Forward Matvei Gridin has really burst onto the scene in Calgary this year. In 16 games, Gridin has already scored five goals and has ten points. His breakout performance came in a two-goal game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. His celebration of hitting the Griddy was a huge hit among the Flames fanbase. Since this game, Gridin has continued to be effective in the lineup. Considering that he is just 20 years old, it has been very impressive to watch him excel on a so-called “weaker” Flames forward core.
With the young forward’s amazing start, one must ask the question. Would Gridin go in the top ten of a 2024 NHL Redraft?
The original draft order
The original draft in 2024 went like this in the top ten:
- Macklin Celebrini
- Artyom Levshunov
- Beckett Sennecke
- Cayden Lindstrom
- Ivan Demidov
- Tij Iginla
- Carter Yakemchuk
- Berkly Catton
- Zayne Parekh
- Anton Silaev
The top ten in this draft have honestly been pretty solid. Most of these players have already developed into NHL players, while others remain with good potential. Celebrini is a certified NHL superstar; Sennecke and Demidov were Calder finalists last season, and Parekh and Catton have earned spots on their NHL squads.
At this moment, the only two picks that have not seemed to turn out well are Lindstrom, who went to Columbus and Silaev, who went to New Jersey. Lindstrom has already had some serious injury problems in his career. The forward missed pretty much all of the 2024–25 season with a herniated disc injury. He only appeared in four games that year, all of which were in the WHL Playoffs. He did have four points in those games, but there is no doubt that it impacted his development. Through 37 games with Michigan State University, Lindstrom only has 12 points. That is pretty bleak for a former fourth overall pick.
Silaev is in a bit of a different situation. He is a defensive defenceman who has simply taken longer to develop. The former tenth overall pick has only appeared in eight AHL games this year and still needs time. Time will tell how that pick will work out.
Where would Gridin fall now?
Honestly, looking at the list, I would only believe that Gridin could slide into the 8–10 range. He is not on the same level as guys like Sennecke or Demidov, and I think Iginla (some bias here) has a higher ceiling. The main guys that Gridin could replace are Lindstrom (entering bust territory, in my opinion), Silaev, and Yakemchuk. It is tough to make that assumption considering that Silaev and Yakemchuk are both defencemen, but Gridin has easily had better development to this point.
If he were not in the top ten, Gridin could absolutely slide into the 10–20 range. There is a wider range of picks that Gridin is better than here. The picks of Terik Parascak, Cole Eiserman, and Anton Silaev have not even made a debut in the NHL yet. Sacha Boisvert and Jett Luchanko have only played in a handful of games, resulting in more development at the AHL level. I can honestly say the only person in that range that Gridin is not on the same level as is Zeev Buium. Anyone else on this list can be challenged.
- Anton Silaev
- Sam Dickinson
- Zeev Buium
- Jett Luchanko
- Konsta Helenius
- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
- Adam Jiricek
- Terik Parascak
- Sacha Boisvert
- Trevor Connelly
- Cole Eiserman
Overall, I think Gridin is a definite top 20 pick in this redraft. Saying that he is a certified top ten pick, though, is a bit of a stretch. One could argue, but I am not convinced just yet. I do believe that Gridin has some phenomenal potential. He has certainly surprised many Flames fans to this point.
A steal in the first round
One factor that is certain is that Gridin is hands down the steal of the 2024 draft, at least in the first round. Defenceman Cole Hutson went in the second round, which will most likely go down as the most significant steal of the entire draft. Gridin has come a very long way. From many fans having no idea who he was when he was drafted, to being a regular in the Flames’ top-six, Gridin has become a well-known name. Looking at the later stages of the 2024 first round, the Flames easily had the best pick.
The last 13 picks in that first round are the following:
- Cole Eiserman
- Michael Hage
- Yegor Surin
- Stian Solberg
- Cole Beaudoin
- Dean Letourneau
- Liam Greentree
- Marek Vanacker
- Matvei Gridin
- Emil Hemming
- E.J. Emery
- Ben Danford
- Sam O’Reilly
Out of this group, Gridin is easily the best. The only other player here to make the NHL so far is Beaudoin on Utah, who has appeared in four games. The remainder of these picks will likely become middle-six forwards or depth defencemen. The only player with the potential to be on Gridin’s level is Hage. Hage is a force at the University of Michigan, where he has 20 points in only nine games. He will absolutely be a key piece of the Montreal Canadiens’ future.
Right now, the entire Flames organization has to be pleased with the progression of Gridin. After splitting last season between the NHL and AHL to earn a full-time spot this year, I think he has become a main piece of the Flames’ future. It will be awesome to see what the future holds, especially once guys like Carson Carels, Cullen Potter, and Cole Reschny develop into NHLers. The future is definitely bright in Calgary, and I cannot wait to see how this young roster unfolds.
Look into some Flames prospect progression here: 2027 World Juniors stock watch for Calgary Flames prospects
