Who Are We Getting at 4OA This Year?
- Thread starter Johnny Hoxville
- Start date
Pirate King Luffy
Ferkland
Johnny Hoxville
The Return of a Legend
Guys we already have a draft thread, I wanted this to be more about the caliber of player we will be getting with our pick.
Volica
Papa Shango
- May 15, 2012
- 21,456
- 11,121
Johnny Hoxville
The Return of a Legend
Haha wow, I didn't even notice that. Well now I've corrected the spelling in the OP, so now we can discuss the topic at hand
Volica
Papa Shango
- May 15, 2012
- 21,456
- 11,121
But for real.
Aaron Ekblad I see plugging into the NHL right away. He has the talent to be an NHL regular. Will he be a #1? I don't know. He has the physical tools to be a high end dman.
Sam Reinhart I view as the only true top line center; one that you win with. He has all the tools to be a very diligent and complete top line center. I hate to make this Toews comparison, but the IQ is there.
Sam Bennett I see as a heart and soul player. Maybe not a first line center in the NHL but another guy you win with going forward. Definitely a guy you can roll out against a top line; and not only will he shut them down; he might outscore them too. Might be too small to keep up the aggro play.
Leon Draisaitl I see with bust potential. He can be slotted anywhere from the top line to the third line. I don't know if his offense translates well; it might, or it might not be absolutely dynamite in the big leagues. If he tops out, you're looking at a mini jumbo Joe, which is worth the risk.
MDC and Ritchie are in a similar boat. They have top 6 big winger written all over them. I'd be happier with Ritchie as I see him as a Lucic with better hands; which is something GMs dream of at night.
Aaron Ekblad I see plugging into the NHL right away. He has the talent to be an NHL regular. Will he be a #1? I don't know. He has the physical tools to be a high end dman.
Sam Reinhart I view as the only true top line center; one that you win with. He has all the tools to be a very diligent and complete top line center. I hate to make this Toews comparison, but the IQ is there.
Sam Bennett I see as a heart and soul player. Maybe not a first line center in the NHL but another guy you win with going forward. Definitely a guy you can roll out against a top line; and not only will he shut them down; he might outscore them too. Might be too small to keep up the aggro play.
Leon Draisaitl I see with bust potential. He can be slotted anywhere from the top line to the third line. I don't know if his offense translates well; it might, or it might not be absolutely dynamite in the big leagues. If he tops out, you're looking at a mini jumbo Joe, which is worth the risk.
MDC and Ritchie are in a similar boat. They have top 6 big winger written all over them. I'd be happier with Ritchie as I see him as a Lucic with better hands; which is something GMs dream of at night.
turnagainoutlaw
Registered User
I see one of three scenarios happening.
1. The Flames trade up and draft Aaron Ekblad #1. I'm not sold on Ekblad as a #1 though. I think that he projects more Chris Phillips than Chris Pronger.
2. The Flames stay where they are and draft Sam Bennet. I think that this guy will be a Jonny Toews type player with a mean streak. He might not have the same leadership intangibles but play style I think he develops that way.
3. The Flames trade down with Vancouver and draft Ritchie. I see this one happening if Reinhart is available at 4. This would fill an organizational need but I'm not sure that it would be the best move for the franchise. I think he projects to be a Todd Bertuzzi type player...
So basically they either get a #2 defence man, a #1C or a 1st line Right Winger.
1. The Flames trade up and draft Aaron Ekblad #1. I'm not sold on Ekblad as a #1 though. I think that he projects more Chris Phillips than Chris Pronger.
2. The Flames stay where they are and draft Sam Bennet. I think that this guy will be a Jonny Toews type player with a mean streak. He might not have the same leadership intangibles but play style I think he develops that way.
3. The Flames trade down with Vancouver and draft Ritchie. I see this one happening if Reinhart is available at 4. This would fill an organizational need but I'm not sure that it would be the best move for the franchise. I think he projects to be a Todd Bertuzzi type player...
So basically they either get a #2 defence man, a #1C or a 1st line Right Winger.
