Following the recent blockbuster trade of Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Calgary Flames will now have two selections in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft for four straight years. Before 2024, the Flames had only made multiple selections in the first round during the same draft once during their entire history in Calgary.
The 2013 draft
That only occurrence was in 2013, which saw the team select Sean Monahan sixth, Emile Poirier 22nd, and Morgan Klimchuk 28th. Monahan, who made the NHL immediately, was a hugely successful pick for the Flames considering he became their top-line center for a time and played over 650 games for Calgary. Injuries unfortunately slowed him down, but before that he was a homerun selection.
However, Poirier and Klimchuk combined for just nine career NHL games in a Flames uniform before both puttered out in the minor leagues and left the organization. Both are considered major busts.
Looking to the future
Now, the Flames are set to step to the podium twice in the opening round of the draft in four consecutive years, which is a feat that has only been achieved by three other franchises in the history of the NHL. The Flames have already selected twice in each of the 2024 and 2025 drafts. But thanks to a couple of trades with the Golden Knights, the Flames are scheduled to do that again in 2026 and 2027.
Additionally, the 2028 2nd round pick acquired in the Andersson trade becomes another 1st if Vegas wins the Stanley Cup in 2026. This could potentially extend the streak to five years.
| Draft Year | Pick 1 | Pick 2 |
| 2024 | Zayne Parekh (Own Pick) | Matvei Gridin (via VAN) |
| 2025 | Cole Reschny (via NJD) | Cullen Potter (via FLA) |
| 2026 | CGY’s Own 1st | VGK’s 1st (via Hanifin trade) |
| 2027 | CGY’s Own 1st | VGK’s 1st (via Andersson trade) |
| 2028 | CGY’s Own 1st | VGK’s 1st (via Andersson trade if VGK wins 2026 Stanley Cup) |
In 2013, the Flames used all three of their first-round picks in a single draft class. A potential reason for why two of those three picks failed to develop into NHL regulars is because transitioning three top prospects to the professional level simultaneously can overwhelm a development system.
Future planning is important
In contrast, the Flames are now spreading eight first-round picks across four different draft classes. This means that by the time the 2027 selections play their first game for the Flames, the picks from 2024, like Parekh, will be entering their prime. This staggered approach ensures that a constant stream of first-round talent enters the system, rather than a single group that must all succeed at once in order for the rebuild to work.
While there is no guarantee that all eight first-round picks will evolve into impact NHL players, Craig Conroy’s track record with drafting is looking good so far considering Parekh, Gridin, Reschny, and Potter have all shown elite potential across various professional and collegiate leagues.
Learning from past mistakes
The 2013 draft was a desperate attempt to jumpstart a rebuild after the Iginla era through a single draft, whereas the 2024-2027 stretch looks like a calculated effort to build a plethora of elite talent utilizing multiple draft classes.
