Who should the Flames pick at 6th overall?

[Calgary4LIfe]

ITSE reply:

I'm not that sure Kekäläinen has a special love for Puljujärvi. There are several reasons for this:

1) The optics would be bad for him if Puljujärvi disappoints. (Although this is a minor thing since Puljujärvi is such a clear consensus #3.)

2) The job of Kekäläinen is to do what's best for Columbus. Nothing else. He's a pro that's perfectly capable of looking past his personal bias.

3) He has not favoured Finns in the past.

Sorry, I had tried to reply to you earlier, but it came up blank. I replied to other posts not long ago, but this one comes up blank again - have to manually quote.

Sorry, that post you replied to came out a bit wrong. I just read that Kekalainen thought very highly of both Finns, and that there was a better chance that Columbus acquires both of them, than to give up the #3 pick.

I am sure that if there was a substantial offer - one that definitely goes into 'severe over-payment' - that Kekalainen would definitely trade as his job and the success of his team is more important than any bias he may have. I didn't mean necessarily that he was biased in selecting Finns - only that this year's crop is indeed impressive, and of course I am sure a little bit of bias would enter into it. I just heard that he is exceptionally high on both Laine and Puljujarvi, and was going to entertain obtaining both.

Interesting to know he hasn't had any bias towards Finns thus far as a GM. Though I am sure he is a professional, and would always make the best choice for his team, I thought that with his background in European scouting that he just had more access and contacts in place from which on the outside might have been perceived as a slight bias to European players, if not Finnish directly. I haven't followed Columbus' draft record at all, however, but I just figured given his scouting background (not just his nationality) that he would have been more privy to especially later round picks from Europe than many other teams. Thanks for the enlightenment!

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I didn't mean necessarily that he was biased in selecting Finns - only that this year's crop is indeed impressive, and of course I am sure a little bit of bias would enter into it. I just heard that he is exceptionally high on both Laine and Puljujarvi, and was going to entertain obtaining both.

Well it wasn't an answer specifically just for you, I felt there was a lot of that kind of sentiment going around.

Kekäläinen has been the head of Amateur Scouting in Columbus since 2002 and the GM since 2013, and if my quick roster check is correct, only 4 Finns have played for the Blue Jackets in that period, 2 of them goalies. I'm guessing that's below league average. The Flames have had that that many Finns just this season. A quick glance through their draft record doesn't really suggest preferring Finns either.

They don't really seem to prefer Europeans either as fas as I can tell, their current team is mostly NA born.

As for Kekäläinen wanting both Finns, that rumour makes zero sense to me. They're both wingers. You don't build a team around two wingers.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Table 5

If I was the Flames GM, I would overpay to get that #4 pick so I can draft Dubois.

If additional picks are not enough (and I'm not necessarily sure even Dallas #1 pick would be considering we are dealing with division rivals), the way you get it from Edmonton is by offering up one of the 3 most promising young dmen (Kylington, Anderson, Hickey) along with the #6. I think all 3 of them have promise and would hate to see them go, but at some point you have to leverage your strengths to shore up weaknesses. We have a huge hole when it comes to skilled wingers with size.

Or you see if you can trade that #6 pick for an existing prospect or young NHLer who fits that mold. Either way, barring a miraculous lottery win, I don't see this team drafting this high again for a while. We need to ensure that this draft is just as impactful as the Monahan/Bennett ones have been.

This post probably won't be to popular on CP, but i fully agree. Don't get me wrong losing a Kylington, Anderson, Hickey would suck, but the flames need a player like Dubios desperately.

Also agree with your other post that Wootherspoon won't get it done. One of the last teams the Oilers want to help out is the flames. It's going to have to be a bit of an overpayment for them to listen. Before someone posts that we should offer a Kylington, Anderson ect. to Columbus for the 3rd pick, i will say Bluejackets won't take that deal.

[Table 5]

Yeah, it may not be popular, and would be tough pill to swallow to lose any of them (if I had a choice, I'd give up Hickey first), but I think this team needs to make that type of move if they believe a guy like Dubois is the missing piece to the puzzle.

