It’s often said that hockey teams need to be built up the middle. Aside from goaltenders, centremen are usually valued the highest by general managers and scouts when crafting a hockey club – whether by free agency, trade or the entry draft. On paper, Niagara Ice Dogs centre Ryan Roobroeck seems like the type of player that teams would salivate over.

But Roobroeck’s 2026 NHL Draft stock has seemingly slid since the start of this season, despite the fact that he’s a big-bodied centre who seems like the embodiment of what NHL clubs value. Let’s delve into Roobroeck and examine whether he might be a fit for the Calgary Flames.

What do scouts think of Ryan Roobroeck?

A product of London, Ontario, Roobroeck is a left shot centre listed at 6’4″ and 215 pounds. He was born on Sept. 25, 2007, so he was born just 10 days after the cut-off for last year’s draft, and he’s one of the oldest first-time eligible players for the 2026 draft.

Roobroeck played his minor hockey in his hometown, playing with the London Jr. Knights and (briefly) with the London Nationals. He was selected second overall by Niagara in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, just a spot behind Matthew Schaefer. Roobroeck joined the Ice Dogs in 2023-24 for his 16-year-old season. Because he’s a late birthday, NHL clubs have three full seasons of OHL games to judge him on. On the other hand, he’s also more physically mature – e.g., bigger and stronger – than the other OHL kids, so his performances may be taken with a grain of salt.

In his recent top 100 draft ranking, our pal Steven Ellis at Daily Faceoff broke down Roobroeck’s season:

Roobroeck’s combination of size (6-foot-4, 216 pounds) and goal-scoring prowess (99 goals in 176 regular season games over three years) makes him incredibly intriguing. And at one point, he felt like a safe bet to go in the top 10. You don’t find many forwards who can command a play like he can at his absolute best, especially after producing at a high level throughout most of his career. But for a guy his size, he often lacks the intensity required to be a true difference-maker. Few players with Roobroeck’s level of talent fall asleep as frequently on plays, and it’s a shame. At the very least, Roobroeck should be able to excel on the power play, and he’s good as a net-front presence. But scouts are worried about his work ethic on the ice, hence the fall to this spot. Regardless, I think there’s still some significant upside here.

He’s big! He has shown the ability to do great stuff with the puck. But he might need a bit of a push to get to the next level.

How did Ryan Roobroeck perform in 2025-26?

In 2025-26, Roobroeck had 30 goals and 28 assists for 58 points in 49 games. On a per-game basis, his goal and point production actually took a step backwards from the prior season.

League-wide, he was 22nd in goals and tied for 42nd in points. On a per-game basis, he was behind fellow 2026 draft prospects Nikita Klepov and Caleb Malhotra, but just slightly ahead of Adam Nemec, Adam Novotny and Pierce Mbuyi.

Would Ryan Roobroeck be a fit for the Calgary Flames?

We’ll admit it, we’re torn here. On paper, Roobroeck feels like he could be a great compliment to the Flames’ existing crop of young centre prospects. After all, the Flames’ best youngsters up the middle – namely Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter – aren’t big. And Roobroeck? He big. And while his game has arguably plateaued at the OHL level, you can’t deny the sheer potential he has. Considering the Flames have a late first-rounder and four second-rounders, they could probably talk themselves into taking him on the premise that they could help him find his potential.

At this point, after flirting with being a high pick earlier in the season, Roobroeck appears on prominent public rankings in the late first round or early-to-mid second round. For reference, Steven Ellis has him 30th and Jason Bukala has him 45th. The Flames have plenty of picks in that neighbourhood, so if they feel comfortable taking him on as a project, it could be a moderate gamble with a big pay-off.