NHL.com fantasy rank: 221
Parekh, the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had back-to-back 33-goal seasons as a defenseman in the Ontario Hockey League (2023-24 to 2024-25) and has the potential to emerge as an upper-echelon fantasy defenseman in the years ahead. Six of Parekh’s nine points in 37 games last season came on the power play, and the 20-year-old should compete with Nemec for a spot on the first man-advantage unit. Parekh, like Nemec (No. 2 pick in 2022 NHL Draft), is a breakout candidate who can take on an expanded role after MacKenzie Weegar (to Utah Mammoth) and Rasmus Andersson (to Vegas Golden Knights) were traded last season.
NHL.com point projection: 35
NHL.com fantasy rank: 234
Coronato led the Flames in points (45) last season and is the only Calgary player with at least 45 points and 15 power-play points in each of the past two seasons (career-high 47 points, 17 power-play points in 2024-25). Coronato, 23, finished last season on a six-game point streak and is coming off his highest shots on goal total (led Flames with 197). Coronato is a sleeper candidate who is attainable in the late rounds of most fantasy drafts or as a waiver wire pickup.
NHL.com point projection: 53
NHL.com fantasy rank: 235
Gridin, the No. 28 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is another one of the Flames’ young building blocks, giving them five players among the fantasy top 100 rankings for keeper and dynasty leagues. When he became a regular member of Calgary’s lineup from Jan. 17 to the end of the season, Gridin was among the team’s leaders in assists (14; tied with Coronato for lead), points (19 in 33 games; tied for second) and power-play points (seven; tied with Coronato, Morgan Frost for lead) over that span. Gridin, who’s only 20 years old, is a breakout candidate with the ceiling of leading the Flames in points as early as this season.
NHL.com point projection: 46