Roof Daddy
Registered User
- Apr 1, 2008
- 13,137
- 2,284
Oilers fan coming in peace. These are fair assessments for the most part, other than I don't see Draisaitl being boom/bust the way you do. His skating is an issue, but in watching Toffoli and Pearson in this year's playoffs (who were both criticized for their skating in their draft year), I'm no longer worried as it can be improved with work. As for his offence not translating, I feel completely opposite. Ray Ferraro was recently talking about Draisaitl and how he creates offence with his puck possession skills, using his size to shield the puck, slowing down the game, having a good idea how to create pick plays on a give and go, stuff like that. He also mentioned that this is how you have to create offence in today's NHL, especially in tight checking games, that scoring off the rush isn't as prevalent as it used to be. Draisaitl's GM in PA thinks he compares favourably to Getzlaf (not as physical though). He worked for the Hitmen when Getzlaf played for them, so he'd be as good an authority as any.
As for high end/low end, I'd say....
Ekblad: high end - Weber (less physical), low end - Seabrook.
Reinhart: high end - Backstrom/Toews hybrid, low end - Stepan.
Bennett: high end - Kesler, low end - Schenn.
Draisaitl: high end - Getzlaf (less physical), low end - Anisimov.
MDC: high end - Nash, low end - Paajarvi with a much better shot???
Ritchie: high end - Lucic, low end - Kassian
Need to think of a better low end for MDC, but I think these are decent comparables if they reach their ceiling or if they underwhelm.
Mr Lebowski
Go Flames
I think we get a very good 2nd liner or average 1st line, two way player that puts up around 70 points
Mr Lebowski
Go Flames
CraigsList
In Conroy We Trust
Caliber eh?
Ekblad - Would be worth trading up (if we did). I have no doubt that he will be a top defenseman in the league. The Flames in a decade could potentially have TJ and Aaron as our top pairing.
Reinhart - probably would slot as a RWer on our team, but regardless, he'll be a lock that can produce 60-80 points on a year to year basis. He's a kid that we can use and would be a guaranteed top 6 player.
Bennett - I really admire the way Mike Richards plays, and he is exactly how I think Bennett will turn out to be the same way. Gilmour is another great comparison. He does everything that Sean Monahan doesn't do (which is a good thing). I'd love to have a Monahan-Bennett 1-2 punch down the middle.
Draisaitl - He and Sean have the same storyline --- They had crappy teammates and still produced points. Look at how Sean has turned out his first year, I wouldn't be surprised if Draisaitl could do the same.
Ritchie and Dal Colle are top 6 players too, one a big power forward and the other with a hell of a shot. Wouldn't mind either, but I would still prefer a center or Ekblad over the 2.
For the Flames, the rankings in my eyes of organizational need is:
Ekblad - potential franchise defenseman
Reinhart - Will become an elite scorer.
Bennett - We need some grit in our game, we have too many soft players.
Draisaitl - would address the size need as well as players that can shield the puck, good passing ability.
Ekblad - Would be worth trading up (if we did). I have no doubt that he will be a top defenseman in the league. The Flames in a decade could potentially have TJ and Aaron as our top pairing.
Reinhart - probably would slot as a RWer on our team, but regardless, he'll be a lock that can produce 60-80 points on a year to year basis. He's a kid that we can use and would be a guaranteed top 6 player.
Bennett - I really admire the way Mike Richards plays, and he is exactly how I think Bennett will turn out to be the same way. Gilmour is another great comparison. He does everything that Sean Monahan doesn't do (which is a good thing). I'd love to have a Monahan-Bennett 1-2 punch down the middle.
Draisaitl - He and Sean have the same storyline --- They had crappy teammates and still produced points. Look at how Sean has turned out his first year, I wouldn't be surprised if Draisaitl could do the same.
Ritchie and Dal Colle are top 6 players too, one a big power forward and the other with a hell of a shot. Wouldn't mind either, but I would still prefer a center or Ekblad over the 2.
For the Flames, the rankings in my eyes of organizational need is:
Ekblad - potential franchise defenseman
Reinhart - Will become an elite scorer.
Bennett - We need some grit in our game, we have too many soft players.
Draisaitl - would address the size need as well as players that can shield the puck, good passing ability.
