2023 Calgary Flames Draft Preview: Top 5 Center Targets
The 2023 NHL Draft is just days away, and at the present moment, the Calgary Flames will be drafting at pick No. 16 in the first round, and while that could certainly change between now and Wednesday night, it appears they’ll be looking to swing high on potential with a mid-round pick.
Much has been made about the teams need for a top-tier defensive prospect, but if they are indeed looking to go after the best player available as General Manager Craig Conroy has stated, they could look to fill their depth down the middle for the coming years. If that is the case, what players should Flames fans be looking to keep an eye on come draft night?
Brandon Yager
This is widely regarded as one of, if not the most stacked NHL Draft class in recent times, and as such, it’s tough to get a real gauge on some top prospects, with none harder than Brandon Yager, who has been predicted to go as early as No. 12, with some outlets having him fall to the 20’s. As such, it’s hard to tell just how his play will develop at the NHL level, but after two elite goal-scoring campaigns for the Moose Jaw Warriors over the past 24-months, he certainly flashes high-end potential at the next level.
At 6-foot, 160 pounds, Yager’s size doesn’t jump off the page, but with an elite, NHL ready shot and his pure energy and activity on the ice, and while his defensive presence and passing will need some work, if he is the Flames pick at No. 16, they could have themselves a top-six center for years to come.
2022-23 WHL stats: 67 games, 28 goals, 50 assists, 78 points.
Oliver Moore
One thing that the Calgary Flames lacked in a big way last season since the loss of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk was speed, and while the additions of Jakob Pelletier, Matt Coronato and other young names will help, the team need to plan for speed in the future. Enter Oliver Moore, who stands at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds and is by far and away the fastest center in this coming draft, and while he’s likely got more development on his size and defensive abilities, his pure skill and speed will cause mayhem at the NHL level.
Moore will be suiting up for the highly respected University of Minnesota team in 2023-24, and as such, the team will need to be patient with his development, but if he can continue to grow his weaknesses into strengths and build on his speed and skill, Oliver would be the perfect centrepiece of a Flames rebuild going forward.
2022-23 USA NTDP stats: 61 games, 31 goals, 44 assists, 75 points.
Nate Danielson
Simply put, if the Flames are to target someone down the middle in the 2023 NHL Draft, they should be looking for raw talent above all else, and in Nate Danielson, they could get one of the most talented players and one that is quite developed and well-rounded too. While Danielson played on one of the weaker teams in the WHL, he didn’t let it effect his performance, as he was consistently one of the best players on the ice for the Brandon Wheat Kings, and above all else, he was efficient with the minutes he was given.
While speed and goal-scoring stood out in his game all year long, the biggest strength of the 18-year old prospect is his playmaking, and if he can develop a defensive game at the NHL level, he could grow into a top-six center in very quick order, something the Flames desperately need.
2022-23 WHL stats: 68 games, 33 goals, 45 assists, 78 points.
Otto Stenberg
Each and every year, the NHL Draft proves to be more confusing and surprising as the last, and with so many prospects ranging from top-10 to the second round, it’s hard to get a gauge on much of the talent, with few more difficult to judge than Sweden’s Otto Stenberg. In terms of high-end talent, there’s few better prospects than Stenberg beyond the consensus top-five, who is one of the most well-rounded players in this years draft, and with a great knowledge for the game along with his intensity and hockey IQ, if he somehow falls to No. 16, Calgary should be all over him.
His consistency against top tier competition is yet to come, but with time and experience, that will no doubt develop, and if the Flames truly do want a rebuild that they can be patient with, Stenberg could be a key piece of that going forward.
2022-23 J20 stats: 29 games, 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points.
Dalibor Dvorsky
While the Flames aren’t expected to see a top, top tier prospect drop to them at No. 16, there could be a slide from some of the second tier names, and if Dalibor Dvorsky is still on the board, it doesn’t matter who the Flames have targeted, he needs to be the pick. At 6-foot-1, 201 pounds, he is a two-way star in the making, and while he struggled to make an impact on the score sheet while playing in the second tier Swedish league, he established himself as a force on both ends of the ice with plenty of potential and room to grow.
His biggest strength offensively is his lightning quick shot and his ability to score from anywhere, and with so few center’s in this draft beyond the top level seeing such an active game on both ends, he separates himself, and with the Flames looking for a difference maker, this is a pick they need to fall into their lap.
2022-23 J20 stats: 10 games, 10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points.