Speculation: Calgary Flames 2014 Draft Discussion Part III

[joeyabs]

Cgy flys in top prospects

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/calgary-flames/Calgary+Flames+picks+Aaron+Ekblad+Bennett/9952463/story.html

 

[InfinityIggy]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/calgary-flames/Calgary+Flames+picks+Aaron+Ekblad+Bennett/9952463/story.html

Very, very telling that they specifically brought in the Sams and Ekblad. Hoping one of them falls to #4 I imagine.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

Very, very telling that they specifically brought in the Sams and Ekblad. Hoping one of them falls to #4 I imagine.

Poor Leon must feel left out... Although I don't want to draft him, he reminds me too much of a Monahan clone and I feel our team would be too slow with both those guys down the middle. Need a bit more diversity from our players.

 

[Haatley]

Poor Leon must feel left out... Although I don't want to draft him, he reminds me too much of a Monahan clone and I feel our team would be too slow with both those guys down the middle. Need a bit more diversity from our players.

Hes nota monahan clone at all.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

Hes nota monahan clone at all.

his speed but that's it

 

[Taranis]

So I finally got back to Halifax last night after being in Montreal for three weeks due to work and had a serious think on the draft. I really like Haydn Fleury and as he is projected to go around the tenth spot, I was think Toronto would be the ideal partner.

I don't actually want to do this as I value one of the top four too much but say we trade 4th for 8th plus one of Toronto's top d prospect, and use the 8th for Haydn we could really upgrade or defense. To me Fleury looks at worst a top 4 guy but eventually will be a top pairing guy.

 

[BacksInTheSaddle]

I don't really understand everyone's infatuation with getting a d-man at 34 and 54 (I hope those are right). We have a pressing need for high-end defensive prospects but I feel like we have an abundance of good defensive prospects. Are Sanheim or Dougherty better than Sieloff or Wotherspoon? I'm not saying that we should not take a defenseman there, I just feel like RW is being overlooked.

I feel like RW is a much more pressing need and if possible we should grab whatever right wing prospect we can get at 34 (or 54), even if they aren't high end we really have no RW prospects outside of Poirier. The ideal situation for us would be the drop of Ho-Sang, Vrana or Goldobin which are all pretty unlikely but Eric Cornel and Spencer Watson both look like nice prospects as well that we can pick up at 34 and 54 respectively, especially if we end up with Bennett or Ritchie (I'm mentally preparing myself for the latter).

Maybe I'm out to lunch but I would like to see something like

1/4: Bennett/Ritchie
2/34: Dougherty/Cornel
2/54: Watson/Mayo or Jacobs

That way we end up with a high end forward prospect, good RW prospect and a good D prospect either way. I've just seen a lot of 2 D-men in the second round mocks and maybe that's actually ideal and I'm out to lunch who knows haha. Just spitballing.

 

[Kanye]

Didn't know Feaster was really high on Petan, it's too bad we couldn't find a deal to pick up an early 2nd to grab him. Kid is going to be a stud.

 

[BVicious]

If we do somehow end up with Ritchie, I'm all for drafting Cornel in the 2nd round

 

[Lunatik]

I don't really understand everyone's infatuation with getting a d-man at 34 and 54 (I hope those are right). We have a pressing need for high-end defensive prospects but I feel like we have an abundance of good defensive prospects. Are Sanheim or Dougherty better than Sieloff or Wotherspoon? I'm not saying that we should not take a defenseman there, I just feel like RW is being overlooked.

I feel like RW is a much more pressing need and if possible we should grab whatever right wing prospect we can get at 34 (or 54), even if they aren't high end we really have no RW prospects outside of Poirier. The ideal situation for us would be the drop of Ho-Sang, Vrana or Goldobin which are all pretty unlikely but Eric Cornel and Spencer Watson both look like nice prospects as well that we can pick up at 34 and 54 respectively, especially if we end up with Bennett or Ritchie (I'm mentally preparing myself for the latter).

Maybe I'm out to lunch but I would like to see something like

1/4: Bennett/Ritchie
2/34: Dougherty/Cornel
2/54: Watson/Mayo or Jacobs

That way we end up with a high end forward prospect, good RW prospect and a good D prospect either way. I've just seen a lot of 2 D-men in the second round mocks and maybe that's actually ideal and I'm out to lunch who knows haha. Just spitballing.

I think we need more defensive depth as well as high end talent on the blueline.

