CONFIRMED: Position of Calgary Flames first-round draft pick confirmed

The Calgary Flames’ 2023–24 season wasn’t great overall, but it might have all been worthwhile because they received a first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. The team entered the 2024 NHL Draft lottery with a 5% chance of obtaining the top overall choice, and on Tuesday they formally found out their fate.

That didn’t happen, which is regrettable but not surprising considering the NHL revealed the Flames will select at No. 9 in the next draft, providing them a tremendous chance to select a player who might change the course of the organization. Although it won’t be the Macklin Celebrini of Boston University, the Flames still stand to gain a significant piece of their future in the upcoming months.

In an attempt to build on the progress they’ve achieved under Craig Conroy, the Flames are anticipated to take a shot at Tij Iginla, Berkeley Catton, Carter Yakemchuk, Sam Dickinson, and other elite players after Samuel Honzek in the first round last season. We can only hope that the Flames win the lottery at this point, but they also possess Vancouver’s first-round pick this year, which will come late in the round.