The 2026 NHL Draft has been a long awaited event for the Calgary Flames, and with two first-round picks, four second-round picks and two third-round picks, they've got plenty of ammunition to make some big time moves.
While the prospect situation in Calgary has steadily improved under GM Craig Conroy since his hiring in 2023, the team are still in need of some elite level talent, and with all those aformentioned draft picks, they've got the capital to do that. Whether that's using all of those picks to take big swings on players, using them to land established players or using them to move up in the draft, the possibilities are endless.
Some fans would like to see the team use every pick, going with as many swings as possible to land good players of the future, but now, Sportsnet's Eric Francis, a man well connected within the organization has made a major prediction about the four second-round draft picks.
👀 Don’t expect all those picks to stay put.@EricFrancis joined @Fan960Steinberg on #Flames Talk to discuss Calgary’s draft strategy and why the Flames could look to move some of their draft capital.
— Sportsnet 960 (@Sportsnet960) June 13, 2026
LISTEN: https://t.co/dIOKhGoR8j pic.twitter.com/TY3Gv0U0FJ
Speaking with Pat Steinberg on the latest episode of SN 960 The Fan, Francis revealed that he believes the team won't use all four second-round picks, and while nobody quite knows how things will play out, that's becoming a distint possibility. In recent times, the Flames have been linked to not only a move up in the draft, but a potential trade with a young, NHL ready player.
Whether it's Shane Wright, Mavrik Bourque, Olen Zellweger or another young player, there's reportedly plenty of interest from Calgary, and with four picks in the second round, Conroy could start wheeling and dealing.
Regardless, the Flames are a team that could make more moves than anyone at the draft with all of their picks, and if Francis is saying so, expect there to be some element of truth to it.
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