[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Brodie looks good. Backlund looks good. Despite the fact he forced a trade out the Erixon pick doesn't look like a total bust.

Too young to tell on the others but in my time of following prospects I think we have some with promise compared to the past. Reinhart, Gaudreau, Wotherspoon, Baertschi, and Jankowski all show a lot of promise IMO. And then we have a lot of decent looking guys in Brossoit, Ortio, Gillies, Ramage, Sieloff, Arnold, Granlund, etc. A few of those should turn out.

The biggest reason why we haven't hit many homeruns is the lack of top 10 picks in good years and a massive deficit in 2nd rounders. The Flames I believe are the team with the least 1st and 2nd rounders in the last 10 years. Button has not had a lot of high picks in the first two rounds to work with.

Maybe its just my optimistic nature but I think the system is as deep as its ever been in my time of following the Flames. The last few drafts don't look anywhere near as bad as a lot of the drafts in the late 90's and early 2000's.

Most teams have kids that look at least as good as Brodie and Backlund. Until we draft and develop a difference maker, people will remain skeptical and frankly it's hard to blame them.