Who should the Flames draft in 2014?

[Ace Rimmer]

Agreed. It's ridiculous thinking we can predict who's going to be around at 30th overall.

You meant 29th overall, yes?

(Devils forfeit their 1st next draft)

 

[FightingSioux]

Nylander hands down the correct choice!

 

[Remember2004]

So which draft would be a bigger draft for us? 2014 or 2015?

 

[MonahanTheMan]

So which draft would be a bigger draft for us? 2014 or 2015?

Bigger how? Bigger as in more important, or bigger as in better for the Flames?

As far as importance, next year. Normally it wouldn't be, since the draft is so thin, but since we're probably going to do so poorly, we're going to be choosing from the best players and we still have big organizational gaps that we can fill.

As far as better for the Flames, that'd be 2015, since it is not only a deep draft but the Flames will probably have plenty of selections. Not as important as 2014, but we'll fill in our talent pool nicely.

 

[Gritty]

Nylander hands down the correct choice!

Another Calgary kid to go along Klimchuck (Born in Calgary... before people scream "he's Swedish" at me)

BPA at whatever position we draft. If we draft first, I have a feeling Sam Reinhart will be that player.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Take Aaron Ekblad in 2014 and take Connor McDavid in 2015.




Number 1 defenseman and a number 1 Centreman.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Take Aaron Ekblad in 2014 and take Connor McDavid in 2015.




Number 1 defenseman and a number 1 Centreman.

Of course an Oiler fan expects multiple first overall picks. I would be shocked to get 1 let alone 2.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Of course an Oiler fan expects multiple first overall picks. I would be shocked to get 1 let alone 2.

The Calgary Flames will be better off if they tank for Ekblad and McDavid.

 

[12]

The Calgary Flames will be better off if they tank for Ekblad and McDavid.

Literally every team in the league would be better off if they got Ekblad and McDavid that's a stupid statement.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Literally every team in the league would be better off if they got Ekblad and McDavid that's a stupid statement.

Flames have the greatest opportunity to achieve it though!

 

[Anglesmith]

Flames have the greatest opportunity to achieve it though!

Not really. Believe it or not, accomplishing what the Oilers did for three years in a row is a staggering feat. It is truly difficult to be that bad for more than one consecutive season. The Flames will likely be bad next year, but it will be hard for them to stay bad the year after that. They don't have the complete dearth of competent and motivated players that the Oilers were dealing with.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

Not really. Believe it or not, accomplishing what the Oilers did for three years in a row is a staggering feat. It is truly difficult to be that bad for more than one consecutive season. The Flames will likely be bad next year, but it will be hard for them to stay bad the year after that. They don't have the complete dearth of competent and motivated players that the Oilers were dealing with.

 

[Turboed]

How is this? I've always had the understanding that guys like Monahan would only be able to play pro in the NHL, and that the only place to send them down was back to junior.

I guess I'm about to learn something.

That was my understanding as well, but again according to the ahl website monahan could play in the ahl this year if the flames wanted. But my gut tells me this is wrong. Can someone confirm the minimum age?

 

[TheHudlinator]

The Calgary Flames will be better off if they tank for Ekblad and McDavid.

Sure so would the Oilers.

Its so funny that you think that finishing 1st overall is not only guaranteed but that people can choose where they draft. They changed the 1st overall lottery rule because of the Oilers it will be much harder to do what they did.

 

[TylerSVT*]

Not really. Believe it or not, accomplishing what the Oilers did for three years in a row is a staggering feat. It is truly difficult to be that bad for more than one consecutive season. The Flames will likely be bad next year, but it will be hard for them to stay bad the year after that. They don't have the complete dearth of competent and motivated players that the Oilers were dealing with.

Lots of teams draft top 3 for a few years. We might not be the bottom seed every year but we could always win the lottery both years.

I would rather draft 3rd this year and 1st in 2015. Mcdavid is the next Crosby and i would gladly watch the Flames put Ortio in net for 20+ games in order to fail. 25% chance be damned, i want McDavid.

 

[Anglesmith]

Lots of teams draft top 3 for a few years. We might not be the bottom seed every year but we could always win the lottery both years.

I would rather draft 3rd this year and 1st in 2015. Mcdavid is the next Crosby and i would gladly watch the Flames put Ortio in net for 20+ games in order to fail. 25% chance be damned, i want McDavid.

You can dream, but if the Flames are going to go down, they're not going to be going down intentionally.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Lots of teams draft top 3 for a few years. We might not be the bottom seed every year but we could always win the lottery both years.

I would rather draft 3rd this year and 1st in 2015. Mcdavid is the next Crosby and i would gladly watch the Flames put Ortio in net for 20+ games in order to fail. 25% chance be damned, i want McDavid.

