Calgary Flames draft pick drops but there could still be a silver lining
The Vegas Golden Knights’ playoff run has plenty of implications for the Calgary Flames.
It all stems from a pair of trades the Flames made with the Golden Knights.
The first came back at the 2024 trade deadline, which saw the Flames send Noah Hanifin to the Golden Knights in exchange for Daniil Miromanov, a conditional 2025 first-round pick, and a conditional third-round pick in 2025. That 2025 first-round selection has since changed to a 2026 first-round selection.
The other move came this past season, as the Flames traded Rasmus Andersson to the Golden Knights in exchange for Zach Whitecloud, blueline prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 second-round pick. It’s the second-round pick that Flames fans should keep an eye on.
The Golden Knights were able to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final on Thursday night, meaning that the conditional first-round pick in the Hanifin deal will be no higher than 28th overall.
That’s a disappointing result for the Flames, especially given the fact that the Golden Knights looked as though they may miss the playoffs entirely as recently as March. That 28th pick could slide even lower should the Golden Knights advance to the Stanley Cup Final, though it may not be in the interest of Flames fans to root against them.
That 2028 second-round pick acquired in the Andersson deal will instead become a first-round selection in 2028 should the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup. So, while this year’s pick could slide further, the Golden Knights winning it all would provide the Flames with yet another draft pick.
Whether the Golden Knights are able to go all the way remains to be seen.
After knocking out both the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks, the Golden Knights will face much stiffer competition this time around in the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes have already punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final, and are awaiting to see whether they will go up against the Montreal Canadiens or Buffalo Sabres.
While the Flames may not love where this 2026 pick is landing, a Stanley Cup championship for the Golden Knights could still end up paying major dividends for Calgary down the road.