The Vegas Golden Knights’ inspiring playoff run came to a screeching halt at the end of the Stanley Cup Final, as John Tortorella and company dropped the final three games and the series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Now, Vegas is left with an offseason of wondering what could’ve been after it sat just two wins from a championship.
The Golden Knights weren’t the only losers coming out of this Stanley Cup Final. The Calgary Flames, who traded defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Knights in January before the trade deadline, had major draft ramifications riding on the series.
The return for Andersson was originally a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick that went back to Calgary for the standout defenseman. However, if the Knights won the Stanley Cup, that compensation would have been boosted, per Marcus Antonelli of Pro Hockey Rumors.
“That is no longer the case with these two draft picks, after the Golden Knights conceded to the Hurricanes in six games,” Antonelli wrote. “If Vegas had won the 2026 Stanley Cup, the 2028 second-round pick would’ve been upgraded to a first-round pick for the Flames in that respective draft. Because Carolina won, that draft pick will remain in the second round in 2028.”
There’s no telling where that first-rounder would land in 2028, and the Golden Knights have established a track record of being near the top of the NHL in most seasons. However, having more ammunition to either improve through the draft or make a trade for a star is never a bad thing, so this will feel like a big missed opportunity for Calgary.
In the nearer future, the Flames will still have a chance to improve this offseason. After a nightmare season, Calgary will have the No. 6 pick in the NHL Draft while also owning the No. 30 pick by way of the Golden Knights. The 2027 first-rounder from Vegas is top-10 protected, but could still end up as a valuable asset next offseason.
For a Flames team that desperately needs some more depth and talent, having that stockpile of picks is a great start to their rebuild.
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