Calgary Flames fans can breathe – Islanders get 12th draft pick from Flames
By Ramina Shlah
With panic ensuing among fans about where the New York Islanders would draft from the pick they got from the Calgary Flames, we can all breathe a little easier now.
As a Calgary Flames fan, the draft lottery could not have gone any better. Everyone thought that the New York Islanders would end up winning the first overall pick at this year’s NHL draft from the pick they got from the Flames.
Deep breaths Calgary.
Not only did the Islanders only place 12th with that pick from CGY, the Edmonton Oilers also only got the 10th pick. I definitely thought the Oilers and Islanders would get the first and second overall picks. Because that’s just the way the universe likes to work against the Flames.
And not only those two, but the top four picks are all in the Eastern Conference. Meaning that, the Buffalo Sabres, who get the first overall pick and will most likely be drafting Rasmus Dahlin, will only face the Flames twice in a season. But that also means that Brady Tkachuk will most likely be in the Eastern Conference as well (boo).
I saw someone say on Twitter that they wanted the Oilers to draft Tkachuk just to really amplify the Battle of Alberta. But that would just make the entire universe collapse.
In hindsight, while we’re all happy about this, the Flames really should have protected their pick. The Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues did that and they made the playoffs. The Flames should not have just been banking on the fact that ‘this was their year’ and that they would 100% make the playoffs and 100% make it far.
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While they don’t have a draft pick until the fourth round this year, many people on Twitter have said that they’re completely fine with trading Travis Hamonic for what is now a 12th pick.
It was also reported that GM Brad Treliving wanted to make a trade for a first-round pick, but we’re not sure if he’ll go through with that and who he has his eye on. I guess time will tell for that one, but draft day may be busy for Treliving.