2017 NHL Draft: RW Eeli Tolvanen
Eeli Tolvanen is one of few players on this list that has turned into a productive NHLer, and while it took him until 2020/21 to become a full-time NHLer, he's been very successful since that point. Originally drafted by the Predators, Tolvanen came into the draft on the back of a 54-point season in the USHL, and right from the outset, he looked like being a good player at the next level.
In the NHL, he's split time between the Predators and the Seattle Kraken, tallying 92 goals and 190 points across 423 NHL games played, and while everyone would want a star in the first-round, the more likely outcome at No. 30 is a solid middle-six player like Tolvanen. The Flames may look to take a risk on a player that could be a star (like Matvei Gridin in 2024), but if Tolvanen is the floor of a player drafted in 2026, the team would be very happy.
2016 NHL Draft: C Sam Steel
Back in 2016, the Anaheim Ducks were looking to long-term answers as they transitioned out of the most successful period in the history of the franchise. At No. 30 overall, the team opted for Sam Steel out of the WHL, but in four seasons with the team, he struggled to make a true impact, as he would then end up with the Dallas Stars.
Since then, Steel has played a bigger role in the middle-six, and in 2025/26, he had his best season in the NHL to date, posting 12 goals and 33 points across 73 games, with both numbers being career highs. Across his entire career, Steel now has 61 goals and 175 points in 491 NHL games played, so while he never panned out as a star at the next level, he's been a more than serviceable two-way player, something the Flames would love to grab this year.
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