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Flames Draft 2026: A history of the 65th overall pick
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Jun 25, 2026, 16:30 EDTUpdated: Jun 25, 2026, 11:20 EDT
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In less than a week, we’re going to figure out who the Calgary Flames acquired in exchange for Nikita Zadorov.
On Nov. 30, 2023, before I even started writing at FlamesNation, the Flames traded Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2024 fifth and 2026 third. The fifth was eventually traded before the 2024 trade deadline for defenceman Nikita Okhotyuk, who played nine games with the Flames before returning to Russia.
That third, on the other hand, is the 65th overall pick. Since the Canucks finished with the fewest points, the Flames are set to kick off the third round as it stands.
Let’s take a look at who the Flames have picked 65th overall, as well other notable picks.

Dave Meszaros, 1982

The Flames have only picked 65th overall one time in franchise history (including their time in Atlanta). In 1982, just two seasons after moving to Alberta, they selected netminder Dave Meszaros.
Standing at 5’8”, 180 lbs, the netminder played for the Ontario Hockey League’s Toronto Malboros, turning professional in 1984-85. The Toronto native played 25 games with the International Hockey League’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles, as well as 14 games with the American Hockey League’s Moncton Golden Flames.
That was the bulk of his professional career, as Meszaros played six games with the Golden Flames in 1985-86, then 16 games split between the IHL’s Flint Spirits and Saginaw Generals. Meszaros retired following the 1986-87 season.

