It’s draft day! Like the long wait between the first of December and Christmas morning, it’s been a steady countdown to this moment. This could go down as either one of the most important or most underwhelming Calgary Flames drafts in franchise history.
We’ve put together a roundtable asking The Win Column team a number of questions surrounding the team at this year’s draft. Last time around, the Flames went and snagged electric defenceman Zayne Parekh with their first pick, then took dynamic Russian winger Matvei Gridin with their second.
This season’s edition includes picks from James William, Alex Russo, Joshua Serafini, Simon Szyszkowski, Jashan Parmar, Karim Kurji, James Johnson, Gurpal Singh, and Khalid Keshavjee.
1. Who do you think the Flames select with their first selection this year?
James W: Cole Reschny is a player who has really grown on me. He shows a high-end hockey IQ and playmaking ability, complemented by good skating and puck skills, while also being defensively responsible. If all goes well in his development, he looks like he could be a solid top-six driver at the NHL level.
Alex R: If he is available at 18th, Cole Reschny has to be the pick for the Flames. After a really strong rookie campaign in 2024, Reschny excelled this year in his draft year with the Victoria Royals. He is everything the Flames need in their system right now: a centre who is extremely creative and can drive a line with his high-end abilities. He may be a bit of a smaller player, but the talent is undeniable. The Flames need a centre dearly in the system, and Reschny checks every box for them.
Joshua S: Cole Reschny seems like the obvious pick here. Given the organization’s need for centres and dynamic talent, Reschny fits the bill perfectly. After a superb 92-point season in the WHL, I don’t think you can hope for anything better down at 18th. He’s got very real second-line upside and would immediately become the Flames’ top forward prospect. If he’s there, I think you’d be crazy not to grab him. The big question that remains is whether or not he even makes it to 18th.
Simon S: An argument definitely needs to be made for Ben Kindel. There is a chance you could get him later, but is that a risk we really want to take? He is coming off a spectacular year with the Calgary Hitmen, where he scored 99 points in 65 games. Kindel is a dynamic player who is a real treat to watch and would add a bit more depth to the right side of the Flames’ forward prospect pool. It’s undeniable that Calgary’s current biggest need is centre, but if Kindel does fall to 18th, you have to imagine it’ll be pretty hard not to take the kid who played his entire junior career inside the Saddledome.
Jashan P: The obvious pick should be Cole Reschny of the Victoria Royals. Calgary is at a complete lack of talent down the middle, with an excess of wingers. Reschny just took a major step forward, producing 92 points in 62 games just a year after a 59-point season through 61 games last year. Reschny brings a massive amount of offence to whichever team drafts him, and Calgary needs that offence. As Josh previously stated, the bigger question is whether or not Reschny even falls to 18.
Karim: Michael Misa. I’m deciding to be delusionally optimistic and am willing the Flames to make a crazy trade to land Misa at second or third overall. If that doesn’t happen, though, I think the Flames will take one of Carter Bear, Cole Reschny, or Braeden Cootes—if available.
James J: I’ll say Jack Nesbitt. The Flames have frequented the OHL in recent years. Nesbitt is a centre with size, which is what the team is looking for.
Gurpal: Will likely say Cole Reschny if he’s available at 18. Otherwise, I could see them take a flyer at Ben Kindle or a left-handed defenceman like Kashawn Aitcheson if he’s there.
Khalid: As much as I want the Flames to move up, I feel as though the Flames stick at 18. With that pick, the Flames will likely go with Cole Reschny, and I feel that he will be available. He’s a strong centreman who has lots of offensive upside, exactly what the team needs.
2. Who should the Flames take with their second first-round pick?
James W: With the Flames picking 32nd, Ivan Ryabkin would be the perfect high-risk, high-reward pick. The Flames should bet on his talent and work with him on his disciplinary and compete-level shortcomings. Before this year, his name was floated alongside Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov, and it makes sense when you see what he can do in the offensive zone.
Alex R: I’ll give two answers for this one because I am torn on who the Flames should pick here. I would go with either Ben Kindel—assuming he drops to 32—or Ivan Ryabkin. The Flames have had Kindel in their backyard all year, as he played for the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL. Like Reschny, he is very creative and drove the bus in Calgary this year. He is a great passer and possesses a lethal release that will surely make him a producer in the NHL.
Ryabkin, however, possesses extremely high-level abilities and may be one of the most skilled players in the entire draft. He has had some issues off the ice with his work ethic and attitude, but if the Flames can get his head on straight, he could become a star one day. He is the definition of a boom-or-bust prospect.
