There are a surprising number of notable players selected 80th overall.
The Calgary Flames’ fourth pick in the 2025 draft and their final one until the 144th overall pick is the 80th overall pick. So far, we’ve looked at the history of the 18th overall pick, as well as the 54th overall pick. The Flames will have another pick, the 31st or 32nd overall pick, depending on who wins the Stanley Cup.
In this article, we’ll look at the history of the 80th overall pick, both players the Flames have drafted, and some of the more notable players from around the league.
Flames select Willi Plett in 1975
The first two players the Flames picked with the 80th pick were when they were in Atlanta. In 1975, they selected Will Plett in the fifth round.
Plett played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League, scoring 222 goals and 437 points in 834 games. Seven seasons were spent in the Flames organization, scoring 122 goals and 244 points in 452 games. Only two seasons were spent in Calgary, scoring 44 goals and 93 points in 156 games. On Jun. 7, 1982 (his 27th birthday), he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars.
Flames select Gord Wappel in 1978
Another player the Flames picked when they were in Atlanta was Gord Wappel in 1978. Unlike Plett, Wappel only played 20 NHL games, scoring a goal and two points, along with playing two post-season games. In total, Wappel played two games with the Atlanta Flames and 18 games when they moved to Calgary.
His final season before retiring was in 1982-83 with the Central Hockey League’s Colorado Flames, where he scored 10 goals and 44 points in 70 games.
Flames select Goer Johansson in 1985
The first time the Flames picked 80th overall after moving to Calgary was in 1985. They selected left-shot defenceman Roger Johansson with that pick, with the Swede playing 161 games with nine goals and 43 points.
His best season came with the 1990-91 Flames, scoring four goals and 17 points in 38 games. Johansson’s career-high in points came in 1992-93, also with the Flames, where he scored four goals and 20 points in 77 games.
Johansson finished his career in Sweden after the 2000-01 season.
Flames select Jake Boltmann in 2020
There is only one Flames’ prospect selected 80th overall who hasn’t played in the NHL yet –
Jake Boltmann.
The right-shot defenceman played five collegiate seasons from the 2020-21 season until the 2024-25 season, with the first four seasons coming with Notre Dame. Last season with Northeastern University, Boltman scored two goals and 12 points in 35 games.
Moreover, the
23-year-old was involved in the trade that landed the Flames the 22nd overall pick, used to select Connor Zary.
Flames select Aydar Suniev in 2023
The Flames traded Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for Yegor Sharangovich, as well as a third-round pick in the 2023 draft. That third-rounder turned out to be the 80th overall pick,
used to select Aydar Suniev.
Suniev, 20, was selected from the British Columbia Hockey League’s Penticton Vees and played two seasons at UMass. In his rookie season, he scored 12 goals and 25 points in 36 games. Last season, he increased his goal total to 20 and his point total to 35.
After UMass was eliminated from the National Tournament, Suniev joined the Flames for the final game, taking a penalty. He’ll start next season with the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers.
Notable players selected 80th overall
Plett happens to be one of the most notable players selected 80th overall, playing 834 games, the fifth-most for 80th overall picks. Bob Rouse, selected by the Minnesota North Stars in 1982, holds the record for most games played with 1,061, scoring 37 goals and 218 points.
However, the most notable player selected 80th overall
by far is Esa Tikkanen, who was selected by the Oilers in the 1983 draft. The Finnish forward went on to win four Stanley Cups with the Oilers and one with the New York Rangers in 1994. His 244 goals and 630 points are the most for any player selected 80th overall.
Other players with over 800 games played are Kris King, the Washington Capitals’ 1984 draftee, and Greg Gilbert, who was selected in the 1980 draft by the New York Islanders.
Two active players have played over 500 games that were selected 80th overall: Bryan Rust and Anthony Duclair. The former, selected in the 2010 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, has scored 203 goals and 437 points in 639 games, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
Duclair hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, but has played 607 games with 153 goals and 314 points. His career-best season came in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers, scoring 31 goals and 58 points in 74 games.
The Canucks selected Elias Pettersson in the 2022 draft, and the defenceman became a regular in the second half of last season. Another 80th overall pick who may see action in the future is 2019 select Graeme Clarke, who has played three NHL games and scored 16 goals and 37 points in 64 American Hockey League games last season.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Sponsored by bet365:
