It’s mid-June and nearly time for the 2023 version of the NHL Entry Draft. The Calgary Flames and new basic supervisor Craig Conroy have been tasked with righting the proverbial ship after a disappointing 2022-23 season.
It was not too long ago introduced that Conroy can have the help of former teammate and legendary Flame Jarome Iginla, who will accompany him in a particular advisory position. The 2 males will seemingly be seeking to make a splash for his or her first huge occasion on the helm and spend their sixteenth general choice, amongst others, correctly.
The Flames have 5 picks within the upcoming draft: their very own first, second, fourth, sixth, and seventh-round draft picks. Their third-rounder is property of the Seattle Kraken as a part of the Calle Jarnkrok commerce final yr, they usually forfeited their fifth-round alternative after they introduced scoring chief Tyler Toffoli on board by way of the Montreal Canadiens.
All eyes shall be on the sixteenth decide, nonetheless. A primary-round decide all the time has the microscope and stress targeted on them, and scouting departments/administration groups all the time get probably the most flack for his or her first picks in a draft.
The Flames have achieved comparatively properly drafting within the current previous. As a substitute of wanting ahead, let’s look again on the final 5 Flames first-round draft picks and the way every has panned out as knowledgeable hockey participant.
2021: Matt Coronato, thirteenth general
Because the Flames didn’t have a first-round decide in 2022 as a result of aforementioned Toffoli commerce, their final first-round decide was in 2021. They chose ahead Matt Coronato thirteenth general after a standout junior profession with the Chicago Metal of america Hockey League. He scored a whopping 125 factors in 96 video games, culminating in a Clark Cup championship in 2021.
He honoured his dedication to play for the Harvard College Crimson after being drafted, the place continued his dominance. As a freshman, he recorded 36 factors in 34 video games and earned himself a spot on the Jap Collegiate Athletic Convention All-Rookie Workforce for 2021-22.
The Crimson received the ECAC Championship after Coronato scored the extra time winner vs Quinnipiac College. Coronato remained constant by following up with one other 36 factors in 34 video games final season, however his crew, sadly, misplaced within the ECAC Finals.
After his school season ended, Coronato shortly signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Flames, and suited up within the final sport of the season vs the San Jose Sharks. He went scoreless however didn’t look misplaced and confirmed he may dangle with the massive boys. His play didn’t finish there both as he was introduced as a part of the Workforce USA roster for the 2023 IIHF World Championships shortly after.
There he rose to the event, serving to to guide a roster of lesser-known names to a fourth-place end and recording 8 factors in 10 video games. Coronato figures to have an even bigger position in retailer for him come 2023-24, as he can play centre or wing up entrance and might produce at both place.
2020: Connor Zary, twenty fourth general
Subsequent up is the twenty fourth general decide within the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, ahead Connor Zary. The Saskatoon native was chosen after a stellar efficiency in junior with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) storied Kamloops Blazers franchise.
Throughout his time with the Blazers, he demonstrated his strong two-way potential by taking up robust defensive matchups nightly, while nonetheless contributing offensively. In 203 profession WHL video games, he scored 79 objectives and 206 complete factors, serving to the crew win back-to-back division championships. His finest season got here in 2019-20 when he scored a team-high 38 objectives, and his 86 factors nabbed him the second spot amongst all Blazers.
Since then, Zary has performed for the Flames’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate groups. In 2021-22 he wearing 53 video games with the then-Stockton Warmth and underwhelmed many with simply 13 objectives and 25 factors. Nonetheless, when the crew moved to Calgary to grow to be the Wranglers, he obtained again to his outdated methods final season, scoring 21 objectives and totalling 58 factors in all 72 video games.
These numbers had been good for second amongst all Wranglers gamers. Now 21, Zary continues to be younger however has two seasons {of professional} hockey expertise below his belt. As a strong 200-foot ahead that may rating and defend, the Flames could be foolish to not give him not less than an audition this upcoming yr.
2019: Jakob Pelletier, twenty sixth general
With their first decide in 2019, the Flames chosen French-Canadian Jakob Pelletier at twenty sixth general. He spent his junior taking part in days within the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League; 4 seasons break up between the Moncton Wildcats and the Val d’Or Foreurs. In that point, he gathered a powerful 107 objectives and 275 factors in 210 video games complete.
