Having gone through expert rankings and listing who the Calgary Flames could select at ninth overall, predicting who the Flames could pick at 28th overall is a much harder task. With just hours to go before the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft gets underway, here’s the mixed field on who experts predict the Flames will take with their second first-round pick of the night.
Bob MacKenzie: Marek Vanacker
An opportunist, the OHL left winger had 82 points this season for Brantford. Vanacker has a lot of really good pieces to his game- he’s a strong forechecker, really good on the rush, and has a nose for the net offensively—but hasn’t always been able to put all of the pieces together. He could be a top-six complementary player in time, but does need to refine his game some more.
McKeen Hockey: Sacha Boisvert
The Quebec-born USHLer was over a point-per-game this season with Muskegon, and had nearly an even split in goals and assists. A very heady player, Boisvert is known for his smarts and his high end skill, which makes him almost certainly a first-round pick this year. He does need to work on his defensive game a touch, but it is his skating that may hold him back. He projects similarly to Shane Pinto, but with higher skill.
FC Hockey: Matvei Gridin
Gridin’s projections are all over the board, with him going anywhere from the first to the fourth round. He led the USHL in points this season and was able to create lanes for himself in the offensive zone all season long. However, his skating, speed and brutal defensive game may hold back h development. He likely projects to be an NHLer, but it may be just a fourth line guy.
Sam Cosentino: Julius Miettinen
The Finnish centreman was above a point-per-game in the WHL this season with Everett in his first season in North America. Known for his shutdown game and physicality, Miettinen is a player who developed really nicely as the season went on. He does need to work on his skating to be more effective, but if he can do so, he likely projects as a middle-six centreman.
Craig Button: Cole Beaudoin
Another centreman, Beaudoin had 62 points in 67 games for Barrie in the OHL. A dual threat offensively, he can shoot the puck really well and is an exceptional passer and playmaker in the offensive zone. He has taken strides to work on his skating and speed, but at 6’2″ and weighing in over 200 pounds, he already has the NHL-ready size that teams love. Expect him to hear his name called probably sooner than later.
EP Hockey: Adam Jiricek
A hard-working defender, Jiricek played most of the season in the Czech league among men who were bigger and stronger than him. He plays a good two-way game, excelling defensively but unafraid to pinch or make plays offensively. He is still quite raw, but has all the tools to be a middle-pair defenceman in the NHL if everything breaks the right way.
The Win Column Mock Draft: Leo Sahlin Wallenius
The Flames taking a defenceman with their second pick would make a lot of sense, and Sahlin Wallenius would be a great pick for them at 28th. He had 42 points in 43 games in the Swedish J20 while being defensively strong. While he does need to work on his physicality when he transitions to North America, Sahlin Wallenius would be an instant upgrade on most in the Flames’ draft cupboard.
TWC Consolidated: Terik Parascak
The right winger had a whopping 105 points in 68 games this season in the WHL and would be a huge upgrade offensively in the Flames’ prospect pool. Known for his compete level and smarts, Parascak thinks the game really well and is able to adapt himself to the situation on the ice. While he does need to work on his stride, he as taken steps (or strides no pun intended) in the right direction. Without many right wings or even right shots in the organization, taking Parascak would be a smart move for the Flames.
Calgary’s going into new territory
The Flames are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch. While most eyes have been on their first pick in the draft, this is just the second time in organizational history that they have had more than one pick in the first round of any draft. And while they absolutely squandered it the last time, this would be an excellent year to not do that. Let’s hope they pick an impact NHLer this time.