Joshua S: If he’s there, which I think he may be due to his size, Ben Kindel would be a slam dunk pick at 32nd overall. The Florida Panthers hurt the Flames by pushing their pick to 32nd, but if you can get a talent like Kindel in that slot, it could soften the blow. Sure, there are some questions about his size, but his talent is undeniable. The Flames should know better than anyone that betting on undersized players can pay off big-time.
Simon S: If you can still get Ben Kindel in this spot, then the pick pretty obviously needs to be him. If not, then Ivan Ryabkin would be a pretty sweet consolation prize. As mentioned above, he comes with a few risks, but if it pays off and Calgary finally gets the top-line centre they have been waiting decades for, all the bumps in the road to get there will be worth it.
Jashan P: There are only two picks the Flames should even think about making here, Ben Kindel and Cameron Schmidt. Kindel played this past season inside the Flames’ house and had a monster season in the offensive zone for the Calgary Hitmen. Normally, a player of Kindel’s calibre is gone in the middle of the first round. With mock drafts having him down near Calgary’s second pick, he would be an amazing selection from Craig Conroy.
The second player, Cameron Schmidt, is another undersized winger from the WHL. Playing for the Vancouver Giants, Schmidt quietly had a 40-goal season, leading the Giants in scoring. Both Kindel and Schmidt bring something the Flames desperately need: offence. Selecting either one of them would be addressing a glaring hole seen this past season.
Karim: I believe that teams should never draft wingers unless they are undeniably elite. So, with the good centre crop probably gone by this point, I’d take the best LHD available. Hopefully, based on mock drafts, the Flames walk away with a complete steal in Cameron Reid. Dare to dream.
James J: If Kindel is still here, that’s a slam dunk. Otherwise, I have an interest in Jakob Ihs-Wozniak or Mason West. West is a very intriguing prospect. 6’6″ centre, multi-sport athlete. The potential is high, and it’s the type of swing a team with multiple first-rounders makes.
Gurpal: I could see the Flames go for a player like Ryabkin. We know Conroy likes his Russian players, and the upside is certainly there. He’s also a centre, so it’s a pick I personally wouldn’t mind.
Khalid: Drafting another centre in this position would be amazing, but odds are the team will take a defenceman with this pick. In a perfect world, I’d love to see them take Cameron Reid, but I think there’s a good chance Kashawn Aitcheson falls to them at 32nd. If neither is available, you go with the best centreman or defenceman available.
3. Who should the Flames stay away from in the first round?
James W: The easy answer is Joshua Ravensbergen, the top-ranked goalie in the draft who is expected to go in the first round. With 24-year-old Dustin Wolf taking over between the pipes, the Flames are set in goal for a long time.
Alex R: I think this is the year where the Flames just don’t need to select a goaltender. So, Joshua Ravensbergen and Jack Ivankovic should be easy ones to steer clear of. Both are pegged to be first-round talents (Ravensbergen more so than Ivankovic), but with Dustin Wolf leading the charge and the Flames having Arsenii Sergeev and Kirill Zarubin in the system, a goalie is not a need this year, especially in the first round.
Joshua S: Milton Gastrin. I know he’s a centre, which makes him a fit positionally, but his upside looks to be well below similar players in his range. The Flames have drafted enough low-ceiling, high-floor players over the past couple of years. Gastrin very much seems like Sam Honzek 2.0. If he pans out, it’ll almost certainly be as a defensive, low-upside bottom-six centre. The Flames don’t need more of those. I’d much rather they take a swing on a player with a high ceiling and dynamic talent over another safe pick in the first round.
Simon S: Goalies and right-handed defencemen. With Dustin Wolf more or less guaranteed to be the starter in Calgary for years to come. It would make zero sense to take a Ravensbergen or Ivankovic in the first round. Both are very talented goalies, but there should be no reason to put that kind of pressure on Wolf. If, for some reason, you’re concerned about his future in Calgary, draft someone next season. Don’t do it before extension talks have even really begun. As for right defencemen, it is very obviously Calgary’s deepest position, with Zayne Parekh, Henry Mews, and Hunter Brzustewicz all coming down the pipe on the right side. It would feel like a waste of a pick.
Jashan P: The easy answer here is Ravensbergen or Ivankovic. Dustin Wolf is the goalie of the future, and Arsenii Sergeev will likely make the jump to the Flames roster in the next couple of years. Goaltending should not be on the minds of Conroy and co. There are far too many other needs that must be addressed on this roster, for example, the left side of the defence, the offence, and talent down the middle.
Karim: A goalie for sure, but a winger too. The Flames do not need more wingers in the system, and there will be better options at both picks.