MonahanTheMan
Pray for Flames
Aaron Ekblad, (Defense)
A lot of people on this board have criticized me for being too high on Ekblad. Well, I stand by what I've said - I think he will be a 20-year player in the NHL and an elite defenseman, one of the best, if not the best in the league when he hits his prime. I also think he's ready to make the jump to the NHL next year, because he's physically ready and already reads the game at such an awesomely high level. I was blown away by him in Hlinka and I enjoy watching him play for Barrie as well. Why people think he might not even be a true number one is beyond me. Ekblad is the real deal. As far as comparables go, I have no choice but to compare him to Duncan Keith, simply because I think he is truly that good, and hopefully his talents won't end up being wasted in Florida.
Sam Reinhart, (Centre)
I'll admit I've seen very little of Sam Reinhart because I primarily follow the OHL, but what I have seen has been pretty impressive. Burke wasn't kidding when he called Sam "Einstein on skates" - he probably has the highest hockey IQ of any forward in this draft, maybe even better than Draisaitl's, and he of course has the skillset to put it all together as well. I think he can jump in and play next year, as well, and will have an extended career as a franchise centre for whoever he plays for. As a comparable, I like to compare him to Claude Giroux because the two players have similar hockey IQs and a similar tendency to dismantle opposing defenses that I really like. While I would be thrilled if he fell to us at #4, I think he goes to Edmonton.
Sam Bennett, (Centre/Left Wing)
When I first saw Bennett play, I worried that his high-octane, no-holds-barred game might not A) translate well to the NHL or B) be indicative of his value as a team player. However, the more I learn about Bennett the more I know that I would not be worried if the Flames picked him at #4. While his game is downright chaotic, he seems to me to be solid in all zones and a true team player. Given that he's modeled his entire game after him, it's tough to compare him to anyone but Doug Gilmour, although he probably does not have the same offensive capabilities and is happily a bit taller. I do, however, think Sam's career will be a little truncated by injury, and although I think he has the ability to jump into the NHL this year, I think he'll end up retiring in his mid-30s before he becomes ineffectual as a power forward. Happily, I think we pick him right here at #4 and he plays for quite some time in Calgary.
Leon Draisaitl, (Centre/Left Wing)
Like I said before, I mostly follow the OHL, so I haven't had too many opportunities to watch Draisaitl work his magic out west, and obviously his ejection from the WJCs against the Americans was disappointing, but from the little I've seen, I've grown to greatly enjoy his game. I think he has an incredible skill to control the pace of the game and while he's not going to be a franchise forward like someone like Reinhart or Bennett might, he will make a solid first-liner at whichever position he plays. I compare his game favourably to Patrick Marleau and I bet he'll have a similar career. While a lot of people have him falling to us at #4, I think his skill on-ice and ability to read plays is going to stand out to all the teams above us, and his skill at playing wing (where I eventually think he will end up staying) will mean that he'll be selected second overall by Buffalo.
Michael Dal Colle, (Centre/Left Wing)
Dal Colle is another great power forward who I think could pan out being a first-line player if he reaches his potential, but I see him in many ways to be Bennett-lite (obviously with less physicality in his game, but the same sort of action-packed play). I think the comparison would be even more astute if he stuck at centre this year, but left wing is where he'll probably end up in the NHL anyways. As a player, he has great skill and I bet will work nicely in the NHL after a year or two more in junior. His style of play in general reminds me of Alexander Steen, especially considering the way Steen played this year. All that being said, I am not blown away by what he offers given the picks we would probably still have available, and while he would be far from a reach, I would much rather pick one of the previous four. I still, however, think he will look nice playing alongside John Tavares for the New York Islanders.
Nick Ritchie, (Right Wing)
I know he is a nightmare defensively. I know he has consistency issues. But he is so ****ing fun to watch, and he plays a position of need for us. It's tough for me to count him out, because I think he has an extremely high offensive ceiling that will expand by the time he spends playing in the NHL and conditioning up here as well, and while his 200-foot game leaves something to be desired, pure offense is hard to come by. Imagine him playing on a line with Monahan and Gaudreau... a bit of skill, a bit of two-way, a bit of pure ****ing awesome... Honestly, there is no player currently in the NHL who plays like Ritchie, which makes me think he might bust - the closest I can come up with is James Neal (a medium-to-big-bodied agitator and goal-scorer). But his pure ability makes him almost worth the reach down from #4. Regardless, I really do hope he busts because I see him as being picked up at sixth overall by Vancouver.
