Flames Last 5 First-Round Picks

*This archive was written ahead of the 2023 Draft

It’s mid-June and almost time for the 2023 edition of the NHL Entry Draft. The Calgary Flames and new general manager Craig Conroy have been tasked with righting the proverbial ship after a disappointing 2022-23 season. It was recently announced that Conroy will have the assistance of former teammate and legendary Flame Jarome Iginla, who will accompany him in a special advisory role. The two men will likely be looking to make a splash for their first big event at the helm and spend their 16th overall selection, among others, wisely.

Related: Flames Should Draft Ritchie or Dragecevic In 2023 1st Round

The Flames have five picks in the upcoming draft: their own first, second, fourth, sixth, and seventh-round draft picks. Their third-rounder is property of the Seattle Kraken as part of the Calle Jarnkrok trade last year, and they forfeited their fifth-round choice when they brought scoring leader Tyler Toffoli on board via the Montreal Canadiens. All eyes will be on the 16th pick, however. A first-round pick always has the microscope and pressure focused on them, and scouting departments/management teams always get the most flack for their first picks in a draft. The Flames have done relatively well drafting in the recent past. Instead of looking forward, let’s look back at the last five Flames first-round draft picks and how each has panned out as a professional hockey player.

2021: Matt Coronato, 13th overall

As the Flames did not have a first-round pick in 2022 due to the aforementioned Toffoli trade, their last first-round pick was in 2021. They selected forward Matt Coronato 13th overall after a standout junior career with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League. He scored a whopping 125 points in 96 games, culminating in a Clark Cup championship in 2021. He honoured his commitment to play for the Harvard University Crimson after being drafted, where continued his dominance. As a freshman, he recorded 36 points in 34 games and earned himself a spot on the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team for 2021-22. The Crimson won the ECAC Championship after Coronato scored the overtime winner vs Quinnipiac University. Coronato remained consistent by following up with another 36 points in 34 games last season, but his team, unfortunately, lost in the ECAC Finals.

After his college season ended,…