G Tobias Trejbal
Not only did the Flames draft the best goaltender in the NHL Draft in 2026, but they traded up in the second round to do so, signalling that they see Tobias Trejbal as a key piece of their future. However, given how long it takes goaltenders to develop, it's going to be a long, long time before we see him in the NHL, with Trejbal committed to play NCAA Hockey in 2026/27 with the University of Massachusetts.
The 6-foot-4 goaltender not only has the size to compete at the NHL level one day, but the skill as well, as he led the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms a year ago with a 2.12 GAA and an impressive .916 save percentage. The future looks bright for Trejbal, and while many are dreaming of a Wolf/Trejbal tandem in net, that's still years away, but for now, he has the opportunity to step up at UMass and show his potential.
C Jack Hextall
Over the past three years, the Flames have had two first-round draft picks, and after landing Matvei Gridin and Cullen Potter in 2024 and 2025, they appear to have landed another future NHLer in Jack Hextall. While some criticized the Flames for going with a good floor rather than a much higher ceiling at No. 30 overall, Hextall is shaping up to be a fantastic middle-six centre in the NHL on the back of his high IQ and elite level playmaking abilities.
This past year in the USHL with Youngstown, Hextall tallied 20 goals and 58 points in 59 games played, and as another prospect with good size at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, his ceiling is plenty high. Next year, Hextall will join other Flames prospects at the college level as he has committed to Michigan State, and if he develops his offensive game there more and more, he could be a key piece for Calgary in 2-3 years.
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