A lot of people on this board have criticized me for being too high on Ekblad. Well, I stand by what I've said - I think he will be a 20-year player in the NHL and an elite defenseman, one of the best, if not the best in the league when he hits his prime. I also think he's ready to make the jump to the NHL next year, because he's physically ready and already reads the game at such an awesomely high level. I was blown away by him in Hlinka and I enjoy watching him play for Barrie as well. Why people think he might not even be a true number one is beyond me. Ekblad is the real deal. As far as comparables go, I have no choice but to compare him to Duncan Keith, simply because I think he is truly that good, and hopefully his talents won't end up being wasted in Florida.
Sam Reinhart, (Centre)
I'll admit I've seen very little of Sam Reinhart because I primarily follow the OHL, but what I have seen has been pretty impressive. Burke wasn't kidding when he called Sam "Einstein on skates" - he probably has the highest hockey IQ of any forward in this draft, maybe even better than Draisaitl's, and he of course has the skillset to put it all together as well. I think he can jump in and play next year, as well, and will have an extended career as a franchise centre for whoever he plays for. As a comparable, I like to compare him to Claude Giroux because the two players have similar hockey IQs and a similar tendency to dismantle opposing defenses that I really like. While I would be thrilled if he fell to us at #4, I think he goes to Edmonton.
Sam Bennett, (Centre/Left Wing)
When I first saw Bennett play, I worried that his high-octane, no-holds-barred game might not A) translate well to the NHL or B) be indicative of his value as a team player. However, the more I learn about Bennett the more I know that I would not be worried if the Flames picked him at #4. While his game is downright chaotic, he seems to me to be solid in all zones and a true team player. Given that he's modeled his entire game after him, it's tough to compare him to anyone but Doug Gilmour, although he probably does not have the same offensive capabilities and is happily a bit taller. I do, however, think Sam's career will be a little truncated by injury, and although I think he has the ability to jump into the NHL this year, I think he'll end up retiring in his mid-30s before he becomes ineffectual as a power forward. Happily, I think we pick him right here at #4 and he plays for quite some time in Calgary.
Leon Draisaitl, (Centre/Left Wing)
Like I said before, I mostly follow the OHL, so I haven't had too many opportunities to watch Draisaitl work his magic out west, and obviously his ejection from the WJCs against the Americans was disappointing, but from the little I've seen, I've grown to greatly enjoy his game. I think he has an incredible skill to control the pace of the game and while he's not going to be a franchise forward like someone like Reinhart or Bennett might, he will make a solid first-liner at whichever position he plays. I compare his game favourably to Patrick Marleau and I bet he'll have a similar career. While a lot of people have him falling to us at #4, I think his skill on-ice and ability to read plays is going to stand out to all the teams above us, and his skill at playing wing (where I eventually think he will end up staying) will mean that he'll be selected second overall by Buffalo.
Michael Dal Colle, (Centre/Left Wing)
Dal Colle is another great power forward who I think could pan out being a first-line player if he reaches his potential, but I see him in many ways to be Bennett-lite (obviously with less physicality in his game, but the same sort of action-packed play). I think the comparison would be even more astute if he stuck at centre this year, but left wing is where he'll probably end up in the NHL anyways. As a player, he has great skill and I bet will work nicely in the NHL after a year or two more in junior. His style of play in general reminds me of Alexander Steen, especially considering the way Steen played this year. All that being said, I am not blown away by what he offers given the picks we would probably still have available, and while he would be far from a reach, I would much rather pick one of the previous four. I still, however, think he will look nice playing alongside John Tavares for the New York Islanders.
Nick Ritchie, (Right Wing)
I know he is a nightmare defensively. I know he has consistency issues. But he is so ****ing fun to watch, and he plays a position of need for us. It's tough for me to count him out, because I think he has an extremely high offensive ceiling that will expand by the time he spends playing in the NHL and conditioning up here as well, and while his 200-foot game leaves something to be desired, pure offense is hard to come by. Imagine him playing on a line with Monahan and Gaudreau... a bit of skill, a bit of two-way, a bit of pure ****ing awesome... Honestly, there is no player currently in the NHL who plays like Ritchie, which makes me think he might bust - the closest I can come up with is James Neal (a medium-to-big-bodied agitator and goal-scorer). But his pure ability makes him almost worth the reach down from #4. Regardless, I really do hope he busts because I see him as being picked up at sixth overall by Vancouver.
