From ESPN Insider
A-
Top Pick: Samuel Bennett is a fantastic all-around forward, a really fast and energetic skater who sees the ice well and can dominate the puck in terms of possession by combining all his physical talents with a high hockey intellect. Bennett battles well for pucks with what one NHL exec coins "superb natural balance" in terms of his center of gravity in board confrontations. He also embraces the physical game, can lay some quality hits and is a fine defensive forward.
Day 2 picks: McDonald is a really toolsy goaltender, with notable upside. His lateral quickness is fantastic, and while he hasn't filled out his frame yet (he's 186 pounds), he knows how to get his body in front of pucks. On second efforts, McDonald is solid battling for pucks and he fights through screens well. At times, he can get a little too energetic with his movements. ... Hunter Smith is a huge, strong forward who uses his body very well and embraces the physical game. He hits, fights and pressures. He has a little offensive skill, but there's not a lot in that area, and he certainly needs to improve his skating. Hickey is a plus skater with explosive movements in all four directions. He's a smart two-way player who can outlet the puck at a high level. Hickey has some creativity to his game, though scouts think he has more to show in that area. Scouts are also divided on his physicality. Olas Mattson is huge -- 6-foot-4, 209 pounds -- and has fine mobility for a player his size. He's a solid defender who uses his body very well to separate players off pucks and win battles. His positioning is mostly fine, but he can suffer from the odd brain cramp in the defensive zone. His main weakness is with the puck, as he's pretty limited from puck skills standpoint.
Summary: Calgary now has two pillars down the middle to build around in Bennett and Sean Monahan. Mason McDonald was the top goalie at the U18s. Their next three picks features a combo of low-upside/low-risk players and Hickey, who hasn't put up points but could very well. The pick of Smith at 54 is one I know a decent number of scouts endorse, but that I'm not crazy about. -- Pronman
Organizational assessment: The Flames are just starting out on their total organizational makeover, and their biggest acquisition this draft weekend was getting center Sam Bennett with the fourth overall pick. The real work for the Flames will be in forging a new culture and identity that will return them to respectability, and that process began in earnest this weekend.
|