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FN Draft Profiles: Ethan Belchetz is the power forward that the Flames have lacked
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Photo credit: Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images
Ryley Delaney
May 9, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: May 8, 2026, 22:11 EDT
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Different positions in hockey have varying lengths of development.
Netminders, who are usually drafted in the late first round at best, take years of development. There are some defencemen that make an immediate impact, such as 2025 first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, but that is an exception, not the rule.
Forwards are usually the quickest to develop. If a team has a top three pick and selects a forward, it’s a good bet they’ll make their National Hockey League debut a few months later. But again, there are varying lengths of development for the type of forward selected.
Gavin McKenna will instantly jump into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top six when they more than likely select him first overall in June. On the other hand, a power forward like Juraj Slafkovský, the Montréal Canadiens first overall pick in 2022, struggled out the gates.
He played just 39 games in 2022-23, scoring four goals and 10 points. The next two seasons, he looked like a top six forward, but scored just 20 goals and 50 points in 82 games in 2023-24 and 18 goals and 51 points in 79 games in 2024-25. It wasn’t until this season that the Slovak broke out, scoring 30 goals and 73 points in 82 games.
Not all power forwards figure it out either, but drafting a winger with size is always a tantalizing proposition for NHL general managers. One of the best forward options in this draft is Windsor Spitfires’ Ethan Belchetz.

Scouting report

Belchetz is an 18-year-old left wing from Oakville, Ontario. Drafted first overall in the 2024 draft by the Windsor Spitfires, he’s spent his last two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League team. Standing at 6’5″, 228 lbs, he’s your prototypical power forward who has some skill as well. Let’s look at what some publications have to say about Belchetz.
In April, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis ranked Belchetz as his 12th-best prospects, having this to say about the Oakville, Ontario native.
“Belchetz broke his left clavicle back in March, ending his season early. It was a shame, because he had really started to push himself up draft boards to the point where it felt like he was going to be a top-10 pick. 
Belchetz has never lacked confidence – and you have to have loads of it when you’re the Tasmanian Devil on skates. He plays with so much power, which allows him to carve through the middle of the ice with little regard for human life. An injury wasn’t the only reason he slipped, though – some scouts worry that he doesn’t have any high-end traits beyond his size.”
Similarly, Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino ranked Belchetz as his 16th-best prospect in April, noting this about the Windsor Spitfires’ winger.
“The Spitfires are tracking to do damage in the OHL playoffs — currently up 3-0 in their second round series — and the longer they go, the better chance there is for Belchetz to come back from a broken clavicle. Up until he got hurt Belchetz was a featured player on a good team and, for the most part, he answered the challenge with 34 goals and 59 points in 57 games. 
He uses his size for leverage and has excellent hands as another means to buy himself some space. Having said that, asserting himself with more force and generally making opponents more aware of his presence every shift is something that will help him considerably moving forward.”
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler ranked Belchetz as his 13th-best draft eligible prospect and had this to say about the 6’5”, 228 lbs forward.
“The continued development of his wall game, so that he’s more focused on bumping players off the puck and making a quick play off the boards, will be critical in him realizing his potential. His feet can be a little heavy out of the blocks, and his stride can look a little clunky, but he can really get around the ice and drive the middle once he gets moving. 
And while some of his impact is driven by his sheer size and his ability to stay over pucks and drive into spots, he also has strong offensive tools, he handles well into congested areas, he’s comfortable going to his backhand and he can really shoot the puck. When he’s at his best, he looks like a force out there. Think Matthew Knies if it all comes together. Someone is going to make that bet fairly early, even if most softened on where they were on him in October/November. Before the injury, he was still on pace for 41 goals.”

The numbers

Drafted first overall in the Ontario Hockey League’s 2024 draft, the left winger played his rookie season in 2024-25, scoring 17 goals and 38 points in 56 games. This past season, Belchetz scored 34 goals and 59 points in 57 games, but broke his clavicle and missed the Spitfires’ post-season run.
Despite missing 11 games, Belchetz finished fourth in points on the Spitfires, and second in goals with 34. That was just four behind Liam Greentree, who was selected 26th overall in the 2024 draft, and also involved in the Artemi Panarin trade.
Just for the sake of it, let’s compare Belchetz to two other notable power forwards who are currently in the league, Tom Wilson and Alexei Protas. Wilson was drafted 16th overall in the 2012 draft by the Washington Capitals after scoring just nine goals and 27 points in 49 games. He had a better season in junior the following year.
Wilson eventually made the National Hockey League, but didn’t score double-digit goals until 2017-18, the year the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. He has reached the double-digit goal mark in every season since and has scored 30+ goals and 60+ points the last two seasons.
Protas scored 11 goals and 40 points in 61 regular season games during his draft year, but rose his stock drastically thanks to scoring 12 goals and 22 points in 23 games as the Prince Albert Raiders won the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Still, the Belarussian centre was drafted in the third round, returned to junior for his 2019-20 season, then split his 2020-21 season between the Kontinental Hockey League and American Hockey League. He made his NHL debut in 2021-22, but didn’t score double-digit goals until his fourth season, when he potted 30 goals and 66 points in 2024-25.
Despite breaking his collar bone, Belchetz had a better statistical year in his draft season than both those players in their draft season. Time will tell if he finds the same NHL success.

Availability and fit

The Flames have had some pretty darn good power forwards in their history. Jarome Iginla is widely considered the best Calgary Flame of all-time, and for good reason. The Hall of Famer scored 625 goals and 1,300 points in 1,554 career games with numerous other accolades and awards.
Another notable power forward was selected the last time they picked sixth overall back in 2016, Matthew Tkachuk. He’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and found immediate success in the league, unlike Protas or Wilson.
Since the Flames traded Tkachuk, they’ve been lacking that type of grit in the top six. Nazem Kadri played with grit before he was traded, as did Blake Coleman, but neither player has the size of a power forward.
In recent years, the Flames and Craig Conroy have stocked up the prospect pool with smaller, skilled players, but they’re lacking a player like Belchetz in the prospect pool. A good power forward is a game-changer, and for that alone, Belchetz is a fit for the Flames.
The problem, however, is where he’s projected to go. Most publications have Belchetz projected to be selected in the mid-teens. Some publications have Belchetz going around the Flames’ sixth-overall pick, but the Flames will have better options.
As for the Golden Knights’ pick, they won their first round, thanks in large part to the Utah Mammoth not being able to hold a lead. At best, that pick will be in the late 20s, which means that Belchetz would have to plummet pretty far for any chance to select him with the Knights’ pick.
Another option, albeit unrealistic, is trading up by using the Knights’ pick. The Flames have a boatload of second rounders this draft, so perhaps a team in the 15-20 range would be willing to trade it.
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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