2024: Extra 1st, extra 2nd, extra 3rd - that's REALLY good.
Parekh + Gridin = firsts
Basha + Battaglia = 2nds
Mews + Zarubin = 3rds
More good picks deeper in the draft. That's an out-of-the-park draft.
2025: Extra 1st, extra 7th
Reschny + Potter = Firsts
Wyttenbach in the 5th looks spectacular right now as if the Flames had another first.
That's a very good draft.
2026: Extra 1st
2027: extra 2nd that may turn into 1st
2028: extra 2nd if 2027 doesn't turn into 1st
For 3 straight years, the Flames have had an extra 1st round pick. That's huge. If they can find more top 60 picks in the next couple of drafts with Kadri, Coleman, Whitecloud - or even Weegar.. plus maybe a bit more depth picks from players like Hanley or Pachal - they should come out of this rebuild rather strong and deep. Plus, they are only now starting to bottom-out - great position to start adding top 5 prospects on a team with a more established defensive corps with Bahl, Kuznetsov, Brzustewicz and Parekh developing nicely (I am sure Parekh will), as well as solid support players like Zary, Pospisil, Klapka, and Coronato of course.
That's why I voted an 8. I would have voted a 10 had the prospects that Calgary received had been of a slightly better quality - more NHL upside. Grushnikov, Miromanov, and likely Wiebe as well (though I wouldn't cross him out at this point). The Hanifin trade was a bit light of course. Still, not every move can be perfect.
Flames will bottom-out now and draft an even higher calibre of pick soon. So by my estimation, this rebuild has been really good so far. Not perfect, but very good. That's why I voted an 8. I am honestly very excited as to what Conroy ends up doing this season, and next. These next two seasons should see the Flames really add to the future core.
I look forward to a poll again next season, or perhaps the season after. I bet the bell curve will shift downwards (to the more positive).
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