Future Flames: Craig Conroy Found a Gem in Alan Shaikhlislamov

The Calgary Flames selected Alan Shaikhlislamov with the 55th-overall pick in the 2026 Draft, marking the fifth selection for the Flames in just the first two rounds, adding to an already deep and talented prospect pool. 

Shaikhlislamov was born Sept. 8, 2008, in Izhevsk, Russia. Being born in September, he was one of the youngest selections in the entire draft. The 6-foot-1, left-shot winger has been on quite a tear to start the season for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL (Russia’s top junior league), recording nine goals and 17 points in 13 games. 

The 18-year-old winger has a knack for scoring goals, with his shot being described as NHL ready. Whether he uses a snap shot, one-timer, or wrist shot, Shaikhlislamov is a pure goal scorer, something the Flames have not had in quite a while. 

Biggest Strengths

Shaikhlislamov’s shot is by far and away his best attribute, but his heads-up off-puck movement is what allows him to show off his top threat. He has a really good engine that can keep him in the play in either zone of the ice. He uses this ability to find the soft spot, whether right in front of the net for a tap-in rebound goal, or opening up across the slot for a teammate to find him. 

Although he does not own the biggest frame, he plays as if he does, and he shows it by not being afraid to take a hit but also lay big hits. This is crucial for being able to play at the next level, where players are much larger. Shaikhlislamov has already had some call-ups to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL, Russia’s top league), including last season as a 17-year-old. 

When his physicality and heads-up off-puck movement are executed well, he has shown he can be the catalyst for his team taking over the game. Albeit just at the junior level, he was doing it while in his draft year against Russia’s top talent. Even last season, when he missed a major chunk of games following an injury from a hard hit from behind, he quickly found his feet once he returned, recording 20 points in the final 10 games of the season. Shaikhlislamov’s end to the season is what boosted him into a mid-to-late second-round pick in draft rankings after going under the radar for most of the season. 

Areas of Concern

Shaikhlislamov’s biggest concerns are consistency and skating speed. During the first half of last season before his injury, his play was very inconsistent and he was unnoticeable on the ice at times. This obviously is a concern because no team wants a streaky player who is not able to continually do what they are asked. 

Fortunately for Shaikhlislamov, he improved on this as the season went on. In particular, he adjusted his shot selection. In the first half of the season, when he wasn’t scoring at an elite pace, he was shooting from all over the ice, producing low-danger shots that were easy for goalies to stop. After his return from injury, he was more conscious about what shots he was taking and from where, which led to his offensive burst. 

Shaikhlislamov is a good skater, but he cannot separate from defenders when attacking on the rush. This is not as big of a concern as his consistency because it can be fixed by adjusting his strides, which he seemed to be doing as last season came to a close and this one opened. Still though, when he makes the jump to the next level it will be important for him to keep working on this; the game is only going to get quicker and leave slower players behind. 

What’s Ahead For Shaikhlislamov

This season has been fantastic for Shaikhlislamov as he has been scoring at the best pace in his young career. He has also already received a call-up to the KHL, where he played in one game for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, playing 4:26. 

In terms of what the second-rounder can become, on the high end, he can become an elite top-six winger with high upside in terms of goalscoring. On the other side, he could end up being a depth piece with his high-energy motor that can bring secondary scoring and hard forechecking to round out a forward core. Still just 18 years old, Shaikhlislamov has shown he can compete, and if he continues to improve in the areas of concern, the Flames may have very well found their next elite goal scorer.