All eyes will be on the Calgary Flames at the 2026 NHL Draft, and while Craig Conroy is reportedly looking to move up in the first round for another lottery pick, right now the team sit at No. 30 overall.
In recent years, the team have had some success late in the first round, namely landing Matvei Gridin and Cullen Potter in the past two drafts at No. 28 overall and No. 32 overall respectively. That doesn't mean that they will land another star this year when they pick at No. 30, but it shows the scouting department's philosophy has changed to target high skill, high speed players, and that shouldn't change in 2026 as the rebuild rolls on.
Right now, it's completely unclear who will be available, but based on prospect rankings and an array of mock drafts, the following are five of the top candidates for the Flames to select late in the first-round on Friday.
5. C Jack Hextall
In terms of a safe floor, there are few players potentially available at No. 30 that fit the bill more than Illinois native Jack Hextall, who profiles as a very good two-way centre at the next level. Despite turning 18 in March, Hextall has two full seasons in the USHL under his belt, posting 28 goals and 92 points across 112 games played, with major improvements shown over the past 18 months.
As a centre, Hextall's strengths are exactly what a team wants: wins faceoffs, backchecks well, can be a powerplay stud in the NHL and is renowned as a very good playmaker, and at 6-foot-1, he's got enough size as well. Sure, he'll need to add more muscle before making it to the NHL, but given that he's got very few glaring weaknesses in his game, this is the type of high-floor player that the Flames could look to prioritize at No. 30 overall.
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