No. 28 overall: Original Selection - LW Liam Ruck
For quite some time, many in Calgary (and Western Canada as a whole) have fallen in love with the idea of drafting the Medicine Hat Tigers star twin duo of Liam and Markus Ruck, especially given that they were centred by Flames prospect Andrew Basha in the WHL. This past season, Liam put up incredible numbers, posting 45 goals and 104 points in 68 games played, backing it up with 8 goals in 12 playoff games for the Tigers.
With good size at 6-foot-0 exactly, Ruck certainly has the potential to make it at the NHL level, and with the Flames wanting to add high-end talent up front, it's easy to see why The Athletic got here. Of all their selections, Ruck is likely the best one, and while most Flames fans would come away happy with this pick, there are definitely other players available that may be worth taking a swing on.
Revised No. 28 selection: LW Nikita Klepov
Other options: C Jack Hextall
At this pick, there are some very solid names left on the board, and for the purposes of this exercise, we'll see the Flames making a change, going with the dynamic playmaking of Saginaw Spirit star Nikita Klepov. This past season, the 17-year-old posted 37 goals and 97 points in 67 games played, and given how much success the team had with Matvei Gridin this past season, it's clear that prioritizing that high end skill pays off in the NHL.
Sure, winger is a crowded spot, but instead of reaching for a centre that may or may not have a chance at being 1C in the NHL, taking Klepov here is betting on the potential as a future piece of what the team hopes will end up being a successful rebuild.
Ultimately, if Ruck is available, there would be absolutely no complaints from fans if the Flames took a chance on a Western Canadian that just put up over 100 points alongside a Flames prospect, but if a change needed to be made, Klepov has the ceiling of a very good top-six player in the NHL.
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