FC's 2012 Draft Thread

[FCAV]

Who needs Bob McKenzie and his top-10 for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft? We've got our October top-30 out already, after releasing a preliminary top-60 over the summer!

Besides, a top-10 isn't going to do Calgary Flames fans any good if they're picking after 14 anyway (optimism, right?).

The draft has been called 'The Year of the Defensemen', and we've got 14 currently ranked in the first round and another three as honourable mentions at this stage in the game.

Judging by the McKenzie thread, a lot of discussion on Dumba vs. Reinhart, and a lot of comparisons between Dumba and Phaneuf.

Having seen both those guys play junior, I don't think it's an overly interesting comparison. It comes from both playing in Red Deer, both being offensive and both throwing big hits. That's about it, though.

There hasn't been a defenseman in the WHL that can move like Dumba in quite some time. It's his biggest asset. He doesn't have the size like Phaneuf did, but he'll still hit hard. He'll sometimes put himself out of position to do so like Dion, but in his own end he is certainly better positionally.

As for Reinhart, I can see him being a slider this year, as can our scouting director Dan Stewart:

I hate to say it but Edmonton Oil King defenseman Griffin Reinhart has got to get his game going as he looks sluggish and may have regressed in his development early this season. While he has huge future potential and was exciting last season before the injuries, a sloppy skating stride and non-engaging play has hurt him with scouts early this season. Couple his early unimpressive play with the play of some of the other impressive prospects available and he could see his way down many lists.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/stewarts-5/

I'll keep this thread alive throughout the year to prompt discussion on the 2012 NHL Entry Draft!

EDIT:

For Calgary Puckers, we've set up a discount on both our Season Pass (October release, February release, 2012 Draft Guide), as well as individual issues. Discount is 25% off regular price.

FC's Introudction to the 2012 Draft - October release @ $4.49 (regularly $5.99)
2011-12 Season Pass @ $19.49 (regularly $25.99)

[FCAV]

For all you WHL fans, our Cody Nickolet's taken a look at 10 interesting draft eligibles to keep an eye on, including the Hitmen's Jaynen Rissling.

The 2012 NHL Entry Draft is shaping up to be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory and a strong reason for that is the WHL crop, which is second to none.

Defensemen are truly the story with as many as five WHL defenders potentially ready to get picked in the first round alone. With that being said, there are many intriguing players to come out of the ‘Dub’ this year.

This list is one that takes a look at the most intriguing and interesting players who are draft eligible out of the Western Hockey League this season.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/keep-...-on-the-dub-2/

[FCAV]

Our Sean Lafortune has a look at some of the OHLers that are of an intriguing nature.

In June, 46 players from the Ontario Hockey League were selected in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the highest count since 1999 saw 52. If 2012 has its way, the league wont have to wait another 12 years to turn out those high numbers.

The league boasts elite high-end talent mixed with a lot of intrigue.
As the 2011 Ontario Hockey League season slowly moves towards puck drop, there is no time better then to take a peek at 10 of the most interesting players to watch this season in the Ontario Hockey League.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/keep-an-eye-on/

[FCAV]

Guess it would only make sense to feature the QMJHL next! Our Jason MacIsaac has ten players to keep an eye on for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

For a few years the QMJHL seemed to be answering questions.

They have been answering whether they have falling behind the OHL and WHL in terms of developing NHL players. Some have even brought up that the USHL is very comparable in competition, that the QMJHL has long been losing their luster. In recent years that may have been the case but like any area in a down cycle, poor runs usually come to an end.

Last season was a bounce back year for the QMJHL with five prospects getting drafted in the first round, including Memorial Cup star Jonathan Huberdeau going 3rd overall. Huberdeau was the highest QMJHL draft pick since Sidney Crosby was drafted first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The group of prospects coming out of the QMJHL this season are looking to be its strongest since 2007, where nine players were selected in the first two rounds. This group is led by a strong contingency of European import players.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/keep-an-eye-on-the-q/

[Bownesian]

Is it me or does this happen every year?

At the time of the NHL entry draft, the talk is about how this year's draft is strong and next year is weak and then 3 months down the road, it changes to how *this* year is a deep draft.

[FCAV]

Originally Posted by Bownesian

Is it me or does this happen every year?

At the time of the NHL entry draft, the talk is about how this year's draft is strong and next year is weak and then 3 months down the road, it changes to how *this* year is a deep draft.

This year has always been referred to as a strong draft. It gets its strength primarily from the blueline, which is just ridiculous this year. I cant think of one agency that has called this draft weak.

[FCAV]

Final of our four league previews is the United States Hockey League via FC's Andrew Weiss.

It seems as if every year the United States Hockey League makes a little more noise at the NHL Entry Draft.

The USHL had a great presence this past June as 28 players who participated in the 2011-12 season heard their name called at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Putting those numbers in perspective, the OHL lead all North American leagues with 46 players selected while the WHL had 33 and the QMJHL had 22.

