The Calgary Flames confirmed Friday that rookie forward Samuel Honzek had surgery to repair an upper-body injury, with a projected recovery of up to six months. The 21-year-old Slovak winger will likely miss the rest of the 2025-26 season and will be unable to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. It's the fourth consecutive year he has faced a major setback, keeping him out for multiple weeks.
Honzek suffered the injury during the Flames' 4-3 loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, colliding with Calgary captain Mikael Backlund in the second period. He missed the next two games, a 5-2 defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks and a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, before undergoing surgery on Thursday.
Flames head coach Ryan Huska confirmed that the procedure addressed the damage from the on-ice collision and stressed that Honzek would spend the next several months rehabbing under Calgary medical staff.
The Flames drafted Honzek in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft. In 18 games, he scored two goals and added four points while averaging 12:21 of ice time. Last season, Honzek played five NHL games without scoring. He spent most of 2024-25 with Calgary's AHL affiliate, the Wranglers, piling up eight goals and 21 points over 52 games. In the six weeks leading up to his injury, Honzek had begun to show he belonged at the NHL level, skating efficiently alongside Backlund and Blake Coleman.
His absence not only affects the Flames' depth at left wing but also deprives Slovakia of one of its three active NHL forwards, removing what was essentially a guaranteed spot on the Olympic roster. Honzek previously represented Slovakia at three World Junior Under-20 Championships from 2022-24 and played at the World Championships last season.
Calgary currently holds the league’s worst record, sitting at 6-13-3 with 15 points and a minus-18 goal differential. They will host the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
