Flames draft – Calgary’s sixth-overall pick at the 2026 NHL Draft went to Prince George Cougars defender Carson Carels, one of several blue-chip additions meant to strengthen a fast-rising prospect group. The Flames also secured picks including Simon Nemec earlier this week,
The Calgary Flames didn’t just wait for the 2026 NHL Draft to refresh their blue line. They already moved earlier this week, acquiring young defenceman Simon Nemec, and then—on Friday night—they went back to defence again.
With their sixth-overall pick, Calgary selected Carson Carels from the WHL’s Prince George Cougars at the 2026 NHL Draft. Carels is coming off a standout season in British Columbia and is set to head to the University of North Dakota next season.
The Flames’ work didn’t stop there. Their draft day selections also reached across the map: from the WHL and USHL to the Czech junior system, Russia’s MHL, Finland’s junior ranks, and the OHL—bringing in players with NCAA ties, plus a goalie they took early.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Flames’ picks.
Sixth Overall: Carson Carels
2025-26 Team: Prince George Cougars, WHL
Stat Line: 20G-53A-73PTS in 58 games
Carels grew up in Cypress River, Man., and first made waves at the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy, 45 minutes south of his hometown. The smooth-skating defender put his talent on display there, dominating corners of the ice.
Rick McConnell, Carels’ former coach at the academy, said his coaching staff were in awe the first time they saw him move—“fly around the ice.” By the time Carels left Pilot Mound to join the Prince George Cougars, he had collected 103 points over 75 games.
“He was exceptional,” McConnell said earlier this month. “I just remember on the power play. always telling my forwards to keep their sticks on the ice. because you never knew when Carson would find players — he would see things that nobody else did. and put that puck through seams. I don’t know how he did it, but he did it.
“He had a knack for reading plays before they happened — Gretzky-like, to be very honest.”
That vision carried through junior. The 18-year-old enters the Flames organization after a 20-goal, 73-point campaign in Prince George, and he heads to the next stage having collected 111 points through 125 games from the blue line.
Next season, he’ll test his game against quicker, stronger opposition in the NCAA alongside fellow top prospect Keaton Verhoeff, whose name was called three picks later by San Jose.
Carels also made a choice about where he would watch his moment arrive. Rather than taking the stage in Buffalo, he stayed close to home and took in the Draft from his family’s farm, a few minutes outside Cypress River.
At the Scouting Combine two weeks ago. Carels talked about how farm life shaped both his work ethic and his perspective. Speaking in Buffalo earlier this month. he said: “It shaped me and who I am — there’s a lot of losses in farming. … I think, just, you do everything you can for an animal and sometimes you still end up losing it. That taught me a lot. To just forget about the bad shifts and forget about all that. because there’s bigger things in life that happen.”.
30th Overall: Jack Hextall
2025-26 Team: Youngstown Phantoms, USHL
Stat Line: 20G-38A-58PTS in 59 games
Jack Hextall arrives with momentum. The American centre is coming off a sterling season with the Youngstown Phantoms, but his run started with hardware before he even stepped foot on the ice at Youngstown’s Covelli Centre.
On Friday night’s broadcast, Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino described him as a steady engine: “This guy’s a worker bee. He got off to a really good start to the year, winning gold at the [2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup]. He had three points in the gold-medal game, and helped the U.S. to win that tournament.
“He’s always around the puck, always digging for pucks. I like this guy. I like the motor that he brings.”
Hextall was named the Americans’ player of the game for his efforts in that gold-medal tilt. He then produced a point-per-game season with the Phantoms as they finished atop the USHL.
Colby Armstrong—described as a staple in the Pittsburgh hockey community an hour’s drive from Youngstown—spoke about what it looks like to have Hextall in the room. Armstrong said Friday: “Youngstown loves this guy. … I popped in there, had a chat with some of them, their strength coaches, everyone around the rink. … They raved about this kid. From last year’s season into this season. the improvement. his work ethic. his leadership around the room — he was the jewel of their team. the way they talk about everything that he does day-to-day.
“They’re getting one of those hard-nosed, in-there-every-day, getting-it-done leaders that you can build around.”
The 18-year-old is set to suit up for Michigan State next season, alongside fellow Flames prospect Cullen Potter, the No. 32 pick in last year’s draft.
Hextall’s story carries family weight. His surname connects to a hockey dynasty: Jack’s father, Cory, is the cousin of longtime NHL netminder Ron Hextall. Ron was a third-generation NHLer. following in the footsteps of grandfather Bryan Hextall. who played 11 seasons. and father Bryan Hextall Jr. who played 10 seasons.
Cory Hextall logged four seasons in the NCAA, and Jack’s uncle Donevan played time in the AHL and ECHL after emerging as a WHL standout in Prince Albert.
Now, Jack looks to continue that legacy in the big leagues.
36th Overall: C Chase Harrington
2025-26 Team: Spokane Chiefs, WHL
Stat Line: 28G-29A-57PTS in 61 games
Chase Harrington, a Prince George, B.C. native, finished eighth in the WHL with 105 penalty minutes last season. He was picked eighth overall in the 2022 WHL Draft.
42nd Overall: G Tobias Trejbal
2025-26 Team: Youngstown Chiefs, USHL
Stat Line: 30-9-3, 2.12 GAA, .916 save%
Calgary traded up to bring in Tobias Trejbal as the first goalie off the board. Trejbal was named USHL goalie of the year.
55th Overall: RW Alan Shaikhlislamov
2025-26 Team: Ufa Tolpar, MHL (Russia)
Stat Line: 18G-17A-35PTS in 31 games
Alan Shaikhlislamov is a six-foot-one Russian. He is coming off a season in the MHL and made the cut for the draft eligibility despite the date—Sept. 4, 2008.
He missed a couple months last season due to injury.
65th Overall: F Joe Iginla
2025-26 Team: Edmonton Oil Kings, Vancouver Giants, WHL
Stat Line: 15G-16A-31PTS in 59 games
Joe Iginla is heading to the team where his father starred and now works in the front office. Jarome Iginla’s son is also the younger brother of top Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla.
100th Overall: C Egor Barabanov
2025-26 Team: Saginaw Spirit, OHL
Stat Line: 28G-63A-91PTS in 68 games
Egor Barabanov is a 20-year-old with huge production in his first OHL season. He put up 28 goals and 63 assists for 91 points in 68 games and is scheduled to play NCAA hockey for UMass next season.
152nd Overall: LW Simon Katolicky
2025-26 Team: Tappara, Finnish junior league
Stat Line: 6G-17A-23PTS in 29 games
Simon Katolicky is a six-foot-five Czech native. He is expected to play for the OHL’s Sarnia Sting next season.
164th Overall: D Bode Laylin
2025-26 Team: Tri-City Storm, USHL
Stat Line: 11G-27A-38PTS in 55 games
Bode Laylin, listed at five-foot-11, is committed to the University of St. Thomas.
When you lay the Flames’ draft picks side by side, the choices map cleanly: a defence that’s built to keep growing, a USHL centre with a reputation for doing the dirty work, a goalie taken as the first off the board, and future college paths already lined up through the NCAA.
Calgary’s weekend wasn’t just about where the puck landed in Buffalo—it was about where these players will be when the next wave of contenders begins.
Calgary Flames 2026 NHL Draft Carson Carels Simon Nemec Jack Hextall Tobias Trejbal Chase Harrington Alan Shaikhlislamov Joe Iginla Egor Barabanov Simon Katolicky Bode Laylin