[News] With the 2016 6th OA pick Flames select LW Matthew Tkachuk

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Dvorak isn't that much of a question mark IMO and from having watched London he wasn't leeching. He's probably NHL ready and he's a top prospect IMO, right up there with Strome.

That said to expect perfection at the draft is completely unrealistic. You can't expect your team to pick the best player using hindsight from a few years later. Our drafting has been pretty solid lately, lamenting over great prospects we missed on is an exercise in futility that only serves to disappoint and annoy you.

Be happy with the Brodies and the Gaudreaus. Don't cry over the Dvoraks. You're only making yourself miserable if you choose to focus on the Flames not being perfect, which is an unreasonable expectation to have.

[northcrunk]

Hunter Smith could still turn into a decent NHLer. If he becomes a force in the NHL then we forget about Dvorak. Same if Dvorak becomes a bust.

[gunnner]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Not really, plenty of publications had Hunter Smith going in and around the 2nd round that year. Christian Dvorak played only played 33 games putting up 14 points going into that draft so there was lots of unknowns.

Both were project type picks who went to teams with an extra 2nd rounder. Both still have lots to prove, Dvorak is by no means a lock. Plenty of question marks about his game transitioning to pro and how much of a "leech" to star players he was.

What a one sided post. Dvorak is coming off a memorial cup and probably has a 50/50 shot to make the NHL full time this season. Im not going to rag on Hunter but we all know his progression is poor.

[Firebot]

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM
2012-13 Chicago Steel USHL 9 2 3 5 2 4 -- -- -- -- --
2013-14 London Knights OHL 33 6 8 14 0 8 -- -- -- -- --
2014-15 London Knights OHL 66 41 68 109 24 33 10 5 8 13 0
2014-15 Portland Pirates AHL 2 1 1 2 4 2 5 0 1 1 0
2015-16 London Knights OHL 59 52 69 121 27 56 18 14 21 35

Bolded the season he was drafted. Did anyone seriously wish to pick Dvorak in 2014 knowing what was known at the time? There are guys like Dvorak every year. He still has yet to prove anything past Juniors.

Compare to Hunter Smith.

Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM
2011-12 Windsor Spitfires OHL 15 1 0 1 19 -6 2 0 0 0 0
2012-13 Oshawa Generals OHL 30 0 1 1 22 -5 3 0 0 0 0
2013-14 Oshawa Generals OHL 64 16 24 40 100 11 12 3 8 11 25
2014-15 Oshawa Generals OHL 57 23 26 49 122 21 21 9 9 18 38
2015-16 Stockton Heat AHL 54 2 6 8 90 2 -- -- -- -- --

If Hunter Smith ever picks up his game, he can still become a player. His progression is poor yes, but in hindsight, you still can't pick Dvorak at the time except as a pure gamble.

Also of note, no 2014 2nd round pick has played a game in the NHL yet 2 years later.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by gunnner

What a one sided post. Dvorak is coming off a memorial cup and probably has a 50/50 shot to make the NHL full time this season. Im not going to rag on Hunter but we all know his progression is poor.

Sorry gunner, I'll try to be better for you.

[GranteedEV]

I would have preferred Warren Foegele over Hunter Smith.

Not that I am following why this thread has gone sin/cos

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Hunter Smith could still turn into a decent NHLer. If he becomes a force in the NHL then we forget about Dvorak. Same if Dvorak becomes a bust.

He can, but highly unlikely. He is slow as molasses. he just isn't fast enough. I watched him a few times last season and man is he slow. Was getting beat a lot one on one.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I would have preferred Warren Foegele over Hunter Smith.

Not that I am following why this thread has gone sin/cos

No need to go off on a tangent like that.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Dvorak isn't that much of a question mark IMO and from having watched London he wasn't leeching. He's probably NHL ready and he's a top prospect IMO, right up there with Strome.