James J: Left shot wingers and goalies. We need more centres, left-shot defencemen, and right-shot wingers.
Gurpal: Goaltenders, right-handed defencemen, and wingers unless they have a high upside.
Khalid: I think it’s too obvious to say that the Flames don’t need a goalie, but I echo Karim above; the Flames don’t need more wingers in the first two rounds. I’d rather this team take swings on centreman than move them to the wing in time before jumping on players who cannot play down the middle.
4. Do the Flames trade up, trade down, or stay where they are in the first round of the draft?
James W: I would love to see the Flames trade up and select Michael Misa, but I don’t think it will happen. I could see them trade down a few spots from 18—like in 2020 when they drafted Connor Zary—but that’s about it.
Alex R: I think the Flames will stand pat, as great as it would be to get into the top five of the draft, I cannot see a situation where the Flames give up the assets to get high up in the draft. I think they will be making their picks at 18 and 32.
Joshua S: The Flames trading up and selecting potential franchise centre Michael Misa, Zayne Parekh’s OHL teammate and the brother of fellow Flames prospect Luke Misa, would be a dream come true. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening. As much as I truly believe Craig Conroy wants to move up into the top 10 of the draft, trades like that rarely happen in the NHL. It would take a small miracle to pull off a move like that. I think the Flames stand pat and select 18th on draft night.
Simon S: I want to believe that Craig Conroy is currently scheming up a way to get the Flames into the top three for a shot at taking Michael Misa. Unfortunately, though, I am a Flames fan, and my ability to dream so wildly was shattered years ago. I think it’s safe to assume that Calgary will stay where they are at 18 and 32.
Jashan P: The Flames will select at both 18 and 32. Moving either pick for them doesn’t make a ton of sense. Neither pick will allow them to get a young player that they need, nor will it allow them to move up. However, I do believe the Flames make a selection in the top 15.
Karim: Trading up for Misa. If I put it into the universe enough, maybe it’ll come true.
James J: The Flames will likely try to move into the top five-to-10, but I don’t think they’d have what those teams are looking for. They’ll stay and select at their current spots.
Gurpal: They’ll likely stay put. The Flames would have to make an offer that a team in the top 10 can’t refuse, and I doubt they can do that.
Khalid: This team may acquire another high pick in the draft, but I just don’t feel that they trade up or down.
5. How many picks do the Flames make in the draft this year?
James W: The Flames go into the draft with seven picks, having traded their first- and fourth-rounders and acquired the Florida Panthers’ and New Jersey Devils’ firsts. I’d bet they end up making nine picks after acquiring a couple mid-rounders.
Alex R: I think if anything, the Flames may trade down with one of their mid-round picks to add another couple of picks like they did last year. So maybe eight or nine picks if they decide to do that.
Joshua S: Honestly, I don’t see the Flames adding or removing any picks this year. It’s quite a shallow draft, which means I could see a lot of teams just staying where they are after the first round and making their allocated picks. If you’re the Flames, you’re much better off acquiring additional 2026 draft picks over 2025 draft picks.
Simon S: My money is on the Flames making seven picks, but the idea of them moving back with their second or third rounder is not a crazy one. I would say at most, they make eight picks on draft night.
Jashan P: The Flames hold seven draft picks. When it is all said and done, I believe that they will make eight picks over the two days. I don’t believe there will be much movement for the Flames after day one.
Karim: I’ll say five. If they manage to trade up, they’ll have to give up a couple of picks, so let’s assume they drop from their current count by two.
James J: They come in with seven picks, and I think they’ll leave with six. Whether that’s moving up, trading for something, etc., they’ll lose a pick somewhere.
Gurpal: Likely six picks. Maybe they chose to trade in the later rounds like they did last year.
Khalid: The team walks in with seven draft picks, and something tells me they make eight. The team under Conroy seems to like making picks, and odds are they acquire one more.
6. Does Rasmus Andersson remain a Flame after the NHL Draft?
James W: Yes. I don’t think the Flames learned a damn thing from the Noah Hanifin situation. They will hold onto him until the 11th hour and move him for a disappointing return.
Alex R: Unless a huge package is coming their way on the draft floor, I would bet on Rasmus Andersson not only remaining a Flame at the draft, but it would not shock me if Andersson were a Flame come training camp.
Joshua S: Unfortunately, yes. As much as I’d like to see the Flames take a firm stance and move Andersson during the busiest week of the offseason, it’s just not how they operate. Given what we’ve heard from insiders recently and how the Noah Hanifin situation unfolded two years ago, I’m fully prepared for Andersson to still be a Flame on opening night in October, with or without a new contract.
