I am a firm believer that you should build through the middle. And even if you don't think you get a "franchise" center at ~10, I think you still ideally shoot for a center. Personally I am convinced that the Flames are headed for a couple of painful years, and IMO they are well positioned to get a very high draft pick in 25 and maybe 26 as well. 25 has Hagens, Misa, McQueen and others, 26 has McKenna, Björck and others. The player they pick in 24 doesn't have to be a franchise guy, but if we get that franchise guy in a year or two and our 24 pick ends up a really good #2C, that is awesome too.
Flames just have nothing at center in their system. Connor Zary is obviously a promising prospect and he's had a great season, but that has come on the wing. He might slide back to C, he might not. Coronato and Honzek are two where people have claimed they could play center, but that just rarely happens. Shifting centers to the wing seems much easier and more common than the other way round. But apart from Zary, who are the other "true" centers in our system? Lipinski? Maybe Kerins? That's ... not a very deep prospect pool. Desperately need to stock up down the middle, and ideally, it starts with our 1st rounder this year. Even if he isn't a "franchise" guy.
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