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The placement of the Flames’ first-round pick from Vegas is becoming clearer

Ryan Pike — Fri, 15 May 2026 20:00:30 GMT

Gang, the Calgary Flames have many, many draft choices in the 2026 NHL Draft.

After the draft lottery earlier this month, we know that the Flames will select at sixth overall. They are owed a first-round pick from Vegas in this year’s draft to complete the Noah Hanifin trade from prior to the 2024 trade deadline. With the Vegas Golden Knights progressing through the Stanley Cup playoffs, the placement of their first-round pick is becoming much clearer.

This year, here’s how the order of the final few picks in the first round of the NHL Draft will be set:

As punishment for the Evgenii Dadonov missing no-trade clause controversy from 2022, Ottawa will select at 32nd overall, the final spot in the first round. (They previously had their first round pick taken away, but it was subsequently reinstated with this condition.)
The Stanley Cup winner will draft 31st.
The Stanley Cup runner-up will draft 30th.
The conference final loser with the most regular season points will draft 29th.
The conference final loser with the least regular season points will draft 28th.

Vegas will be playing the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final. Meanwhile, Carolina will be facing Buffalo or Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final. With 95 points in the regular season, Vegas will be the conference finalist with the fewest regular season points regardless of whether Buffalo (109) or Montreal (106) advance.

Long story short, here’s what matters from a Flames drafting perspective:

The Flames own Vegas’ 2026 first-round pick, with zero conditions on it.
If Vegas loses to Colorado in the conference final, that pick will be 28th overall.
If Vegas loses in the Stanley Cup Final, that pick will be 30th overall.
If Vegas wins the Stanley Cup, that pick will be 31st overall and, as a condition of the January 2026 trade that sent Rasmus Andersson to Vegas, the Flames will receive Vegas’ 2028 first-round pick (instead of the 2028 second-round pick already included in that trade).

In other words: the next round or two of the Stanley Cup playoffs have some fairly specific draft-related stakes for the Flames. We’ll see how things pan out.

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How have the Flames’ 2024 draft choices progressed so far?

Ryan Pike — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:00:19 GMT

The 2o24 NHL Draft was the second conducted by the Calgary Flames under general manager Craig Conroy.

We’re only two years out from it, but so far the early returns are promising. Here’s a check-in on how the 2024 draft class is progressing.

Zayne Parekh: first round, ninth overall

A right shot defender from Ontario, Parekh had a superb junior career. In his first post-draft season, Parekh became the first Ontario junior blueliner to score 30 goals in back-to-back seasons since Bobby Orr. He was also the first OHL defenceman with 100-plus points since Ryan Ellis in 2011-12.

He then moved onto pro hockey in 2025-26 and played mostly in the NHL – a consequence of being too good for the OHL but not old enough for full-time AHL eligibility. He had a rough first half of the season, with an unclear role compounded by a later injury. But in the back half of the year he found his stride, starting with a strong World Juniors and AHL conditioning stint and following that up with a superb final 20 games of the NHL season.

He has two seasons left on his entry-level deal.

Matvei Gridin: first round, 28th overall

A Russian import, Gridin was drafted out of the USHL and then moved on the QMJHL for his draft+1 season. He really impressed with Shawinigan, being named the Q’s Offensive Rookie of the Year and its overall Rookie of the Year.

He went pro in 2025-26 as a 19-year-old and made the Flames roster out of camp. He moved to the AHL once Jonathan Huberdeau returned from injury, but he emerged as the Wranglers’ most dangerous offensive player and worked on his play away from the puck, too. He represented the Wranglers in the AHL’s All-Star Classic and had a couple more call-ups, including one that lasted the last quarter of the season and saw him emerge as a pretty impressive offensive weapon for the Flames.

Like Parekh, Gridin has two seasons left on his entry-level deal.

Andrew Basha: second round, 41st overall

A Calgary kid who played with Medicine Hat in the WHL, Basha impressed enough to be in the first-round conversation in his draft year despite playing through a nagging ankle injury. He opted to get that injury dealt with a couple months into his Draft+1 season, but he worked hard enough in his rehab that he returned early… and early enough to rejoin the Tigers to win a WHL Championship and appear in the Memorial Cup tournament.

He started 2025-26 with the AHL’s Wranglers but after being in and out of the lineup – and playing a checking bottom-six role when he did play – he moved back to the Tigers and dominated offensively for the rest of the season. He also learned how to play centre and was one of the team’s top overall plays as they marched to the conference final round.

Basha’s entry-level deal slid in 2025-26 – he’s a late birthday – so he still has three seasons left on his entry-level deal.

Jacob Battaglia: second round, 62nd overall

A versatile offensive forward with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, Battaglia spent two seasons in the Flames system.

In his first season, he scored oodles of goals on an impressively deep Kingston group. He was quietly one of the better offensive producers in the entire OHL and he earned an entry-level contract with a strong season.

