Quote:
Originally Posted by AC
|
to get four of the 21 top PNHLE players (including #3) at picks 9, 28, 41, 74 speaks volumes to how strong Calgary's amateur scouting is. Of course they've had some misses over the years, especially the 2023/2014 draft, but they've produced so many quality NHLers since 2008 even outside the first round:
TJ Brodie in the 4th round
Micheal Ferland in the 5th round
John Gaudreau in the 4th round
Brett Kulak in the 4th round
Oliver Kylington in the 2nd round
Andrew Mangiapane in the 6th round
Rasmus Andersson in the 2nd round
Adam Fox in the 3rd round
Martin Pospisil in the 4th round
Dustin Wolf in the 7th round
Ryan Lomberg undrafted dev camp
Garnet Hathaway undrafted college FA
and honestly Matthew Phillips in the 7th round and Adam Ruzicka in the 4th round were still good picks.
The Flames still need to draft higher. Get players at the center position whose name could someday be spoken of on the same breath as Bedard (1OA), Barkov(2OA), Matthews(1OA), Eichel(2OA), MacKinnon(1OA). Once we do that, this team will have no difficulty surrounding then with hungry, competitive, productive, skilled, intelligent teammates. Amateur scouting is the Flames' greatest strength by far.