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Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
Definitely has a very strong top couple tiers from what I've read/seen. A grouping of players at the top end in the top 5 or so. Another clump of really great looking guys after that in the 6-9 range or so.
Here's a quote from the brother of our head scout:
"Craig Button: Perspective will always vary. I think this draft has similarities to 2003 draft in that, there are very good players deep in the first round and I think there will be very good players drafted in the 2nd round like 2003 with Bergeron and Weber."
So Button who seem to have a pulse on his brother's rankings sees the first round as deep and that there will be good players available in the 2nd. Sounds like a pretty deep draft to me.
I think the issue is that some scouts were touting it as the best draft since 2003 and then other scouts were pushing back that it isn't as good. Because of that pushback some fans have started to think its a weak draft but from my time of following the draft it looks fairly deep.
It's pretty clear that the top end is quite good. So a top 5-8 pick should net us a real bluechip guy if not a franchise/star player. Several centres ranked in that range with MacKinnon/Barkov followed closely by Lindholm/Monahan. A potential #1 d-man in Seth Jones, a potential star winger in Drouin. Only guy I hope they avoid is Nichuskin because of the Russian unpredictability.
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Totally agree with what you have said. With regards to Nichuskin, he is definitely a wildcard. He has the skill and size to be a franchise player, but is signed for another 2 years in the KHL. If the Flames end up with 2 more picks in the first round, I would actually like them to 'gamble' on this guy with one of them. I think he will fall to the late first round based on his contract in the KHL and the Russian factor, but this guy could have challenged anyone in the top 5 for skill. Still, quite the gamble...