After a full year of anticipation, the first-round of the 2026 NHL Draft has come and gone, and for the Calgary Flames, they've managed to land not one, but two more big time prospects that could be significant impacts for the team at the NHL level moving forward.
While many expected the team to move at least one of their picks to move up, the Flames played things patiently and ended up with Carson Carels and Jack Hextall at No. 6 and 30 overall, so what do we think of these picks?
No. 6: Carson Carels LHD
On paper, Carson Carels is the perfect fit for not only the Flames on the ice, but the Calgary market, as he missed the draft to work on his family farm in Manitoba, already making him the perfect Calgary type player. Beyond that though, he's a dream long-term partner for Zayne Parekh at the NHL level, and while we won't see him this year while he joins Cole Reschny at the University of North Dakota, he's a long-term fit on the left side of the blue line.
Not only does Carels have the offensive upside after putting up 20 goals and 73 points in 58 games in the WHL this past season, but he's also got great size and physicality at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. On top of that, he was referred to as a potential future captain multiple times at the draft, and given the high-character, high-compete levels, it's easy to see why.
That dynamic offensive ability combined with his strength makes him perfect for the modern day NHL, and if he can grow his game at NDU over the next 12 months, he'll be a long-term fit for this Flames team.
Grade: A
No. 30: Jack Hextall C
With the board falling the way it did, some hoped that Craig Conroy would get aggressive and attempt to move up into the late lottery or early 20's, but instead he sat back and clearly believed a player he liked would fall to No. 30, and that's exactly what happened.
While there were many places Conroy could have gone here, the team opted to potentially fill a need, drafting centre Jack Hextall out of the USHL, with many scouts believing he could be a good 2C or high end 3C at the NHL level. This past year, Hextall took a major leap, going from 8 goals to 20 and 34 points to 58, and with also having good size at 6-foot-1 while being a playmaker and someone that could improve with his shot, it's easy to see why this was the pick.
Next year, Hextall will head to Michigan State alongside Cullen Potter to continue his development, and if he can continue building strength and growing his game, he's going to be a great player for the Flames that can play in all situations moving forward.
Grade: A-
Overall, it's no shock to see that with a pick early in the first-round and a pick late, the Flames have killed it, as they did the same with Zayne Parekh & Matvei Gridin and Cole Reschny & Cullen Potter over the past two years.
Sure, some fans may be frustrated about passing on Viggo Bjorck or may have preferred the Flames to move up from No. 30 to grab a prospect they liked in the middle of the first, but right now, the Flames still have all of their assets for day two while grabbing two fantastic prospects.
Day two has the chance to be a home run or could be a major missed opportunity for the Flames, but after day one, it's getting harder and harder to doubt Craig Conroy and his plan.
Grade: A
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