While the hunt for Lord Stanley’s Cup treads on, fans in Calgary have been discussing the upcoming NHL Draft for what feels like a year. The Flames will be well-equipped with draft capital come June 26th. They have the 6th overall and 28th overall selections on day one and four picks in the second round. All in all, the Flames will hold 11 selections at the upcoming draft. GM Craig Conroy hasn’t been shy about considering his options. With Mike Grier and San Jose making it known that the second overall pick is on the market, and Chicago looking to equip their young core with more NHL experience, the Flames could have multiple options to move up from sixth overall.
On the other side of the coin, the Flames have just as much purchasing power to go out and target a young roster player. They could also hold their cards, trusting Conroy and the scouting staff’s impressive track record over the last few years. We wanted to know what fans think Conroy and the Flames should do with their plethora of draft capital. We asked, you answered.
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What to do with all those second-rounders?
We presented the poll below to our readers.
Keep them all and pick
Roughly a quarter of respondents to this week’s poll think the Flames should hold onto all of their second-round picks and trust their process come draft day. Despite the hype surrounding this draft class dating back a few years, opinions from draft experts have soured since the start of the season. Gavin McKenna struggled more than expected at Penn State, while prospects like Keaton Verhoeff have also slid. McKenna or Swede Ivar Stenberg will likely go to the Toronto Maple Leafs and whoever ends up picking second overall. After that, all bets are off. There is a plethora of defensive talent at the top end of the draft in Chase Reid, Carson Carels, and Keaton Verhoeff, while forwards Caleb Malhotra and Viggio Bjorck could be targets for the Vancouver Canucks.
All that to say, if the Flames did pursue trading any picks at the 2026 NHL Draft, there may not be much use in moving up from sixth overall. Conroy has shown, over his tenure, that he is targeted on draft day, moving down to select Matvei Gridin in the 2024 draft when many expected it to be a lost pick. If the Flames expect their targets to be available at their picks, I expect them to hold onto their draft capital and utilize it as they have the last few seasons.
Trade for NHL help
Roughly 10% of fans who voted in this week’s poll think the Flames should use their second-round draft capital to trade for NHL-ready help. The Flames could look to add a young NHL roster player. Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Kent Johnson could be an option. He is coming off a down season with 22 points in 76 games after posting 57 points in 68 games the season prior. Adding a young forward would certainly help the Flames’ situation. But, the team is loaded with middle-six forwards and has already taken a few chances on “fresh starts” with Yegor Sharangovich, Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost.
Gambling on a fringe top-line player could be worth it. However, the Flames are in no position to support another fringe top-six forward. Someone has to drive a line, and the Flames have struggled to find that type of player on the trade market. There could be more potential with teams stuck in a cap crunch. For example, the Dallas Stars have a mess this offseason with three RFA’s and six UFA’s needing contracts. Of the RFAs, centres Jason Robertson or Mavrik Borque could be attractive trade targets. Although Robertson’s price would be high, the Stars have been vocal about standing firm on their AAV in contract negotiations. The Flames have the cap space to re-sign the 96-point winger and the assets to move the needle for Dallas.
Mavrik Bourque could be a more cost-effective option for the Flames, especially if Dallas does finalize a Robertson extension before arbitration. Borque is coming off a 20-goal and 41-point season playing behind some of the NHL’s best offensive players. Although I said the Flames should take another chance on a middle-six forward, Borque could be worth the assets to explore.
Use them to trade up
Collecting over 65% of the votes, trading up was the majority winner in this week’s poll.
As already discussed, the top end of this year’s prospect pool has muddied outside of the first two selections. With that said, the Flames could steal a game-changer at 6th overall, such as Viggio Bjorck. However, if the Flames really do want a sure-fire top prospect in McKenna or Stenberg, second overall is the route to take.
San Jose has been vocal about moving their pick and has a roster full of promising prospects despite their relatively infant rebuild. With the Sharks’ collection of promising forwards, they will surely focus on a defenceman with their first selection, likely to fall between picks 3–6. The Sharks were on the verge of the playoffs this season, and roster players like Blake Coleman, Zach Whitecloud, and a disgruntled Conor Zary, plus a package of draft picks, could be more impactful for San Jose’s long-term goals than a single top-calibre prospect for yet another year.
Trades into the top five are rare on draft day, top three even more so. However, the Flames may be the most well-equipped team to do so come June 26th. The combination of Calgary’s draft capital and veteran roster players offers Mike Grier and the Sharks a plethora of options to make a deal. If the Flames do look to move up from 6th overall, San Jose is surely the only option that makes sense at this point.
The draft floor is Conroy’s Oyster
If Craig Conroy has proved anything in Calgary, it’s that he can perform on draft day. No matter what happens on draft day, Flames fans are getting more and more comfortable with trusting Conroy’s process. The Flames GM has shown he is committed to the future, trading away prominent veterans at the trade deadline this past season. Now, the second phase of those moves begins. Draft day will be full of opportunities for the Flames. Whether it be trading for a roster player, moving up in the draft, or using all of their picks, the team has positioned itself to have plenty of flexibility heading into the draft. No matter the decisions made, they will be pivotal as Calgary has committed to the future now, more than ever in the last 30 years.