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Daily Faceoff ranks Flames’ prospect pool as NHL’s third-best

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

By Ryley Delaney

Aug 26, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 25, 2026, 22:58 EDT

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It may take a few years, but the Calgary Flames are going to be pretty darn good.

The rebuild is set to chug alone after a dismal 2025-26 season, but those poor results have already turned into one of the stronger prospect pools in the National Hockey League. So strong, in fact, that Daily Faceoff ranked the Flames’ prospect pool as the third-best in the league.

Their prospect pool is headlined by 2026 sixth overall pick, Carson Carels, but also features players like Ethan Wyttenbach, Cole Reschny, Zayne Parekh, Cullen Potter, and others. You can read their entire top 10 list here.

While they have intriguing headliners, it’s the depth and ability to find notable prospects in the latter rounds that makes the Flames’ prospect pool so enticing. That said, the centre depth is still lacking, meaning that it should be an area of focus in the next few drafts.

On top of one of the strongest prospect pools in the NHL, the Flames’ roster is littered with young talent. Dustin Wolf is one of the best young netminders in the league. Šimon Nemec is a young defenceman who was picked high and needs a change of scenery. They also have forwards like Matt Coronato and Connor Zary, with all four of those players being 25 or younger.

Expect a few players on this list to graduate, namely Parekh, Matvei Gridin, Hunter Brzustewicz, and potentially Samuel Honzek. Still, it’s not hard to envision the Flames’ farm system still being widely considered one of the best in hockey.

Make no mistake about it, the 2026-27 season will be a tough one, and so may the next two seasons. But it’ll all be worth it in the end, especially if they land a top three pick or find a superstar centre.

Two teams with a superstar centre also happen to be the two teams that rank ahead of the Flames, the San Jose Sharks (Macklin Celebrini) and the Chicago Blackhawks (Connor Bedard). Both teams are far deeper in the rebuild, with the Blackhawks finishing near the bottom of the league in the last five seasons, and the Sharks fighting for a playoff spot last season.

This is the template the Flames should be using during this rebuild, and so far, they’ve done a good job of it.

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

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