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What would it cost for the Flames to trade up in the 2026 NHL Draft?
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Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Ryan Pike
May 19, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: May 19, 2026, 01:59 EDT
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A couple weeks back, the Calgary Flames came up on the wrong side of the draw in the NHL’s 2026 draft lottery.
Actually, it happened twice, with the Flames sliding back from fourth overall to sixth overall after Toronto and San Jose won the draws for the first and second overall spots, respectively.
Since the draft lottery, we’ve gotten two types of questions from our great readers and folks that watch the shows on the Barn Burner channels:
  1. Hey, who will be available for the Flames to take at sixth overall?
  2. Hey, what are the chances that the Flames might try to trade up?
We’ll be focusing on the second question right now.
Could the Flames try to move up? I would imagine they’ll look into it. If you’ve followed the Flames or read this site for awhile, you’re probably aware that the Flames are a couple years into a rebuilding/retooling process that’s seen the club add a ton of picks and prospects. However, with the exception of goalie Dustin Wolf – and potential exceptions of Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin – the Flames don’t have any game-breaking or game-stealing players in the pipeline.
Now, somebody in the pipeline may exceed expectations and emerge as a Johnny Gaudreau or Matthew Tkachuk level player in the future, but right now, they lack that ace. The best place to find an ace is with an early draft choice, which would lead to the desire from the Flames perspective to look into moving up.
That said, teams trading up into the top five is extremely rare. Since the salary cap era began in 2005-06 and the entry draft was shortened to seven rounds, it’s happened once: in 2008, the New York Islanders traded up from seventh to fifth overall, giving the Maple Leafs a third round pick in 2008 and a second-round pick in 2009 in exchange for moving back two slots.
For this exercise, we’re going to be referencing the Perri Pick Value Calculator at PuckPedia. The Flames own eight picks over the first three rounds that could be used to help move up – picks later on have very little relative value in trades, so we’re ignoring them.
The Flames’ picks have values as follows:
  • 6th overall = 45.98
  • 28th overall (from Vegas) = 12.50
  • 35th overall (from NY Rangers) = 9.07
  • 36th overall = 8.69
  • 51st overall (from Utah) = 4.83
  • 55th overall (from Ottawa) = 4.22
  • 65th overall (from Vancouver) = 3.06
  • 68th overall = 2.80
So… how can the Flames leverage these picks to move up?

Fifth overall

The Rangers have fifth overall, with a Perri value of 50.13.
If the Rangers were willing to move back one spot, it would probably take one of the later second-round picks – Utah’s or Ottawa’s – to fairly compensate them for the move.

Fourth overall

Chicago has fourth overall, with a Perri value of 55.24.
If the Blackhawks were willing to move back two spots, it would probably take one of the earlier second-round picks – the Rangers’ or Calgary’s – to fairly compensate them for the move. (The Flames might need to add a third-rounder as a sweetener, too.)

Third overall

Vancouver has third overall, with a Perri value of 62.07.
If the Canucks were willing to move back three spots – and given that they’re just entering their roster overhaul, we kind of doubt it short of an overpay for their pick – it would cost probably the Vegas first-round pick and one of the two later sound-rounders (Utah’s or Ottawa’s).

Second overall

San Jose has second overall, with a Perri value of 72.69.
If the Sharks were willing to move back four spots, it would cost probably the Vegas first-round pick, one of the two early second-round picks (the Rangers’ or Calgary’s) and the earlier of the two later second-round picks (Utah’s). It’s a lot to give up, but it’s doable with the assets the Flames have available.

First overall

Toronto has first overall, with a Perri value of 100.
If the Flames sent Toronto all eight of their picks in the first three rounds, their combined Perri value is 91.15. The Flames famously tried to package their three first-round picks together in 2013 to trade up to first overall… and Colorado said “Nah” and took Nathan MacKinnon.
Given where Toronto is at, we doubt they have serious interest in moving the pick. And even if they had interest, we don’t think the Flames have the assets to move up to that spot. The Flames have the assets to move up to second overall, but first spot is probably a bridge too far.

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