With the NHL regular season winding down this week, we know that four Canadian franchises will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Vancouver Canucks will finish with the worst record in the league and have their sights set on hopefully winning the draft lottery on May 5. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs are also hoping the ping-pong balls fall their way and result in the highest draft slot possible.
Each one of these organizations has a different outlook and plan for their future. The Canucks are entering a rebuild, for example, while the Flames have a head start in the same category. Winnipeg, on the other hand, is more likely to look at this season as an anomaly and try to reset with a fresh schedule next fall. And while the Leafs would prefer to do a quick retool to be competitive again next season, they aren’t likely to move forward with a concrete game plan until they hire their next GM or president.
With all that being said, over the next several days I will be presenting my preferred draft targets for Canada’s non-playoff NHL clubs. Today, we’ll start with the Calgary Flames.
CALGARY FLAMES OUTLOOK
The Flames compete as hard as any team in the NHL. Despite their record, they aren’t an easy out; they push back to the best of their ability pretty consistently. What the Flames don’t do is score enough goals. They have struggled to produce offence in recent years and it’s an area of their organization that requires attention. The Flames sit near the bottom in two key statistical categories — goals for and power-play percentage.
Here’s a look at who their top scorers have been this season:
It’s notable that Nazem Kadri was traded to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline over a month ago, but remains Calgary’s fourth-leading point producer.
Draft board and strategy
As it stands today, here’s a look at the draft slots the Flames own for the next three years:
In 2026, the Flames have a surplus of options in front of them since they hold six picks in the first two rounds of the draft. They might strategize packaging a couple of their second-round slots to acquire an additional first-round pick, or they could sit tight and make all six of these selections. Both strategies provide a unique opportunity and should contribute to the Flames’ rebuild/retool in short order.
In recent years, the Flames’ draft strategy has targeted some players who have potential to impact the game offensively. Defenceman Zayne Parekh, as well as forwards Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny and Ethan Wyttenbach are examples of prospects who will be counted on to deliver offence as they mature into full-time NHL players. But it’s clear Calgary needs to find a way to add more layers of offence in their organization overall.
Targets
The Flames currently project to own four of the first 36 picks in this year’s draft. Their own first-round pick is presently in the fourth overall slot, but could rise as high as first overall after the lottery. The other first-round pick they own was Vegas’, which currently would be the 28th overall pick, but could still change depending on playoff results.
The early second-rounders Calgary holds are its own and the Rangers’, plus they have second-rounders for playoff bound teams in Ottawa and Utah.
For today’s exercise, I’ll focus on those four earlier picks and look at some players I would recommend the Flames target in the slots they currently have.
Players to target at fourth overall
Chase Reid, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, right shot defence, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Reid is a two-way, transitional defenceman who is deployed in all situations and logs over 25 minutes per game. He quarterbacks the power play and contributed 18 goals and three assists in 45 regular-season games this year. He has three points in seven playoff games as the Greyhounds trail the Kitchener Rangers 2-0 in their second round series.
Keaton Verhoeff, 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, right shot defence, North Dakota (NCAA)
On balance, Verhoeff had a very productive freshman season at the NCAA level (six goals, 14 assists in 36 games). Towering, right-shot defencemen who can make plays and beat goalies from long range with a heavy and accurate shot are highly valuable commodities as prospects.
Caleb Malhotra, 6-foot-2, 182 pounds, left shot centre, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Malhotra is a complete player. He reminds me of Nick Suzuki when he was developing in the OHL. In my opinion, Malhotra is the top centre in the draft class. He produced 29 goals and 55 assists in 67 regular-season games.
Players to target around 28th overall
Wyatt Cullen, 6-foot-1, 176 pounds, left shot winger, USNTDP
Cullen is the son of former NHL forward Matt Cullen. He’s shifty with the puck on his stick, difficult to contain in small areas, and plays the game quick and fast. Cullen has contributed 12 goals and 22 assists in 34 games.
Alexander Command, 6-foot-1, 183 pounds, left shot centre, Orebro U20 (Sweden)
Command is an intriguing target in this range. He’s reliable on and off the puck in all three zones and another prospect who plays the game fast. The two-way centre can be deployed in all situations. He’s a member of the Swedish U18 national team and played the majority of his games at the U20 level in Sweden where he contributed 17 goals and 27 assists in 30 games.
Players to target in the second round, picks 35-36
The most intriguing picks the Flames own in the second round are New York’s and their own, which currently would be the 35th and 36th overall slots. Having two selections this high in the second round provides a massive opportunity to add even more depth to their prospect pool.
Ben Macbeath, 6-foot-2, 188 pounds, left shot defence, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
No other organization in the NHL will have been afforded the opportunity to monitor how Macbeath has developed this season more than the Flames. He’s right in their backyard. Macbeath is a two-way defenceman who has been deployed in a variety of roles for the Hitmen. He’s an excellent skater who is developing offensively without sacrificing defensively. Macbeath makes plays in the offensive zone and sacrifices his body to block shots defensively.
Markus Ruck, 5-foot-11, 167 pounds, left shot centre, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
I personally have Ruck ranked inside of this slot, but with very little separating prospects in the 25-42 range I can see a world where he falls to the early second-round of the draft. He’s a playmaking centre who possesses fantastic vision and a quick stick. Ruck contributed 21 goals and 87 assists in 68 regular-season games this year.
Closing thoughts
The Flames have an opportunity to disrupt the draft board of almost every NHL club this June due to the sheer volume of draft capital they have at their disposal. At the outset of my breakdown, I indicated Calgary’s need to target prospects with scoring upside. Several of the players mentioned above fit my strategy and could, in time, become difference makers for Calgary when they arrive at the NHL level.