In his second season, he struggled on a Kingston team that had lost some big pieces to graduation or college hockey. The hope was that perhaps he could take a step and be a difference-maker in the absence of some of his older teammates. That didn’t happen in Kingston and he was traded to Flint at the OHL trade deadline. He continued being a pretty good but not quite dominant OHLer for the Firebirds – a member of the ensemble but not the leading man, if you will – and the Flames traded him to the New York Rangers at the NHL trade deadline for Brennan Othmann.

Henry Mews: third round, 74th overall

A right shot offensive defender from the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, Mews had two very different seasons post-draft.

In his Draft+1 season in the OHL, he split the season between Ottawa and Sudbury – where he was moved prior to the OHL trade deadline. He was a strong offensive contributor with both teams. He moved onto the University of Michigan for 2025-26, being one of the first top NHL prospects to make the commitment to college hockey once rules changed. He played just 10 games before a knee injury ended his season… but he quarterbacked one of the top power plays in the NCAA.

We’re very curious to see if he can prove that 10 game glimpse wasn’t a fluke, but possibly a preview of how well he can lead a strong offensive attack.

Kirill Zarubin: third round, 84th overall

A Russian goaltender, Zarubin has spent two seasons with the Mikhailov Academy in the Tula region of Russia, playing in that country’s top junior league, the MHL. In his Draft+1 season he was used in a bit of a tandem, playing 21 games and posting a .935 save percentage. The academy’s coaches seemingly said “nuts to that, let’s give him tons of games” in 2025-26, so he played 48 games and posted a .930 save percentage.

Zarubin’s aging out of junior hockey, so we’re curious where he lands going forward.

Trevor Hoskin: fourth round, 106th overall

An OJHL product, the Flames selected Hoskin in his third year of draft eligibility as a 20-year-old prospect. He went to Niagara University in 2024-25 as a freshman and winning his conference’s Rookie of the Year award. He moved onto Merrimack College as a sophomore in 2025-26 and continued to impress. He helped his team win Hockey East’s conference playoff tournament as a big underdog and was named to the playoff all-star team. He’ll be headed back for his junior year.

Hoskin seems like a late-bloomer of sorts, but he’s been really impressive over his last three seasons.

Luke Misa: fifth round, 150th overall

The older brother of San Jose Sharks pick Michael Misa, Luke’s a smallish offensive forward drafted out of the OHL. He impressed in his Draft+1 season with Brampton and moved onto Penn State University in 2025-26 for his freshman year. He was a bit quiet offensively in the first half of the season as he adjusted to the different style of hockey, then he started to find his consistency in the second half of the year. His offensive output – 19 points in 37 games – was respectable, all things considered.

He’s headed back for his sophomore year, where he’ll likely have a bigger role and try to take a big step forward on the scoresheet.

Hunter Laing: sixth round, 170th overall

A big-bodied right shot forward from the Dub, Laing was drafted from Prince George late in the 2024 draft but was traded to Saskatoon midway through his Draft+1 season. He was a promising forward with Prince George and has emerged as an effective, if unspectacular, WHL forward with the Blades.

Laing’s draft rights expire on June 1, so the Flames have to decide whether to sign him or let his rights lapse by then.

Eric Jamieson: sixth round, 177th overall

A big-bodied left shot defender from the Dub drafted in his second year of eligibility, Jamieson is another player who spent a year in junior and then headed to college. He spent his Draft+1 year primarily partnered with exceptional status defender Landon DuPont and captaining the Everett Silvertips. He spent his Draft+2 year with the University of Denver, playing a top for role and winning a national championship while being named to his conference’s all-rookie team. At the very least, he’s a player that can play with high-end talent.

He’s headed back to Denver for his sophomore year.

The class, at a glance

Four 2024 draftees have signed their entry-level deals with the Flames: Parekh, Gridin, Basha and Battaglia, though Battaglia was then traded to the Rangers.

Two 2024 draftees have played NHL games: Parekh and Gridin.

What do you think of the Flames’ 2024 draft class? Let us know in the comments!

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FN Report Cards: Victor Olofsson played well in a tough situation

Ryan Pike — Fri, 15 May 2026 16:00:21 GMT

Imagine going from a team that leads the National Hockey League in just about everything, one possibly destined for the Stanley Cup Final, to one that’s guaranteed to miss the playoffs and leaning into a rebuilding process.

Swedish winger Victor Olofsson began the season with the Colorado Avalanche. He ended up finishing the season with the Calgary Flames, and it cannot be said enough: considering the circumstances, you cannot give the man any guff for his effort or professionalism in what was undoubtedly a tough situation for him.

Expectations

A product of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden – the same hometown as Flames prospect William Stromgren – Olofsson was a seventh-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2014. After four post-draft seasons in Sweden, Olofsson opted to sign with the Sabres and come to North America in 2018.

He split 2018-19 between Buffalo and the AHL’s Rochester Americans, but he became a full-time NHLer in 2019-20 and has been one ever since. He spent five full campaigns with the Sabres, topping out offensively with 49 points in 2021-22 and 28 goals in 2022-23. He signed with Vegas in 2024 as a free agent and moved onto Colorado as a free agent in 2025.

The hope from the Avalanche was that Olofsson, after a 29-point season with Vegas, could provide some bottom-six depth and scoring.

