Friends, the Calgary Flames are in the midst of a youth movement that’s seen several draft choices transition into the NHL full-time, and several of them have made big impacts.

Flames netminder Dustin Wolf was a huge part of the club’s success in 2024-25 and was runner-up for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, and it seems pretty likely that Zayne Parekh will be given an opportunity to play with the Flames this coming season.

So in light of the continuing impact that youngsters have made with the Flames in recent years, we’re counting down the 10 best rookie seasons in Flames history. First up: the 10th through 6th-best seasons by Flames rookies ever.

#10: Hakan Loob (1983-84)

One of the first excellent Swedes in franchise history, Loob was drafted in the ninth round, 181st overall, in the 1980 NHL Draft. He played three more seasons in Sweden before deciding to try out the NHL in 1983 as a 23-year-old.

He ended up becoming a strong contributor immediately. He scored 30 goals and added 25 assists for 55 points. He was fourth on the Flames in points, behind Kent Nilsson, Eddy Beers and Lanny McDonald. League-wide, he was fifth in points among rookies, behind Steve Yzerman, Dave Poulin, Sylvain Turgeon and Kelly Kisio. He ended up being voted to the league’s All-Rookie Team, joining Yzerman and Turgeon. (Flames teammate Jamie Macoun joined Loob on the All-Rookie Team as one of the blueliners.)

Loob’s 1983-84 season stands as the 19th-best point total achieved by a Swedish rookie in NHL history, and when you look at even-strength points, he’s fourth-best in NHL history. He has one of just four 30+ goal performances by a Swedish rookie, too.

#9: Eric Vail (1974-75)

A second-round pick, 21st overall, from the 1973 NHL Draft, Vail played 23 games with the Flames in 1973-74 but became a full-time NHLer the following season as a 21-year-old.

Vail had 39 goals and 21 assists for 60 points as a rookie. He finished third on the Flames in points, behind Tom Lysiak and Curt Bennett. He ended up leading the Flames in goals. He was third among NHL rookies in points, behind Pierre Larouche and Danny Gare. He led all NHL rookies in goals.

Vail ended up being voted the winner of the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, becoming the first-ever Flames player to win a major trophy.

#8: Sergei Makarov (1989-90)

Well on his way to becoming a legend in Russia before even being drafted, Makarov was a 12th-round pick, 231st overall, in the 1983 NHL Draft. He remained in Russia for awhile before joining the Flames in 1989-90, at the age of 31.

Makarov posted 24 goals and 62 assists for 86 points that season. He finished fourth in points on the Flames, behind Joe Nieuwendyk, Doug Gilmour and Al MacInnis. He was tied for seventh on the team in goals. League-wide, he led all rookies in points, but he was seventh in goals.

Makarov ended up being voted the Calder Trophy winner, but there was push-back over a 31-year-old with Makarov’s extensive hockey resume being considered a rookie, so the league amended their rules to add an age restriction capping Calder eligibility at 26 years of age.

#7: Jarome Iginla (1996-97)

A junior star with the Kamloops Blazers selected in the first round of the 1995 NHL Draft, Iginla was acquired from Dallas by the Flames in the Joe Nieuwendyk trade in December 1995. He made his debut with the Flames in the 1996 playoffs and played his rookie season with the club in 1996-97 as a 19-year-old.

Iginla posted 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points. He finished fourth on the Flames in points, behind Theo Fleury, Dave Gagner and German Titov. He was also fourth on the team in goals. However, he led all NHL rookies in points and was third in goals.

Iginla finished second in Calder Trophy voting and was one of three forwards named to the All-Rookie Team.

#6: Willi Plett (1976-77)

Plett was drafted in the fifth round, 80th overall, in the 1975 NHL Draft. He played a handful of games in 1975-76 and became a full-time NHLer in 1976-77 as a 21-year-old.

Plett scored 30 goals and added 23 assists for 56 points. He was third on the Flames in points, behind Tom Lysiak and Eric Vail, and he led the team in goals. He led all NHL rookies in goals and was tied for fourth in points. (He tied with Don Murdoch, and he trailed behind Roland Eriksson, Paul Gardner and Glen Sharpey.)

Plett won the Calder Trophy, becoming the second Flame to capture that award.