Draft targets

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

At 8-10 though?

Depends on who is off the board for me. I would take Catton over him. Despite having some injury issues I still would take Lindstrom over him. There are other players I like more, I am just saying I wouldn't be disappointed if he was the pick. He has a great toolset to his game and he is very young yet. I am not saying he should be the guy we draft, I am just saying I won't be upset if we take him.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

At 8-10 though?

Hage has gone nuclear late into the season and his rankings are likely going along with him. Wouldn't shock me in the least if teams had him in their top 10.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Hage has gone nuclear late into the season and his rankings are likely going along with him. Wouldn't shock me in the least if teams had him in their top 10.

Ya he had a slow start to the year but from my understanding he lost his father last summer in a freak swimming accident. I am surprised he got his head back in the game at all this year, I can't imagine how hard that must have been for him to start the season.

[Sandman]

Hage is a center with size and speed, and numbers almost identical to fellow USHLer Trevor Connelly. 34 points in the last 20 games. I have some other preferences too, but they won't be available.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Today's the 11th anniversary of trading Iggy

Wrong. It is the 11th anniversary of acquiring Ben Hanowski.

(who seems like a good guy and can now meet your banking needs)
https://deerwoodbank.com/ben-hanowsk...anker-officer/

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Wrong. It is the 11th anniversary of acquiring Ben Hanowski.

(who seems like a good guy and can now meet your banking needs)
https://deerwoodbank.com/ben-hanowsk...anker-officer/

It’s cool he’s a human and has a real life, but as a Flames fan, fata that guy! Hahah

[devo22]

not sure I'd love Hage at 8, but in that 11-14 range (which I feel is still the most realistic outcome because I fully expect this team will go on a winning streak when nobody needs it)? I could absolutely get behind that. Feels like right-handed centermen have been the rarest unicorns in the Flames' prospect pool for many, many years.

[Enoch Root]

8th, 11th, 14th... who cares? Take the guy you like. People get too hung up on rankings.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Sandman

That's who I put down as a Celebrini comparable in here awhile back. I think people forget that Mack is a 17 year-old until June 13th, and just put up the 3rd-best NCAA season for an under-18 player all-time (although the list isn't that impressive- he's behind Craig Simpson and Chris Valentine).

I think of him as a cross between Crosby and Toews.

I actually really like Yzerman as a stylistic comparison. The shot is similar.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I actually really like Yzerman as a stylistic comparison. The shot is similar.

I thought so too but was leery to use his name because I think fans may be expecting too much from him.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Defensemen under 30:

Andersson 27
Kylington 26 (assuming he re-signs)
Miromanov 26
Pachal 24
Okhotiuk 23
Solovyov 23
Poirier 21
Kuznetsov 21
Jurmo 21
Grushnikov 20
Morin 19
Brzustewicz 19
Hurtig 18


Centers under 30:

Sharangovich 25 (winger)
Schwindt 22
Zary 22 (winger)
Kerins 21
Lipinski 19

We do not have an NHL centerman under the age of 30, nor a prospect that we expect to become an NHLer.

This post is not directed at you Enoch, and I am just piggy-backing off your post.



I have been thinking about these prospect lists, and one thing stands out to me - this is a really good prospect base (including more names not mentioned here). Who out of this group (including everyone else) are the Flames 'building around'? Nobody other than Wolf.



#1C and #1D are very important. What is the most important for me is making sure that this organization finds franchise-type of players.


That's why I have no qualms about grabbing Tij ahead of a C or a D who may not be franchise types, if that makes sense. Basically grab BPA, period. Tij is a high value pick in my estimation because there is a lot of depth there in his abilities, and i will bet leadership will also be a trait you will see in him. I do see him as a franchise player. He may be a winger, but he is a franchise player that you build around.


The problem with 'building around Jarome' back in the day wasn't that Jarome was a winger. It was that they didn't do a good enough job at it. Flames had 3 'elite' players in that generation - Iginla, Kiprusofff and Regehr (and yes, Regehr is a hill I will die on when it comes to categorizing him as elite). If Iginla was a centre, it wouldn't have resulted in better outcomes really. Heck, Iginla was basically playmaker to Cammalleri the year they played together.


This team lost Savard and St. Louis. 2004 would have been a cup had those two players been retained. Savard and Conroy as a 1-2 punch down the middle, with Iginla and St. Louis on different lines.



Point is, just draft the franchise players. This team needs players to build around, and all positions are basically open (with Wolf being the only prospect in that category for me). I do think that there will be some surprises with a few current prospects who become better than what the appear right now, so that helps, so maybe there already is a franchise type or two in the system right now. This organization is amazing at continually finding NHL'ers throughout the rounds, so that is going to help too. However, the #1 target is to find as many franchise types as possible.

The last thing you want to do is come out of this as a much younger, but just as mediocre of a team as they have been over the last rebuild. I will be happy with a few of the centres and defencemen mentioned, but I would also be happy with Tij, because we had a front-row seat to how impactful he may become.

[#-3]

Not that I know that they are, but if the Flames are determined to pickup Iginla, and they end up in the 8-9 range. There are two teams that could be an option for a deal.

SJ, will have Pit probably 11th-13th range pick, and their own 2nd probably 33rd overall

Phi will have there own, will probably be between 14th and 18th, and Fld probably in the late 20s.

Depending where there intel tells them everyone is going, and what those teams want, it might possible we see a trade like that develop.

[GioforPM]

"Just draft the franchise players".

wow, easy!!

[RedHawk12]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

"Just draft the franchise players".

wow, easy!!

Draft franchise players. Avoid busts. It's not rocket appliances!

[devo22]

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.

[iamca]

Based on everything I have seen, I would be thrilled if the Flames drafted Catton.

Incredibly talented player with offensive skills and hockey sense.

If he’s available, it’s a great pick.


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[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by iamca

Based on everything I have seen, I would be thrilled if the Flames drafted Catton.

Incredibly talented player with offensive skills and hockey sense.

If he’s available, it’s a great pick.


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Same. Of all the non-Iginla players we could be in position to draft, Catton caught my eye the most.

There was a level of polish and precision to Catton’s game that we would be blessed to have.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Same. Of all the non-Iginla players we could be in position to draft, Catton caught my eye the most.

There was a level of polish and precision to Catton’s game that we would be blessed to have.

Catton could very well be the next Aho, I would hate to see that slip thru the flames fingers.

[iamca]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Same. Of all the non-Iginla players we could be in position to draft, Catton caught my eye the most.

There was a level of polish and precision to Catton’s game that we would be blessed to have.

It’s not just Catton’s highlights either.

In watching some of his WHL game footage, his play without the puck is very advanced for his age as he sees the game extremely well, typically gets himself into smart positions and anticipates the play ahead of most of his opponents.

Couple that hockey IQ with his speed, quickness, ability to stick handle in a phone booth, elevate the puck in tight, shot release, etc… and he would be an excellent addition to this franchise for a long time.


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[14Roman14]

I’m all in for Mr. Iginla!

Ideally we swing some magic and get another pick in that range and can get both him and Yakemchuk. I’d be ecstatic.