The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers are heading into Monday evening’s NextGen Showcase in Calgary with prospect camps that reflect very different team-building paths.
Since Craig Conroy took over as Flames general manager in May 2023, Calgary has made 33 draft picks. Edmonton has made 20 in that same stretch.
And while the Oilers have still managed to reach two Stanley Cup Finals in that span, the roster makeup at rookie camp tells the larger story: the Flames have committed to a rebuild, while the Oilers have spent the past few seasons in full “burn the boats!” mode.
That difference shows up quickly when you stack the two camps side by side. Calgary’s prospect pool has earned plenty of praise across hockey circles. Edmonton’s group tends to come with a familiar qualifier - strong prospects, sure, but the NHL roster is the real headline.
With college and European prospects not available, the comparison gets even clearer.
On draft pedigree, Matvei Gridin stands alone as the only homegrown first-round pick either team is bringing. Calgary has the stronger group in the early rounds, holding a 7-3 edge in players selected in the first three rounds. Overall, the Flames have 12 draft picks spread across five drafts, while the Oilers have 11 picks from five drafts.
Trades have also shaped both camps. Calgary added Abram Wiebe, a 2022 seventh-round pick, in the Rasmus Andersson trade, and Jonathan Castagna, a 2023 third-round pick, in the MacKenzie Weegar trade. Edmonton brought in Isaac Howard, a 2022 first-round pick, from Tampa Bay in exchange for Sam O’Reilly.
Once those trade additions are folded in, the picture tightens a bit. The teams are tied 1-1 in first-round picks, the Flames lead 8-4 in players taken in the first three rounds, and Calgary holds a 14-12 edge in drafted players at this camp.
Edmonton has taken a different route to round out its prospect roster, becoming one of the league’s most active teams in signing free agents out of Europe and college hockey. Calgary, with its deeper stash of high-end draft picks, hasn’t had to lean on that market in the same way.
Both clubs also filled out their camps with players signed to AHL deals for the Calgary Wranglers and Bakersfield Condors, along with a group of undrafted junior invitees on try-outs.
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