2026 NHL Draft Thread

[Kipper_3434]

If the team get McKenna, do we call off the rebuild,and try to win it all during his ELC? or wait for the 2nd window when Huberdeau is off the books?
Defence is in shambles and no #1C but plenty of tradeable assets and cap space.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Artemi Panarin wasn't drafted at all partly because he was a skinny 155lbs, look at he now.

Mckenna decided to go the college route so he could have the extra time to work on getting stronger, he also picked Penn State because Rob McLean is known to be one of if not the best strength and conditioning coach in the game. I expect in a couple of years Gavin to be closer to 200lbs than 180.

35 lbs is unlikely.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

If the team get McKenna, do we call off the rebuild,and try to win it all during his ELC? or wait for the 2nd window when Huberdeau is off the books?
Defence is in shambles and no #1C but plenty of tradeable assets and cap space.

I think, in that incredibly lucky scenario, the flames just continue to build through the draft for a at least a couple more seasons. Don’t trade any picks or prospects unless it’s for established top six forwards or top four defenceman that are just entering their prime - similar to the Dobson trade that Montreal did at the draft. Would not acquire anyone older than 26 at that point.

Right now, McKenna looks to be a Kucherov/Kaprisov-level winger. Which is awesome but I don’t think many would consider Minnesota a powerhouse team. Mostly because they don’t have much else in terms of elite talent right now. I think having 2-3 elite forwards and 2 elite defenceman along with solid depth in the lineup will make the flames a perennial contender one day. The flames are already well on their way with a crop of really good depth players that it’s likely to get a few top six forwards and top 4 defencemen from as well. Get McKenna + legit #1 center and I think things will be pretty set to start building around them under the hope that 2-3 of Coronato, Zary, Gridin, Potter and Reschny become top six forwards.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Fan69

35 lbs is unlikely.

McKenna is a 17-year-old kid. The frame he has now is not the frame he will have when he's 21. He's reasonably likely to put on 20 pounds just in the course of filling out, not counting any muscle he gains through professional training.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

If the team get McKenna, do we call off the rebuild,and try to win it all during his ELC? or wait for the 2nd window when Huberdeau is off the books?
Defence is in shambles and no #1C but plenty of tradeable assets and cap space.

Nope.

Most teams need to get a few of those top 3 to top 5 picks before taking the next step. One lottery win alone usually isn't enough.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Fan69

35 lbs is unlikely.

Why?

Dedication is everything, my own son was 6'1 160lbs at 17, he got into weight training and MMA, fours years later he was 6'2 220lbs with around 12% body fat.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Why?

Dedication is everything, my own son was 6'1 160lbs at 17, he got into weight training and MMA, fours years later he was 6'2 220lbs with around 12% body fat.

Genetics?

His frame is almost exactly the same as mine at that age and i was eating upwards of 4000 calories a day and struggled to get to 185.

Could his frame be different? Ya sure but his height and weight currently dont lend to putting on 35 40 lbs for most people. Even if he hit close to 200 he isnt a physical player which is more the point i was making.

[Wastedyouth]

Ok, humblebrag much, you guys?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Ok, humblebrag much, you guys?

Right? I was just about to head out to the store to buy some magnums and thought the same thing.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Genetics?

His frame is almost exactly the same as mine at that age and i was eating upwards of 4000 calories a day and struggled to get to 185.

Could his frame be different? Ya sure but his height and weight currently dont lend to putting on 35 40 lbs for most people. Even if he hit close to 200 he isnt a physical player which is more the point i was making.

That's an incredibly small sample size you're going off of.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

If the team get McKenna, do we call off the rebuild,and try to win it all during his ELC? or wait for the 2nd window when Huberdeau is off the books?
Defence is in shambles and no #1C but plenty of tradeable assets and cap space.

Need at least three top end drafts

The last version of the flames had Bennett, Monahan and Tkachuk as top picks and still not enough

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Need at least three top end drafts

The last version of the flames had Bennett, Monahan and Tkachuk as top picks and still not enough

The last version of the Flames came off a string of years when, except for Gaudreau, they didn't get much out of the later rounds. This team looks to have several good pieces already in the system.

I agree you need more than one top-end draft, but they're not exactly starting from zero here.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The last version of the Flames came off a string of years when, except for Gaudreau, they didn't get much out of the later rounds. This team looks to have several good pieces already in the system.

I agree you need more than one top-end draft, but they're not exactly starting from zero here.