Performance

Olofsson quietly had a really good run with the Avalanche. Through 60 games, he had 25 points. He was traded to the Flames as part of the Nazem Kadri deal on trade deadline day, in part to make the salary cap math work for Colorado.

In 18 games with the Flames, Olofsson had six points. He was playing in the Flames’ bottom six with a rotation of players including Ryan Strome, Yegor Sharangovich, Adam Klapka and Martin Pospisil. All things considered, he made some really nice plays from time to time and acquitted himself pretty well.

Outlook

Olofsson is a pending unrestricted free agent as of July 1. On paper, he may seem a bit like a “sell high” short-term reclamation project, but the Flames arguably already have a few veterans on their roster that could fall into that category – Strome, Olli Maatta and Zach Whitecloud come to mind – and the Flames’ system is already jam-packed with so many wingers, we’re not sure where they all fit in.

Olofsson’s a quality depth piece, but the Flames just have too many players vying for ice time on the flanks for him to be much of a fit. He’ll find a spot elsewhere in the NHL with little trouble, we’re sure.

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FN Draft Profiles: Alexander Command is a promising Swedish centre with a great name

Ryan Pike — Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:47 GMT

It’s been said that the smartest way to build a hockey team is up the middle. Load up on high-quality centres and then just go from there. In the 2025 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames used their first three draft picks on promising young centres.

But it’s a new year, a new draft, and the Flames are still building, so centres are still needed. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Swedish centre Alexander Command.

Scouting report

A product of the Stockholm suburb of Danderyd, Command is a left shot centre listed at 6’1″ and 187 pounds. He’s a June 2008 birthday, so he turns 18 pretty close to the draft.

He played his minor hockey with SDE HF in Stockholm, then moved to the Orebro HF organization (in central Sweden) for the 2024-25 season. He spent most of that year in the U18 Nationell, Sweden’s top under-18 league, and impressed enough to get a few looks in at the U20 Nationell.

In 2025-26, Command spent time playing in three levels: U18 (1 game), U20 (30 games) and the Swedish Hockey League (6 games). He also represented Sweden at the Junior A World Challenge and the Under-18 World Championships.

In March, Sportsnet and Pro Hockey Group’s Jason Bukala had this assessment of Command:

Command is flat out a “hockey player”. He doesn’t have any holes in his game, but he’s also not exceptionally elite in any one category. I value his consistency and the fact he can be deployed in all situations and on any line. Coaches love these kinds of trustworthy prospects.

In April, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis had this rundown as part of his rankings:

Despite his last name, Command doesn’t demand too much attention. Instead, he’s a smart, solid two-way center who makes everyone around him better. He doesn’t seem to have many off shifts, and that’s because he’s effective away from the puck, too. He reminds me a bit of Milton Gastrin – someone who can contribute offensively but also will win faceoffs, block shots and make moves with intent. I’ve liked him internationally, and he has played quite well against his own age group. I think he’s more of a third-liner in the NHL, but one who shouldn’t have many issues being effective.

The numbers

In 30 games in the U20 Nationell this season, Command had 44 points. He also made his pro debut in six SHL games, and had a point-per-game performance in both the Junior A World Challenge and the Under-18 Worlds.

Command’s 44 points was tied for seventh league-wide in the U20 Nationell, and was the most by an under-18 player in that circuit.

Availability and fit

We’ve written extensively about the Flames’ love of Swedish players on the site, so we won’t belabour the point. Command feels like the sort of player, an effective all-around Swedish centre with upside, that the Flames always seem to have time for in their system.

In terms of availability, there’s another box checked off on the checklist. Generally-speaking, Command appears on public draft rankings in the late 20s (or early in the second round). That’s more or less where the Vegas pick, acquired from the Flames in the Noah Hanifin swap, is expected to land. All things considered, that wouldn’t be a hugely surprisingly spot to see him taken, nor would Calgary seem like a surprising place to see him land.

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NHL Notebook: Matthew Schaefer wins 2025-26 Calder Trophy

Ryley Delaney — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:45:02 GMT

The Calder Trophy winner has been announced.

On Wednesday morning, the National Hockey League announced that 2025 first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, has been awarded the Calder Trophy.

Awarded to the best rookie in the league, the left-shot defenceman scored 23 goals and 59 points in 82 games with the New York Islanders. Among fellow rookies, his goals were tied for first, while his 59 points were good enough for second. For context, the next best rookie defenceman in both goals and points was Alexander Nikishin, who scored 11 goals and 33 points.

With those 23 goals, Schaefer matched the most ever for a rookie defenceman, tying Brian Leetch’s 23 goals in 68 games back in 1998-89.

Additionally, his emergence as a true number one defenceman made the Islanders far more competitive than they were in 2024-25. They missed the post-season by eight points due to a 3-7-0 stretch in their final 10, but held a playoff spot on Apr. 4.

Schaefer will no doubt earn Norris votes as well whenever that’s awarded.

