After an impressive three and a half seasons in Kingston, Calgary Flames prospect Jacob Battaglia will finish out his OHL career over the border in Flint. 

The Flint Firebirds announced on Monday, in the flurry of OHL trades, that they have acquired 2006-born Battaglia in exchange for a plethora of eight draft picks. 

Below are the full trade details:

Flint Firebirds Receive:

LW/RW, Jacob Battaglia (2006) - 36GP, 14G, 13A, 27PTS

Kingston Frontenacs Receive:

2029 2nd round pick
2029 2nd round pick (NIA)
2026 3rd round pick (WSR)
2027 3rd round pick (LDN)
2027 4th round pick (SAG)
2027 4th round pick (OS)
2029 5th round pick
2028 6th round pick 

The Frontenacs traded away another one of their top six forwards right before the start of 2026, moving on from Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins. Between the two trades, Kingston GM Kory Cooper restocked his draft cupboards with three seconds, three thirds, two fourths, two fifths, one sixth, and one seventh. 

“Making a trade like this is never easy. Sometimes tough decisions need to be made in this role. As an NHL-signed player, it is unlikely Bates (Battaglia) will be back in the OHL next year. This trade allows us to focus on the promising young core of current Frontenacs while still recovering a large portion of the draft picks we spent at last year’s trade deadline,” said Cooper.

For the Firebirds, they are all-in this season. This is the second blockbuster deal GM Dave McParlan has made in recent weeks. He recently acquired Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He from the Niagara IceDogs in exchange for seven draft picks. In total, McParlan has dealt away 15 draft picks, but it has brought in two bona fide top-six scorers.

The team already has New York Rangers prospect Nathan Aspinall leading the way in the OHL MVP race. Still, outside of him, Alex Kostov, and Jimmy Lombardi, the offensive production has been inconsistent. 

In Jacob Battaglia, Flint acquires more than just a 90-point pedigree; they’ve secured a battle-tested captain who had 16 points in 11 games in the playoffs for Kingston last year, and a Calgary Flames prospect whose cerebral, 200-foot game is built for the post-season. As Battaglia slides onto a top line already featuring MVP frontrunner Nathan Aspinall, the Firebirds now boast a formidable offensive arsenal in the Western Conference to compete with Kitchener, Windsor, and Sault Ste. Marie. 

By paying a king’s ransom of draft picks, the Firebirds have made it clear that they aren't just looking for a deep playoff run — they are hunting for a championship. With 15 draft picks out the door in recent weeks to land Battaglia and Kevin He, the chips are officially in the middle of the table. For the Firebirds, the window is open, and they have the star power to blast right through it.

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