When we set about ranking the top Calgary Flames draft choices, one of the things we tried to figure out was how to handle first-round picks that panned out really well. When teams are drafting, they hope that their picks will become pretty good NHLers.

Well, the top-ranked first-rounder on this list became a Hall of Famer.

A Cape Breton product, MacInnis became a star in Canadian major junior, primarily with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers. (He also briefly played in the WHL with the Regina Pats before moving to Ontario.) He was drafted by the Flames in 1981, after a rookie season in the OHL that saw him produce 39 points in 47 games. He spent two more seasons with Kitchener, blossoming into an offensive powerhouse that produced well over a point per game. (He also had a few quick stints with the Flames, playing two games in 1981-82 and 14 in 1982-83).

Going pro full-time in 1983-84, MacInnis was a full-time NHLer by early December 1983, and never really looked back. He quickly carved out a role for himself as a really effective offensive blueliner, capable of making crisp, accurate passes to teammates… or absolutely cranking a slap shot from the point. (He was responsible for a lot of broken end-zone plexiglass across the National Hockey League during his career.)

MacInnis was a full-time Flame for 11 seasons. He’s responsible for the best offensive season by a blueliner in Flames history, 103 points in 1990-91. He received Norris Trophy votes in six different seasons, including finishing second in 1989-90 and 1990-91 and third in 1988-89 and 1993-94. He received Hart Trophy votes in 1990-91, too. He was part of the Flames teams that went to the Stanley Cup Final in 1986 and 1989, and he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP when the Flames hoisted the Cup in 1989.

The Flames drafted MacInnis and banked on him becoming a good NHL player. He ended up becoming arguably one of their best players of all-time, ending up as their all-time leader in goals, assists, points and games played at one point. (As of this writing, he remains their all-time leader in assists.) But by 1994, MacInnis seemingly had no other worlds to conquer in Calgary – he had won a Cup and led the franchise in everything – while the team had to grapple with MacInnis’ age, rising salary expectations, and the financial realities of operating a small market team in Canada.

In the 1994 off-season, MacInnis ended up accepting an offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues – his compensation from the Blues was too much for the Flames to comfortably match. To complete the transaction, MacInnis and a fourth-round pick in 1997 were sent to St. Louis in exchange for Phil Housley, a 1996 second-round pick and a 1997 second-round pick. (The Flames used the picks to select Steve Begin in 1996 and John Tripp in 1997).

It’s hard to really find qualms with MacInnis’ time in Calgary. Yeah, it would’ve been nice if he had won a Norris Trophy as a Flame, rather than as a Blue. Yeah, it would’ve been nice if he and the team had more playoff success during his run. But when you make a first round selection, you essentially daydream about them making contributions to your hockey team anywhere close to what MacInnis did with the Flames.