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The Calgary Flames have developed a ton of expertise via the draft, whether or not early on or in the later rounds. Seven gamers, in explicit, have carved out spectacular careers after being handed over many instances by many groups earlier than the Flames took benefit. Here are the Flames’ largest draft steals in franchise historical past.
Hakan Loob – 1980, Ninth Round, Pick 181
Hakan Loob was drafted by the Flames in 1980, the franchise’s ninth draft in the NHL. The group had 11 picks in this draft and chosen him with their second-last in the ninth spherical, 181st total. He wasn’t a star instantly, because it took him a number of years to develop and eventually break into the NHL at 23 years previous. But the wait was price it as he was chosen to the All-Rookie Team in 1983, and his profession went uphill from there.
Loob solely performed six seasons in the NHL and ended his profession in North America at age 28 to boost his household in his dwelling nation of Sweden. He performed all six seasons for the Flames and said this about his early exit from the league, “yes, I knew that…I had made my decision to go home. Maybe that’s why some people didn’t think I cared that much, but it was because I made the decision in the early going. Due to family reasons and all of that, it’s going to be my last year.”
He was a member of the primary and solely (at the moment) Flames group to win the Stanley Cup. Drafted as late as he did, Loob put up two point-per-game seasons, a 50-goal, 106-point season, and was an All-Star. He was simply in the early levels of his prime, and the Flames struck gold in the draft, given the brief time that they had him.
Sergei Makarov – 1983, twelfth Round, Pick 231
The Flames needed to wait for a very long time earlier than Sergei Makarov lastly made his NHL debut in 1989 at age 31. Although he wasn’t a member of the 1989 Stanley Cup win, he gained a ton {of professional} and worldwide expertise in Russia as part of the KLM line. Once he arrived in Calgary, he put up a rookie season to recollect. He gained the Calder Trophy and was voted to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. Winning the Calder at 31 years previous pressured the league to alter the rule to limit who might win it.
The Flames solely benefitted from Makarov’s play for 4 seasons, however he scored 94 targets and 292 factors in 297 video games and had an unbelievable capturing proportion of 23.6 p.c. He moved on from Calgary at age 35 when his offensive manufacturing began to dwindle and solely performed 127 extra NHL video games. Regardless of the wait, the Flames acquired an important participant very late in the 1983 Draft.
Brett Hull – 1984, Sixth Round, Pick 117
The 1984 Draft was the most effective in group historical past, because the Flames chosen 4 gamers who performed over 1000 video games in the NHL and one who’s a Hall of Famer, Brett Hull. The Flames chosen this legend in the sixth spherical, their sixth choose of the draft. Hull ranks fifth all-time in targets with 741 and twenty fifth all-time in factors with 1391 in 1269 video games.
Unfortunately, the Flames gave up on Hull early. He had solely performed 57 video games for the group earlier than being traded to the St. Louis Blues, the place he carved out an extended and profitable profession. He is a two-time Cup champion, Hart Trophy winner, Ted Lindsay Award winner, and Lady Byng Award winner. He can also be identified for scoring 86 targets in 78 video games in 1990-91 when he gained a few these awards. If solely he had been a Flame for longer.
Gary Suter – 1984, Ninth Round, Pick 180
Gary Suter was additionally drafted late in 1984. He was chosen in the ninth spherical and, not like Hull, he was saved round for a few years. He was a member of the group’s first and solely Stanley Cup-winning group and was a significant member of the roster all through his 9 seasons in Calgary.
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Suter gained the Calder Trophy at 21 in his second season after being drafted. He is a three-time 20-goal scorer and completed in the top-eight in Norris Trophy voting 4 instances in his profession, 3 times with the Flames. Although there are a number of Flames legends who aren’t in the Hall of Fame, there may be an argument for Suter. Calgary was lucky to have him all through his prime in his 20s and have a Cup win due to him.
Theo Fleury – 1987, Eighth Round, Pick 166
Speaking of gamers who ought to be in the Hall of Fame, Theo Fleury is on the prime of the record, together with Suter. Fleury was the actual gem of this draft and the one participant from the 1987 class to stay with the Flames for a very long time. He was additionally a member of the Stanley Cup-winning group in his rookie season.
Fleury performed 1084 video games, scoring 455 targets and 1088 factors – 791 of these video games, and 830 factors got here with the Flames in the primary 11 seasons of his profession. However, regardless of his contributions and enjoying with the group so long as he did, his quantity isn’t hung from the rafters both. Fleury was missed in the draft for various rounds due to his measurement, however he helped change the tide for expert gamers who have been undersized.
T.J. Brodie – 2008, Fourth Round, Pick 114
There is an extended hole between when the Flames have been placing gold in the late rounds recurrently and after they did it once more. It wasn’t till 2011 that they discovered top-four defenceman T.J. Brodie in the fourth spherical. The 33-year-old’s profession is much from over, and he has time to extend his profession numbers, but it surely gained’t be Hall of Fame worthy. That’s all proper as a result of many groups are hard-pressed to discover a participant like Brodie, who was a key piece of the roster for the higher a part of 9 seasons.
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He wasn’t drafted as late as others on this record, however the draft has additionally modified over time to restrict the rounds in the draft to only seven after the lockout. Top-four right-shot defencemen proceed to be a uncommon commodity, so the Flames actually capitalized on this mid-round choose. He was efficient at each ends of the ice all through his time in Calgary and continues to be on the Toronto Maple Leafs for the previous three seasons.
Johnny Gaudreau – 2011, Fourth Round, Pick 104
Most lately, the Flames chosen Johnny Gaudreau in the fourth spherical; he was the face of the franchise for almost a decade. Drafted just a bit sooner than Brodie, the very small ahead burst onto the scene and has been one of the vital efficient offensive producers since. In 682 video games, he has 231 targets and 683 factors.
He additionally proved that the Flames have been clever to proceed taking possibilities on gamers who’ve loads of ability however have been handed over on account of their peak. He put collectively among the finest seasons by a Flame in franchise historical past in his ultimate yr with the group, scoring 115 factors and ending with a plus-64 ranking. Those factors rank second all-time in a season with the Flames, and his plus/minus is the best in a season. At age 29, he has a few years to make this alternative later in the draft look even higher whereas main the cost on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
An honourable point out goes to Kent Nilsson, who was drafted in the fourth spherical at choose 64 in 1976. He wasn’t included right here as a result of his draft place would have him chosen in the second spherical at the moment. He was over a point-per-game participant and put up a few 100-point seasons with the Flames, however he additionally left to play in various leagues abroad when he was in his 30s. It is all the time thrilling to see who groups draft on the prime of the draft, however very rewarding when somebody who wasn’t anticipated to show into something particular turns into a star.
Are there others who ought to be included in this group? Let us know in the feedback under.
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