Other notable 65th overall picks

The 65th overall pick has a weird history. When you look at players picked 65th overall, two stand out: Kirky Maltby and Adam Pelech.
Starting with Maltby, he was drafted 65th overall by the Edmonton Oilers, going on to score 128 goals and 260 points in 1,072 games. That’s first in goals and games played, and second in points. However, only 164 of those games were played with the Oilers.
In March 1996, the Oilers sent Maltby to the Detroit Red Wings for Dan McGillis. The latter had a fine career, Maltby went on to win four Stanley Cups with the Original Six franchise, hoisting it in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008. He wasn’t a high-scoring player by any means, but he has his name on the Cup as many times as Wayne Gretzky does.
There’s one other player who was selected 65th overall who has their name on the Cup, Dave Michayluk. Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1981, the Wakaw, Saskatchewan native played just 21 NHL games. Seven of those games came with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991-92, meaning his name is on the Cup, despite being a career AHL’er (a productive one at that).
Maltby may have played the most games, but there is one player with more points than him, Mikko Mäkelä. Drafted in 1983 by the New York Islanders, the Finn scored 118 goals and 265 points in 423 games.
The Islanders have picked 65th eight times in franchise history. Four never played a game (mainly drafted in the 1970s), two played fewer than 100 games, and one is the only All-Star who was selected 65th overall.
Pelech was drafted in 2012 by the Islanders, making his NHL debut in 2015-16. Over his 11 NHL seasons, the left-shot defenceman has 30 goals and 177 points in 642 games. The 31-year-old was named to the All-Star game in 2021-22, a year removed from earning Norris votes.
His debut was in 2015-16, which happened to be another 65th overall pick’s final full season in the NHL. Brian Strait (2006) was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but played 170 of his 187 games with the Islanders.
There are a few other notable players selected 65th overall that never went on to win the Cup or appear in an All-Star game. Oleg Kvasha was selected by the Florida Panthers in 1996, and the Russian scored 81 goals and 217 points in 493 career games. That places him third in all three categories, and he ironically played for the Islanders.
The Islanders aren’t the only team who has found success picking 65th overall. In 2008, the St. Louis Blues selected Jori Lehtera with the 65th overall pick, with the Finn playing 307 games and amassing 34 goals and 11 points.
Three decades before that, they selected Bob Crawford in 1979, with the forward going on to play 246 games with 71 goals and 142 points. In 1991, the Blues selected Nathan LaFayette, who scored 17 goals and 37 points over 187 games.
Brendan Bell (2001) and Juho Lammikko (2014) are two other players selected 65th overall with 100 or more games played, but there are two more players selected with the pick worth noting. 
Defenceman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2002, the second-highest spot a Norwegian had been drafted at that point. Bjørn Skaare, the first Norwegian drafted, was selected 62nd overall. 
Three Norwegians have been drafted higher since, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård went 15th in 2024, with Stian Solberg going in the same draft just a few picks later. Tinus Luc Koblar, who had a terrific World Championship, was drafted 64th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025 draft.
The growth of Norway’s hockey program has been fantastic to watch, and it culminated in a bronze medal at the latest World Championships. Another nationality that isn’t often seen drafted is Poland, with just five Poles selected in the history.
One of them, Krzysztof Oliwa, managed to make the NHL. Selected by the New Jersey Devils, Oliwa played 410 NHL games, scoring 17 goals and 45 points with a whopping 1,447 penalty minutes.
Oliwa happens to be the only player selected 65th overall to play a game for the Flames, doing so at the tail end of his career. In 2003-04, he scored three goals and five points in 65 games, amassing 247 penalty minutes. He played 20 games during their run in 2004, scoring twice.
While Oliwa is the only player selected 65th overall to play for the Flames, Joseph Cramarossa played 37 games with the Stockton Heat in 2017-18. This is a great segue to my favourite fact about this pick: every player drafted 65th overall since 2008 played a game last season.
Lehtera (2008) played in Finland, as did Joonas Nattinen (2009). Kirill Kabanov (2010) picked up an assist to the second-to-last goal the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Lewiston MAINEiacs ever scored. He played 16 games in Denmark last season.
Cramarossa (2011) spent his 2025-26 season in Germany, playing 68 NHL games in his career. We’ve already gone over Pelech (2012), one of the most successful players selected 65th overall. The following season, the New York Rangers had the 65th overall pick, using it to select Adam Tambellini. He never played an NHL game, but he spent his 2025-26 in Switzerland.
Lammikko (2014), who we’ve mentioned, also spent his season in Switzerland, but also with the Devils, playing 24 games with two assists. It was the first time he had played in the NHL since 2021-22. Defenceman Andrew Nielsen (2015) played with the Heat a season after Cramarossa departed, and he spent his 2025-26 in the ECHL. He’s never played in the NHL, but he’s had a successful career in the minors.
Vitaly Abramov (2016) played five NHL games, all with the Senators, but spent his 2025-26 in Russia. Danish forward Jonas Rondbjerg (2017) is the lone player remaining in the Vegas Golden Knights’ first draft, playing four games with the team.
Czech forward Jan Jeník (2018) has played 24 NHL games, scoring four goals and six points, but played in the AHL last season. Alexander Campbell (2019) spent his 2025-26 in the ECHL, while Daemon Hunt (2020) is the lone player drafted 65th overall in the 2020s to play an NHL game. He played 32 games with the Minnesota Wild last season.
Jayden Grubbe (2021), played in the AHL, both Calle Odelius (2022) and Coulson Pitre (2023) split their season between the ECHL and AHL, while Will Skahan (2024) played for Boston College last season. The most recent 65th overall pick, Kieren Dervin, was teammates with former Flames prospect Jacob Battaglia with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs.
In total, 30 players selected 65th overall have gone on to play an NHL game, with 12 playing 100 or more games, and 22 playing double-digit games. It’s a far cry from the 64th overall pick.

What a difference one spot makes

While the Flames technically pick 65th overall, they’ll make the 64th selection in the draft thanks to the Golden Knights forfeiting their second-rounder.
Despite the history of the 65th overall pick being incredibly fascinating, it’s produced just one All-Star and two real notable names. The 64th overall pick produced six All-Stars. One All-Star, Kent Nilsson, was drafted by the Flames back in 1976 when they were based in Atlanta.
Other All-Stars selected 64th overall are Tim Cheveldae (1986), Fredrik Modin (1994), Brad Richards (1998), Jimmy Howard (2003), and Vincent Trocheck (2011). Richards is the lone player with more than a thousand games played, amassing 297 goals and 932 points in his 1,126 games.
The 64th overall pick also produced a few other notable names, including former Flame Tyson Barrie (2009). Don Saleski (1969) won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Flyers in 1974 and 1975.
Mike Zigomanis (1999) was on two Stanley Cup winning teams, the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes and 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t play the required 41 games in either year to have his name etched.
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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