The rebuild is on in Calgary, and the Flames continue to build up an already impressive prospect pool. In Scott Wheeler’s latest NHL prospect pool rankings, the Flames climbed all the way up to third this year. The ranking represents a +10 increase from last year when they ranked 13th, and is also their highest ever ranking on Wheeler’s list.
So, how does the ranking break down, and what does it mean for the Flames’ future? Let’s take a look.
The top 15 according to Wheeler
Here’s how the teams’ top 15 prospects rank according to Wheeler.
| Rank | Position | Player | Change from 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (Tier 1) | RD | Zayne Parekh | 0 |
| 2nd (Tier 2) | C | Cole Reschny | NEW |
| 3rd (Tier 2) | RW | Matvei Gridin | -1 |
| 4th (Tier 3) | C | Cullen Potter | NEW |
| 5th (Tier 3) | LW/RW | Ethan Wyttenbach | NEW |
| 6th (Tier 3) | RD | Hunter Brzustewicz | -2 |
| 7th (Tier 3) | LW/C | Samuel Honzek | -4 |
| 8th (Tier 4) | RD | Henry Mews | -1 |
| 9th (Tier 4) | LD | Abram Wiebe | NEW |
| 10th (Tier 4) | C | Jonathan Castagna | NEW |
| 11th (Tier 5) | LW | William Strömgren | 0 |
| 12th (Tier 5) | LW | Aydar Suniev | -4 |
| 13th (Tier 5) | RW | Trevor Hoskin | NEW |
| 14th (Tier 5) | G | Arseni Sergeyev | -4 |
| 15th (Tier 5) | LW | Andrew Basha | -3 |
Breaking down the list
Some obvious trends stand out right away. Let’s take a look at the biggest risers, fallers, and more.
A lack of high-end talent
While it’s no doubt the Flames have put together a strong prospect pool, the group clearly lacks high-end talent. Zayne Parekh is the only blue-chip Tier One prospect in the organization currently. After Parekh, you have a lot of Tier Two good but not great prospects. Parekh is currently the only prospect in the organization who projects as a top-of-the-lineup player.
Here’s hoping the 2026 draft lottery helps the Flames change that. Adding a Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg to the top of this list would go a long way.
A lot of new additions in the past year
First off, Craig Conroy has added a ton of new talent to the prospect pool in the last year, either through the 2025 draft or through trades. Five of the team’s top 10 prospects are new additions who weren’t in the organization this time last year, including three of the top five, all picked at the 2025 draft.
Newcomers via trade include the ninth-ranked prospect Abram Wiebe and the tenth-ranked prospect Jonathan Castagna.
Biggest risers
Interestingly enough, there aren’t any true risers from last year’s ranking. The Flames didn’t see a single player ranked in 2025 who ranked higher in 2026. The only notable riser is Trevor Hoskin, who was unranked on Wheeler’s 2025 list but moved up to 13th on the 2026 list. The 2024 fourth-round pick has posted back-to-back point per game seasons in the NCAA and should make his AHL debut next year.
Biggest fallers
The Flames did, however, have a ton of fallers compared to last year’s list, which isn’t surprising given they picked multiple times in the first two rounds of the 2025 draft. The biggest faller is no doubt Etienne Morin, who went from being ranked fifth on last year’s list to outside the top 15 in 2026. A trip down to the ECHL in your first pro season will do that.
Another major faller was Sam Honzek, who went from third on last year’s list to seventh this year. Given his low ceiling and injury history, it’s not surprising he isn’t considered one of the team’s top prospects anymore. Aydar Suniev, Andrew Basha, and Arseni Sergeyev all moved down four spots compared to last year as well. All three players struggled in their jump to the AHL this season, which moved them down the list compared to last year.
Positional breakdown
How does the team’s pool look by position? Here it is. I’ll use a player’s primary position if they play more than one.
| Position | Number of Prospects in the top 15 |
|---|---|
| LW | 5 |
| RD | 3 |
| C | 3 |
| RW | 2 |
| LD | 1 |
| G | 1 |
The Flames’ biggest needs right now are clearly a high-end LD and a high-end centre. Nothing against the likes of Reschny, Potter or Castagna, but none of those players projects as first-line centres. You need a truly elite top-line centre to win in the NHL, and the Flames don’t have one yet.
At LD, the team has a massive gap after Kevin Bahl. There aren’t really any notable LDs in the system right now, with Wiebe projected more as a bottom-pairing, fringe NHL player. Adding a top-four LD to the system would give the organization a huge boost.
The Flames are absolutely loaded on the wings, though, with seven of their top 15 prospects playing on the wing. In other words, it would be best to avoid drafting more left wings at the 2026 draft if possible as the Calgary Flames prospect pool already has enough.
A good start
Make no mistake, Craig Conroy has brought the Calgary Flames’ prospect pool from the depths of hell under Brad Treliving to one of the top pools in the league. With that said, there is still a ton of work to be done as the team is still needs a couple more high-end pieces to play with Parekh.
