[News] With the 21st overall pick Flames select C Mark Jankowski

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by getbak

Behind the scenes with Jankowski at the Draft.

I love the part at the end when he's showing off the jersey to his family and says "Everyone else's is velcroed, but this is stitched on. They wanted me. I was their guy the whole time."

Also, the bit where the guy says he doesn't know whose smile is bigger between Weisbrod and Jankowski is great. That was something I kept noticing last night, Weisbrod was just beaming.

I think him being our guy the whole time will give him alot of confidence and motivation, you can already tell he is proud of it.

[Svensational]

Yeah I feel good knowing they stuck with their list and grabbed the guy they wanted right from the get go. Getting back the 2nd rounder was awesome.

Can't remember a draft so up in the air before.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

What are you talking about?

Matt Pelech was out playing street hockey on his draft day due to the weirdness that was the 2005 draft.

I believe he's talking about Matt Pelech being a cerebral kind of guy... OHL Scholastic Player of the Year and whatnot.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

...you can look at it both ways; kid just being smart in his development or a kid that hesitant to engage immediately with a higher level of competition.

confidence is a huge thing with athletes, and if he and his advisors feel that another year of development is best for him, then you just gotta hang tight.

Based on his interviews and the assessment of his own coaches, I seriously doubt that he is hesitant to make the jump straight to NCAA because he lacks confidence. The kid himself stated rather matter-of-factly that he believes that he can be the best player in the draft; does that sound like a low confidence issue? He just seems to me to have a very practical and realistic outlook about his own abilities and development needs. Besides, something a number of people keep missing is that he does actually have some experience playing with elite level hockey players:

Originally Posted by New England Hockey Journal

"Skating on a line with Choate Rosemary Hall standout Ben Foster (Darien, Conn.), Jankowski gave opponents fits with his ability to generate quality scoring chances. He and Foster benefited from some instant chemistry, something that is rare in a tournament like the Beantown, where top players mostly from the New England area and Northeast are cobbled together.

'One of the main strengths of my game is my hockey sense,' Jankowski said. 'It was a little challenging when they just put guys on teams like that, but I to think we established some chemistry together. Being able to work with other players like Ben (Foster) is something I pride myself on, so I think we both enjoyed having the chance to skate together and open things up a bit.'"

That's a pretty encouraging report, especially with regards to his hockey sense, vision, and creativity.

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

I don't really buy the filling out part as the reason not to make the jump however...there's lots of under weight kids that make the jump to NCAA...of course, that's just my opinion.

That's fair, and to an extent, I agree. But if we can all agree that his current level of prep-school hockey is considerably lower than CHL and USHL, then I would also argue that making the incremental step to the next highest level prior to starting at an even higher level in NCAA Division I is a very sound decision in his case. Think about it like this: Most of the CHL players in this draft will be returning to the CHL. Jankowski is essentially returning to this same level to play in the Fall, which is entirely in line with his position selected at #21. Besides, he is the youngest player in the draft, and by the time he does start college, he will spend his entire freshman year as a 19-year-old. If he were seven or eight months older, it might be a different story, but given that he is so young, this is probably a good development track for him via the USHL.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by DatSOOKin

I love it. That video gets me almost as excited for the future as last year with Sven's draft day interviews.

And to the people questioning why a team would draft a player from high school, isn't that a testament of just how promising he looks to the Flames organization's scouts? I mean if players do in-fact rarely get drafted from high school, it must really show the scouting staff saw something unique and special in this kid to take him in the first round.

John Weisbrod.

Enough said.

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

There really was not much smoke around Bouwmeester at all. He was never asked to waive his no trade clause, there was really no legitimate rumors thrown out there about any possible deal. They talked about how they knew that 3 other teams would've selected him in the 1st round, so clearly that was not the case.

Disagree, local media has said there was and still is today, talk about Bouwmeester (they won't need to ask him to waive until there is a legitimate offer on the table and I assume that the offers are far from Calgary's expectations).

I would not know, how they (the Flames) knew Jankowski would've been selected in the first round had they not taken him, it is likely they were told that after the first round by other teams, but then again it's hard to say those teams would have followed through.

[Split98]

Not sure if this has been posted yet:
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/...f-first-round/

But to those thinking that we could have just selected Jankowski in the 2nd round, Weisbrod disagrees:

“I don’t want to share anyone’s business,” said Weisbrod, “but I know he wouldn’t have made it through [the first round]. I know at least two teams that would have taken him. We knew we had to take him [Friday] — it was just a matter of where.”

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I love how civil this thread is now that all the reactionary, immature little kids are gone.

Now we can have intelligent disagreements on whether this was a good or bad pick without name calling and multiple "#" signs.

Personally, I like the pick. I'm cautiously optimistic about Jankowski. He's a year younger than everyone else and he's only just going to the USHL now while everyone else is leaving it.

