A few years ago, the Calgary Flames were staring at one of the NHL’s thinnest prospect pools. That’s a long way from where they sit now. Under Craig Conroy, Calgary has steadily rebuilt the cupboard, and the work done in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 NHL Drafts has pushed the organization into a much healthier place.
The latest proof comes from Daily Faceoff, which ranked the Flames as the third-best prospect pool in the NHL, trailing only the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. That kind of recognition has become a theme around Calgary’s young talent, and it speaks to how much depth the organization has added in a short span.
Daily Faceoff’s top 10 for Calgary included Carson Carels, Zayne Parekh, Cole Reschny, Matvei Gridin, Hunter Brzustewicz, Ethan Wyttenbach, Tobias Trejbal, Cullen Potter, Samuel Honzek and Jack Hextall. That list alone gives the Flames plenty to work with, but it still doesn’t capture the full picture. Chase Harrington, Theo Stockselius, Henry Mews, Andrew Basha and others are also part of the mix, which is why Calgary’s system is drawing so much attention.
The 2026 draft brought another wave of additions, with the Flames selecting Carson Carels, Jack Hextall, Chase Harrington and Tobias Trejbal among the names that helped bolster the pool even further. Since then, prospect rankings across the league have consistently reflected the same idea: Calgary has built real depth, even if it still doesn’t have that one unquestioned franchise star in the mold of Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard or Matthew Schaefer.
For now, the most intriguing names are spread across different paths. This season, many of the top prospects will be in college, the CHL or Europe.
In the NHL, fans should get a look at Parekh and Gridin before more of the group arrives later in the season. Several of these players are also expected to be part of the World Juniors picture, giving the organization even more exposure for its young talent.
The appeal is obvious: two potential top defensemen, skilled wingers and a possible future second-line center all sitting in the same system. Add in Simon Nemec, who arrived via trade this offseason, and the Flames’ future keeps looking stronger by the month.
It may still take time before all of this turns into real NHL production, but the direction is clear. Calgary’s prospect pool no longer looks like a problem. It looks like a strength.
In Other News...
Flames Take A Low-Risk Look At Former Top Pick Up Front
The Flames are taking a familiar low-risk path with a player whose name still carries some draft-day weight. Alex Nylander, 28, is reportedly on his way to Calgary on a professional tryout, giving the club a chance to take a closer look at a forward who has spent time in the NHL with several teams and has been trying to re-establish himself after years of movement.
Nylander arrives with some recent momentum from the AHL, where he just wrapped up a productive run with the Toronto Marlies and helped them win a Calder Cup. For Calgary, the appeal is obvious enough: a former high pick with NHL pedigree, coming off his best stretch of minor-league production, now trying to turn that into a more permanent opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Honzek Suddenly Faces A Big Flames Opportunity
Sam Honzek has spent much of his early pro career trying to get on the ice and stay there, which is part of what makes the next step so intriguing. Drafted 16th overall by Calgary in 2023, the young forward showed encouraging signs in the 2025-26 season before injuries again interrupted his momentum, adding to a career that has already been shaped as much by recovery as by development.
Now the door looks a little wider for him going into 2026-27, with the Flames having moved out a veteran piece in July and created a spot that could fit Honzeks skill set. The talent has always been there for him to become a regular NHL player, but the next stretch may come down to the same thing that has kept surfacing in his story: whether he can finally put together a healthy run long enough to claim it. [Read more 🡒]
Flames May Have Found A New Forward Depth Gamble
Alexander Nylander is headed into Flames camp on a professional tryout agreement, giving Calgary another low-risk look at a forward who has spent much of his career trying to translate AHL production into a longer NHL opportunity. Most recently, he was part of the Toronto Marlies and helped them win the Calder Cup, adding another stop to a career that has featured plenty of minor-league miles and only brief looks at the highest level.
For Calgary, the timing makes the gamble worth watching. The forward group still has uncertainty around the edges, and Nylander will get a chance to show he can fit into that mix as the organization sorts through its options. He has not played an NHL game since 2024, so this is less about reputation than about whether he can force his way back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]