Right now in the entire system the Flames have:

• 21 defensemen in the system.
• 3 are pending UFAs with only a chance of 1 returning.
• 3 are pending RFAs with a decent chance of only 1 returning.
• Both of those potential returning players will be 25 next season.
• 5 of the defensemen under contract are veterans over the age of 27.
• That leaves 10 defensemen that will be under the age of 25.
• 1 Regular NHL defenseman is under 25 (Brodie).
• 1 other has seen any NHL ice-time (Wotherspoon).
• Brodie and Wotherspoon are the only under 25 with top pairing potential.
• Seiloff and Kanzig are the only returning dmen under 25 with top 4 potential and they both have pretty big question marks.
• All of the returning defensemen under 25 are left handed except 1 and he spent time in the ECHL this year (Ramage).
• 3 unsigned prospects are extreme long shots to ever play in the NHL (Roy, Rafikov, Gilmour).
• That leaves Kulak and Culkin, both will not be better than 3rd pairing defenders and are entering their 1st pro seasons.

Call me crazy but I think we need to add several defensemen in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that could have top 4 potential to the system, especially some than are right handed.

 

[BacksInTheSaddle]

I think we need more defensive depth as well as high end talent on the blueline.

Right now in the entire system the Flames have:

• 21 defensemen in the system.
• 3 are pending UFAs with only a chance of 1 returning.
• 3 are pending RFAs with a decent chance of only 1 returning.
• Both of those potential returning players will be 25 next season.
• 5 of the defensemen under contract are veterans over the age of 27.
• That leaves 10 defensemen that will be under the age of 25.
• 1 Regular NHL defenseman is under 25 (Brodie).
• 1 other has seen any NHL ice-time (Wotherspoon).
• Brodie and Wotherspoon are the only under 25 with top pairing potential.
• Seiloff and Kanzig are the only returning dmen under 25 with top 4 potential and they both have pretty big question marks.
• All of the returning defensemen under 25 are left handed except 1 and he spent time in the ECHL this year (Ramage).
• 3 unsigned prospects are extreme long shots to ever play in the NHL (Roy, Rafikov, Gilmour).
• That leaves Kulak and Culkin, both will not be better than 3rd pairing defenders and are entering their 1st pro seasons.

Call me crazy but I think we need to add several defensemen in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that could have top 4 potential to the system, especially some than are right handed.

I'm all for adding defensemen to the system but I will be disapointed if we don't at least try and address the right winger position in the prospect pool, either by draft or trade.

Maybe we move a left winger for another defence prospect like the Baertschi+ for Larsson deals I have seen and that allows us to draft a winger instead of a defenceman, or we trade LW prospects for RW prospects I don't know. All I know is that left wing, centre (including the C we will most likely get at 4) and goalie are all looking strong and we are lacking in both D and RW. Both should be addressed in this draft I feel.

EDIT: Any way you could make a similar chart for RW?

 

[Sundinisagod]

So I finally got back to Halifax last night after being in Montreal for three weeks due to work and had a serious think on the draft. I really like Haydn Fleury and as he is projected to go around the tenth spot, I was think Toronto would be the ideal partner.

I don't actually want to do this as I value one of the top four too much but say we trade 4th for 8th plus one of Toronto's top d prospect, and use the 8th for Haydn we could really upgrade or defense. To me Fleury looks at worst a top 4 guy but eventually will be a top pairing guy.

We'd probably make this type of trade, which d prospect are you thinking? Finn or Percy are the best ones we got...take your choice.

Risky part for Calgary is they'd have to make this trade with no way of knowing for certain if Fleury would be there at 8, Carolina is a serious threat to take him imho, but you'd probably still get a Ritchie or Virtanen.

 

[Lunatik]

I'm all for adding defensemen to the system but I will be disapointed if we don't at least try and address the right winger position in the prospect pool, either by draft or trade.

Maybe we move a left winger for another defence prospect like the Baertschi+ for Larsson deals I have seen and that allows us to draft a winger instead of a defenceman, or we trade LW prospects for RW prospects I don't know. All I know is that left wing, centre (including the C we will most likely get at 4) and goalie are all looking strong and we are lacking in both D and RW. Both should be addressed in this draft I feel.

EDIT: Any way you could make a similar chart for RW?

It's more difficult to make one for forwards since most teams have more centre than LW or RW prospects, a large number of whom move between centre and the wing and some play off wings too.

For example Colborne was pegged as a centre or LW prospect but flourished once moved to RW. Or Poirier who excelled in Jr after being moved to his off wing.

Guys like Hanowski, Ferland and Baertschi all spent significant time on their off wings last season. Or guys like Jooris, Reinhart and Byron who are centremen that spent more time on the wing than they did at centre.

I wouldn't be shocked to see guys like Gaudreau, Agostino and Van Brabant tried on their off wings next year. Or a centre like Arnold tried on the wing.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

I don't really understand everyone's infatuation with getting a d-man at 34 and 54 (I hope those are right). We have a pressing need for high-end defensive prospects but I feel like we have an abundance of good defensive prospects. Are Sanheim or Dougherty better than Sieloff or Wotherspoon? I'm not saying that we should not take a defenseman there, I just feel like RW is being overlooked.