Feaster and co. are gamblers. No doubt about it.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

So now Canadian high scool hockey is the equal to WHL,OHL,QMJHL
If you believe the over hype the Flames are stating by selecting this kid.
He better have the 94 pts he had.
Take any 1rst round pick and stick them in high school hockey and you have a bunch of Crosby's, Karlsson's and Brodeur's.

Read the scouting reports. All of them practically gush about his skating, vision, offensive instincts, and his hockey sense. They all rave about how much better he makes his linemates around him, and how impressed they were at his ability to find team mates in traffic and distribute the puck. I'm fairly confident that the professionally employed scouts who watched him play are able to assess his actual talent level relative beyond his current lower level of competition. In other words, his skating speed will not suddenly diminish; his quality of vision and hockey sense will not disappear, and he not suddenly be unable to distribute the puck at a higher level. His biggest adjustments will be thinking the game at a higher speed and dealing with more physical pressure, but I expect that is why he is taking a longer route to the NHL.

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

This pick is for a (first round) is a joke.
Yes we are to believe the garbage the Flames camp is spewing Gm's are just all clammering over the Canadian High School system now.
Jankowski was wanted by the Flames and that it.

Again, read the scouting reports. ALL of them. Scouts seem fairly unanimous that despite his lower level of competition, Jankowski possesses high-level NHL skills and potential.

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

To be so irresponsible and over look Ceci, Maatta, Teravainen, Gaunce

Who says the Flames overlooked any of these players? I suspect that they simply were not as impressed by them as they were by Jankowski.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by Split98

Not sure if this has been posted yet:
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/...f-first-round/

But to those thinking that we could have just selected Jankowski in the 2nd round, Weisbrod disagrees:

It would look very incompetent for Weisbrod if he said of course Jankowski would be available in the 2nd round.
The Flames were eager to pick Jankowski at all costs and convinced themselves they had to have him in the first thus the pick.
I find it hard to believe that other teams had a player that wasn't in the CHL,NCAA, any European program or even the USHL as a must have 1st round pick. JMO he would have been available in the second probably the 3rd.
But whats done is done now they have to hope Jankowski can compete with a level of compitition unlike he has even played with and meanwhile put on at least 20-30lbs, he is 170lbs. He is a stand out in high school sure where would he be in OHL right now, i don't know but reality is he couldn't play in the OHL or QMJHL because of size. From his own addmission.

To put it into perspective Nemisz is 195lbs and one thing the Flames still say is he needs to get stronger.

[Savvy27]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

It would look very incompetent for Weisbrod if he said of course Jankowski would be available in the 2nd round.
The Flames were eager to pick Jankowski at all costs and convinced themselves they had to have him in the first thus the pick.
I find it hard to believe that other teams had a player that wasn't in the CHL,NCAA, any European program or even the USHL as a must have 1st round pick. JMO he would have been available in the second probably the 3rd.
But whats done is done now they have to hope Jankowski can compete with a level of compitition unlike he has even played with and meanwhile put on at least 20-30lbs, he is 170lbs. He is a stand out in high school sure where would he be in OHL right now, i don't know but reality is he couldn't play in the OHL or QMJHL because of size. From his own addmission.

To put it into perspective Nemisz is 195lbs and one thing the Flames still say is he needs to get stronger.

LOL okay. I think you're overrating the level of hockey in the CHL. Also, it wasn't his weight that was the issue, it was his height at the time (5'8 or 5'9) and now he is just under 6'3.

It's weird that you say you trusted Weisbrod and were looking forward to seeing his draft philosophy in action. Then you see it and instead of thinking 'It's interesting that he and his staff picked different players than I thought they would' you are saying 'They're idiots who don't know what they're doing.'

Bizarre.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Read the scouting reports. All of them practically gush about his skating, vision, offensive instincts, and his hockey sense. They all rave about how much better he makes his linemates around him, and how impressed they were at his ability to find team mates in traffic and distribute the puck. I'm fairly confident that the professionally employed scouts who watched him play are able to assess his actual talent level relative beyond his current lower level of competition. In other words, his skating speed will not suddenly diminish; his quality of vision and hockey sense will not disappear, and he not suddenly be unable to distribute the puck at a higher level. His biggest adjustments will be thinking the game at a higher speed and dealing with more physical pressure, but I expect that is why he is taking a longer route to the NHL.


Again, read the scouting reports. ALL of them. Scouts seem fairly unanimous that despite his lower level of competition, Jankowski possesses high-level NHL skills and potential.


Who says the Flames overlooked any of these players? I suspect that they simply were not as impressed by them as they were by Jankowski.

well, again, that is the big question, and maybe the USHL makes the most sense as the adjustment will be much more gradual.

