Six years later: A look back on the Calgary Flames’ 2019 draft class

Continuing our series looking back on Calgary Flames draft classes, we’ve made our way to the 2019 draft. This year’s draft was a short one for the Flames, who had traded their second and sixth-round picks in previous trades. All said, they made five picks in the draft and their first selection didn’t come until 26th overall. Needless to say, the quantity of NHL assets coming from this class is slim.

26th overall – Jakob Pelletier

The Flames had to wait all the way until 26th to make their first selection, picking up Jakob Pelletier out of the QMJHL. Following his selection, Pelletier dominated the QMJHL over his D+1 and D+2 seasons, totaling 125 points in just 85 games.

By 2021–22, Pelletier was making his AHL debut as a 20-year-old rookie. His first year of pro hockey was a special one, posting 62 points in 66 games to finish second on the Heat in scoring and earning a spot on the AHL’s all-rookie team. By this time Pelletier was easily considered the organization’s top skater prospect.

The following season Pelletier once again dominated the AHL to the tune of 37 points in 35 games, and earned his first taste of NHL action. In 24 games with the Flames that year, Pelletier was a lone bright spot in an otherwise tough season for the organization. Big things were expected of Pelletier in 2023–24, but then disaster struck.

He’d suffer a serious shoulder injury in the preseason, keeping him out of action until February. When he returned, he never looked comfortable and was missing a lot of the energy that made him so effective in 2022–23.

This past season Pelletier’s struggles continued, failing to make the Flames out of camp and eventually clearing waivers. While he did earn a call-up to the Flames eventually, he managed just 24 games before being dealt to Philadelphia in the Frost/Farabee deal. It’s hard not to wonder how Pelletier’s trajectory in Calgary would’ve changed if he never suffered that serious injury in the 2023 preseason.

88th overall – Ilya Nikolaev

Things start to go downhill for this draft class immediately, as the organization’s third-round pick in Ilya Nikolaev really struggled to make an impact in the six years after being drafted. In his D+1 and D+2 seasons Nikolaev spent time in Russia in the MHL, and VHL. His numbers didn’t exactly jump off the page. He posted 50 points in 74 MHL games, an underwhelming result in a junior league. In 37 VHL games (Russia’s equivalent to the AHL) he registered 13 points.

In his D+3 season Nikolaev made the jump to North America in the USHL, a rarity for a 20-year-old drafted prospect. To his credit he played well, with 72 points in 58 games, although when you consider his age and the league he was in the numbers are the bare minimum expectation. For context, fellow Flame draft pick Matt Coronato had 85 points in 51 games in the USHL as an 18-year-old.

In 2022–23 Nikolaev finally made the jump to pro hockey, and over the next two seasons put up a modest six points in 34 AHL games and 41 points in 46 ECHL games. This past season Nikolaev once again split his time between the ECHL and AHL, before being waived by the Flames in November. He ended up heading back to Russia and is currently signed there for next season.

116th overall – Lucas Feuk

The Flames had to wait until 116th overall to make their third selection of the draft, picking up forward Lucas Feuk out of Sweden. It pretty much never clicked for Feuk after being selected. Following the pick, Feuk spent most of his time in the HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden’s second tier) over the next three seasons. Across those three years he managed just five points in 53 games. In 2022–23, his D+4 season, he finally made the jump to North American and skated in 45 games in the ECHL, posting 12 points.

Following the 2022–23 season the Flames opted to let Feuk go unsigned and renounced his draft rights. He’s since returned to Sweden and currently plays in their third-tier league HockeyEttan.

150th overall – Josh Nodler

At 150th overall the Flames selected forward Josh Nodler out of the USHL. Much like the above two names, Nodler was never really considered a notable prospect with the team. Following the pick, Nodler made the move to the NCAA with Michigan State University where he’d go on to spend the next four seasons. Across those four years, he struggled to make an impact.

Nodler’s production just never really took off. In total he played 126 games at the college level but managed just 39 points. Following the 2022–23 season in which he posted five points in 27 games as a 21-year-old, the Flames renounced his rights. He most recently spent the 2024–25 season in the ECHL.

214th overall – Dustin Wolf

Last but certainly not least, the Flames picked up a small goalie by the name of Dustin Wolf with their final pick of the draft. It’s early, but there’s already a case to be made that Wolf is one of the best draft picks in franchise history. From day one, it was quite clear Wolf was a steal in the seventh round. He’s simply dominated at every single level he’s played at since being drafted.

Here’s what Wolf has accomplished in the six years since being draft. First in junior he won the WHL goaltender of the year in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021, as well as the CHL goaltender of the year in 2020. He also claimed the USA hockey junior goaltender of the year in 2020.

After making the jump to the AHL in 2022, he proceeded to win back-to-back AHL goaltender of the year awards in 2022 and 2023. He also claimed the AHL MVP award in 2023. In 2023–24 he made his NHL debut and in his rookie season this past year in 2024–25 he claimed a Calder Trophy nomination and single handedly carried the Flames all year.

Wolf has quite literally won or been nominated for a major goaltending or player award at every single level he’s played at since being drafted. It’s not really possible for a seventh-round pick to turn out better than Wolf has thus far.