{"time":1782444482599,"blocks":[{"id":"p9FhRHuMhK","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"At the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames have the 6th overall pick, marking the 11th time in franchise history that they will have a selection inside the Top-10. Moreover, this will be the sixth time they will make their first pick at 6th overall. "}},{"id":"-a5bypULxp","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Thus far, through the ten players Calgary has selected within the Top-10, some have been hits, some have missed, and others are Stanley Cup winners. Today, we will revisit each of those picks and see what happened."}},{"id":"t08poey8PJ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"This list is ranked based on points scored in the NHL."}},{"id":"MCZbsSPs6k","type":"header","data":{"text":"10. Brent Krahn - 9th Overall 2000","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"YlC0UAqkx_","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 0GP - 0G - 0A - 0PTS"}},{"id":"bP3CWwEXur","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0PTS"}},{"id":"tbiucCxUMR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Despite being a top-10 pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, Brent Krahn never dressed for the Flames and appeared in only one NHL game with the Dallas Stars, playing 20 minutes and surrendering three goals on nine shots."}},{"id":"MChGkCkfBs","type":"header","data":{"text":"9. Zayne Parekh - 9th Overall 2024","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"eXwsNBuMEj","type":"image","data":{"caption":"© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/68548b1e-bad4-4cbe-876e-291bee548f8e.jpeg","width":4729,"height":3153}}},{"id":"k3R8uBrSZy","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 38GP - 4G - 5A - 9PTS"}},{"id":"hRCLsq5c0B","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 38GP - 4G - 5A - 9PTS"}},{"id":"P6S47VjlhG","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After tearing up the OHL, Zayne Parekh transitioned smoothly to the NHL and is now one of the top prospects in the Flames' rebuild. Despite being just 20, his future is bright, and Calgary fans have only seen a glimpse of what he could achieve."}},{"id":"57SC6sTisP","type":"header","data":{"text":"8. Daniel Tkaczuk- 6th Overall 1997","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"yYBXisqPq_","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 19GP - 4G - 7A - 11PTS"}},{"id":"K9epAG87hH","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 19GP - 4G - 7A - 11PTS"}},{"id":"4ztxiWTgi_","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Daniel Tkaczuk is one of many top-10 first-round picks who just never found their footing in the NHL. He appeared in 19 games with the Flames during the 2000-01 season, scoring four goals and totaling seven points. As a career minor leaguer, Tkaczuk found his calling as a coach and executive."}},{"id":"mqudc93q","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/562faf16-8067-49ab-892b-1be75702097f/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"2bb67JBqlF","type":"header","data":{"text":"7. Rico Fata - 6th Overall 1998","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"EfsxLum6L2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 27GP - 0G - 1A - 1PTS"}},{"id":"YGKG1iVoVb","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 230GP - 27G - 36A - 63PTS"}},{"id":"xVUNzrB93I","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Immediately following the 1998 NHL Draft, Rico Fata debuted with the Flames on Opening Night. He played only 27 games with the organization before moving to four other teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he tallied a career high 16 goals and 34 points in 2004. "}},{"id":"AeswcNjZ0j","type":"header","data":{"text":"6. Eric Nystrom - 10th Overall 2002","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"08eFiXBygo","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 204GP - 19G - 20A - 39PTS"}},{"id":"RxOuVxX2yQ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 593GP - 75G - 48A - 123PTS"}},{"id":"gaXDxAWBCA","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Eric Nystrom joined the Flames at 22 and spent the next ten years in the NHL, suiting up for four different teams. His best season in Calgary came in 2010 with 11 goals and 19 points, before reaching a high of 16 lamp-lighters in 2012."}},{"id":"167YJ8plXl","type":"header","data":{"text":"5. Sam Bennett - 4th Overall 2014","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"v1g8ooP1J8","type":"image","data":{"caption":"© Sam Navarro-Imagn Images","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/233befd8-de86-458d-ab4f-bf11b7d11e07.jpeg","width":4518,"height":3012}}},{"id":"NekivuS5t9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 402GP - 67G - 73A - 140PTS"}},{"id":"0Ed8tpAi8i","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 365GP - 121G - 133A - 254PTS"}},{"id":"XzuXTHhe_8","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Not only is Sam Bennett the highest drafted player in Flames history, but he's also a two-time Stanley Cup winner, earning the Conn Smythe in 2025. The only other player to achieve that is Hall of Famer Mike Vernon, who did it in 1997 with the Detroit Red Wings. Since moving to the Florida Panthers in 2021, Bennett has doubled his goal and point totals and is now a four-time 20-goal scorer."}},{"id":"O1TgrQ0NwW","type":"header","data":{"text":"4. Dion Phaneuf - 9th Overall 2003","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"dnP8rOorGa","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 378GP - 75G - 153A - 228PTS"}},{"id":"pkOugb_650","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 1,048GP - 137G - 357A - 494PTS"}},{"id":"RCnhPCvgJl","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"As of 2026, Dion Phaneuf is one of two Flames top-10 draft picks in history to skate in over 1,000 games in the NHL. In Calgary, he was a member of the All-Rookie Team and finished with votes for the Norris Trophy in five consecutive seasons. Eventually, Phaneuf would go on to captain the Toronto Maple Leafs and play for their provincial rival, the Ottawa Senators."}},{"id":"dM_vEnU5Cb","type":"header","data":{"text":"3. Sean Monahan - 6th Overall 2013","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"kBq_xdNFeh","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 656GP - 212G - 250A - 462PTS"}},{"id":"mGGR4bzL_o","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 896GP - 276G - 355A - 631PTS"}},{"id":"wmoJAzd900","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"There's no denying that Sean Monahan's best seasons came with the Flames, with 73% of his career points coming in Calgary. Since leaving the club in 2022, he's bounced around with a few clubs, recently finding a home with the Columbus Blue Jackets."}},{"id":"Y7miUvwZVz","type":"header","data":{"text":"2. Matthew Tkachuk - 6th Overall 2016","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"f4Vj80BF8S","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 431GP - 152G - 230A - 382PTS"}},{"id":"05OG_XRGks","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 242GP - 101G - 187A - 288PTS"}},{"id":"3k48rqxdat","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"As the most recent 6th overall pick in Flames history, Matthew Tkachuk will always have a special place in team lore, not for being a 40-goal scorer, but for requesting a trade out of town. Once Tkachuk landed in Florida, he scored 40 again and helped the Panthers to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning in 2024 and 2025."}},{"id":"h_mY1GMrB0","type":"header","data":{"text":"1. Cory Stillman - 6th Overall 1992","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"SkzGvfTCsd","type":"image","data":{"caption":"© Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/63ebad19-9f8b-4b51-b186-69531ab86427.jpeg","width":2600,"height":1800}}},{"id":"aRYu-piotT","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Flames Career: 393GP - 109G - 126A - 235PTS"}},{"id":"Gcn2PqKxnR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"NHL Career: 1,025GP - 278G - 449A - 727PTS"}},{"id":"JlukKks727","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Cory Stillman became the first Flames top-10 pick ever to win the Stanley Cup, achieving it against the club that drafted him in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Two seasons later, he won again with the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite spending more time with other clubs throughout his 16-year career, Stillman's best seasons, in which he scored 27 goals, came in Calgary."}},{"id":"Xhktk7ylXE","type":"image","data":{"caption":"","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/aab6d2a7-c0fc-4bfd-8155-e5970c071ad8.webp","width":1106,"height":608}}}],"version":"2.31.6"}

Could New Flames/Oilers Arenas Co-Host Next Big International NHL Event?

NHL Salary Cap On The Rise