Flames Draft History: The Dry Spell (1986-91)

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1986: George Pelawa (16th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick.
• So, George Pelawa was a highly-touted draft choice, but tragically passed away two months after the draft following a car accident. Nobody knows what he would’ve ended up as at the NHL level, but he was very good at the levels he did play at.
• The Tom Cochrane song “Big League” has long been rumoured to be about Pelawa, though Cochrane himself has denied the song is about any one particular person.
• The Stat Line: 0 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 0
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 0

1987: Bryan Deasley (19th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick.
• Deasley never made the NHL. He played in the IHL and was traded to the Quebec Nordiques for future considerations, but ultimately retired.
• The Stat Line: 0 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 0
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 0

1988: Jason Muzzatti (21st Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick, and the final pick of the first round.
• Muzzatti was almost an NHL goalie, but not quite. He was recalled a few times, but failed to get his feet on the ground with the Flames. Eventually he was claimed off waivers by the Hartford Whalers.
• Muzzatti played 70 minutes with the Flames. He is one example of why I am terrified of drafting goalies with high picks.
• The Stat Line: 0-1-0, 6.86 goals against average
• Flames Games By Pick: 2
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 2

1990: Trevor Kidd (11th Overall)

• This was originally New Jersey’s pick. The Flames packaged picks 20, 24 and 29 to the Devils in order to get 11 and 32. New Jersey took the best goaltender of all-time with Calgary’s original pick – Martin Brodeur – while Calgary took Kidd. Whoops.
• Kidd did a lot better with the Flames than Muzzatti did, but he never really cemented himself as the Flames’ top goalie. After a few years of play that varied from “pretty good” to “frustratingly inconsistent,” the Flames cut bait and sent Kidd to Carolina (with Gary Roberts) for Andrew Cassels and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Giguere was eventually sent to Anaheim for a second round pick. That pick was sent to Washington for Miika Elomo and a pick used on yet another goaltender, Levente Szuper. Cassels, Elomo and Szuper left the Flames organization as free agents.
• This was Cliff Fletcher’s final first round selection as Flames general manager.
• The Stat Line: 72-66-26, 2.83 goals against average
• Flames Games By Pick: 178
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 351

1991: Niklas Sundblad (19th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s pick originally.
• Sundblad was an utter disappointment as a North American pro. He came over for three seasons and played a pair of NHL games. He had decent if unspectacular AHL numbers. Having failed to stick in the NHL, he went back to Europe.
• This was Doug Risebrough’s first pick as Flames general manager, as Fletcher left the organization a month before the draft.
• The Stat Line: 0 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 2
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 2

Flames Draft History

• The Atlanta Years (1972-79)
• The Rise of Trader Cliff (1980-85)