It was an outcome we all expected, but prayed wouldn’t happen. Well, the draft lottery has been completed, and not only did the Calgary Flames miss out on their first even lotery win, but they won’t even be selecting in the top five. The Flames will be selected 6th overall for the sixth time in franchise history after being bumped down two slots in the lottery.
A nightmare result
Coming into lottery night, the Flames had hopes of finally landing a top-two pick and an elite forward like Gavin McKenna. Instead, the Flames will have to wait for five teams to select before the, with McKenna well out of reach now.
To make matters even worse, the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks won the two lotteries, two teams that have had plenty of lottery success and high picks over the years. The rich get richer, while the Flames will have to wait yet another year for a chance at their first-ever lottery win in franchise history.
What’s next for Calgary?
While the result is a massive disappointment, the Flames will still walk away from the 2026 draft with a high-end talent. While it won’t be the elite game-breaking talent they desperately need, there will still be some very good players available at sixth overall.
For now, the Calgary Flames will have to shift focus to the centre-heavy 2027 NHL Draft and pray for some lottery luck next year.
