No. 30 Overall: RW Nikita Klepov, Saginaw (OHL)
Out of all the picks in the 2026 NHL Draft for the Calgary Flames, this is the one that they're most likely looking to move, and if a prospect they like falls into the 20's, don't be shocked to see Conroy get aggressive. If they do stay at No. 30 however, there are some fantastic options, but Wheeler has gone with the highest potential of them all here with Saginaw Spirit right winger Nikita Klepov.
In the OHL this past season, Klepov was purely dominant, posting 37 goals and 97 points in 67 games played, and while that doesn't automatically make someone a star, he's got the makings of a top line winger in the NHL. At just 17-years-old, Klepov stands at 6-foot-0, 180 pounds, so while he may need to put on muscle, the passing, the hockey IQ and the creativity are all traits that could make him a great player at the highest level.
After getting Matvei Gridin in 2024, the Flames have one potential top line winger, and while Klepov may max out at a good 2W in the NHL, this would be a home run late in the first round for Craig Conroy.
No. 6 Overall: LHD Carson Carels, Price George (WHL)
For some time now, there's been debate over Calgary's plans at No. 6 overall, and up until the Simon Nemec deal, many believed it would be RHD Keaton Verhoeff to be picked as a key piece of the Flames defensive core moving forward. While the plan may not change too much following the Nemec deal, Verhoeff now becomes the unlikely pick, and even before the trade, Wheeler had the Flames coming away with Carson Carels, who could become a cornerstone on the Flames left side.
Now, the debate become Carels vs. Bjorck/Malhotra, but in this case, the Flames get the supremely physical, offensively gifted Carels, and given his relationships with Zayne Parekh and Western Canada, he would be the perfect fit in Calgary. This past season, Carels had 20 goals and 73 points in 58 games played, and while he's likely not NHL ready immediately, come 2027/28, he could be an immediate impact maker for the Flames.
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