Thinking the game vs playing the game at the highest level is the challenge for all prospects, not just Jankowski. How many kids have there been that just light it up in Jr only to crater in the AHL or the NHL?

while I don't disagree that scouts have done there best to 'project' Jankowski's ability to the next level, it goes back to the level of competition. Projecting a kid from the CHL or from the NCAA is one thing. Projecting a kid from the Canadian High school system is quite another...Even the US prep leagues have more talent as a result of the minor league infrastructure (or lack there of) in the US. He isn't going to have the same time or space at the higher levels...he's not going to be the tallest guy on the ice and he's going to have faster, bigger player targeting him every night...will he be able to hold up? I can't really say.

Next year will be telling as I recall, Gaudreau lit up the USHL, which definitely was a good sign...and that carried over to BC. If Jankowski lits it up, then I think many will feel much better about the pick.

but as for right now, its hard to rely on the scouting reports for optimism, as reports on other prospects we passed on were equally, if not more, effusive.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

I love how civil this thread is now that all the reactionary, immature little kids are gone.

Now we can have intelligent disagreements on whether this was a good or bad pick without name calling and multiple "#" signs.

Personally, I like the pick. I'm cautiously optimistic about Jankowski. He's a year younger than everyone else and he's only just going to the USHL now while everyone else is leaving it.

Feaster and co. are gamblers. No doubt about it.

in my opinion you have probably the best evaluation on AHL players on CP and you have seen plenty come and go and the AHL is full of skilled fwds with good vision that are being held back from the NHL because of primarily a few inchs of height and a few lbs of wieght.

Size, skating, speed, hockey sense and heart are JMO what makes an NHL player.
From all accounts Jankowski has height, speed, hockey sense, skating and skill.
But he is unproven at a level of competition that the other 1st round picks have proven they can alredy and have been competing at.
I would have been happy with a gamble pick like this in the 2nd or 3rd.

[Phanuthier]

^ But Jankowski was their guy. Who knows, we could have tanked, got a top 5 pick and still picked Jankowski. Jankowski is the guy the wanted, how can you argue with that?

[Lobotroth]

Originally Posted by getbak

"Everyone else's is velcroed, but this is stitched on. They wanted me. I was their guy the whole time."

Really like to hear that because it's something that will stick with him as he develops within the organization. Jay and co. demonstrated that they're committed to him and nothing but good can come from that.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

^ But Jankowski was their guy. Who knows, we could have tanked, got a top 5 pick and still picked Jankowski. Jankowski is the guy the wanted, how can you argue with that?

Why would they wait so long to deal #14 if they had no interest in some other players?

I think they were looking at some of the guys that went top 10, but the ones that fell to them weren't the ones they liked. No complaints here

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Again, read the scouting reports. ALL of them. Scouts seem fairly unanimous that despite his lower level of competition, Jankowski possesses high-level NHL skills and potential.

They obviously aren't that impressed with his skills and potential or the kid would have been ranked, and went higher then 21st overall. 2/3rds of NHL scouting teams passed him by.

I doubt its bias against the league as Kyle Turris for example who played at a lower level was still taken 3rd overall. Feaster claiming this kid could be the best player in the draft seems pretty far fetched.

Who knows, maybe I am just biased against these big reach picks as the Oilers have been trying for the homerun for years and it never worked out. I can't think of any examples on other teams where a big reach turned out amazing in the first round. Other teams have professional scouts too, and the rankings reflect where most professionals think players should go.

Time as always will tell, but if I were a Flames fan I would be disappointed with the hype generated around this selection by Feaster.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Who knows, maybe I am just biased against these big reach picks as the Oilers have been trying for the homerun for years and it never worked out. I can't think of any examples on other teams where a big reach turned out amazing in the first round. Other teams have professional scouts too, and the rankings reflect where most professionals think players should go. .

A guy in a similar situation and "reach" was Blake Wheeler for the Coyotes. First example that should spring immediately to mind.

Time as always will tell, but if I were a Flames fan I would be disappointed with this selection

Shocking, nor does anyone care.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

LOL okay. I think you're overrating the level of hockey in the CHL. Also, it wasn't his weight that was the issue, it was his height at the time (5'8 or 5'9) and now he is just under 6'3.

It's weird that you say you trusted Weisbrod and were looking forward to seeing his draft philosophy in action. Then you see it and instead of thinking 'It's interesting that he and his staff picked different players than I thought they would' you are saying 'They're idiots who don't know what they're doing.'

Bizarre.

never said they are idiots and don't know what they are doing.
They know what they are doing I just don't agree with many of the selections and where in particular they took Jankowski.
If he can rise to a level competiton that his equalls are already at and add another 20-30lbs then the Flames could have a desired prospect.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by neo45

Why would the wait so long to deal #14 if they had no interest in some other players?

I think they were looking at some of the guys that went top 10, but the ones that fell to them weren't the ones they liked. No complaints here

More than likely buffalo wouldn't trade up until they knew their guy was there. Takes two to tango