Brayden McNabb suspended one game, Charlie McAvoy suspended for six games

There were a few suspensions handed out in recent times. In Game 5 of the Anaheim Ducks/Vegas Golden Knights series, Brayden McNabb interfered with Ryan Poehling, which was given a one-game suspension. Poehling is out for an indefinite period of time

Moreover, Charlie McAvoy was suspended for six games in the Boston Bruins’ final game of the season. After he was slew-footed by Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson, McAvoy retaliated by swinging his stick into Benson’s hands. Unlike McNabb, all six of McAvoy’s games will be served at the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

Since he was suspended for more than five games, McAvoy is able to appeal the suspension to an arbitrator. The last suspension over six games to be shortened after arbitration was Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension during the 2024-25 season. The Minnesota Wild forward drove Tim Stützle’s head into the ice off a faceoff, and though he was originally given 10 games, it was shortened to two.

Maple Leafs fire Craig Berube, Oilers fire Kris Knoblauch

There are two Canadian teams who are searching for a new head coach. On Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that head coach Craig Berube has been fired. Just a day later, the Edmonton Oilers announced that Kris Knoblauch was fired after leading the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025.

Berube joined the Maple Leafs for the 2024-25 season, coaching the team for 164 games where they went 84-62-18. The Leafs made it to Game 7 of the second round, but ultimately blew a 2-0 series lead to the Florida Panthers. Last season, the Leafs were 32-36-14, the fewest points in the Atlantic Division after finishing first in the division the season before.

The Leafs were Berube’s third team he’s coached, as he spent two seasons at the helm of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2013-14 and 2014-15. His great success came during the 2018-19 season, taking over as the coach of the St. Louis Blues mid-season and winning the Stanley Cup in one of the most memorable runs in recent memory. After beginning the 2023-24 season 13-14-1, Berube was fired by the Blues.

As for Knoblauch, he replaced Jay Woodcroft after the Oilers began their 2023-24 season 3-9-2. After that, the Oilers went 46-18-5, including a 16-game winning streak at the end of the 2023 and into February 2024. They made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and even overcame a 3-0 series deficit before losing Game 7 by a score of 2-1.

After another tough start, the Oilers finished the 2024-25 season with a 48-29-5 record, good enough for third in the Pacific Division. They dropped their first two games against the Los Angeles Kings, but won 12 of their next 14 games to face the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year. This time, it was far less competitive, with the Oilers losing in six.

There was no deep run for the Oilers in 2025-26, finishing second in an incredibly weak division thanks to a 41-30-11 record. Knoblauch and the Oilers were out-coached by Joel Quenneville and the Anaheim Ducks, dropping their first round matchup.

Knoblauch finished his Oilers’ tenure with a 135-77-21 regular season record and a 32-22 record in the post-season.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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What’s Going On In the Playoffs: Hurricanes and Avalanche move on to the Conference Finals

Ryley Delaney — Thu, 14 May 2026 23:00:04 GMT

Two teams have already punched their ticket to the Conference Finals.

Both the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche will be one of the final four teams with a chance to win the Stanley Cup, after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild respectively.

Moreover, the Vegas Golden Knights are just one win away from punching their ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2023, while the Montréal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres are deadlocked at two wins each.

Let’s take a look at what happened in the post–season this past week.

Golden Knights/Ducks

The Vegas Golden Knights have pushed the Anaheim Ducks to the brink. Heading to Anaheim with the series tied at one game apiece, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions throttled the Golden Knights 6-2. In the first period, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and Mitch Marner scored to give the Golden Knights a 3-0 lead.

Then in the second period, Marner scored his second and third goals to give the Golden Knights a 5-0 lead after 40. The Ducks had some fight in them, scoring a pair of goals, but an empty netter from Brett Howden sealed the game, giving the Golden Knights a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4 was also in Anaheim, but it was the hosts that came out on top. Beckett Sennecke opened the scoring, but less than two minutes later, Pavel Dorofeyev scored. Before the end of the first, Mikael Granlund scored to make it 2-1.

Once again, the Golden Knights tied it thanks to a goal from Howden four minutes into the second period. But with Alex Killorn’s power play goal with two to play in the second, the Ducks started to pull away. Ian Moore scored early in the third, which turned out to be the game-winner when Tomáš Hertl found twine with 64 seconds to play. The Golden Knights were unable to tie it.

That made the series a best of three, with the pivotal Game 5 returning to Sin City. Sennecke scored the game’s opening goal for a second consecutive game, but Dorofeyev scored a power play goal with under four to play in the first. Hertl scored his second of the post-season five minutes into the third, but with just over three to play, Olen Zellweger scored to send the game to overtime.

There, Dorofeyev scored his seventh of the playoffs just four minutes in, giving the Golden Knights a 3-2 series lead.

PAVEL DOROFEYEV CALLS GAME 🚨

VEGAS WINS GAME 5 IN @ENERGIZER OVERTIME! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/BiAoEew6PZ

— NHL (@NHL) May 13, 2026

The series shifts to Orange County for Game 6 on Thursday, which has a start time of 7:30 p.m. MT. If the Ducks win, Game 7 is on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. MT.

