Ranking the 10 best Calgary Flames draft picks in recent memory
By Nathan Smith
The Calgary Flames history in the NHL Draft is just about as checkered as any other teams in the NHL in recent times, and with a prospect cupboard that looks quite bare, no one could be blamed for criticizing them over their draft chops. Even with their struggles on draft night, the Flames have managed to make some great picks, and with the organization looking to build long-term depth, they will need to make some good, smart picks while taking calculated risks going forward.
Looking back, we see that they’ve been a mixed bag in recent years, so today, we are going to look back at recent years (2013-2022) and analyze the Flames 10 best draft picks over that time.
10. Adam Ruzicka – No. 104 overall in 2017
The Calgary Flames have struggled to build solid depth in recent times, and it’s come back to bite them in a big way, but even with Darryl Sutter behind the bench in 2022-23, they managed to find some solid young players that could no doubt contribute going forward. One of those players is Adam Ruzicka, a 24-year old that was drafted No. 104 back in 2017, and with his first significant opportunity for playing time this past season, he impressed many, racking up 6 goals and 14 assists for 20 points during his 44 games, despite questionable usage.
Sure, it’s unlikely that he turns into an 80+ point, first line player, but at No. 104, teams aren’t guaranteed superstars, and if they can find him time on the fourth line with other young names ready to make an impact, there’s no doubting that the value for where he was picked will wind up being a great one for Calgary.