Flames Draft History: Transitions (1992-96)

1992: Cory Stillman (6th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick.
• Stillman was a really solid centerman, just shy of being a very good one. He was a steady contributor for the Flames, then was traded to St. Louis for Craig Conroy and a pick that turned into David Moss. Both of them left via free agency.
• The Stat Line: 109 goals, 126 assists, 235 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 393
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 947

1993: Jesper Mattsson (18th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick.
• Mattsson was not a great pick in retrospect. He came over to North American for three seasons, spent entirely as a decent player for the Saint John Flames. Then he went back to Sweden.
• The Stat Line: 0 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 0
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 0

1994: Chris Dingman (19th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick.
• Dingman was a bottom-six player, and bounced between the AHL and NHL for a couple seasons. He was eventually packaged in the Theoren Fleury deal to Colorado, bringing back Rene Corbet, Wade Belak, obscure Brazilian-born player Robyn Regehr and a draft pick that was used to pick Jarret Stoll (who didn’t sign). Corbet was flipped to Pittsburgh with Tyler Moss for Brad Werenka, who was oft-injured and soon retired. Belak was claimed off waivers by Toronto. Regehr was the star of this group, playing more games in a Flames uniform than anybody not named Jarome Iginla. He was traded to Buffalo (with Ales Kotalik and a second round pick) for Chris Butler and Paul Byron. Butler left as a free agent, and Byron is the lone player left in the organization from this pick’s wire of transactions.
• The Stat Line: 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 72
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 1363

1995: Denis Gauthier (20th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick, and the final first-round selection for Doug Risebrough. He’d resign from the organization before the calendar year was up.
• Gauthier turned out to be one of Calgary’s better first round pick-ups. A good stay-at-home defender with perhaps too much of a tendency to go for a hip-check, he played many seasons for the club. He was traded prior to the 2004-05 lockout to Phoenix along with Oleg Saprykin for Daymond Langkow. Langkow was eventually traded back to Phoenix for Lee Stempniak. Stempniak was traded to Pittsburgh at the end of last season for a third-round pick, which was traded at the draft to Chicago for Brandon Bollig.
• The Stat Line: 13 goals, 45 assists, 58 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 384
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 998

1996: Derek Morris (13th Overall)

• This was Calgary’s original pick. This was Al Coates’ first draft as Flames general manager.
• Morris was considered a reach at the time, but he turned out to be pretty strong overall. Eventually he was packaged with Dean McAmmond and Jeff Shantz in a trade to Colorado for Chris Drury and Stephane Yelle. Drury (and Steve Begin) were sent to Buffalo for Rhett Warrener and Steven Reinprecht. Warrener retired. Reinprecht was traded to Phoenix with Phillipe Sauve for Mike Leclerc and Brian Boucher. Yelle, Leclerc and Boucher all left as free agents.
• The Stat Line: 34 goals, 129 assists, 163 points
• Flames Games By Pick: 343
• Flames Games Related To Pick: 1107

Flames Draft History

• The Atlanta Years (1972-79)
• The Rise of Trader Cliff (1980-85)
• The Dry Spell (1986-91)