An updated look at the Flames’ depth chart at centre

As you can see, the Flames aren’t exactly the team with the most depth down the middle. Their number-one centre as of right now is Nazem Kadri, who’s turning 35 in October. Mikael Backlund, who just signed a two-year extension with the team, will be turning 37 in March.

As for the younger players in Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil, it’s kind of a grey area for them. Pospisil had a short stint at centre last season, but it was clear that his game was more suited on the wing. Zary, on the other hand, never really got a long look down the middle, and we all want Zary to get that chance. The issue is that there isn’t really any room for him to be a centre full-time right now. He’s been on the wing where he’s been good, but many wonder if Zary can bring his game to the next level if he were given a chance to play centre longer. As for a player like Sam Honzek, this season is an important year development-wise. There’s been talk of him being a centre in the future, but he’ll have to first show that he’s a functional NHL forward, meaning he’ll get a long look on the wing.

Then you have the competition for the fourth-line centre spot. Rory Kerins, Justin Kirkland and Sam Morton could all make a push. Kirkland was the fourth-line centre for the Flames for the majority of last season, and Kerins played five NHL games, where he recorded four points. He was, however, playing on the wing. A player like Carter King is likely to remain in the AHL for the season, with the potential for call-ups depending on his performance.

The unsigned bunch

The Flames added some much-needed skill to their centre pool. During the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flames made two great first-round selections in Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter. Both players will be playing in the NCAA this season, where their development is bound to improve. It’s also interesting how the Flames decided to draft players who were a bit undersized, but it just shows how much they prioritized drafting skill. I’m excited for both of these players, as they’re the types of players who can potentially become significant pieces for the Flames in the future. Theo Stockelius is another player who could be an underrated pick, and Luke Misa already has a favourable reputation in the fanbase.

As for the others, time will tell. I’m not confident that players such as Hunter Laing or Jaden Lipinski will be NHLers, as their road will be quite long. That being said, crazier things have happened.

Flames still need “that guy”

There are certainly some promising pieces within the Flames’ prospect pool, but it’s still clear that this team would benefit hugely from elite talent down the middle. Who knows? Maybe a player like Reschny or Potter finds their stride at the NHL level, but as of right now, that’s wishful thinking. All fans can do is hope that these players pan out, and in a couple of years, we can look back and determine if the Flames’ method of drafting was successful or not