[FlamesNation23]

Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt

The more I think of it, the more I can see Konecny going surprisingly (to most) high. I think he will be the consolation prize for a team that misses out on the more skilled players like Strome, Marner etc

I think he goes top 10 easily maybe even top 8. Teams will look around and see Gaudreau, Kane, Johnson, and other smaller offensive players making a big difference in the league with their skill and speed - he will be off the board quick. Teams dont care wether so-and-so has him ranked at 33, or someone else has him ranked at 20, they will watch the tape, talk to the scouts and fall in love with him.

He is a fantastic forward. If we didnt already have such a small team I'd say lets move up and get him, he is the BPA outside the top players.

I have it

McDavid
Eichel
Marner
Strome
Hanifin
Konecny
Provorov
Meier
Werenski
Barzal
Svechnikov
Connor
Harkins
Boeser

Some people may laugh at that and say I trust the scouts more - But I think guys like Crouse, Rantanen, and even Zacha who I think is a good player - they dont warrant their high ranking based on play, numbers, progression and skill but they are big players all over 6'3 and 200lbs.

It fuels the debate of big dudes in junior like Ritchie and Smith but I think these players are sometimes ranked higher based on their size. Just as Gaudreau was ranked lower for his size, or lack there-of. Not saying they only dominate in junior because of their man bodies but I think they are a bit overrated as prospects - especially because a 17-18 year old can still grow 2 inches and put on 15lbs of mucle every year untill they fill out. Look at a few of the flames young ones, like Mony and Colborne they look way bigger off the ice than they did a year or 2 ago. Even the (unjustly) hated step child of the franchise Jankowski is growing a lot.

I'd take a player like Merkley or Konecny who is an inch below or above 5'10 but wows me every time I see them with their skill, hard work, vision, skating etc - over a decent player who needs to work on skating and offense/defense but has a fantastic frame and projects to be an nhler based on physical attributes and how they played with other boys who happened to be smaller than them.

Its a very delicate balance between taking the BPA and taking the most NHL ready or NHL style that would translate. Because who knows that BPA some teams pass over could spend a year or two or three gaining weight, maybe a bit of height, refining their game in the AHL and hit the NHL with a vengence kind of like Tyler Johnson did in the last 2 seasons.

In short ... I still dont know who I would take if 1 skilled BPA fell and also 2 bigger power forwards with a good amount of skill fell. Its a tough call im glad I dont have to make.

Say Konecny/Merkley vs Rantanen/Crouse.

Very tough call. The former 2 just magicians on the ice without too many holes in their games asides from size - the latter 2 in my opinion if they were 5'10 and 170 they would be in the 2nd round or later.

Just my opinion.
Would love some feedback.

There is definately a chance the konechy goes higher than expected but if rantanen actually fell to us (slim chances of it happening), there is no way we dont take him. I want to move up just so we can get him. I would lose my mind if he fell to us and we didnt take him.