Flames FINALLY Getting Contributions from 2nd Round Selections

If there’s one thing the Calgary Flames have typically struggled with, it’s drafting and developing players taken in the 2nd Round of the NHL draft. The Flames have regularly traded their picks away or not made wise selections at those spots.

That’s why the emergence of Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, and Dillon Dube this season have been a really nice turn of events for a team that regularly struggles in the second round. This also doesn’t include Tyler Parsons who is still regarded as a very good goaltending prospect.

I thought it would be worth taking a look back at the Flames 2nd Round Picks from past year and seeing how they performed in a Flames uniforn, both in terms of NHL games played with Calgary and their current job. This could get rough.

2018 – No Pick

2017 – No Pick

2016 – Tyler Parsons (0 NHL Games, AHL Starter), Dillon Dube (20 NHL Games, AHL 1st Line)

2015 – Rasmus Andersson (NHL Regular), Oliver Kylington (14 NHL Games, NHL Regular)

2014 – Mason McDonald (0 NHL Games, ECHL Starter), Hunter Smith (0 NHL Games, ECHL Regular in DET organization)

2013 – No Pick

2012 – Pat Sieloff (1 NHL Game, AHL Regular in OTT organization)

2011 – Markus Granlund (89 NHL Games, NHL Regular in VAN organization), Tyler Wotherspoon (36 NHL Games, AHLer in STL organization)

2010 – No Pick

2009 – No Pick

2008 – Mitch Wahl (0 NHL Games, Currently playing in Europe)

2007 – No Pick

2006 – No Pick

2005 – No Pick

2004 – No Pick

2003 – Tim Ramholt (1 NHL Game, Currently playing in Europe)

2002 – Brian McConnell (0 NHL Games, Played in ECHL)

2001 – Andrei Taratukhin (0 NHL Games, Played in KHL), Andrei Medvedev (0 NHL Games, Stayed in Russia)

2000 – Kurtis Foster (0 NHL Games with CGY, Had 405 Game NHL career with ATL, MIN, TB, EDM, ANA, NJ, PHI), Jarrett Stoll (0 NHL Games with CGY, was re-drafted 2 years later by EDM and had 872 NHL games)

1999 – Dan Cavanaugh (0 NHL Games, Career AHLer)

1998 – Blair Betts (35 NHL Games with CGY, 477 Games in Career)

Okay you’re starting to get the point right?

The Flames selected 18 times between 1998 and 2018 and the Flames did not have a 2nd round pick in 9 of those years. Of those 18 selections only 9 have skated in an NHL game with the Flames. Only Markus Granlund had more than 40 games played, although the young players currently on the Flames will join that club shortly.

For the record, Calgary also doesn’t own a 2nd round pick in the 2019 NHL draft.

The last Calgary Flame 2nd round draft pick to play at least 100 games with the organization to start their career was Joe Nieuwendyk (!!!) drafted way back in 1985.

Yes I’m totally serious.

It’s been 33 years since a Flame 2nd round pick skated in at least 100 games to start their NHL career with Calgary. That’s ridiculous.

Luckily it looks like Andersson, Kylington, and Dube are poised to change that very quickly over the next few seasons.

Well let’s hope at least.

by Michael MacGillivray