With rosters beginning to become finalized and released by the 16 USHL clubs, it appears as if the USHL will continue their positive trend with more players being selected by the various 30 NHL organizations. A major upgrade in the USHL’s draft statistics this upcoming season could come in a larger number of high-end picks in comparison to the 2011 draft. Potentially seven USHL players could be selected in the first round—the same number of USHL players taken in last year’s first and second round combined.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/keep-an-eye-on-the-u/

[FCAV]

A look Nail Yakupov and the nine players that can challenge him for first overall...but the Flames wont be picking in the top-10 anyway...

The 2012 NHL Entry Draft marks the 50th anniversary of the annual selection process and has been titled the ‘Year of the Defenseman’ for quite some time now.

Seen as one of the deeper drafts in recent years with some very impressive top end talent, the 2012 draft has scouts excited to get to the rink.

While not all of these listed prospects will remain in the conversation for top dog by the time next June rolls, it is always a good exercise to see who is in the running early. In a year like 2012, scouts except to see considerable movement since there is such a wealth of high end talent that could eventually be called first overall.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/are-y...re-number-one/

[Caged Great]

I hope that the Flames can get Griffin Reinhart this year. I wouldn't mind getting all three of the Reinharts actually.

[kirant]

I wouldn't mind Feaster taking Sissons in the 2nd or 3rd round if they have a spare pick. If only because the last memorable power forward from Kelowna we raised in Calgary was so good.

[FCAV]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I hope that the Flames can get Griffin Reinhart this year. I wouldn't mind getting all three of the Reinharts actually.

Griffin needs to step up his game a little bit. He's been a little stagnant, understandable given the injury he suffered last year. He's a candidate to slide in the rankings though, similar to what Musil did last year.

[FCAV]

Want a defenseman? Look no further than some of the more intriguing candidates.

Without doubt, the 2012 NHL Entry Draft belongs to the blueliners.

Scouts, media and even fans of the game have been talking about the impressive talent available on the blueline that the 2012 draft holds for the past couple season and that depth has only grown as these prospects enter their pivotal draft seasons.

There is a handful of future top pairing NHL defenseman in this bunch, a couple who could develop into the NHL’s elite, as well as those who will likely find employment on a NHL squads the second and third defensive pairings for the next 15 seasons.

So who are these prospects?

http://futureconsiderations.ca/patro...he-2012-draft/

[FCAV]

Want a few more goaltenders in the pipeline? Our scouting director Dan Stewart takes a look at what's available between the pipes in 2012:

A new trend has NHL teams pondering spending an early round pick on a goalkeeper. A large reason for this is that the position typically takes the most time for a kid to develop all the skills to play at the pro level and NHL teams can basically grab the same raw talent in the middle or later rounds as what is available at the top end of the draft.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/betwe...he-2012-draft/

[littlereddevil]

If the Flames do falter this season, two players I think the Flames' scouts should have their eyes on are Cody Ceci and Morgan Rielly. They both could go in the top 10 and both look like very strong two-way defensemen at the moment.

[FCAV]

Originally Posted by littlereddevil

If the Flames do falter this season, two players I think the Flames' scouts should have their eyes on are Cody Ceci and Morgan Rielly. They both could go in the top 10 and both look like very strong two-way defensemen at the moment.

Ceci might've had the best start of any draft eligible defenseman this season with the 67's. He's absolutely tearing it up. As it stands, he's got eight points in eight games, but he's impressed well beyond his point production.

[FCAV]

Want the Flames to pick a forward in the draft? There are a few worth looking at:

2012 may be the year of the defenseman, but forwards eligible for the NHL Entry Draft aren’t going quietly in the night.

With the top available forwards, even this early in the year, there looks to be three distinct tiers of talent. The first tier is comprised of four sure-thing NHL talents who will likely make the jump to the NHL immediately after they are drafted.

The second grouping is made up of talent that has high-end potential and could move up and integrate with the top-tier throughout the course of the season, but at the current time is just a step down from those elite four.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/forwa...he-2012-draft/

[Canada 02]

Wow, bad news. Sarnia Sting announce highly-rated draft prospect Alex Galchenyuk will undergo surgery for torn ACL. Probably season ending.

Galchenyuk was No. 5 on TSN's Pre-Season Top 10 rankings for the 2012 NHL entry draft.

Sting hopeful Galchenyuk will play again this season but to be back for OHL reg season, he would have to be recovered in < 5 months.

http://twitter.com/#!/tsnbobmckenzie

[Beerfest]

Ouch, bad break for him.

If he drops in the draft he could be a steal for someone.

[nik-]

Michael Backlund v2?

[kirant]

Originally Posted by nik-

Michael Backlund v2?

I don't see Galchenyuk falling out of the top 10, even if injured that bad...I think he'll be closer to Brett Connolly here.