The 2026 NHL Draft is quickly approaching, with just six weeks left between now and a very important night in the history of the Calgary Flames organization. The biggest reason why it could be such a big night is a total of eight picks in the first 68 selections, as well as the ninth coming at No. 100 overall.
Given all of thos assets, the Flames could draft one, two, three or even more future NHLers, and while No. 6 overall doesn't sound too appealing, there's likely to still be a very good player available when Calgary is on the board for the first time. However, there's been plenty of talk in recent times about trading up, with some Flames fans and analysts having their eyes on a potential superstar in Ivar Stenberg, who could slip beyond No. 2 with the San Jose Sharks reportedly targeting a defenseman.
That recent topic was brought up on the latest episode of the Sportsnet 560 Show, with Jason Bukala proposing this exact deal for the Flames to land No. 3 overall with the division rival Vancouver Canucks.
Flames receive: No. 3 overall, No. 78 overall (originally owned by the Columbus Blue Jackets).
Vancouver receive: No 6. overall, No. 28, No. 35 and No. 36.
🗣️ I'm making that happen. You need the volume.
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) May 20, 2026
👉 Jason Bukala is proposed a trade by the Calgary Flames for the Canucks' 3rd overall pick in the Canucks Talk War Room. pic.twitter.com/VrAkWTb6ho
On paper, this fills a need for both teams, as the Flames get the chance to draft Stenberg (in this scenario McKenna goes 1 and Reid goes 2), adding a potential top-line winger for years and years to come. However, this would require the Flames to give up three massive assets, and given that they landed Matvei Gridin late in the first-round in 2024 and Cullen Potter a year ago, it would be easy to see why Craig Conroy wouldn't want to give up that type of capital to move up in the draft.
To make a deal to get No. 3 overall however, the team would need to part ways with significant assets, and as a result, this is a deal we'd happily say no too, with the team likely happy to land a player like Viggo Bjorck along with not one, not two but three other players in the top 36. It's not a bad deal, and it's likely what it would take to get it done, but with the Flames happy to be patient with their rebuild, this type of deal would simply be too rich for them right now.
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