Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

For me there's two tiers of guys I like at the top end. Tough to differentiate them

Tie
1a) Ekblad. We don't have anything close to him in the system. Big, strong, mobile, skilled, character guy who is a right shooter. Should be a top pairing d-man. Only knock is that you'd like him to be meaner, more physical
1b) Bennett. The total package. Breakaway speed, extremely skilled, very competitive, very gritty. Only knock on him is average siize but that shouldn't hold him back.
Tie
3a) Reinhart. Amazing hockey sense and shot. Biggest concern is very mediocre skating and only has average size. Some believe he could make a better RW. I like him but Bennett's speed, competitiveness and grit has him ahead.
3b) Draisaitl. Fantastic passer and puck protector. Needs a bit of leg strength but I feel his skating is reasonable. No issues if we take this guy, he's a little bulkier than Reinhart/Bennett.
3c) Ritchie. Beast on skates with high level of skill. Prototypical powerforward. Our system is almost completely lacking in this type of player. He has the size, strength, meanness and physicality that we need on our top two lines. I think a lot of fans underrate the importance of powerforwards.
6) Dal Colle. Great puck protection, shot, hockey sense. Lacks the physicality of Ritchie. Sounds like he might not be in consideration for our pick.

I agree with this. My only exception is I drop Reinhart to 5 on his own.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Ritchie is a LWer so I don't know why people are assuming he'd successfully transition to the right.

Elite Prospects has Ritchie listed at RW/LW and Hockey's Future has him listed at RW. On a bunch of YouTube videos he seems to play on the right side about 80% of the time.

Then again, Bob McKenzie has him at LW. Some sites have him shooting right, while he actually shoots left. The Hockey News and FC have him at LW. Seems like there's a lot of misinformation. My bad for thinking he's a RW. Maybe he's one of those Poirier types who shoots left but plays on the right?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Ritchie is a LWer so I don't know why people are assuming he'd successfully transition to the right.

Because he played RW before being drafted into the OHL:

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.c...-the-petes-man

He's considered the most physically mature player in the draft at six-two, 195-pounds fitting the Petes' need for size. He's an exceptional skater with a tremendous shot and scoring touch. While he played right wing this season, he is a left shot which means he could easily move to left wing which is an area the Petes need to shore up behind Matt Puempel.

Also we are not talking about moving a winger to center. We are talking about switching sides.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

For me there's two tiers of guys I like at the top end. Tough to differentiate them

Tie
1a) Ekblad. We don't have anything close to him in the system. Big, strong, mobile, skilled, character guy who is a right shooter. Should be a top pairing d-man. Only knock is that you'd like him to be meaner, more physical
1b) Bennett. The total package. Breakaway speed, extremely skilled, very competitive, very gritty. Only knock on him is average siize but that shouldn't hold him back.
Tie
3a) Reinhart. Amazing hockey sense and shot. Biggest concern is very mediocre skating and only has average size. Some believe he could make a better RW. I like him but Bennett's speed, competitiveness and grit has him ahead.
3b) Draisaitl. Fantastic passer and puck protector. Needs a bit of leg strength but I feel his skating is reasonable. No issues if we take this guy, he's a little bulkier than Reinhart/Bennett.
3c) Ritchie. Beast on skates with high level of skill. Prototypical powerforward. Our system is almost completely lacking in this type of player. He has the size, strength, meanness and physicality that we need on our top two lines. I think a lot of fans underrate the importance of powerforwards.
6) Dal Colle. Great puck protection, shot, hockey sense. Lacks the physicality of Ritchie. Sounds like he might not be in consideration for our pick.

I think that type of player is obsolete now.

You can win without them. I would rather have a guy that is 1-2" shorter and 20 lbs lighter but can skate.

Treliving and Burke keep talking about heavy hockey, but if you look at teams like ANA and LA, they have guys that are bigger but can skate.

The big question is can Ritchie keep up with Kane, Hall, Ducshene, Seguin, etc..

Second point, you look at all the championship teams from 1980 onwards and most of them, if not all of them have a solid 1-2 punch up the middle.
Gretzky/Messier
Lemiuex/Francis
Nieuwendyk/Gilmour
Yzerman/Fedorov
Sakic/Forsberg
Nieuwendyk/Modano
Lecavalier/Richards
Kopitar/Richards
Towes/Kane (although Kane played the wing too)
Getzlaf/MacDonald
Krejci/Bergeron

You win with a 1-2 punch up the middle.

IF we get a chance to snag one of Bennett, Reinhart, or Draisaitl you have to take him. This way Monahan can slide down to line 2 where he may be better suited.

Reinhart/Bennett/Draisaitl
Monahan

I think it will go down like this:
FLA-Ekbald
BUF-Bennett
EDM-Draisaitl
CGY-Reinhart

To have Reinhart and Monahan moving forward is a much better plan than Monahan and Ritchie.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by dammage79

With the exception tat Reinhart can transition over to RW with the only RH shot out of the top three to five or six forwards. Something the Flames really do need. Can you imagine him feeding the likes of Monahan or Granlund along with Gaudreau for the next five years? Would be pretty sweet.

