2023 Calgary Flames Draft Preview: Top 5 Winger Targets
The Calgary Flames made a big move on Tuesday afternoon to land 25-year old winger Yegor Sharangovich for veteran Tyler Toffoli, but with more moves to be made as we move towards the 2023 NHL Draft later today, they could be looking to add another top winger.
While Calgary only possess the No. 16 pick (as of right now), there’s plenty of depth at the position, and if things fall the way they want, they could have their choice of top wingers to build depth back into this organization. If the Flames do go with a winger then, what are their options? Today, we are going to take a look at five wingers the Flames could have their eyes on in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Andrew Cristall
There are many intriguing prospects in the upcoming draft that could land in the top-15 or out of the first round entirely, and one that comes to mind is Kelowna Rockets standout Andrew Cristall, who may be overlooked for his stature as he stands just 5-foot-10, 165 pounds. Unsurprisingly, he overcomes this lack of size with elite skill and talent, and while he may not be the quickest, his fast hands, great skating and elite playmaking more than make up for it.
Like most offensive prospects in this draft, his defensive game could use work, but he’s become renowned for hustling each and every second he’s on the ice, something that gained his team plenty of loose pucks and impressive plays over the past few years, and if he can be developed patiently, he could no doubt be an impact, top-six forward down the line for Calgary.
2022-23 WHL stats: 54 games, 39 goals, 56 assists, 95 points.
Gabriel Perreault
This draft is full of young, promising talent with lineage behind them, a sentence which could perfectly describe Gabriel Perreault, son of long-time NHLer Yanic Perreault, who is as offensively talented as anyone (bar the No. 1 pick) in the entire draft. He is great on the powerplay, on the breakaway and can be a key piece for any NHL offence for years to come, and while he needs work defensively, his presence overcomes that in a big way.
Perreault has the talent to score inside and on the perimeter, and with his vision, playmaking, passing and fantastic shot, he could make an impact immediately, and if there’s a chance that the Flames can land him at No. 16, he could be the game-changer they’ve been seeking.
2022-23 NTDP stats: 63 games, 53 goals, 79 assists, 132 points.
Matthew Wood
A lot of names in this upcoming draft have been on the NHL radar for years, but sometimes, late bloomers emerge, with Matthew Wood being of the latter variety, as he drew major headlines when he scored 45 goals and 85 points for the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL back in 2021-22. Despite interest from the WHL, he opted for the NCAA with the University of Connecticut, and while the production wasn’t off the charts, he showed plenty of development into becoming a top player in this draft.
At an imposing 6-foot-4, 183 pounds, Wood has the ability to play on both ends of the ice, and after leading the team in shots this past season, it’s safe to say that he’s exactly what the Flames need if their other targets are off the board at No. 16.
2022-23 NCAA stats: 35 games, 11 goals, 23 assists, 34 points.
Zach Benson
In any of the past few drafts, a name like Zach Benson, who trailed just Connor Bedard in scoring this past season in the WHL would be considered a potential No. 1 overall pick, but due to the enormity of talent atop the draft, he’s flying under the radar in a big way. Benson is full of intensity on both ends of the ice, and rarely takes a shift off, and with such a high hockey IQ, there’s few players in the draft that are more ready for the NHL.
Plenty of mock drafts have Benson going high in the top-10, but with such a deep draft, there’s a chance he falls, and if the Flames want to find someone that could play on their top line alongside a Jonathan Huberdeau, or playing a similar role on the second line, than they need to look no further.
2022-23 WHL stats: 60 games, 36 goals, 62 assists, 98 points.
Colby Barlow
When looking at potential prospects for the Flames, one of the most overlooked facets of their play that Calgary will be looking at is leadership, so who better to potentially land than Owen Sound captain and prolific goal scorer Colby Barlow? This past season, he fell just short of scoring 50 goals in a WHL season, and like Benson, he could be a top-three, if not No. 1 overall pick in many other drafts in modern times.
At 6-foot-1, 187 pounds, there’s still plenty of questions about Barlow’s ceiling as an NHL player, but with talent to finish and get his teammates involved, as well as the Flames lack of leadership at stages over the past few years, he would be the perfect player to bring along slowly to potentially centre a rebuild around.
2022-23 WHL stats: 59 games, 46 goals, 33 assists, 79 points.