8. Andrew Basha
With the waves of new prospects arriving in the Flames organization, Andrew Basha has gone largely overlooked, but after struggling with the Wranglers in 2025/26, he once again found his footing in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Not only that, but he transitioned to play centre full time, and in doing so his production sky rocketed, tallying 3 goals and 18 points in 15 playoff games while on a line with the Ruck twins.
This season however, Basha will be prioritized in the AHL with the Wranglers, and given another year of experience under his belt, there's rising expectations that he could be a play driver in the middle-six for the Wranglers.
At 6-foot-0, 187 pounds, Basha isn't going to overwhelm anyone with his physicality, but with a skillset that plays well at the next level, if Basha can put together a campaign even close to what Matvei Gridin did in the AHL a year ago, there's a chance we could see him in 2027/28, although the team will want to be patient with the former second-round pick.
7. Axel Hurtig
Axel Hurtig was a great value pick for the Calgary Flames in the seventh-round of the 2023 NHL Draft, and while he didn't light up the WHL offensively, he knows his game and he's happy to stick to that game. On top of that, he recently served as the captain of the Calgary Hitmen, and given how Craig Conroy has prioritized character and leadership in the draft, he's not someone to write off as just another late-round draft pick.
As of late, the team have been drafting for skill on the blue line, and with the likes of Mews, Brzustewicz and Parekh added to the future of the organization, and alongside Mace'o Phillips, Hurtig represents the key difference in physicality.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 217 pounds, Hurtig is physically ready for the NHL, and while he will likely need to spend one, if not two seasons in the AHL before he ever gets that opportunity, he could be a solid third pairing player for the Flames one day.
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