CALGARY — Things promise to be a whole lot spicier for the Flames at this year’s NHL Draft than last summer when the team did not have a first round pick, and selected just three players.
That number could double or triple in Nashville where new Flames GM Craig Conroy will be a popular fella.
Plenty can happen between now and then, but with Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund heading up a list of seven players with one year left on their contracts, it’s very likely Conroy will be forced into trading a key piece or two at this year’s draft.
The return for any of those players would have to include significant draft picks to bolster the five picks they already have in a deep draft.
In Lindholm’s case, the club could expect a haul even more significant than the Bo Horvat deadline deal that landed Vancouver a top-six forward, a sizable prospect and a conditional first round pick.
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The return for Hanifin would also be formidable, as the recent trade of Ivan Provorov demonstrated.
Provorov, who was selected two spots behind Hanifin as the seventh pick in 2015, netted the Flyers goalie Cal Petersen, defenceman Sean Walker and defenceman Helge Grans. As part of the three-way trade, the Flyers also got Columbus’s first-round pick in 2023 (22nd overall) and a conditional second-rounder in either 2024 or 2025.
So, essentially one first-rounder and two second-rounders, much like the Flames coughed up to land Dougie Hamilton and Travis Hamonic years back.
The Flames should return to being a competitive, veteran-led team this season, but with players like Tyler Toffoli, Chris Tanev, Oliver Kylington and Nikita Zadorov signed for just one more year the Flames may have to start retooling on the fly.
And they’re excited to do it with youngsters, something they haven’t had much of a chance to do the last decade.
As opposed to the team’s recent history of signing fourth-line veterans like Trevor Lewis and Brett Ritchie just before camp, Conroy said the team will leave roster spots open in camp for youngsters to break through.
It puts even more importance on the club restocking its shelves with savvy picks in Nashville, as last year’s trio of picks are several years away from trying to prove they can play in the league.
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Positionally, there is no glaring hole in the organization, as the success of the Wranglers last season demonstrated.
Goalie Dustin Wolf won AHL MVP this year, not to mention his second straight goalie of the year award, to be the club’s top-rated prospect.
Defenceman Jeremie Poirier, 21, blew away expectations in his first year with the Wranglers, making it only a matter of time before he breaks through in the bigs.
Up front, it’s likely Wranglers grads Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr will be mainstays with the Flames, as will former first rounder Matt Coronato.
Given the likelihood of having to trade an attractive veteran or two in the next few weeks, Conroy and the Flames may well make one of the biggest splashes at Bridgestone Arena next week.
DRAFT PICKS
First round (16th overall), second round (48th overall), fourth round (112th overall), sixth round (176th overall) and seventh round (208th overall).
POTENTIAL ROUND 1 OPTIONS
Sportsnet’s draft specialist Jason Bukala recently released his top rankings and has 5-foot-11, 165-pound right winger Gabriel Perreault at no. 16.
He’s a goal-scoring machine from the US National Development team.
He’d previously had 5-foot-11, 188-pound centre Oliver Moore at no. 16.
The quick, energetic and skilled Minnesotan scored 31 goals and had 75 points in 61 games for the US U18 team.
Other’s around the mid-teens on his list include 6-foot-4, 186-pound Slovakian centre Samuel Honzek of the Vancouver Giants, as well as 6-foot-2, 185-pound Wheat Kings centre Nate Danielson, and 5-foot-11, 166-pound centre Brayden Yager of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Sportsnet’s ace prospects insider Sam Cosentino has many of the same names swirling around Calgary’s pick, but has slick-skating Swede Otto Stenburg at no. 16.
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LAST YEAR’S FIRST PICK
The Flames only selected three players in last summer’s draft, topped by late second-round selection Topi Ronni.
The 6-foot-2, 179-pound Finnish centre responded to being drafted by having an identical season to the one he had as an 18-year-old, scoring twice and adding three assists in 22 games with Tappara Tampere of the Finnish Sm-liiga loop.
The team’s 59th pick from 2022 has plenty of work to do if he is to pave a path to the NHL.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION FOR THE DRAFT
Flames will draft at least twice in the first round.
The Flames currently have one first rounder and two picks in the top 50.
Expect that number to swell, as the return for Lindholm or Hanifin has to include a first rounder.
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