Simon S: I hope not, but unless a team with a top 10 pick has serious interest in Andersson, I don’t imagine anything will happen. Craig Conroy has until the trade deadline to make a decision, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if he sits on it longer than most Flames fans probably want him to.
Jashan P: No. Rasmus Andersson is traded on the floor to the Detroit Red Wings for the 13th overall pick plus some more. The Wings are desperate. The teams were in a rebuild alongside the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, and both just made the playoffs. With the right side of their defence needing improvement and Steve Yzerman needing to make a move, Andersson will not be a Flame after day one of the draft. I believe Calgary receives the 13th pick and either Jonatan Berggren or Marco Kapser for Andersson.
Karim: No, he’s gone. It’s time to move on, and I feel like Conroy’s comments on keeping Andersson until the deadline are pure posturing. He’s going to be traded at the draft or before.
James J: I think he’s a Flame after the draft, but dealt shortly after free agency (and Aaron Ekblad is taken out of the equation). However, that timeline could be accelerated if Ekblad re-signs.
Gurpal: I hope that he’s moved before or at the draft. I’d rather not see this situation linger on, but I don’t think it will. The latest I can see Andersson getting moved is a few days after July 1st.
Khalid: I think the Flames come close to making a move today, but it just doesn’t work out. My bet is he’s moved on July 1st.
7. Do you think this is going to be a memorable or regrettable draft for the Flames?
James W: I have full faith in Craig Conroy’s scouting team after last year’s draft. I think this will be another excellent draft that Flames fans can look back on fondly years later.
Alex R: I think the Flames will once again have another solid draft. Craig Conroy and the rest of the management team hit it out of the park with the draft last year, and I hope they stay with the same philosophy this time around in taking high-skilled bets at every pick (and hopefully trading Andersson for a nice package).
Joshua S: Given the Flames don’t pick until 18th and their second first-round pick is now 32nd, I have a feeling this is going to be a regrettable draft for the organisation. In an already weak draft, waiting to pick 18th is a tough look for a team that missed the playoffs and is desperate for high-end talent. They also moved their own second-round pick in the Morgan Frost deal, so they’ll only be making two picks in the top 50, and none in the top 16. Just not good enough on any level.
Simon S: Craig Conroy has given us zero reason so far to not have complete trust in him and the scouting team after the masterclass that was last year’s draft. Until proven otherwise, I have complete faith in Conroy to select the right guys with the picks he has.
Jashan P: After last year’s draft, I believe in Conroy and the scouts. Conroy has gone for the boom-or-bust picks, something this organisation didn’t do in the past. After seeing it work out last year, the Flames will most certainly go after more high-ceiling guys to improve the roster.
Karim: I think it’ll be one of the best drafts in franchise history.
James J: Last year’s draft showed the Flames as a different draft organisation than in previous years. I don’t think they’re in the draft positions to have a memorable draft by definition. But I think it’ll be memorable with good picks at their slots.
Gurpal: I think Conroy will have another strong draft. He’s shown last year that when he’s calling the shots, the Flames run away satisfied. Let’s hope Conroy can continue his success this year.
Khalid: Without a top-10 pick, it’s hard to see this being a legendary draft for this team, but with how Conroy and team drafted last year, I think it will be a memorable one with the team going for high-upside players in the first few rounds and a few big bodies with their later round picks.
Drafting up the results
We’re just hours away from the draft, and assuming nothing changes between now and then, the Flames will hold the ninth overall selection in the draft. Whether they take one of these players or go off the board completely is anyone’s guess, but here’s hoping whoever they select develops into an impact NHLer for this team.
Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2025 NHL Draft prospects:
Matthew Schaefer | Michael Misa | James Hagens | Porter Martone | Anton Frondell | Victor Eklund | Roger McQueen | Caleb Desnoyers | Jackson Smith | Jake O’Brien | Carter Bear | Radim Mrtka | Lynden Lakovic | Brady Martin | Justin Carbonneau | Malcolm Spence | Cameron Reid | Logan Hensler | Cameron Schmidt | Ben Kindel | Kashawn Aitcheson | Cullen Potter | Braeden Cootes | Ivan Ryabkin | Blake Fiddler | Cole Reschny | Joshua Ravensbergen | Bill Zonnon | William Moore | Jack Nesbitt | Jack Murtagh | Milton Gastrin | Sascha Boumedienne | Henry Brzustewicz | Adam Benak | Shane Vansaghi | Cole McKinney | Jakob Ihs-Wozniak | Ryker Lee | Ben Kevan | Michal Svrcek | Arvid Drott | Conrad Fondrk | Charlie Trethewey | Luca Romano
