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devo22 · 11-28-2013, 06:32 PM

Obviously we're still very early in the season and given how poor some Eastern teams are, it's far from a sure thing that the Flames will end up at rock bottom this season. A lot can happen between now and June 27, and I don't want us to turn into the bunch up there where draft day has become the most important day of the year, but this one is an interesting question to me nevertheless: let's pretend the Flames are up in the draft and both Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad are available. Who do you take?

THE CASE FOR SAM REINHART

Kootenay Ice (WHL)
Center -- shoots R
Nov 6 1995 -- Vancouver, BC
6'1'' -- 186 lbs
2013-14 stats: 28 GP, 15 G + 30 A = 45 P

My gut feeling tells me that if you have to choose between a forward and a defenseman, especially that early in the draft, it's better to go with the forward ... although I'm not so sure when I see a guy like Seth Jones log over 23 minutes a game as a rookie. If you choose the forward, it's going to be Sam Reinhart. Youngest son of Paul Reinhart and brother of Max and Griffin, Sam could very well turn out to be the best of the brothers. Skill, hockey IQ, good 200 ft game - even if he isn't necessarily a surefire 1st line center in the NHL, Reinhart checks a lot of boxes in terms of what you want a top 6 center to be. The idea of having Monahan and Reinhart as a 1-2 punch down the middle is really intriguing and with some other promosing center prospects like Jankowski in the system, the Flames would be set down the middle for years.

THE CASE FOR AARON EKBLAD

Barrie Colts (OHL)
Defense -- shoots R
Born Feb 7 1996 -- Belle River, ONT
6'5'' -- 216 lbs
2013-14 stats: 24 GP, 8 G + 13 A = 21 P

Even if you buy into the "forward first" mentality, it's hard to turn down the opportunity to add a defenseman like Ekblad. A mobile defenseman with offensive skills who can play in all situations, and is already 6'5'' and 216? Hell yes. Granted exceptional status to join the OHL earlier, he excelled at that level and even found another gear in the playoffs (7 goals and 17 points in 22 games last season). What makes Ekblad even more interesting for me as a Flames fan is the fact that our prospect system lacks a defenseman with real 1st pairing potential, and drafting Ekblad would improve the Flames tremendously in that regard. Add to the fact that the Flames barely have any right-shooting defensemen and you have a really good case of choosing Ekblad.

Sooo ... based on what they hopefully bring to the table and where the Flames are right now, who do you take?

11-28-2013, 06:32 PM	#1
devo22 Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Austria, NOT Australia Exp:	Hypothetical: Reinhart or Ekblad? Obviously we're still very early in the season and given how poor some Eastern teams are, it's far from a sure thing that the Flames will end up at rock bottom this season. A lot can happen between now and June 27, and I don't want us to turn into the bunch up there where draft day has become the most important day of the year, but this one is an interesting question to me nevertheless: let's pretend the Flames are up in the draft and both Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad are available. Who do you take? THE CASE FOR SAM REINHART Kootenay Ice (WHL) Center -- shoots R Nov 6 1995 -- Vancouver, BC 6'1'' -- 186 lbs 2013-14 stats: 28 GP, 15 G + 30 A = 45 P My gut feeling tells me that if you have to choose between a forward and a defenseman, especially that early in the draft, it's better to go with the forward ... although I'm not so sure when I see a guy like Seth Jones log over 23 minutes a game as a rookie. If you choose the forward, it's going to be Sam Reinhart. Youngest son of Paul Reinhart and brother of Max and Griffin, Sam could very well turn out to be the best of the brothers. Skill, hockey IQ, good 200 ft game - even if he isn't necessarily a surefire 1st line center in the NHL, Reinhart checks a lot of boxes in terms of what you want a top 6 center to be. The idea of having Monahan and Reinhart as a 1-2 punch down the middle is really intriguing and with some other promosing center prospects like Jankowski in the system, the Flames would be set down the middle for years. THE CASE FOR AARON EKBLAD Barrie Colts (OHL) Defense -- shoots R Born Feb 7 1996 -- Belle River, ONT 6'5'' -- 216 lbs 2013-14 stats: 24 GP, 8 G + 13 A = 21 P Even if you buy into the "forward first" mentality, it's hard to turn down the opportunity to add a defenseman like Ekblad. A mobile defenseman with offensive skills who can play in all situations, and is already 6'5'' and 216? Hell yes. Granted exceptional status to join the OHL earlier, he excelled at that level and even found another gear in the playoffs (7 goals and 17 points in 22 games last season). What makes Ekblad even more interesting for me as a Flames fan is the fact that our prospect system lacks a defenseman with real 1st pairing potential, and drafting Ekblad would improve the Flames tremendously in that regard. Add to the fact that the Flames barely have any right-shooting defensemen and you have a really good case of choosing Ekblad. Sooo ... based on what they hopefully bring to the table and where the Flames are right now, who do you take?