That said to expect perfection at the draft is completely unrealistic. You can't expect your team to pick the best player using hindsight from a few years later. Our drafting has been pretty solid lately, lamenting over great prospects we missed on is an exercise in futility that only serves to disappoint and annoy you.

Be happy with the Brodies and the Gaudreaus. Don't cry over the Dvoraks. You're only making yourself miserable if you choose to focus on the Flames not being perfect, which is an unreasonable expectation to have.

I 100% agree with this post, but I, and others, didn't really love the Smith pick at the time. I understand why he was chosen, but he never impressed me much. It was worth the gamble, but it likely won't pay off.

Nobody expects perfection, but some picks (Keegan Kanzig) were too high of a gamble for the round they were picked. I think Smith fits that category.

[JiriHrdina]

The thing is most 2nd rounders aren't going to make it - so those that predict failure for those picks, will be right more often than wrong. But without knowing who you would have picked at the moment instead, it isn't really fair.
What's interesting, is that there is some data that suggests that over-agers like Smith are high value picks.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

He can, but highly unlikely. He is slow as molasses. he just isn't fast enough. I watched him a few times last season and man is he slow. Was getting beat a lot one on one.

How would you rate his speed?

[sureLoss]

Anyways back on Tkachuk:

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/08/29...e-camp-success

Matthew Tkachuk said he didn’t collect his father’s hockey cards as a kid. But, as the son of someone who played more than 1,200 games in the NHL, the Calgary Flames prospect made sure to pay attention to how hard his father worked to receive them — particularly his rookie card.

“He went to (Boston University) for one year and the next year went to camp and made the team,” said the younger Tkachuk at Monday’s NHLPA Rookie Showcase. “He said that the summer before that camp was the hardest he’s ever worked to put him in a spot to make it. I kind of took that as motivation.”

Tkachuk, who scored the overtime winner to help the London Knights win the Memorial Cup, has spent the summer taking a page out of his father’s workbook. He skipped the U.S. summer world junior camp and instead has been training off the ice in Toronto in order to be “re-energized and refocused for training camp.”

As an 18-year-old, he either has to make the Flames’ roster or be returned to junior. And it’s clear what option he is hoping for.

“Everybody always says ultimately it’s (the Flames’) decision, but in my opinion I want to put all the weight of the pressure on my own shoulders,” said Tkachuk. “I want to go in there and compete for a job. It’s not going to be given to me and it’s not going to be easy. But I feel like I’ve had a great summer.”

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Anyways back on Tkachuk:

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/08/29...e-camp-success

In an interview shortly after the draft, it was obvious that this kid was going to work his butt off and legitimately be pushing for a permanent spot at main camp.

I think Tkachuk will show he's ready for at least a sheltered 3rd line role.

But let's face it, depending on how some of these other signings/prospects look in camp (Pribyl, Chaisson, Shinkaruk, Poirier) it might not be up to 18 year old Matthew Tkachuk.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Anyways back on Tkachuk:

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/08/29...e-camp-success

I'm glad we've got young players with great drive. Tkachuk and Bennett will put us over the top.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

How would you rate his speed?

Slower than a TFW!

[sureLoss]

Looks good on him:

[MrMastodonFarm]

Love the #19 on him, looks great.

[Flashpoint]

19.
Arnie Brown, Morris Stefaniw, Ed Kea, Paul Henderson, Bob Gould, Carl Mokosak, Bruce Eakin, Tim Hunter, Todd Harkins, David Haas, Vesa Viitakoski, Chris O'Sullivan, Oleg Saprykin, Chuck Kobasew, Wayne Primeau, Fredrik Modin, Blair Jones, David Jones

[Otto-matic]

I wonder if the flames are updating the logo on the helmets, usually its the Flames wordmark.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I wonder if the flames are updating the logo on the helmets, usually its the Flames wordmark.

It appears so. I noticed that at the prospects camp in July too.

Spoiler!