Heading into the 2024 NHL Draft, the focus for the Calgary Flames and the C of Red has been the No. 9 overall pick, where they could ultimately end up with a potential star player of the future. However, what some have forgotten is that the Flames have a second pick in the first-round, courtesy of the Vancouver Canucks and the Elias Lindholm deal.
After an incredible season in Vancouver, the Flames pick comes in at No. 28 overall, and if their first pick is going to be unpredictable, it's got nothing on this one. Overall, this draft is considered to be a relatively weak one for depth, and while their first pick could return the Flames a star, the likelihood is much lower late in the first-round.
Now, let's take a look at the back end of the first round, and take a look at 10 potential players that could be fits with the Calgary Flames when they are on the clock for the second time in the 2024 NHL Draft.
7. Leo Sahlin Wallenius
At this point, it's become very clear that the Flames are quite happy to prefer players from overseas rather than the United States after acquiring many Russian's at the trade deadline, but they've had their success with Swede's too. Now, they have the chance to add another in defenseman Leo Sahlin-Wallenius, who has drawn comparisons to 2023 first-round draft pick Axel Sandin Pellika.
Standing at 6-foot-0, he has the size to be a menace in both ends at the next level, but it's his speed and puck moving ability that makes him a future NHLer, providing the type of spark the team saw from Oliver Kylington upon his return. He hasn't quite had the production you would expect from the potential he's shown, but with time and patience, he could end up as a top-four defenseman in the NHL on a solid team if developed properly.