Avalanche/Wild

As expected, the Colorado Avalanche have punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals.

Heading to Minneapolis down 2-0, the Minnesota Wild found a way to win Game 3. Kirill Kaprizov opened the scoring with five left in the first, then Quinn Hughes scored less than two minutes later. In the second, Ryan Hartman scored the Wild’s second power play goal of the game, but Nathan MacKinnon found the back of the net on the man-advantage with seven left in the second.

That 3-1 score lasted 20 seconds, as Brock Faber beat Mackenzie Blackwood to snuff out any comeback attempt. Matt Boldy sealed the win thanks to his third empty net goal of the post-season.

Now down 2-1 in the series, the Wild opened the scoring thanks to a Danila Yurov power play goal midway into the first. However, former Calgary Flame Nazem Kadri scored a power play goal of his own six minutes into the second.

With the score tied at one after 40, Ross Colton gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead seven minutes into the third, but Nico Sturm returned fire with just over 10 to play. That turned out to be the Wild’s final goal on home ice this season, as Parker Kelly scored the game-winner just over two minutes later. MacKinnon and Brock Nelson each scored empty netters.

The Wild got off to a great start in Game 5, as Marcus Johansson scored just 34 seconds into the game. That was followed by a pair of Nick Foligno goals to put the Wild up 3-0 after 20. With nine to play in the second, Parker Kelly got the Avalanche on the board.

They held onto that lead for the first 16 minutes of the third, but Jack Drury cut the lead to one. With 83 seconds left in the game, MacKinnon tied the game to send it to overtime. Then just four minutes into the extra period, former Flame Brett Kulak scored to get the Avalanche to the Western Conference Finals.

BRETT KULAK IS THE @ENERGIZER OVERTIME HERO!!! 🤩

HE SENDS THE AVS TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL!!! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/JUrOYV6PoW

— NHL (@NHL) May 14, 2026

It’s unclear when the Conference Finals will begin, as it depends on the other Western Conference series.

Sabres/Canadiens

One of two ongoing series is contested between the Montréal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. It was late to start thanks to the Canadiens’ opening round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning heading to seven games, and the Sabres took a 1-0 lead after a 4-2 victory in Game 1.

The Canadiens managed to split the first two games in Buffalo thanks to a 5-1 victory in Game 2. Alex Newhook opened the scoring 96 seconds into the game, then Mike Matheson doubled their lead five minutes into the first. Newhook scored again about five minutes into the second.

Zach Benson found the back of the net with 38 seconds to play in the second period, giving the Sabres some life. However, that push was ended after Alexandre Carrier scored four minutes into the third. Captain Nick Suzuki iced the game with an empty netter.

For the first time this post-season, the Canadiens won two consecutive games thanks to a 6-2 victory in Montréal in Game 3. Tage Thompson opened the scoring 53 seconds in, but Newhook tied it with five to play in the first.

In the second period, Cole Caufield scored a power play goal to give the Canadiens a lead, then Zach Bolduc extended the lead to two. Juraj Slafkovský then scored a power play goal to make it 4-1, but that was quickly followed by a power play goal from Rasmus Dahlin. Once again, any hope was snuffed out quickly, as Kirby Dach scored nine minutes into the third. Newhook scored his fourth of the series after an empty netter.

Looking to avoid going down 3-1 in the series, the Sabres were able to win Game 4 by a score of 3-2, despite being out-shot 31-22, the fourth time they were out-shot in the series. Mattias Samuelsson scored six and a half minutes into the first, but Newhook scored his fifth of the series midway through the first. With 13 seconds left in the first, Caufield scored a power play goal.

However, Thompson tied the game thanks to a power play goal seven minutes into the second period. Then Benson found the back of the net five minutes into the third, with the Sabres being able to hold on from there.

Game 5 returns to Western New York, with that game coming our way on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. MT. Game 6 will be on Saturday evening in Montréal with a 6:00 p.m. MT start time. If needed, Game 7 is on Monday at 5:30 p.m. MT.

Hurricanes/Flyers

To the surprise of no one, the Carolina Hurricanes easily dispelled the Philadelphia Flyers. Taking a 2-0 series lead to the City of Brotherly Love, the Hurricanes took a commanding 3-0 series lead thanks to a 4-1 victory in Game 3.

Captain Jordan Staal scored a power play goal late in the first period, but Flyers’ winger Trevor Zegras tied it early in the second. On a Flyers’ power play, Jalen Chatfield scored a short-handed goal, which turned out to be the game-winner. Four minutes into the third, Andrei Svechnikov scored a power play goal to take a 3-1 lead, then Nikolaj Ehlers scored seven minutes into the third for the 4-1 victory.

With their backs up against the wall, the Flyers put up more of a fight in Game 4. Tyson Foerster opened the scoring eight minutes into the first, but the Hurricanes tied the game with seven to play in the second period thanks to a Jackson Blake goal. Four minutes into the third, Logan Stankoven scored his seventh of the post-season to put the Hurricanes up 2-1, but Alex Bump scored less than two minutes later, sending the game to overtime.

