FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Which centres could Calgary target in 2025 NHL Draft?
There's no doubt that the Calgary Flames scouts have been focused on faceoff men.
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It wouldn't be a surprise if the Flames select a pivot prospect with both of their first-round selections in the 2025 NHL Draft. Even if they go a different direction with one of those up-high picks, their two-day haul should include several centres.
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Meet some of the middle-men who might be on Calgary's radar, whether that's at No. 18 overall or as the proceedings continue.
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Braeden Cootes
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Hometown: Sherwood Park, Alta.
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This season: 26 goals, 63 points in 60 games with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds
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Measurements: 6-foot, 183 pounds
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The skinny: This up-and-comer hails from Oil Country, but we won't hold that against him, not with so many traits that make him an intriguing fit for the Flames. Cootes was Canada's top scorer at the World Under-18s, with six goals — including a pair of game-winners — and a dozen points in seven tournament tilts. He brings boundless energy and has a righty curve on his stick, a rarity in Calgary's pipeline. Cootes was the youngest captain in the WHL this season and also rocked the 'C' for Team Canada, so he earns another checkmark for his leadership qualities.
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Cole Reschny
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Hometown: Macklin, Sask.
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Measurements: 5-foot-11, 183 pounds
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The skinny: Did any draft hopeful do more to boost their stock over the past couple of months? Reschny went berserk — in a good way — during the WHL playoffs, racking up nine goals and 25 points in only 11 outings. As a late arrival at the World Under-18s, he continued his spring show-off by scoring five times in five appearances with Team Canada, including the overtime winner in a quarterfinal nail-biter. Reschny has a well-rounded game, but nothing gets the scouts scribbling faster than the ability to come up with a clutch goal at a crucial moment.
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The skinny: There isn't a ton of size among the projected first-round centres — and especially among the guys who are expected to still be available into the teens and beyond — so Nesbitt stands out from the crowd. While he doesn't offer as much offensive sizzle as some of the other options, this power-forward-in-progress is considered a 'safe' pick because he has all the attributes to be an effective middle-six sort. The question is whether the Flames, needing to eventually fill a first-line vacancy, would rather swing for the fences. With a pair of first-round picks, could they maybe do both?
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Ben Kindel
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Hometown: Coquitlam, B.C.
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Measurements: 5-foot-10, 176 pounds
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The skinny: If you follow the Hitmen, you're aware that one of the top-scoring prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft already is accustomed to dazzling fans at the Saddledome. Kindel finished seventh in the WHL points race this winter and continued to produce in the playoffs, with eight goals and seven assists in 11 post-season spins. He is both creative and competitive. He's elusive, but doesn't shy away from the high-traffic areas. Although some figure he will be better slotted as a winger at the big-league level, that shouldn't be a deterrent for the Flames, since they're also thin on right-shots on the flank.
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