After limping to a 26-27-3 record in the shortened 2020-21 season, the Flames made serious waves last year. Calgary racked up 111 points in 2021-22, the second-highest total in team history.
For all their regular season success, the Flames couldn’t quite cap it off with a bang, falling to provincial rivals Edmonton in the second round of the postseason.
Calgary has a roster littered with talent firmly entrenched in their primes. Matthew Tkachuk (24 goals, 62 assists) is a superstar. Elias Lindholm is coming off his first 40-goal season. Jacob Markstrom was immense in net, stringing together a .922 save percentage in 63 starts. And although Johnny Gaudreau’s free agency is a cause for concern, it’s clear what direction the Flames are headed into. With only three picks in the 2022 NHL Draft, it seems Calgary’s front office has realized that, too.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the Flames’ picks in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Flames draft picks 2022: When does Calgary pick?
Round 2, Pick No. 59: Topi Ronni, C, Tappara (Liiga) Round 5, Pick No. 155: Parker Bell, LW, Tri-City Americans (WHL) Round 7, Pick No. 219: Cade Littler, C, Wenatchee (BCHL)
Flames 2022 NHL Draft order
Calgary has three picks in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Flames packaged their first round pick with Tyler Pitlick and Emil Heineman to acquire Tyler Toffoli from the Canadiens. They also gave up their third-round selection to bring in backup goalie Dan Vlahar.
The transactions didn’t end there for Calgary; the Flames also flipped their fourth-round selection in the deal that initially brought Pitlick to the Saddledome, as well as dealing in the Sam Bennett-Emil Heineman deal last year.
Flames NHL Draft biggest need
Calgary has a strong defensive group at the big club, but in its prospect pool, defense is by far the weakest position. Jeremie Poirier should eventually work his way up to Calgary, but outside of him, there is no defenseman for the Flames that I would consider a top-10 prospect for the club.
The Flames have drafted just one defensemen in the first two rounds since 2016 and that’s Yan Kuznetsov, who has taken a serious step back in development. It’s time they address the blue line again.