I prefer him at C. I also prefer Ritchie hanging out with Monahan and Gaudreau / Granlund. Gaudreau, Monahan, Reinhart is a pretty squishy line.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Reinhart and Morgan Klimchuk have played together at the Ivan Hlinka tournament as well, IIRC.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Reinhart and Morgan Klimchuk have played together at the Ivan Hlinka tournament as well, IIRC.

On a line with that other kid from the Erie Otters. What his name again? Mc....McDonald.....McDavid..

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

You won't get a top 5 overall pick for spare parts.

None of these top 5 overall picks are worth giving up pick #4 and Sven Baertschi.

[the_only_turek_fan]

I am really on the Reinhart bandwagon right now, and for the first time I think there is a shot he can actually drop to us.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

None of these top 5 overall picks are worth giving up pick #4 and Sven Baertschi.

I think you are misunderstanding those posts. What everyone was talking about was what it would take to get the 5th overall pick without giving up the 4th overall.

So that the Flames would have both the 4th overall and 5th overall picks.

[sureLoss]

Sam Bennett played on a line with McDavid a while ago... just saying.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Jim Matheson @NHLbyMatty · 16h

Agree with @Bob_Stauffer. Oilers have no big centres close to being ready from OKC. Nurse, Oscar K, Marincin young D. Need centre in draft

Jim Matheson @NHLbyMatty · Jun 18 Some people question possible oil pick of draisaitl at No 3 if there. Why can't he be as good as Galchenyuk (No3 habs '12) is going to be?


Is there any reason to doubt Draisaitl is going to EDM?

[JurassicTunga12]

Sorry if already posted, but a pretty cool article about OHL/WHL players.

http://www.lighthousehockey.com/2014...-whl-for-draft

Like Bennett's numbers.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

I think that type of player is obsolete now.

You can win without them. I would rather have a guy that is 1-2" shorter and 20 lbs lighter but can skate.

Treliving and Burke keep talking about heavy hockey, but if you look at teams like ANA and LA, they have guys that are bigger but can skate.

The big question is can Ritchie keep up with Kane, Hall, Ducshene, Seguin, etc..

Second point, you look at all the championship teams from 1980 onwards and most of them, if not all of them have a solid 1-2 punch up the middle.
Gretzky/Messier
Lemiuex/Francis
Nieuwendyk/Gilmour
Yzerman/Fedorov
Sakic/Forsberg
Nieuwendyk/Modano
Lecavalier/Richards
Kopitar/Richards
Towes/Kane (although Kane played the wing too)
Getzlaf/MacDonald
Krejci/Bergeron

You win with a 1-2 punch up the middle.

IF we get a chance to snag one of Bennett, Reinhart, or Draisaitl you have to take him. This way Monahan can slide down to line 2 where he may be better suited.

Reinhart/Bennett/Draisaitl
Monahan

I think it will go down like this:
FLA-Ekbald
BUF-Bennett
EDM-Draisaitl
CGY-Reinhart

To have Reinhart and Monahan moving forward is a much better plan than Monahan and Ritchie.

Ritchie isn't slow. I don't know why you think he is slow. A better question is could Reinhart keep up with those guys.
These players are NOT obsolete. The best teams, especially in the west, are physical and have size dispersed throughout the line up. LA is no exception as they are one of the biggest and most physical teams in the NHL.

Yes you need C depth, but they are rare. I did some research on another site. There are about 1.6 top centres drafted each draft (and they are almost exclusively acquired in the draft). You are right that the best teams usually have two of them. But I am not convinced a top C will be found in this draft. Bennett projects better as a winger, Reinhart lacks the tool set, and that leaves Draisaitl. He has a chance, but he is no Mackinnon.

Ritchie fits more needs on our team that any other player except Ekblad. Though I would still take Bennett over either.

[mile]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Ritchie isn't slow. I don't know why you think he is slow. A better question is could Reinhart keep up with those guys.
These players are NOT obsolete. The best teams, especially in the west, are physical and have size dispersed throughout the line up. LA is no exception as they are one of the biggest and most physical teams in the NHL.

Yes you need C depth, but they are rare. I did some research on another site. There are about 1.6 top centres drafted each draft (and they are almost exclusively acquired in the draft). You are right that the best teams usually have two of them. But I am not convinced a top C will be found in this draft. Bennett projects better as a winger, Reinhart lacks the tool set, and that leaves Draisaitl. He has a chance, but he is no Mackinnon.

Ritchie fits more needs on our team that any other player except Ekblad. Though I would still take Bennett over either.

Agreed. Reinhart's skating has been questioned on more than one occasion. I've never heard any concerns about Ritchie's skating - he seems to move well for a big man.

The concerns about Ritchie's game is related to his consistency, not his skating.