Nylander + McDavid

Dat center depth:

McDavid
Nylander
Monahan
Jankowski
Backlund

 

[herashak]

Nylander + McDavid

Dat center depth:

McDavid
Nylander
Monahan
Jankowski
Backlund

nylander is a winger

 

[InfinityIggy]

nylander is a winger

No hes not. Hes naturally a Center, he has played as a RW in some games though.

 

[TylerSVT*]

You can dream, but if the Flames are going to go down, they're not going to be going down intentionally.

I agree but if i can play things out in my brain, that is what i would do.

Example, Would you have iced a ****** roster the whole last season (40 Games) at a chance to get Crosby for free? Yea, i would.

Either way we should be getting a good player in either Nylander, Reinhart or Ekblad.

 

[theIceWookie]

If you think that's being unreasonable, maybe two or three years in college and one in the AHL would also be suitable, but I don't see why anyone would think this is insane. You guys aren't even reading my justification, you're just piling on the boat because you want a short rebuild. Chris Phillips and Erik Johnson aren't exactly dominant, top defensemen in the NHL even though they were selected #1 overall, and that's because they were thrown into the NHL immediately without any proper development.

If we draft Ekblad, he gets put on the roster immediately and turns out to be a bust, while most of me will be crying, some of me will also be saying I told you so.

First of all Ekblad can't go the college route. The minute he played his first OHL game, he was inelgible for the college route. I know you're just using it as an example but that's no longer something Ekblad could do.

Secondly, neither Phillips nor Johnson were thrown into the NHL right away. They both spent a post draft year outside the NHL.

Thirdly, Johnson is not really the best of examples. He had quite the succesful rookie season. However he lost an entire year of development because of an injury sustained off the ice. It definitely derailed his immediate development, and probably irrevocably changed his future career. You can't really use him as an example as a number 1 guy that failed because he has extenuating circumstances that influenced his development.

Lastly, the past doesn't influence the future. Ekblad isn't directly influenced by Phillips or Johnson. Just because they didn't develop, it doesn't mean he won't if taken with the top pick. History is just that, history. It can be a useful tool to look at a situation in the present, but it should never be used as a map for pushing forward, only a small advice tool.

 

[theIceWookie]

doughty did perfectly fine. petro needed one more year in junior before he made the jump. ekblad is great defensively and physically mature if he isnt in the nhl by the 15/16 season i will be very surprised

Petro actually had two seasons in the OHL after being draft. They just happened to be fairly short seasons.

 

[theIceWookie]

That was my understanding as well, but again according to the ahl website monahan could play in the ahl this year if the flames wanted. But my gut tells me this is wrong. Can someone confirm the minimum age?

The age minimum is correct however Monahan still will not be able to play in the AHL. It has to do with an agreement between the CHL and the NHL. Essentially it's a transfer agreement designed to protect the CHL from losing star players too early and hurting their viability as a development league.

The deal is as follows (how the NHL and CHL follow it): Any player who has played in the CHL prior to being drafted is inelgibile to play in the AHL until they are 20 years of age or have played 4 eligible CHL years.

This means that any player who has spent time in the OHL, QMJHL or WHL at the ages of 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 and was then drafted by an NHL team, must wait until they turn 20 years old to be allowed to play in the AHL. The hope being that star players who aren't ready for teh NHL but would otherwise be ready to start professional hockey, wouldn't move on and would stay in the CHL leagues. To be eligible for the AHL, a CHL drafted player must be 20 years of age by the December 31 of the year they desire to play in (so since Monahan won't be 20 come December 31st, he can not play AHL hockey).

Their are exceptions however. A player like Ekblad or McDavid could theoretically play by the age of 19 since the rule is 20 OR 4 years of CHL play. This is unlikely for them though as they'll likely just transition straight to the NHL. Players can also play short stints in the AHL after their AHL season is over on tryout contracts.

This is also what allows NCAA players or USHL players to transfer to the CHL, spend one year in the league and then go to the AHL. This is how a guy like JT Miller or Girgensons spent their years in the AHL before twenty.

Hope that clears things up

 

[Noori]

BPA. I don't care if it's Ekblaad, Reinhart, or Nylander.

If it's Ekblaad, great, we've got our number one defensemen for the next decade.

If it's Reinhart or Nylander, then draft them. And when things start getting to crowded with Monahan, [Nylander or Sam Reinhart], Jankowski, Knight, Backlund, Max Reinhart, Granlund and Arnold, you shift pick the 3/4 you want to keep, and ship some of the others.

This rebuild will go down Ottawa style. Develop prospects like Rundblad, Zibanejad and Noeson, and trade for core players like Turris and Ryan.

 

[Lunatik]

It's far too early. Let's play at least 2/3 of the 2013-14 season before we talk about who we are drafting.