I have pointed this out before but I don't know how the Flames can pass on MacKinnon (or Barkov) for Jones or Drouin
Crosby (1st)
Stamkos (1st)
Tavares (1st)
Staal (2nd)
Malkin (2nd)
Sedin (3rd)
Toews (3rd)
Backstrom (4th)
Getzlaf (19th)
Giroux (22nd)
Datsyuk (171st)
Those are the top 10 scoring centers in the league (plus Malkin) and their draft position
arguably the 11 best centers in the league as well (Kopitar probably being the biggest omission)
Center is not the place where "Elite" gems fall through, sure you can get good 2nd line centers later on, or you may hit the jackpot with a Datsyuk in round 6 or 7
but generally the elite centers are gone by the 5th pick in the draft
the elite d men are not, it seems to be a harder position to scout
from a Canucks perspective, I hope the Flames end up with Drouin, wingers seem to be one of the easiest position to find top end guys later in the draft, through trade, or through FA
The guy I don't want to see with the Flames (or the Avs) is MacKinnon
no one gives up on top line centers easily, they will overpay to keep them so you need to draft them, everyone on that list I posted above is still with their original team, and have contracts to keep them that way through their prime
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