For the entire 2025/26 regular season, fans of the Calgary Flames were looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Draft, and while they didn't win the lottery as hoped, they've still got the assets to come away with a 'franchise changing night' as Craig Conroy recently hinted at.
So what do the Flames have to look forward too over the next few days? Read on and we'll give you all the information you could need about the Calgary Flames at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Where will the Flames be picking?
Right now, the Flames have a total of 10 draft picks following the Simon Nemec trade, with the biggest of all being the No. 6 pick. That pick will be followed by the Vegas Golden Knights pick at 30, with the team then having picks No. 36, 51, 55, 65, 68, 100, 132 and finally, 164.
It's very unclear how the first round will play out, but with Craig Conroy having two significant assets for the third straight draft, we will see if he can stack more prospects onto the four of Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, all of whom were drafted in the first round between 2024 and 2025.
Who will be available at these picks?
Over the past 24 hours, we've provided separate articles on the Flames first five picks, naming five players at each and every spot that the Flames should chase as they aim to add to their already impressive prospect pool.
At No. 6, the Flames are likely to target best player available, with the hopes that it comes down to Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff or Viggo Bjorck, with any of the three home run picks for the Flames after they lost both draft lotteries.
Who could the Flames Trade With?
The Flames were reportedly looking to trade up from No. 6, but now it appears they've settled there, and instead, Conroy has hinted at wanting to move up from the No. 30 pick, potentially even into the teens for another lottery pick.
To do that, they'll need to make a splash, and with teams like San Jose, Winnipeg, Seattle, St. Louis and Nashville all potentially open to a deal, don't be shocked to see the Flames get aggressive and make a deal that may cost them a significant asset.
What is the Flames Biggest Need?
After acquiring Simon Nemec and announcing that Zayne Parekh would start 2025/26 on the left side, the Flames needs have somewhat shifted, but as always, the team are still searching for that big star down the middle.
Beyond that, a full-time, long-term LHD would be a significant pickup for the Flames, and if they leave the draft with one or both of them in the top two rounds, Flames fans should be very excited about the future.
What will Constitute a Successful Draft for the Flames?
Through three years, Craig Conroy has been impressive in the draft, but with the team now needing to take the next step to graduating these prospects to the professional level, it's time for him to find some now only good NHL players, but impact, difference makers.
The team will have plenty of opportunities to do that, and while none of their picks need to be NHL ready immediately, the team need to make other fanbases and teams stand up and take notice of what they've been building. Obviously, personal opinion does not matter in draft reactions, and it's all about how many NHLers the Flames can get, but looking back in five years, this draft is a failure if the Flames don't find at least two players to play in either the top-six or the top pairing on defense.
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