Flames, Predators among teams with most improved prospect pools
While everyone is excited about what is about to happen in the 2026-27 NHL season, it is worth taking a look at what is to come for some teams that continue to rebuild, or retool across the league.
The best way for a team to lay a good foundation is to build from within their own ranks. From solid drafting to prestine development, possessing a solid prospect pool can lay the groundwork for longterm success. While some teams, such as the Vegas Golden Knights, feel like buying their way to wins, there are a few teams that have done their due diligence to acquire both exciting young prospects and diamonds in the rough, in hopes they can be big-time players in the NHL someday.
On this week’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Steven Ellis joined Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton to discuss which teams bolstered their pool of prospects this summer.
Steven Ellis: I’d say maybe the Calgary Flames. I think just the fact that this is a group-I had them at 10 last year, moved them in the third this year-but that’s a big improvement. … They got Carson Carels, they got Zayne Parekh, they got Cole Reschny. All three of those players looked to be impact guys. That does include Matvei Gridin, who already looked pretty good in the NHL this past year. Ethan Wyttenbach, who is one of the best players in college hockey. They’ve got some good goaltending. They have depth at every single position. So, I’d say the Flames are definitely one of those teams where you just look and get excited about.
I will say the Nasvhille Predators are definitely up there too. You look at them, Wyatt Cullen, that could be found money for them. This is a guy that most people didn’t have on any draft board early in the season, and he ended up going in the top 10. They already have Brady Martin, Ryker Lee. I might like them a bit more than other guys, but they don’t necessarily need a lot of top-end talent to go out there and and be super dangerous. They need to go out there and have guys who could make the NHL. Like a lot of teams will look at, ‘Hey, like we’re just looking at guys trying to get to at least 200 games in the NHL.’ That happens. You can get that out of a third, fourth, fifth-round pick. You’re so happy with your scouting department, and it feels like Nashville’s got something here where, of top 10 prospects, I wouldn’t be surprised if seven or eight of them become full time NHL players in the next few years.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…