Both the Hurricanes and Avalanche have clinched their ticket to the Conference Finals thanks to overtime goals. Blake was the hero for the Canes, scoring five and a half minutes into the extra frame for the 3-2 victory and 4-0 series win.

CAROLINA CAN'T STOP WINNING 🗣️

Jackson Blake's Subway Canada OT winner sends the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Final! pic.twitter.com/0XzrMJiI1m

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 10, 2026

With an ongoing series in each conference, it’s unclear when the Conference Finals will begin.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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How have the Flames’ 2023 draft choices progressed so far?

Ryan Pike — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:00:42 GMT

Gang, we’re creeping gradually up on the 2026 NHL Draft, taking place June 26 & 27 remotely from Buffalo, New York. It’s the fourth draft under the guidance of general manager Craig Conroy, and the Flames have oodles and oodles of picks.

As we wait for the 2026 edition of the draft to arrive, let’s take a look back at how the 2023 draft class has fared so far.

Sam Honzek – first round, 16th overall

A product of Slovakia, Honzek is a left shot forward who mostly plays the wing. (He dabbled briefly with centre in the AHL.) In three post-draft seasons, he’s missed chunks of time due to injury in each of them – it’s actually four in a row, dating back to his draft year.

But despite that, Honzek’s shown a ton of growth. He’s tall and he’s filled out his frame. He showed a lot of hustle, winning NHL roster spots coming out of training camp in both 2024-25 and 2025-26. And he’s shown the ability to be a bit of a sponge at pro hockey, playing in a ton of different game situations – in the Dub with the Vancouver Giants, in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers and in the NHL with the Flames – and adapting himself along the way.

Prior to his November season-ending injury he had found a home on the penalty kill and the Flames’ shutdown line. Now he just needs to find a way to avoid the injury bug.

Etienne Morin – second round, 48th overall

An offensive-oriented defender from the QMJHL, Morin played two post-draft seasons with the Moncton Wildcats. He was strong offensively, but not quite dominant, as he seemed to really focus in on working on his defensive game. He went pro as a 20-year-old in 2025-26, splitting the season between the AHL’s Wranglers and the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush.

He had a rough first half of the season in the AHL, playing sporadically and not quite finding a rhythm. He seemed to start figuring it out in the second half and showed flashes of his QMJHL self here and there. He needs to work on his strength a bit, but the tools all seem to be there.

Aydar Suniev – third round, 80th overall

A dynamic left shot winger with a heck of a shot, Suniev was drafted out of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees and went right to college. He played two seasons with the NCAA’s University of Massachusetts. He gradually figured out his game away from the puck, which led to him getting more and more of a chance to use his great shot.

Suniev went pro in 2025-26 as a 21-year-old, playing primarily with the Wranglers. He showed flashes of brilliance – he has that shot, after all – and he showed improvement away from the puck. If you’re looking at how he built his game in two years in the NCAA, it’s not unreasonable to suspect we could see some version of the same with him as a pro.

Jaden Lipinski – fourth round, 112th overall

A lanky right shot centre, Lipinski played two post-draft seasons with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants – and briefly spent a few games with the AHL’s Wranglers as a 20-year-old. He was a really good junior player, but not quite a dominant one.

He moved onto college in 2025-26, joining the University of Maine as a 21-year-old freshman. He was a reliable depth player for Maine, but we’ll see if he can take a step as a sophomore.

Yegor Yegorov – sixth round, 176th overall

A Russian netminder, and part of the Flames’ recent trend to take fliers on promising netminders in the later rounds, Yegorov has stayed in Russia for his three post-draft seasons. He’s played primarily in Russia’s top junior league, the MHL, split between MHK Dynamo Moskva, MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva and MHK Spartak-MAX Moskva. He’s put up quite solid numbers despite being on some junior teams that weren’t full of top stars.

He’s aging out of junior, so we’ll see where he ends up next.

Axel Hurtig, seventh round 208th overall

A big defenceman from Sweden, Hurtig has quietly put together three very nice seasons after being drafted late. He spent a season in Sweden, playing on Rogle BK’s junior team primarily. He joined the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen as an import the following season and impressed, earning a spot on Sweden’s national team at the World Juniors. He captained the Hitmen this past season and then signed his entry-level deal with the Flames. Considering he’s a seventh-rounder, signing his ELC is a pretty big deal (and a sign that he’s on a good path so far).

The class, at a glance

Four 2023 draftees have signed their entry-level deals with the Flames: Honzek, Morin, Suniev and Hurtig.

Two 2023 draftees have played NHL games: Honzek and Suniev.

What do you think of the Flames’ 2023 draft class? Let us know in the comments!

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FN AHL Report Cards: Dryden Hunt had career year despite the challenges his teams faced

Paige Siewert — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:00:12 GMT

Dryden Hunt wrapped up his fourth season in the Calgary Flames organization this season and served as one of the Wranglers’ alternate captains. He signed a two year, two way contract extension last June and continued to serve his role as a buffer between the NHL and AHL through this season. As a player who is approaching his 10th professional season, he still found ways to take his game to another level personally even when the teams he was assigned to struggled.

