The Calgary Flames made quite the splash in the NHL Draft, snagging Carson Carels with the No. 6 pick. But the excitement didn't stop there.
With the No. 30 pick, the Flames turned heads again, opting for a high-end forward to bolster their future lineup. And who better to announce this promising addition than Flames legend Lanny McDonald?
Enter Jack Hextall, the dynamic center from the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. Over the past two years, Hextall has been making waves, and his numbers from the 2025/26 season speak volumes.
In 59 games, he racked up 20 goals and 58 points, showcasing a blend of skill and potential that's hard to ignore. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Hextall brings both size and finesse to the ice-a combination that any team would covet.
While Hextall's journey to the NHL might take a few years, he's set to sharpen his skills at Michigan State next season. This move to a higher level of competition is the perfect stage for Hextall to refine his game and prove his mettle.
For the Flames, Hextall is more than just a promising prospect. He's a perfect fit for their lineup, bringing a mix of skill and responsibility that complements their existing talent pool. Joining a center prospect group that includes last year's first-round picks, Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, Hextall has the potential to be a key piece in Calgary's future.
In the unpredictable world of the NHL Draft, projecting future success is always a gamble. But with Hextall, the Flames might have just found a gem-a potential middle-six center who could be the steal of the draft.
In Other News...
Flames Blue-Line Vision Just Took A Massive Step Forward
Craig Conroys effort to reshape the Flames blue line has been years in the making, and it is starting to look less like a theory and more like a real organizational identity. Since taking over as general manager in 2023, Conroy has leaned hard into stocking the pipeline with right-handed defenders through trades and drafts, giving Calgary a different kind of depth chart than it has carried for most of the cap era.
Carson Carels is the latest and loudest sign of that shift. The highly regarded defense prospect came off the board at No. 6 in the 2026 NHL Draft, a startling jump for a franchise that has long struggled to land elite blue-liners early, and his arrival only adds to the sense that Calgary is trying to build something sturdier from the back end forward. With other young defense pieces also beginning to take shape, the Flames suddenly have a real chance to compare favorably with a lot of the league if this group develops the way the organization believes it can. [Read more 🡒]
Wranglers Could Be Headed For Another Major Leadership Shakeup
The Calgary Wranglers are heading into the summer with the kind of roster uncertainty that usually comes with a new AHL season, but this one carries a little more weight than most. Several players are either up for new deals or may end up elsewhere depending on how the Flames sort out their own lineup, which means the Wranglers could look noticeably different when camp opens for 2025-26.
A few familiar names are at the center of that turnover, and the ripple effects go beyond simple depth-chart shuffling. Calgary already knows it may need to absorb some losses and replace offense from the wings, while also sorting out how much room there is for younger pieces to push in from above or earn bigger roles below. If the summer breaks a certain way, the Wranglers will not just be tweaking the roster - they could be resetting the tone of the room, too. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Camp Just Put A Surprising Spotlight On Their Future Blue Line
The Flames are set to open development camp July 1 at WinSport, and the first glance at this summers prospect group offers a pretty useful snapshot of where the organization is trying to go next. Twenty-five players are slated to take part in three days of on-ice work, with every one of Calgarys nine 2026 draft picks in the mix alongside a few of the most intriguing names in the system.
Among the group, the blue line is drawing as much attention as any other part of the roster. Carson Carels stands out as the kind of defender the Flames can dream on, while Cole Reschny, Cullen Potter and Ethan Wyttenbach are also expected to get a close look before eventually returning to Calgary after their NCAA seasons. Henry Mews is part of the camp list as well, adding another layer of interest to a group that should give the Flames a clearer sense of how much future help they may already have in the pipeline. [Read more 🡒]