Deciphering The First-Round Draft Pick The Calgary Flames Dealt To The Montreal Canadiens With Sean Monahan

Randy Sportak

Feb 2, 2024, 20:09

Randy Sportak

Feb 2, 2024, 20:09

The Canadiens nabbed another first-round pick by dealing Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets, and which pick the Flames also give is a mind-bending venture

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports - Deciphering The First-Round Draft Pick The Calgary Flames Dealt To The Montreal Canadiens With Sean Monahan

The trade tree that began when the Calgary Flames sent Sean Monahan to the Montreal Canadiens has grown another few branches.

The Canadiens, who received a conditional first-round pick from the Flames to acquire Monahan in the summer of 2022 and re-signed him to a one-year contract last summer, flipped Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

In return, the Canadiens received Winnipeg’s 2024 first-round pick, and a conditional third-round selection.

Which pick the Canadiens receive from Calgary to give the Flames salary space has a head-spinning series of permutations, but the most likely scenario is that Montreal will receive a pick in the 2025 draft, but maybe not Calgary’s.

Before looking to the 2025 draft, Montreal could chose Calgary’s pick in this year’s draft if the selection ends up between 20th and 32nd — which is unlikely to happen with the Flames already in the bottom third of the league and poised to sell off more veteran talent having already moved top-line centre Elias Lindholm on Wednesday.

The 2025 draft situation is convoluted, and a reason the Flames keyed on conditionally nabbing Florida’s 2025 first-rounder in the Matthew Tkachuk trade.

First off, the Flames receive Florida’s 2025 first-round pick so long as the Panthers 2024 pick that was conditionally sent to the Philadelphia Flyers a couple of seasons back is not in the top 10, nor is Florida’s 2025 first-rounder in the top 10. Odds of that happening are slim, but possible, and would mean Calgary receives Florida’s top pick in 2026, and Montreal receives Calgary’s 2025 first-round pick so long as it isn’t first overall.

Barring some bizarre changes in direction, such as the Flames rebounding next season much like the Canucks, or the Panthers falling from a lofty perch, the most likely development will be Calgary owning both its own and Florida’s first-round picks in 2025.

If that’s the case, there are some sub-scenarios.

Montreal will receive Florida’s pick if the Flames’ pick is in the top 10, which is a very strong possibility.

If both Calgary’s and Florida’s pick are outside the top 10, the Canadiens receive the better selection. The way things are going, this could happen, and could be costly. Imagine if Calgary’s pick is 11th and must go to the Canadiens, while the Flames are left with Florida’s at 32.

There are more aspects, including middle-round picks if the execution of this all is shifted to 2026.

What the Flames and their fans should be hoping for is that either both Calgary and Florida are good enough both of their picks are late in the first round in 2025 or near each other.

More possible is Flames being bad enough to draft in the top 10 and hand over Florida’s selection.