Championship teams have one thing in common - elite players.
I do lean more towards MacKinnon right now. Not so much because of his skill level, but the over-all package you get with him. He has "Captain" written all over him with that non-stop motor and 2-way play, coupled with elite skills. Drouin is more 'elite' in terms of skill, I would say. Barkov is good at everything, period. Jones looks to be like the best D prospect in a long time, and high-end D are on the ice for sometimes 30 minutes per game.
I may have my own preferences... but I trust the Flames scouting department to select who out of all of them will become the most elite. If that means they take Jones, then I will support that.
People keep arguing that you need depth down the middle (Pittsburgh) or an elite d-man (the Edmonton run). I argue that you just need elite talent out there. If your team has better players out on the ice more often than the other team has, then you have a very good chance to win the game. Add in good coaching and systems play, and you can maximize your talent potential as much as possible.
I do expect the Flames to draft MacKinnon 1st, or Drouin/Barkov if they pick lower. I will not be mad if they draft Jones though. I would say all 4 prospects look like they will be 'elite' players down the line, and Nichushkin being the gamble, and Monahan looking like a 'sure thing' to be a high-end impact player.
There will be more elite talent on the bottom of the first round and into the 2nd round - just really hard to find. This draft is a good one, and those scouts better be working some massive overtime
