Looking back at the Calgary Flames’ NHL draft weekend, there was a definite trend. Skill was top of mind when most of the names were called.
First-round pick Zayne Parekh was one of just two 90-point defencemen in the Ontario Hockey League. (Side note: the Flames have rights to the other one, too, after acquiring Hunter Brzustewicz in the Elias Lindholm trade).
Their second first-rounder, Matvei Gridin, led the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks in every offensive category this season.
With their first pick in the second round, they scooped Caglary’s Andrew Basha, who led the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers in goals (30), assists (55), and points (85) in only 63 games. Later in Round 2, they selected Kingston Frontenacs winger Jacob Battaglia who posted a team-leading 31 goals and 34 assists in 65 OHL contests.
In the fifth round, the Flames added yet another ‘team leader’ grabbing Luke Misa from the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 81 points (26 goals and 55 assists) were tops on his squad in the 24 regular season.
It’s fair to say the days are over when size, grit and intangibles were prioritized — or at least imperfectly balanced — over raw skill and speed. The first draft GM Craig Conroy had a full year to prepare for was a massive success.
On paper, of course.
The other new faces for the Calgary Flames franchise include a pair of third-rounders in Henry Mews (a defenceman from the OHL’s Ottawa 67s) and goaltender Kirill Zarubin (who had a 1.99 goals-against average in the Moscow Hockey League).
Another offensive talent joined in the fourth round when the Flames called on Trevor Hoskin from the Cobourg Cougars of the OJHL.
A sizable centre, Hunter Laing, was chosen in the sixth round along with 6-foot-3 defenceman Eric Jamieson (another Calgarian). And they rounded out their massive weekend with Mississauga Steelheads blueliner Jakub Fibigr of Czechia.
The top half of the Flames draft was arguably among the best in the franchise’s history — at least when you consider the depth and exciting offensive potential. We won’t know for sure if there’s a Johnny Gaudreau type prospect in there, but a handful of the 2024 Draft Class could be major pieces of the Calgary Flames core when the team emerges from this rebuild.