I feel like RW is a much more pressing need and if possible we should grab whatever right wing prospect we can get at 34 (or 54), even if they aren't high end we really have no RW prospects outside of Poirier. The ideal situation for us would be the drop of Ho-Sang, Vrana or Goldobin which are all pretty unlikely but Eric Cornel and Spencer Watson both look like nice prospects as well that we can pick up at 34 and 54 respectively, especially if we end up with Bennett or Ritchie (I'm mentally preparing myself for the latter).

Maybe I'm out to lunch but I would like to see something like

1/4: Bennett/Ritchie
2/34: Dougherty/Cornel
2/54: Watson/Mayo or Jacobs

That way we end up with a high end forward prospect, good RW prospect and a good D prospect either way. I've just seen a lot of 2 D-men in the second round mocks and maybe that's actually ideal and I'm out to lunch who knows haha. Just spitballing.

1/4: last one of the big 4 left
2/34: Dougherty/Cornel/McKeown/Demko
2/54: Mayo/Collins/Vanier/Magyar
3/64: Magyar/Thomas
3/83: Kahkonen/Iverson/Chartier

 

[Mr Lebowski]

We'd probably make this type of trade, which d prospect are you thinking? Finn or Percy are the best ones we got...take your choice.

Risky part for Calgary is they'd have to make this trade with no way of knowing for certain if Fleury would be there at 8, Carolina is a serious threat to take him imho, but you'd probably still get a Ritchie or Virtanen.

I'd want a bit more, like a 2015 3rd or 4th. Then you chose Finn or Percy or someone like Granberg

 

[Calculon]

Trading down to draft a lesser player because of an immediate need is such a terrible idea. Glad both Treliving and Burke have repeatedly rejected doing something that would essentially set the franchise and the rebuild back.

 

[DCDM]

1/4: last one of the big 4 left
2/34: Dougherty/Cornel/McKeown/Demko
2/54: Mayo/Collins/Vanier/Magyar
3/64: Magyar/Thomas
3/83: Kahkonen/Iverson/Chartier

I really do like the idea of McKeown as a Flame. Him, Dougherty, or Glover would all be great fits here.

 

[Sundinisagod]

I'd want a bit more, like a 2015 3rd or 4th. Then you chose Finn or Percy or someone like Granberg

I think most of Leafs nation would be on board with something like

8th overall + Finn/Percy + 3rd/4th

We get our much needed center and deal off a position of depth.

Done deal and we value Finn/Percy pretty highly.

 

[Taranis]

So assuming Haydn is still available at 8OA, we would basically be getting two top three defenseman and another pick for potential packaging instead of a top six centerman. Pretty interesting, especially if whoever falls to us at fourth is not well liked by the Flames.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

I recall reading that the Flames were very high on Finn in 2012 and were hoping he would fall to that BUF 2nd (which was used on Sieloff in the end). Obviously he's highly valued by Burke as well.

That is a good value trade proposal and would definitely shore up the D prospect pipeline. Trading down from the high hype guys would be a bit of a bummer but that's a good package. A guy like Virtanen is probably available at 8th OA so... I dunno.

 

[JulianHopper*]

Flames Will Pick A Centerman

With the draft now upon us you have to think that the Flames have narrowed it down to 2 players that they're going to pick with the 4th overall pick.

Sam Reinhart if he's still available, which is doubtful or it will be Leon Draisaitl who I believe it will be who the Flames pick 4th overall.

Of course it's possible that it will be Sam Bennett or Aaron Ekblad if they're still available or if the Flames make a trade. Those scenarios seem unlikely at this time with slightly better odds that the Flames will be able to make a trade and move up.

Reinhart and Draisaitl currently ranked 3 and 4th as per nhl.com final rankings.

The Flames have to pick a center that can be their #1 center going forward here.

Flames will be getting a good player either way and that player looks like it will be Leon Draisaitl.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

Hes nota monahan clone at all.

From what I have seen they're both defensively elite centres with good on-ice vision and high hockey IQ who need to work on their skating. Obviously there are differences, but they're the same type of player, right?

 

[BacklundtoBartschi*]

From what I have seen they're both defensively elite centres with good on-ice vision and high hockey IQ who need to work on their skating. Obviously there are differences, but they're the same type of player, right?

No not really they play totally different. Draisatl likes to slow down the play where as Monahan is more of a crash the net type forward.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

From what I have seen they're both defensively elite centres with good on-ice vision and high hockey IQ who need to work on their skating. Obviously there are differences, but they're the same type of player, right?

Draisaitl hasn't been described as defensively elite by anyone that I've seen. Even he admits he's substantially more focused on offense than defence.

 

[MonahanTheMan]

Draisaitl hasn't been described as defensively elite by anyone that I've seen. Even he admits he's substantially more focused on offense than defence.

Hmm, maybe it's just all the Kopitar comparisons I keep seeing people throw around.