It was a draft that got Calgary Flames fans excited.
After dealing away veterans throughout the 2023-24 season, the Flames had 10 picks in the late June NHL Draft and stocked their prospect cabinet with players who will hopefully form the foundation of contending teams well into the 2030s.
Six months later, how are they doing?
Here’s our rundown of the 10 players the Flames took in the draft and how they’ve started their respective seasons:
Zayne Parekh
Selected: First round, 9th overall
Position: Defence
Where he’s playing: Saginaw Spirit, OHL
How he’s doing: Expectations are sky-high for Parekh, and rightfully so. He led all CHL defencemen in scoring last season when he put up 96 points in 66 games, and his skating and playmaking ability should have him quarterbacking the Flames power-play in the not-so-distant future.
He described his first NHL training camp in September as being humbling and was a late cut to Canada’s team at the world juniors tournament, but he’s started the season strong, scoring 11 goals and adding 26 assists through 29 games. Only three defencemen in the OHL have recorded more points, and Parekh isn’t far behind any of them.
Parekh had a busy summer that included a trip to the Memorial Cup, everything surrounding the NHL draft, his first development camp and then time with Team Canada. He’ll benefit from a bit more time off in the summer of 2025.
Matvei Gridin
Selected: First round, 28th overall
Position: Left-wing
Where he’s playing: Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL
How he’s doing: Everything you’ll read about Gridin will mention his wicked shot, which saw him lead the USHL in scoring during the 2023-24 season. The Flames like his vision and speed, too, and it sure seems like his skill set has translated immediately to the Canadian junior game in his first year in the QMJHL.
Gridin is 14th in scoring in the Quebecois league, with 16 goals and 20 assists in 30 games. His performance throughout training camp impressed, too, with head coach Ryan Huska describing him in glowing terms after he was cut.
“I almost envision him as a guy who is going to go away, he’s going to dominate the Q and he’s going to come back next year and be in a position to make our team. He’s got the ability to play the game,” Huska said.
Andrew Basha
Selected: Second round, 41st overall
Position: Left-wing
Where he’s playing: Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
How he’s doing: Basha missed a dozen games this season for the powerhouse Tigers, but heading into Sunday’s action he’s still scored nine goals and added 20 assists in 23 games while serving as part of the leadership group for a team that has legitimate Memorial Cup aspirations.
The Calgarian has excellent playmaking and scoring skills, but he plays with an edge, too, and his checking game could be what earns him playing time as he begins making the transition to pro hockey in a year or two. Flames coaches raved about his work ethic and approach to training camp
Jacob Battaglia
Selected: Second round, 62nd overall
Position: Right-wing
Where he’s playing: Kingston Frontenacs, OHL
How he’s doing: At 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 202 lbs., Battaglia’s head coach with the Frontenacs Troy Mann raved about his game earlier this fall, crediting his quick hands, elite shot and skills down low. And so far this season, Battaglia’s been rewarded with some impressive numbers in the OHL. He’s scored 20 goals and added 23 assists through 33 games, and his 43 points are the 18th most in the Ontario league.
He’ll need to improve his skating if he’s going to be an impact player in the NHL, but the 18-year-old’s high hockey I.Q. and tenacity on the puck make him a fascinating addition to a deep group of young wingers that the Flames currently have in their stable.
Henry Mews
Selected: Third round, 74th overall
Position: Defence
Where he’s playing: Ottawa 67’s, OHL
How he’s doing: Mews should not be overshadowed by anybody on this list. With Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, Jeremie Poirier and Etienne Morin in the Flames’ system, they are well stocked with offensively-gifted defenceman, but Mews’ numbers this season show he should be taken very seriously as a prospect, too. Through 33 games this season, Mews has scored 10 goals and added 35 assists. That’s put him second in OHL scoring among defencemen and he should sail past his totals from last year, when he put up 61 points in 65 games.
Mews is a minus-3 so far this year, but he’s been a plus-player in his previous two seasons in the OHL and is being asked to shoulder a larger offensive load for the 67’s this season. Described as “pure value” at the draft by Flames director of amateur scouting Tod Button, his play this season suggests the future might be very bright indeed from Mews.
Kirill Zarubin
Selected: Third round, 84th overall
Position: Goaltender
Where he’s playing: AKM Tula, MHL
How he’s doing: Zarubin has played 11 games for AKM Tula in the MHL, which is Russia’s top junior league, and has posted a 2.37 goals-against-average and a .928 save percentage. Those are pretty good.
When he was drafted, he became the third Russian goaltender the Flames have picked in recent years, joining Arsenii Sergeev and Yegor Yegorov. In the summer, Flames director of goaltending Jordan Sigalet spoke glowingly about the 6-foot-4 shot-stopper’s movement in the crease and his “swagger.” It can be hard to follow the MHL closely from half a world away, but Zarubin’s numbers sure seem to indicate that he’s only picked up where he left off after a stellar season going into the draft.
Trevor Hoskin
Selected: Fourth round, 106th overall
Position: Right-wing
Where he’s playing: Niagara University, NCAA
How he’s doing: Hoskin was one of the curiosities of the Flames’ draft and because an illness prevented him from attending development camp in July, there’s still a lot to be learned about him. What we do know is he was the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s MVP and top forward in 2023-24 after scoring 42 goals and adding 58 assists for the Cobourg Cougars in the OJHL.
He was 20 years old on draft day, though, which was a little unusual. He’s since joined the Niagara University Purple Eagles and has started off his NCAA career nicely, recording five goals and 10 assists through 18 games for the program.
Luke Misa
Selected: Fifth round, 150th overall
Position: Centre
Where he’s playing: Brampton Steelheads, OHL
How he’s doing: This pick is beginning to look like a steal. There’s still obviously a lot of work for Misa to do before he’s an NHL player, but with 21 goals and 28 assists in 33 games for the Brampton Steelheads he’s currently seventh in OHL scoring — his brother, Michael, is leading the Ontario junior circuit this season.
At 5-foot-10 and weighing in at 176 lbs., Misa’s got time to add some muscle before trying to transition to the pro game, but the early returns since his draft day have been extremely encouraging.
Hunter Laing
Selected: Sixth round, 170th overall
Position: Centre
Where he’s playing: Prince George Cougars
How he’s doing: Described as more of a power-forward project than a finished product, the Flames selected Laing after franchise legend and current special advisor to the GM Jarome Iginla raved about him.
In his second full-time season with the Cougars, the 6-foot-6, 205 lbs. centre is already close to equalling his numbers from last year, too. He’s managed 10 goals and 11 assists through 32 games, putting him just four back of the 25 points he recorded in 66 games in 2023-24. His size alone makes him intriguing, but the year-to-year improvements are great to see.
Eric Jamieson
Selected: Sixth round, 177th overall
Position: Defence
Where he’s playing: Everett Silvertips, WHL
How he’s doing: Jamieson’s got a reputation for being a big, physical shutdown defenceman, but it’s worth noting that he’s also managed seven goals and 16 assists in 34 games with the Silvertips this season, so it’s not like he doesn’t bring anything to the table offensively.
The Silvertips are currently the top team in the WHL and have allowed the fewest goals of any team on the circuit. Jamieson’s a big part of that, and only five players in the WHL have a better plus/minus than the +27 he’s posted this season. All of them, in case you’re wondering, are Silvertips teammates.