Tonight marks the final night of Round 2 in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the Calgary Flames were not participants this year, this is the most important night of the postseason for Flames fans. The outcome of Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers will determine the Flames’ second first-round pick in the draft.
Flames fans should be cheering for the Leafs
The Flames own the Panthers’ first-round pick in the upcoming draft. The Panthers are still playing, so the exact draft slot for this pick has not been determined yet.
The biggest reason for Flames fans to be cheering for the Leafs tonight is the fairly significant shift in draft pick slotting if they eliminate the Panthers.
Draft rules state that all teams eliminated in the first two rounds of the draft are organized in the same group for draft pick order. Teams that won their division are next, followed by teams that advance to the conference final.
Because the Panthers did not win their division, advancing to the conference final would move them down the draft order quite significantly.
If the Panthers win tonight and make the conference finals, their draft pick will be between 29 and 32, depending on where they finish:
29. Lower seed of the conference final losers
30. Higher seed of the conference final losers
31: Loser of the Stanley Cup Final
32. Winner of the Stanley Cup
All of the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes finished ahead of the Panthers in the regular season standings, so if the Panthers win tonight, their pick will be at best 29th overall.
However, if the Panthers lose tonight, their pick will be locked in at 22nd overall.
This seven-pick difference is quite significant, and the Flames would no doubt rather have picks 18 and 22 than 18 and 29–32.
Go Leafs Go
It might be hard for some Flames fans, but it makes too much sense for the future of the Flames to cheer for the Leafs.
Toronto, Calgary is behind you tonight. Go Leafs Go.
Flames Fans Hope Panthers Lose: Impact on Draft Pick Position
