Ranking the Calgary Flames needs in the 2023 NHL Draft

Jun 21, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Jakob Pelletier poses for a photo after being selected as the number twenty-six overall pick to the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 21, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Jakob Pelletier poses for a photo after being selected as the number twenty-six overall pick to the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
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1. The Flames need to find elite defensive prospects

At the NHL level, the Flames are so set defensively with the return of Oliver Kylington and the emergence of now UFA Troy Stecher that they are looking to move Noah Hanifin in the coming days and weeks, but beyond that, they lack elite level prospects. Sure, Jeremie Poirier, Dennis Gilbert and Ilya Solovyov have potential, but given the age of Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov, they need to begin finding future stars for this group right now.
The Flames have time to develop any young prospect they land in this draft, especially on the blue line, and with so much talent in this draft, while they will focus on D with the No. 16 overall pick, they will also allow themselves to be flexible with the pick. Either way, the Flames need to use a premium pick on a defenceman as they look to build a sustained winning culture for the future.