But what makes a strong prospect pool? High-end talent, for sure. Typically, only the bottom-feeders in the NHL standings excel there. Depth is huge, too. You need more than just one or two guys carrying the pipeline if you’re going to build a successful future. Only a handful of teams can feel good about what they’ve got at every position, so it’s a testament to your drafting abilities when you land at least one key forward, defenseman, and goaltender.

Fresh off one of the best drafts of any team in Vegas last month, the Calgary Flames suddenly have one of the more intriguing prospect pools in the game. Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, Andrew Basha, Jacob Battaglia, Henry Mews and Kirill Zarubin are all picks I’m excited about, and I thought Luke Misa as a fifth-rounder was a nice snag, too. The additions of Hunter Brzustewicz and Artyem Grushnikov via mid-season trades helped spice up the blueline in a big way. This year, Matt Coronato should challenge for a spot again, while Dustin Wolf has a realistic chance at being the team’s No. 1 goaltender before too long. The Flames are still outsiders looking to bulk up for another push at the playoffs, but they’ve got some young players who might not be far away from making an impact – and that’s exciting.