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7 Calgary Flames crack The Athletic's top 100 prospects ranking

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Jul 14 2026, 7:28 pm
7 Calgary Flames crack The Athletic's top 100 prospects ranking
Jerome Miron/Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames are quietly putting together a very good prospect pipeline, and many outside the market are beginning to take notice.

Flames fans themselves have been aware of this for some time, as GM Craig Conroy has done an excellent job so far when it comes to setting this team up for the future.

Conroy has done so by opting for a rebuild approach. He’s shipped out plenty of veterans for both draft picks and prospects, several of whom look like they could become impactful NHLers.

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic is one of many who are bullish on the future of the Flames. In his most recent column, Wheeler ranked the top 100 drafted prospects throughout the entire NHL. Seven of those players were members of the Flames.

Here’s a look at where they ranked:

1. Zayne Parekh

  • Ranked: 6th

The first Flames prospect to appear on Wheeler’s list is Zayne Parekh at sixth. It’s a nice reminder as to just how high the 20-year-old’s ceiling is despite a somewhat frustrating rookie season.

Parekh suited up for 37 games with the Flames this past season, scoring four goals and nine points. Though it was a learning experience with some lows, he did appear to be getting more comfortable by the end of the season.

2. Carson Carels

  • Ranked: 11th

The Flames were able to add another impressive young defenceman to their system at this year’s draft when they selected Carson Carels sixth overall. The 18-year-old scored 20 goals and 73 points for the WHL’s Prince George Cougars this past season.

Carels is committed to North Dakota for the 2026-27 season, which will get him closer to being NHL-ready. Whether the Flames feel he can make that jump as early as the 2027-28 campaign remains to be seen, but he figures to be a massive piece for this organization for years to come.

3. Matvei Gridin

  • Ranked: 31st

Given just how comfortable he looked in 37 games with the Flames this past season, it’s easy to forget that Matvei Gridin is still just 20 years old. Based on what we have seen, it looks as though Conroy and his staff found a gem at 28th overall in the 2024 draft.

Gridin has a rare combination of skill, size, and smarts. He has a very good and underrated shot and is willing to try creative plays that most, especially players of his age, wouldn’t even consider. He could be in for a big-time breakout season with the Flames in 2026-27.

4. Cole Reschny

  • Ranked: 38th

The one area the Flames have yet to check off in their rebuilding timeline is landing a number-one centre. Doing so is never an easy task, though Conroy hopes he may have gotten one when he selected Cole Reschny 18th overall in 2025.

Reschny is undoubtedly the best prospect the Flames have down the middle of the ice, though the jury is still undecided as to whether or not he will be a true number-one centre once he reaches the NHL level. We won’t find out just yet, as the 19-year-old will be returning to North Dakota for the 2026-27 season.

5. Cullen Potter

  • Ranked: 86th

Shortly after the Flames drafted Reschny, they added another centreman at 32nd overall: Cullen Potter. While the ceiling isn’t as high for Potter, there is still plenty to be excited about in his game if you’re a Flames fan.

Potter, who managed 26 points in 24 games with Arizona State University this past season, is said to be one of the best-skating prospects in the world. He also boasts a ton of skill, which gives him the ability to score some truly jaw-dropping goals.

6. Hunter Brzustewicz

  • Ranked: 90th

Unlike the other prospects on this list, the Flames didn’t draft Hunter Brzustewicz. The 21-year-old blueliner was selected in the third round of the 2023 draft by the Vancouver Canucks, before being acquired by the Flames in the Elias Lindholm trade.

Brzustewicz doesn’t have top-pairing potential like Parekh and Carels, but is solid enough at both ends of the ice to develop into a second-pairing defenceman. Though he’s somewhat undersized at six feet, he thinks the game well enough to be effective in his own zone.

7. Ethan Wyttenbach

  • Ranked: 100th

Ethan Wyttenbach has quickly turned into the most intriguing prospect the Flames have. It isn’t often that a fifth-round pick from just one year ago garners this much chatter, but it’s easy to see what fans in Calgary are so excited about.

Wyttenbach led all college players this past season with 59 points despite being a freshman, while his 25 goals ranked second. His skating is the one concern in his game, though he has the smarts and creativity offensively, where it may not wind up mattering. Either way, being a fifth-rounder and appearing on this list is quite the feat for the 19-year-old.

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