heat, which finished 12th in the Western Conference, missing the post-season for the second time in its four-year history in the Lower Mainland.
In 59 games with the Heat this season, Bancks has tallied four goals and seven assists, and accumulated 53 penalty minutes.
Bancks has been playing professional hockey for the last three full seasons with the Heat, and has reached the end of his entry-level contract with the Flames.
The Flames are already featuring some other call-ups in their current roster, such as former Kootenay Ice sniper Max Reinhart and Portland Winterhawks alum Sven Baertschi are currently auditioning for roles in the show next year.
Joining Bancks with the Flames is Akim Aliu, Paul Byron, Mark Cundari, Leland Irving, Blair Jones and Ben Street.
Jace Coyle, another local hockey player who has turned pro, is currently battling it out with Idaho Steelheads against the Ontario Reign in the second round of the ECHL playoffs.
Coyle has been up and down with Texas Stars of the AHL this year, is—like Bancks—on the final season of his entry contract.