Calgary Flames Projected to Draft Keaton Verhoeff

The Calgary Flames are projected to select defenseman Keaton Verhoeff in PuckPedia's PuckGM Mock Draft.

What is the draft prediction?

The prediction is based on over 1,600 mock NHL drafts from PuckPedia's PuckGM feature.

The Calgary Flames will pick Keaton Verhoeff, a player linked to the club in many other mock drafts.

Why is this significant for the Calgary Flames?

The 18-year-old Verhoeff is from Fort Saskatchewan, AB, giving Calgary a chance to draft and grow a local player.

Verhoeff played at the University of North Dakota, scoring 20 points in 36 games, his first season in the NCAA.

What are the implications of this draft?

The Flames may not be interested in drafting another defenseman after trading for Simon Nemec.

General Manager Craig Conroy may want to go in a different direction and select a different prospect.

The Flames are rebuilding and looking to contend for a playoff spot in their inaugural season at Scotia Place.

As of the end of the last season, the Calgary Flames stood 14th in the Western Conference with a 34-39 record, on a W1 streak.

The team's draft pick may not have an immediate impact on the lineup but may do so in a season or two.

There is a lot of pressure on the team to draft well or continue using their draft capital to acquire young talent.

The Flames organization will be watching the draft closely to see how it will impact their future success.