His finest season noticed him internet 39 objectives and 89 factors in 65 matches, each second amongst his teammates that yr. Pelletier was additionally a confirmed playoff performer with 31 factors in 32 profession postseason matches. He was touted as a artful playmaking ahead and his junior numbers definitely displayed as such.
Pelletier is the primary member of this record to have performed important NHL minutes, as he made his debut and ended up skating in 24 contests for the Flames in 2022-23. This was made all of the extra inspiring as former head coach Darryl Sutter was famous for his unwillingness to play kids. Throughout his time with the massive membership, he scored his first profession purpose and ended up with three complete to go together with 4 assists.
Aside from this, he dominated on the AHL stage final yr, recording 37 factors in 35 common season video games and proved his playoff prowess once more with 10 factors in 9 video games. Provided that he has extra than simply tasted NHL play and the crew has a brand new head coach in Ryan Huska, all indicators level to Pelletier taking part in his first full season with the Flames subsequent yr.
2017:Juuso Valimaki, sixteenth general
The Flames once more had no first-rounder within the 2018 Draft, as they traded it to the New York Islanders for defenseman Travis Hamonic again in June of 2017. Due to this fact, we should go to 2017, the place the Flames sarcastically chosen first at decide quantity 16. There they selected Finnish defenseman Juuso Valimaki, who had efficiently showcased his skillset with the Tri-Metropolis Individuals of the WHL.
In 153 video games unfold over three seasons with the franchise, he scored a notable 40 objectives and 138 complete factors. He demonstrated the entire instruments essential to be a high quality defenseman within the NHL, stymying opposing forwards persistently and likewise offering some offense from the backend.
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Valimaki parlayed this into 84 appearances for the Flames from 2018-22 however may both by no means keep wholesome or up with the massive membership for a full season. In his time, he recorded three objectives and 16 factors, and 32 factors in 55 AHL video games. Frustration rose for each events because the crew felt they weren’t getting what they drafted, and Valimaki seemingly felt he wasn’t being afforded the perfect alternatives.
It finally culminated within the Flames putting him on waivers and him being claimed by the Arizona Coyotes in October of 2022. He obtained his greater position with the Coyotes and seemingly flourished, main all crew defensemen in scoring with 4 objectives and 34 factors in 78 video games. At 24, Valimaki will seemingly be a fixture on the Coyotes’ blue line for the foreseeable future.
2016: Matthew Tkachuk, sixth general
We all know; intestine punch. However, fifth on our record is 2016, when the Flames selected ahead Matthew Tkachuk with their first-round decide. Born in Scottsdale, Arizona, to former NHLer Keith Tkachuk, Matthew performed two years for the US Nationwide Workforce Improvement program earlier than he elected to play one season within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a substitute of heading the NCAA route.
He suited up for the London Knights and completed with 30 tallies, in addition to 77 assists for 107 factors in 57 video games. The Knights turned OHL champions and win the 2016 Memorial Cup after Tkachuk scored the extra time winner in opposition to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL.
The Flames gladly took him with their fifth number-six decide in franchise historical past (2016, 2013, 1998, 1997, 1992). The remaining is historical past as they are saying. Tkachuk turned a beloved determine in Flames lore, skating in 431 video games for the crew and amassing 152 objectives and 382 factors. These figures rank him sixteenth and 18th in franchise historical past, respectively.
Sadly, after teammate Johnny Gaudreau left in free company in the summertime of final yr, Tkachuk determined he too wouldn’t re-sign with the Flames. He was a restricted free agent which means the Flames retained his signing rights, thus he wanted to be traded. On July 22, 2022, he and a fourth-round decide had been shipped to the Florida Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau, Mackenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and a 2025 first-round decide.
Tkachuk had the perfect yr of his NHL profession in 2022-23, recording 109 factors in 79 common season video games after which helped lead the eight-seed Panthers to the 2023 Stanley Cup Last. They misplaced to the champion Vegas Golden Knights, however Tkachuk performed otherworldy with 24 factors in 20 video games. He’ll be an integral piece of the Panthers for not less than the subsequent seven seasons as his new contract with the crew ends in 2029-30.
Time will inform how this yr’s first-round decide pans out. If there’s any indication from the final 5 choices, the Flames ought to be simply superb. Their scouting division continues to be unchanged for the final seven years regardless of Conroy and President of Hockey Operations Don Maloney coming in not too long ago. No matter expertise that would doubtlessly be out there at their decide shall be evaluated. The 2023 NHL Entry Draft takes place on June 28 & twenty ninth.