Expectations

With the piece of mind with a contract in hand, Hunt didn’t need to necessarily put on a show this season to earn his next contract. That being said, Hunt isn’t one to fall under the radar to collect a paycheck. He went into this season as someone to challenge other depth players with the Flames for a spot on the opening roster and if he did not make it from the start of the season, he was expected to yo-yo a bit from the NHL to AHL.

Hunt came off a 40 point year with the Wranglers in the 2024-25 season with 16 goals and 33 assists and while the actual amount of time he was called up to the Flames was longer than the five game stint implies, he continues to be a player that approaches this role with a positive attitude.

Performance

What remained consistent this season was Hunt’s role in injury coverage at the NHL and leadership in the AHL. However, an area where hunt exceeded expectations and surprised, was in his point production. Even with a minor injury that kept him out for a few weeks and three games with the Flames, Hunt put up career numbers at 30 years old.

A stunning passing sequence finished up with a goal by Dryden Hunt pic.twitter.com/OhLEJwzUun

— Paige Siewert (@thathockeygirly) March 8, 2026

People joke about dad strength for new fathers in professional sports but with Hunt performing this well in his first full season as a father, the shoe seems to fit. He talked about that dynamic at Wranglers exit interviews last month and said:

“It was fun. I think it helped me when it was a bit of a tougher season, we just weren’t happy with our record, and that kind of thing. But when you come home to bigger and better things, it makes the season kind of go just a little bit better in your mind. It was nice to bring him to the rink a couple days. When you’re younger, you always see the older guys bring their kids to the rink so it’s special to bring my son to the rink. It was a lot of fun having him here.”

Huntsy had a little visitor at practice 🥹 pic.twitter.com/utNCAgfeff

— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) March 12, 2026

Hunt led the Wranglers in overall points and assists with 18 goals and 45 assists for a total of 63 points in 52 games, averaging 1.21 points per game. He finished third in goals and the only players above him were some of his regular linemates in Martin Frk and Rory Kerins. He finished with a plus/minus of plus-4 and in three games with the Flames, he didn’t have any points but finished with a plus/minus of minus-3.

Outlook

This season especially proved that Dryden Hunt can perform regardless of his environment. The Wranglers really struggled to find scoring, consistency and to just overall finish games at points in the season. Hunt was never one of the players in question when you would wonder what went wrong after a game. He proved there is more he can bring to his game and he didn’t hit his peak when he was younger.

Guys like Hunt are great to have around the organization not only from a team chemistry standpoint but also with the reliability aspect. The Flames know the player he is and he is an easy call away when they need someone quick and aren’t in a spot to take a chance on a newer prospect with not a lot of NHL experience behind them. He even felt at the AHL level that the younger roster showed maturity as the season went on and experience built up. Hunt said:

“I think it’s just the maturity in our game. We had a lot of young guys. We had guys that got called up on the back end early in the year and guys come and fill in and they did a great job but it’s hard in this league. You play a lot of games in a short amount of nights and I think the maturity of our game got better as the year went on but it’s tough to close out those games. Those points mean a lot earlier on in the season and you kind of realize that as the year goes on. It was frustrating that we couldn’t figure it out and get into the postseason but I think we did a great job building throughout the year.”

The Wranglers finished at the bottom of the Pacific Division and had some tough stretches along the way. You’ve got to think that guys like Dryden Hunt were in those closed door meetings and helped their team navigate the emotions and frustrations that go through a season like that, and because of that, he helped cultivate a culture where the young guys still felt happy to come to work and play with the Wranglers every day.

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FN Report Cards: Dustin Wolf experienced a sophomore slump but really just on the road

Adrian Kiss — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:21 GMT

Heading into a sophomore season can be a daunting task for an NHL goalie coming off a successful rookie campaign. The Calder Trophy runner-up last season, Calgary Flames netminder Dustin Wolf set the bar high on a team where expectations were generally low across the board. Ultimately, the team proved it overachieved a season ago and Wolf wasn’t able to bail them out this time around.

Expectations

Heading into the season, expectations for Wolf were to continue improving and establish himself as one of the NHL’s top goalies. He almost single-handedly carried the Flames to a playoff spot in his rookie season before they narrowly missed the cut. When you follow that up with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage, it’s easy to expect more of the same the following year.

While expectations for Wolf were high, there was still that threshold of understanding that came with them. It’s difficult to expect a young goalie to carry a rebuilding team on his back in consecutive seasons. The hope was that his overall numbers would remain in a similar range while still showing signs of growth on the ice.

The Flames also entered the season with uncertainty surrounding the backup goalie position. There didn’t appear to be much confidence in either Devin Cooley or Ivan Prosvetov to start the year, so there was a strong argument that Wolf would shoulder a significant portion of the workload and potentially one of the heaviest workloads in the league.

Performance

Sporting a 23-29-3 record, Wolf’s numbers trended in the wrong direction from last season. His goals-against average increased by 0.35 to 2.99, while his save percentage dropped from .911 to .899.

