Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814
With three 2nd round picks, I'm betting that's where Treliving goes for size. If he's still available at 6, Clayton Keller better be a Flame.
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That's not what the Flames will really need it though. Their bottom 6 - on the team now and with the prospects within in the organization - are good for size. Flames need to get bigger in their top 6, and you don't often find those outside of the 1st round.
Big guys who can skate, who have above average skills and who have good IQ are all snapped up quickly. In the 2nd round, they start having more question marks:
"He skates fast, but no scoring upside."
"Good hands, but does everything at a slow pace."
"Really good shot, not a bad skater, but he never knows where to go on the ice to make use of his gifts."
Stuff like that. Go outside the 2nd round, and you start seeing one nice quality only - and that may just be size and not much else.
I think people have to think of it from a different viewpoint at times. Sure, Keller is dynamic and can score, but is he really going to help the Flames win - a team that doesn't seem to have an issue scoring goals? Will he make the Flames a more difficult team to play against? Also, how much will translate to the NHL?
If you take a guy with a slightly lower offensive ceiling, he still may be the better scorer in the NHL. His game might translate better. Or, it will provide the Flames with a different kind of threat that a coach can use. Say, another team is built like Calgary with smaller but very mobile and smart defencemen - you want to bang pucks in deep and get a cycle going. Playing off the rush is probably not going to be as effective against good puck-movers. Maybe the Flames really need a hard-nosed guy with hands to attack the net as they aren't getting as many 2nd and 3rd chances as other teams.
I think you have to balance a team. 12 Gaudreau forwards might sure be fun to watch, but not sure how that would translate.
With that being said, I do think the Flames can grab another sub 5'10" player as long as his skill is first class, but I don't imagine you can look to the 2nd round and think you can find enough talent in the big bodies to surround your smaller players in the top 6.