2026 NHL Draft Class
The 2024 and 2025 draft classes have been home runs for Craig Conroy, and as a result, the Flames currently have one of the deepest prospect pools in the entire National Hockey League. This year, the team had their highest pick under Conroy at No. 6 overall, and fortunately, the board in front of them fell perfectly, with the team landing perhaps their long-term top pairing left-shot defenseman in Carson Carels.
Beyond that, names like Jack Hextall, Chase Harrington, Tobias Trejbal, Joe Iginla and Alan Shaikhlislamov made this their most varied draft to date, with the team hoping that they've added multiple future NHLers in the process. They're certainly still seeking their potential 1C of the future, but the Flames have a depth of prospects that few others do, and if they struggle in 2026/27 like many expect, 2027 will give them the opportunity to finish it off.
Grade: A
Simon Nemec Trade
This was the biggest blockbuster move of the summer for the Flames, and after adding several draft picks in trades involving Mackenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri, the front office used those additional assets to go get a former No. 2 overall draft pick. In the deal, the Flames gave up pick No. 35 in the 2026 NHL Draft, a 2027 and 2028 first-round pick and prospect Etienne Morin, acquiring both Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov in the process.
While it was a lot to give up, this is the type of deal the Flames should have been targeting with their additional assets, as they get a 22-year-old that has shown immense potential, and in 2026/27, they'll give him every opportunity to succeed and become a top-pairing RHD in the NHL. Only time will tell if the gamble pays off, but the risk was one worth taking for Calgary, and if this alongside the drafting of Carson Carels pays off, the Flames blue line should be a very, very good one in a few seasons.
Grade: B+
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