Going into the 2018 NHL draft, the Flames don’t have a lot going for them: they have few picks, and all in later rounds. It’s not conducive to drafting an NHLer, let alone players who can help elevate a team to championship level one day.
However! That’s not always the case.
Assuming no further trades (perhaps a big assumption), the Flames’ four picks fall at 105th, 108th, 167th, and 198th overall. Believe it or not, a number of NHLers have all been drafted around those spots, with some success stories coming from the Flames themselves – including probably the best player on this list.