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FlamesNation Mailbag: Answering your questions the day before the draft lottery
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Photo credit: Mike Gould
Ryan Pike
May 4, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: May 3, 2026, 23:53 EDT
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Friends, Tuesday could be a big day for the Calgary Flames – or another team that missed the playoffs – as the National Hockey League holds its annual draft lottery.
As we wait to see where the Flames’ first-round pick will end up in the draft order, let’s dive into the mailbag!
We did a breakdown of how the Flames are already above the salary cap floor for next season back in March. With just the players on one-way deals (and their retained salary commitment to Nazem Kadri), they have $78.4 million in cap commitments. With a $104 million cap ceiling, that translates to $25.6 million in available cap space to fill out their roster – and this would presumably include folks like Sam Honzek, Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh getting roster spots and eating up a chunk of that space.
I’m inclined to agree with you on the potential Blake Coleman trade and the five wingers.
I’m torn on the three players because Yegor Sharangovich arguably has the highest offensive ceiling and a long contract, so you sort of need to play him to get him going. So I’m defaulting to that. However, I really love Connor Zary was a player; when he’s healthy and confident, he’s dazzling. I think you can convince another team that they can unlock his potential, so I’m leaning trade with him. Martin Pospisil had a rough year and probably has to work his way back into the lineup at this point, so I’ll bench him for now.
Until he’s wearing another team’s jersey, I keep thinking that Blake Coleman fits what Dallas needs like a glove. Plus, he’s from the area. (I’m a sucker for a homecoming story.)
Aside from Dallas, I’m curious what the plan is for Tampa Bay, Boston and Pittsburgh going forward. Maybe there’s a chance for the Flames to help them achieve their goals.
You always go best player available and try to maximize the opportunities in front of you. You can drive yourself crazy, and create headaches for yourself, worrying too much about things you cannot control like how the draft classes develop over the next two seasons. Don’t worry about how a 15 or 16-year-old kid is developing, worry about maximizing this year’s draft class as best you can.
Best player available, all day, every day.
Let’s assume the Vegas pick is 28th.
Using PuckPedia’s Perri Pick Value Calculator, if the Flames package three of their four second round picks with the Vegas pick, they can probably get as high as 10th overall. If they package two of their four picks, they can probably get to 12th.
Players I like that could be in the second round, using our aggregated rankings and focusing on players that probably won’t go in the top 32, include Slovakian forward Tomas Chrenko, Calgary Hitmen defender Ben MacBeath, U.S. National Team forward Victor Plante, and University of Michigan forward Adam Valentini.
I don’t hate the idea, but at the price it would take to get Seattle to move Shane Wright within the division, you better be pretty sure you (a) know what led his game to go south this season and (b) that you can fix it. He’s 22. He’s a right shot centre. There’s a ton to like. But the price will be high, so if you whiff on the move it’s a very pricey mistake.
One, you draft the best player available according to your list, no matter what. If you happen to load up with, say, right shot defencemen, if they’re really good players teams will give you good stuff for them in trades.
Two, you can create a competitive environment by making guys battle for spots. Make the players decide who gets first pairing minutes and first unit power play and who doesn’t. Iron sharpens iron.
If I am the Flames, I would like a first round pick and a good prospect, or two second round picks and a pretty good prospect.
The Flames are aware of how important Johnny Gaudreau was to their franchise and the local community. I would be shocked if anybody every wears #13 again as long as the Flames exist. I suspect that, when the time is right, the Flames will honour him with a jersey retirement. I have no idea on timelines or what those plans would look like, but I sincerely believe it will happen.
Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan.Pike [at] BetterCollective.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)

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