People are always saying that you draft BPA and then trade the asset later for what you need. Well...here we are in a situation where we are deep in one area, and shallow as hell in another. Time to leverage that depth. And yeah, while the dream scenario would be to trade with the Jackets or Jets, I don't think that will be happening in any realistic universe.

[Fire]

I wouldn't trade Anderson, but I would be open to trade the #6 with Kylington or Hickey for the #4.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

This post probably won't be to popular on CP, but i fully agree. Don't get me wrong losing a Kylington, Anderson, Hickey would suck, but the flames need a player like Dubios desperately.

Also agree with your other post that Wootherspoon won't get it done. One of the last teams the Oilers want to help out is the flames. It's going to have to be a bit of an overpayment for them to listen. Before someone posts that we should offer a Kylington, Anderson ect. to Columbus for the 3rd pick, i will say Bluejackets won't take that deal.

It will be a different coaching world without Hartley. Wotherspoon has not been bad on his limited call ups he is just not built to generate points.

IF Dubois really is the 6-3 220-225 lb guy that can play in the top-6 ( I am not sold on the skill side of his package as he racked up a bulk of his points (27 in 12 his last games) against the weakest teams in the Q. Then it would absolutely make sense to package a 2nd and a 3rd along with the Flames #6 to move up to #4. I wouldn't at all be disappointing if the Flames pick Tkachuk instead (NHL 6-1 215) playing in a better league in bigger games albeit on a better team.

The Flames have Panthers 2nd round pick around #54 and their own #3 #65

So the Flames give Edmonton #6, #54 and #65 and get to pick Dubois or Tkachuk.

If you think that the draft picks are a reasonable plan then you would have to think that it is not that bad of a deal if the Flames give Edmonton 2016 #6, 2015 (#53) and 2016 (#60).


Without the small all offense defense Hartley system Kylington and Anderssen will be waiting for Brodie or Gio to get injured or trade for their shot at the NHL.

Edmonton picks a D-man with #6 and Nylander falls to at least #7

If the Flames pick #6 They will might be picking Chychrun which would move Anderssen and Kylington down another spot in the Flames d-man depth chart.

Burke has basically come out and said they will not be picking Nylander at #6.

[Chingas]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Burke has basically come out and said they will not be picking Nylander at #6.

No he hasn't.

[Henry Fool]

If they have a clear top-6 like I recall someone saying, Nylander is the most likely 6th guy.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

If they have a clear top-6 like I recall someone saying, Nylander is the most likely 6th guy.

Why would you say that? Not picking on you, but I don't see how any poster can know or say who is most likely exactly #6 on the Flames board.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

Why would you say that? Not picking on you, but I don't see how any poster can know or say who is most likely exactly #6 on the Flames board.

Maybe I remember wrong, but I recall someone like Burke saying that they have a clear top-6. I just find it unlikely that they'd have Nylander at a clearly lower tier than the others who might be the sixth player.

[Cinephile]

Trading our 6th and a quality D prospect (like Kylington) to the Oilers for their 4th and the ability for them to pick another high(er) quality D prospect (like Juolevi) makes too much sense for them; ergo, it won't happen.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Maybe I remember wrong, but I recall someone like Burke saying that they have a clear top-6. I just find it unlikely that they'd have Nylander at a clearly lower tier than the others who might be the sixth player.

I get that they might see a top 6, but I still don't know how anyone could conclude that it must be Nylander. Could be for sure, but there are 10 or so on the CP list that could arguably be that guy.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I get that they might see a top 6, but I still don't know how anyone could conclude that it must be Nylander. Could be for sure, but there are 10 or so on the CP list that could arguably be that guy.

That goes without saying. I voted for Brown. Maybe they like him as much as Button. I'm just saying to me Nylander is the least likely guy to be considered to be on a lower tier. Tough to see one defenseman being on a higher tier than the others, for example.