While those numbers don’t look great on the surface, there is another way to view them. At home, Wolf was excellent. At the Saddledome, he posted a 17-10-3 record with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. Both of his shutouts also came on home ice.

The real struggles came on the road. Away from home, Wolf posted a 6-19-0 record with a 3.78 goals-against average and an .881 save percentage. There doesn’t appear to be an easy explanation for the dramatic split. Perhaps he simply feeds off the Calgary crowd.

There were many elements of Wolf’s game that remained consistent and have become expected on a nightly basis. As always, he was quick in the crease with elite post-to-post coverage and excellent ability to read the play. However, some concerning trends also emerged. Wolf appeared to struggle getting locked into games early, allowing a significant number of goals in the opening stages, including multiple goals on the first shot of the game. There were also too many goals allowed that should have been routine saves.

The emergence of Devin Cooley as a solid, serviceable backup took a lot of weight off Wolf’s shoulders. After initially being projected to play perhaps 65 to 70 games, Wolf ended up appearing in 57, just four more than in his rookie season. Cooley’s rise also weakened the argument that his declining numbers were solely the result of playing behind a struggling team. Cooley’s numbers ranked among the best in the league. Ultimately, it points more toward Wolf experiencing a sophomore slump.

Outlook

This appears to be an odd trend among second-year goalies who found success as rookies. Recent examples include Stuart Skinner and Alex Nedeljkovic, both of whom excelled in their rookie seasons but have struggled to consistently return to that level since. You could go back even further and look at Steve Mason, who won the Calder Trophy but never came close to replicating that success again.

Goalies have historically been unpredictable. Still, it’s far too early to panic. There remains a lot to like about Wolf’s game and there’s a strong chance he will continue to grow alongside this team as it works its way back toward playoff contention. There is no doubt he is still the Flames’ number one goalie.

The first season of his seven-year contract extension begins this fall, so there is plenty of time to figure things out. Flames fans should still be prepared for plenty of “Awoo!”s in the years ahead.

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FN Report Cards: Joel Hanley was valuable veteran depth in 2025-26

Ryan Pike — Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:45 GMT

Every National Hockey League team has a veteran or two who don’t get a ton of fanfare, but are quietly hugely important to making that team tick. The best teams have a bunch of them.

Since arriving from the Flames as a waiver claim just prior to the 2024 trade deadline, defenceman Joel Hanley has become one of those quietly indispensable guys that do a lot without much ballyhoo.

Expectations

Man, Hanley has had such a weird career.

He played four years at the University of Massachusetts, where he was a reliable defender but an unspectacular offensive contributor. He played the 2014-15 season on an American Hockey League deal with the Portland Pirates, which meant he was briefly bumped down to the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators for a spell.

His AHL play impressed enough that he landed an entry-level deal with the Montreal Canadiens, and from 2015-16 until present day he’s plied his trade on a series of one and two-year deals. His first one-way deal was signed when he was 30, for goodness sake; the guy has made his way in pro hockey honestly, by working hard and being a reliable teammate that’s adapted to different circumstances. After stints with Montreal, Arizona and Dallas, he was claimed off waivers by the Flames in 2023-24 – as the Flames were navigating the departures of oodles of established defenders and needed guys like Hanley and Brayden Pachal to step in.

In 2024-25, Hanley got a chance at playing regular top-six minutes due to circumstances, and he formed a really strong pairing with MacKenzie Weegar. He even set an offensive high-mark for himself in the NHL… at nine points. That was enough to earn him a two year deal with a $1.75 million cap hit.

Performance

As seemingly everyone in a red jersey did, Hanley took a bit of a step back in 2025-26. That’s not to say he was bad by any means – he played 68 games, second among all Flames defenders, and had seven assists and was minus-5 on a team that didn’t score very much at even strength.

It’s just that Weegar struggled a bit with Hanley early in the season, which led to Hanley sliding back down the rotation and spending much of the remainder of the year on the third pairing. That said, he was a pretty good third pairing defender. He didn’t bleed goals against or too many chances against, and his gig was to play simple, predictable hockey and not get into any trouble. He did that. His season ended prematurely due to an injury in late March.

Late in the season, Zayne Parekh really seemed to find his footing after the Olympic break on a pairing with Hanley, and Parekh was quick to shout out Hanley’s positive influence on him during his late-season scrums with local media. “Nacho,” as teammates call him, is someone who’s earned respect from his teammates and coaches for playing a simple, honest brand of hockey and doing what he can to help the team.

Hanley’s not the world’s greatest player by any means, but he’s a really good low-cost, low-risk veteran depth piece.

Outlook

Hanley turns 35 in June and he’s heading into the final year of his current contract. The Flames will likely have a young defensive group once again, and he’s someone that probably won’t play every game – we’d be shocked if he dressed for anywhere close to 68 games – but he’ll undoubtedly give the Flames whatever he has left in the tank.

Plenty of players in the Flames system have more skill than Hanley, but it’s hard to pass any judgment on his grit, determination or character. He’s a respected veteran NHLer, and he’s earned that respect based on how he’s played the game over the past decade.