Flames Top 25 Under 25: #6 - Mark Jankowski

#6 - Mark Jankowski

Position: C

Age: 23

Team: Calgary Flames (NHL)

Drafted: 2012, Round 1, Pick 21

Last Year: #9

Voting Points: 2615

It’s amazing how becoming a full-time NHL-er can do for you in these rankings. It was a long five years from when the Calgary Flames drafted Mark Jankowski to when he became a full-time NHLer, but maybe, just maybe, Jay Feaster was actually on to something.

Out of camp it looked Jankowski probably should’ve made the Flames but he went down to Stockton and immediately tore it up with eight points in six games before coming up to Calgary for good.

His 17 goals and 8 assists are pretty respectable for a rookie center, and his growth in the two-way game really showed as the season continued. His first NHL goal came off his pants and was assisted by Jaromir Jagr, that’s a story to tell your grandkids. His four-goal game against Vegas at the end of the season was also one of the better moments of the year after a miserable few months prior for the entire team.

As for next season, Jankowski will likely find himself somewhere in the bottom six with the additions of Derek Ryan giving the Flames two very competent centres for their third and fourth lines. It’s still up in the air regarding his potential linemates for next year as well. He had some flashes with Sam Bennett, but players like Andrew Mangiapane, Austin Czarnik, and Spencer Foo could try to push their name into the conversation as well.

The Flames may have only scratched the surface of Jankowski’s potential, and the wait may have been very well worth it.