[VladtheImpaler]

Isn't it time to merge all these draft threads into one, as they are basically discussing the same thing (who will the Flames draft at 6th) and it would be more user friendly not to have jump around...

[mr sakich]

Originally Posted by Cinephile

Trading our 6th and a quality D prospect (like Kylington) to the Oilers for their 4th and the ability for them to pick another high(er) quality D prospect (like Juolevi) makes too much sense for them; ergo, it won't happen.

Oiler fan coming in peace

there is a good chance the Oilers do trade down from 4 but it won't be for prospects. Chia is openly talking about trades to improve the team right now. As good as your prospects may be, there is zero interest.

The other thing to consider is that we have a huge logjam at Left Defence. Klef, Sekera, Nurse, Davidson, Rheinhart, Musil, Osterle, and Simpson are all LD. There is almost no chance the Oilers move down to down another LD. The 3 top defence prospects in this draft are all LD.

The consensus is that the pick will be moved for a right defence who can contribute now. The Flames could easily be part of a 3 way that nets them the 4th pick. The trick is to find the 3rd partner who gets the Oilers a RD.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

If they have a clear top-6 like I recall someone saying, Nylander is the most likely 6th guy.

I mean you can guess that is who it is but you wouldn't necessarily be right.

I don't think we can rule out Chychrun (D), Sergachev (D), Juolevi (D) or Brown (C) either. We know the Flames value top pairing defensemen highly as most teams do and there are teams out there who see top pairing potential in at least 2-3 of these d-men. I think the d-men in this draft are being underrated or written off unfairly by some. There are some teams that have Chychrun as a top 5-6 prospect and same for Juolevi. It's not inconceivable that the Flames are one of those teams.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by mr sakich

Oiler fan coming in peace

there is a good chance the Oilers do trade down from 4 but it won't be for prospects. Chia is openly talking about trades to improve the team right now. As good as your prospects may be, there is zero interest.

The other thing to consider is that we have a huge logjam at Left Defence. Klef, Sekera, Nurse, Davidson, Rheinhart, Musil, Osterle, and Simpson are all LD. There is almost no chance the Oilers move down to down another LD. The 3 top defence prospects in this draft are all LD.

The consensus is that the pick will be moved for a right defence who can contribute now. The Flames could easily be part of a 3 way that nets them the 4th pick. The trick is to find the 3rd partner who gets the Oilers a RD.

Something like (with additional pieces):

To Islanders: Flames 1st (6 OA)

To Oilers: Harmonic

To Flames: Oilers 1st (4 OA)

?

[Table 5]

The problem with that is the Islanders need a defenseman to replace Hamonic today, not in a few years. The reason they haven't made a trade yet is because they are holding out for someone like a Brodie, Hamilton or Trouba coming the other way. I'm not sure they will get what they want though, so they may have to settle for something else...but they've been holding out for that for a while now.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by mr sakich

The consensus is that the pick will be moved for a right defence who can contribute now. The Flames could easily be part of a 3 way that nets them the 4th pick. The trick is to find the 3rd partner who gets the Oilers a RD.

We'll give you a RHD AND let you stay in the top 6.

Wideman + 6th overall for 4th overall. Write it up, lets get er done.

[bleeds green]

Just some clarification on Kekäläinen and connection to Blue Jackets, he has only been with the Blue Jackets since Feb 2013 not since 2002 as was mentioned earlier in this thread.

Jarmo Kekäläinenleft Finland in 1999 and became director of Player Personnel of the Ottawa Senators until 2002.

In 2002 Kekäläinen joined the St. Louis Blues as Assistant GM and Director of Amateur Scouting.

In 2010 after being passed over for the Blues GM job, Kekäläinen returned to the Finnish Elite League to take the GM job with Jokerit.

While with Jokerit, Kekäläinen had an unwritten escape clause with ownership that permitted him to leave if he was offered a GM job in the NHL. That opportunity came on February 13, 2013, when after Scott Howson was fired the previous day, president John Davidson, under whom Kekäläinen had worked while with the Blues, hired Kekäläinen to be the new GM of the Blue Jackets.