7 Players the Calgary Flames could target with their second first-round pick
By Nathan Smith
6. Cole Hutson
This might be a reach for the Flames, but Cole Hutson is a talented prospect that has the chance to go in the first round, but it wouldn't surprise many if he ended up landing somewhere in the second round. At 5-foot-10, Hutson doesn't fit the mold of what the Flames traditionally look for, but now is the time for them to take a swing at a high potential player on the blue line.
In 19 games for the US National Development team, Hutson didn't quite excel this past season, but at the 2024 IIHF World U-18 Championship, he was named player of the tournament after tallying an impressive 13 points in 7 games played. Ultimately, if Hutson is on the Flames board, they will likely hope he falls to them at No. 41 overall, or may trade up a few spots if he continues to fall, but if the board falls in a unique way, it wouldn't be a shocking pick.
5. Sam O'Reilly
Plenty of players coming into the draft on the back of several productive years in Europe, NCAA or in the CHL, but sometimes, we see players push their way up the draft board on the back of just one solid year, and that's exactly the situation Sam O'Reilly finds himself in. In 68 games with the CHL Champion London Knights, the winger netted 20 goals and 56 points, and with a 6-foot-1 frame, he's a very enticing prospect.
Many mock drafts have O'Reilly going in the early 20's, but if the Flames still want to stock up on wingers for the future, there's much worse picks at the No. 28 overall spot. There's still plenty of growing in effort areas for O'Reilly, but with more experience at the top level he will find that development, so while winger isn't a major need for Calgary, they still need high potential talent that O'Reilly provides.