Kyle Woodlief also said in a radio interview that he thinks Reinhart will end up as a winger in the NHL (but I question his assessment of Reinhart, he also described him as a pure goal scorer)

The possibility that these three centres may not be top liners isn't a reason to shy away from them though - if they end up as a 1b or a #2 centre that would be great. Just like how some are worried about picking Ekblad because he may only be a 3/4 defenseman, which would be good too.

I still think Buffalo and their fans are leaning Reinhart.

[Savvy27]

My list:
1) Sam Reinhart - Was one of Canada's best players at the WJC. Was the best player on the ice at the top prospects game. 23 points in 13 playoff games. Creates chances constantly whenever I have seen him play. Good size at 6'1, right handed shot brings something different and could start on the team as a winger.

2) Aaron Ekblad - incredibly steady player who has ideal size. Impressive skating for his size and a cannon for a shot. Would be the best defensive prospect on the team by miles, has a right-handed shot. Seems like a very intelligent player and appears to have a future as an NHL captain. The angles that he uses and the way he limits space indicate that he understands the defensive game so well that even without his size advantage, he would be a reliable player.

3) Leon Draisaitl - I've been persuaded somewhat by the numbers being thrown around in articles from Oilers fan/journalists. He was depended on so heavily for offense on his team and ended up tied in points with Reinhart. He's got great size and puck protection, along with vision and remarkable accuracy on his passes. Considering the style of game that is played in the Pacific division, I think he would be a fine addition going forward.

4) Sam Bennett - looks like a very talented and exciting player. The reviews about his competitiveness and work ethic could not be more positive and the Flames would be fortunate if this guy drops. He seems a bit similar to Mike Richards to me although some projections for him are above that (even though Richards was a captain in his early twenties and played for a Canadian Olympic team).

The top 4 look really good.

5) Michael Dal Colle - seems to be sort of a forgotten man right now and I'm not sure why. Has good size and is apparently versatile enough that he may end up playing as a center next year. Watching his highlights, he has the best hands of the players on this list and his release looks like an NHL scorer to me. His biggest knock, to me is his position, which isn't much of one.

6) Nikolaj Ehlers - I see him as a Phil Kessel type player. He is so incredibly fast and combines it with great passing and a wicked shot. I'd be confident picking him that he will be a first line winger in the NHL. He played on a team with Drouin, but according to reports, did not play on his line consistently.

7) Nick Ritchie - Big, powerful, intimidating, goal scorer. Ritchie looks like a talented and intelligent player who has size that -if his game translates- will allow him to be a player that few teams can match up with. Adding a Milan Lucic type guy would give the Flames an element that leads to wins and especially playoff wins. He is last on my list because I am concerned that it took him three years in the OHL to become an elite scorer unlike the other players on this list and that he was unable to maintain that scoring pace in the playoffs (also unlike all of the other players). He has great size, but that cuts two ways with me a bit since I am uncertain as to why that size didn't allow him to be more dominant than a guy like Dal Colle who gives up nearly 60 lbs in comparison. Ritchie seems like a low floor/high ceiling kind of guy and I don't think that it would be prudent to take that risk with other options.

Dal Colle vs Ritchie

Just one further note on these two guys. Dal Colle has shown to be a substantially more productive player than Ritchie in the OHL.

Over three seasons Ritchie amassed 148 points in 164 games. Dal Colle on the other hand -over two seasons- scored 143 points in 130 games. In the playoffs this season Dal Colle out scored Ritchie by nearly double including a series head-to-head. Don't forget that Dal Colle also put up 21 more points in only 6 more games this season, too.

Obviously offensive production isn't the only consideration, but, for me, drafting in the top 5 is about getting an elite offensive player or an elite 2-way defenseman.

I wouldn't be overly upset if Ritchie ends up being the selection, because scouts watching game in, game out are going to have a much better handle on the questions that I have about Ritchie.

Anyways, this is a very exciting draft.

[the_only_turek_fan]

So if Buffalo takes Reinhart, does EDM take Draisaitl over Bennett?!?!!?

[AC]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

So if Buffalo takes Reinhart, does EDM take Draisaitl over Bennett?!?!!?

Definitely IMO.

I think Edmonton has Ekblad and Draisaitl ahead of both Reinhart and Bennett personally.

Edit: I agree with dammage79 below on the order.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

So if Buffalo takes Reinhart, does EDM take Draisaitl over Bennett?!?!!?

IMO, yes. They need the size and puck possession skill set of Draisaitl terribly bad. Honestly, Bennett is a Flame next Friday. Because this is exactly how I see the top four go down.

FLA-Ekblad
BUF-Reinhart
EDM- Draisaitl
CGY-Killer Jr.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

So if Buffalo takes Reinhart, does EDM take Draisaitl over Bennett?!?!!?

I am not sure on that one. But Draisaitl projects as a C and he has better size. I think the Oilers take Draisaitl or Ekblad. Otherwise I think they shock people by going with Ritchie (maybe even Dal Colle) or trade the pick.

Last year wasn't as flat and Jones fell and Barkov was picked early. I could see something like Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl go 1 to 3. Or almost any combination of the top 5 or 6 guys.