The point is they need more than one guy , other than Parekh and maybe Gridin , none of the current group of prospects can carry the offense

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

The point is they need more than one guy , other than Parekh and maybe Gridin , none of the current group of prospects can carry the offense

Bit early to say that, unless you have inside knowledge that none of Reschny, Potter, Stockselius, or Wyttenbach are going to pan out – among others, possibly. I don't think we've seen the best of Coronato, either.

[Poe969]

I don't mean to brag, but I put on weight very easily....its more the Dustin Penner type though.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

If the team get McKenna, do we call off the rebuild,and try to win it all during his ELC? or wait for the 2nd window when Huberdeau is off the books?
Defence is in shambles and no #1C but plenty of tradeable assets and cap space.

No. Add McKenna to the team and we are still a non-playoff team. It would be foolish to think otherwise.

[Ashes]

Maybe I'm in the mirority here but when I consider the depth of the Flames prospect base right now, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that a top-5 pick in 26 and another in 27 is all we should really need to be considered re-built (easier said than done, yes). But when you consider that the additional picks we will be making in those next two drafts who could also turn out to be gems, IMO it's possible.

(top 5 pick 2026)
(Additional 1st/2nd 2026)
(top 5 pick 2027)
(Additional 1st/2nd 2027)

Parekh
Wolf
Reschny
Gridin
Honzek
Zary
Coronato

Potter
Bruz
Morin
Suniev
Basha
Mews
Stonks

+ More

Then you consider possible trades and bigger-ticket names in FA once we have a solid team on the upswing and a new building.. IMO we aren't 5 years of tanking away from looking like a good team on the up-swing. I think we're two top picks away personally. Ideally a top line winger and true 1C will be found in the next two drafts, and then maybe another top 4 defencemen surprises in the prospect base, or we draft another with the extra 1sts/2nds.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Ashes

Maybe I'm in the mirority here but when I consider the depth of the Flames prospect base right now, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that a top-5 pick in 26 and another in 27 is all we should really need to be considered re-built (easier said than done, yes). But when you consider that the additional picks we will be making in those next two drafts who could also turn out to be gems, IMO it's possible.

(top 5 pick 2026)
(Additional 1st/2nd 2026)
(top 5 pick 2027)
(Additional 1st/2nd 2027)

Parekh
Wolf
Reschny
Gridin
Honzek
Zary
Coronato

Potter
Bruz
Morin
Suniev
Basha
Mews
Stonks

+ More

Then you consider possible trades and bigger-ticket names in FA once we have a solid team on the upswing and a new building.. IMO we aren't 5 years of tanking away from looking like a good team on the up-swing. I think we're two top picks away personally. Ideally a top line winger and true 1C will be found in the next two drafts, and then maybe another top 4 defencemen surprises in the prospect base, or we draft another with the extra 1sts/2nds.

I agree. We have another two drafts with multiple firsts and seconds (hopefully we'll have a top-3 pick in one or two), plus whatever assets we get from trading Andersson, and possibly Kadri and Coleman. Gridin looks good, and we still have some hope in Honzek, plus there's multiple excellent "bullets in the gun" throughout the organization. Reschny, for example, is a can't miss prospect IMO.

While we may not exactly be a true "contender" in a few years, we will definitely be a team "on the upswing" as you said- with plenty of hope for the future.

[Ashes]

Agreed 100%, My only slight "concern" with the Kadri/Anderrson trades is if we're going to try to take on another teams misfit toys again as a return.

Trading for Bahl looks like a very schrewd decision and I'm pleasantly surprised, but I just hope we aren't looking at more Frost/Farabee/Miromanov/Kuzmenko experiments.

I think if we can't pry a top prospect out of these teams, I'd be most happy honestly with just more draft capital at this point. The last thing we need is more middle-six wingers/project defencemen.

More than anything though I'm crossing my fingers for a Brock Nelson or Elias Lindholm type return for Kadri w/ a non negotiable 1st included.

Also worth noting that with the Olympics this season and the condensed schedule, I have a feeling we might see more injuries than usual this season as the year progresses, and demand for a guy with Kadri's pedigree should only rise as a result - especially with him getting a few weeks off to rest over the olympic break.

[sureLoss]

Pronman latest rankings (paywall). He calls this an average draft class that falls off after a handful of exciting prospects.

Calls McKenna a Jack Hughes type prospect

https://x.com/coreypronman/status/19...628041091?s=12