The Calgary Flames have the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, and in that spot, there's going to be some very, very good prospects available for the team to select. However, they've also got a second first-round pick courtesy of the Vegas Golden Knights and the deal that saw the team acquire Noah Hanifin back in 2024.
While they will also have a 2027 first-round pick and a potential 2028 first-round pick (conditional on winning the Stanley Cup this year) courtesy of the Rasmus Andersson trade, right now, all attention is on 2026. Unfortunately for the Flames, the Golden Knights have now moved on to the Western Conference Finals, and while it may mean things are good for the future, for right now, it's not the ideal outcome.
So where does the Vegas pick currently sit for the Flames?
With Vegas set to advance, the Flames' 2026 first-rounder from the Noah Hanifin trade can be no higher than 28th overall.
— Mike Gould (@miketgould) May 15, 2026
(If VGK wins the Cup, CGY receives a 2028 1st instead of a 2028 2nd in the Rasmus Andersson trade.)
As a result of the Golden Knights win over Anaheim, the Flames can pick no higher than 28th overall, and if they move onto the Stanley Cup Finals, that pick will either come in at No. 30 or 31 overall as a result of Ottawa taking the No. 32 pick following sanctions from the NHL.
Simply put, the pick continues to get lower and lower, and while it may be tough to stomach seeing a Golden Knights Stanley Cup victory, in the long-term, it's the best outcome for the Flames. While it's not the deepest draft, this puts Calgary in position to land a potentially solid pick, and after using No. 28 to land Matvei Gridin just two years ago, there's confidence that this could be another NHLer of the future for Calgary.
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