[News] Prospect News/Discussion - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Flames Draft Watcher · 02-03-2016, 04:06 PM

I know there's a whole board for it, but I also know some people don't ever go there and still want general updates. So is it cool if we have a thread for big updates on our prospects that the general board might wanna see?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Rasmus Andersson named OHL's Defenceman Of The Month for January

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=823511

Quote:

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Mason McDonald named QMJHL First Star Of The Week

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=801355

Quote:

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Derek Grant named AHL player of the month for January

http://theahl.com/grant-bardreau-lei...honors-p201185

Congrats to Grant, McDonald and Andersson!

CaptainCrunch · 02-03-2016, 04:11 PM

Its funny because the guys that I was hoping for to take a really solid step after last year, really haven't

Klimchuk and Poirier haven't really built on pretty solid years last year, and these are two guys that we need to take that next step.

FBI · 02-03-2016, 04:14 PM

Poiriers progress was worrying before but he has stepped up a bit again lately. Same with Ortio so maybe all is not lost yet.

Flames Draft Watcher · 02-03-2016, 04:18 PM

Grant is ripping the AHL up in terms of goals. 21 goals in 28 games. Has size, face-off ability. Surely we'll be seeing this guy at some point before the end of the season. Would give us size at centre on the bottom two lines.

FlamesAddiction · 02-03-2016, 04:20 PM

What does any of this have to with Wideman or John Scott? j/k

I'm curious to know how Andersson's conditioning is coming around. I think that was the biggest knock on him when he was drafted, which can usually be fixed if the player is willing.

Rick M. · 02-03-2016, 04:39 PM

Glad to see McDonald regaining the form he had before his knee injury.

CMPunk · 02-03-2016, 04:40 PM

A prospect Mega Thread? Should be fine

Flames Draft Watcher · 02-13-2016, 09:57 PM

Craig Button's top 50 prospects. No Flames in the top 50.

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn-hockey-s-top-5...pects-1.436669

Button's Top 5 Flames prospects this year:
1. Jon Gillies (G)
2. Mark Jankowski (C)
3. Rasmus Andersson (D)
4. Andrew Mangiapane (LW)
5. Brandon Hickey (D)

Caged Great · 02-13-2016, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Its funny because the guys that I was hoping for to take a really solid step after last year, really haven't

Klimchuk and Poirier haven't really built on pretty solid years last year, and these are two guys that we need to take that next step.

Klimchuk was exclusively used in a defensive role for the first few months so he could round out his 200 ft game. He's being used in a more offensive role now and is having success.

Poirier has bounced back after learning a new way to score. Before he would blow past defenders for goals. While that's a good thing to have in the arsenal NHL defenders are faster and can keep up with him. Now he's going to higher danger areas and looking for pucks to fire at the net. It's working significantly better for him and he's on his way up. Probably will be recalled after the deadline.

Matty81 · 02-13-2016, 10:12 PM

Yeah with Bennett graduating the prospect pool is devoid of any real blue chippers, though at least it is still way deeper than the Sutter years.

Weird to me though that Poirier isn't on there, he is the Flames best prospect by far in my opinion. Maybe disqualified by having played in the NHL? Even though he hasn't had the best year I think he's almost certainly going to end up in the NHL as a depth player at worst.

2012-14 drafts are not looking great in retrospect after the 1st pick and the prospect pool shows it. Although the book isn't closed, there are a lot of high picks that are looking pretty poor right now, Hunter Smith, taking McDonald over Demko, Klimchuk, Kanzig.... a lot of valuable picks and some calls that are starting to look a bit iffy. Hickey and Gillies are probably the only two value picks although the jury is still out on a few others like Kulak, Culkin and Rafikov if he comes over.

Too bad Gillies was injured and McDonald has had such a bad year, I really saw goaltender as the position we'd see guys take the most steps forward this year with Gillies going pro and McDonald going to the WJCs.

Good news (for prospects anyway) is that the top 10 or so players in this draft look really good this year and the flames will almost for sure be adding one to the group. Also Janko is playing great, and even if he flies the coop the flames will get a bonus 2nd rounder.

Lanny_McDonald · 02-14-2016, 07:48 AM

Button's list is total click bait. Two Leafs in the top six, including number one? Not a chance. Nylander ain't that good. Marner isn't the straw that stirs the drink on his junior team. Talented, yes. Top end players? I don't see it. I can see why the Flames prospects get shafted here. This is a year where they all have been very quiet to disappointing, so a low rating can be expected.

I am quite disappointed in the lack of Mason McDonald on this list. The kid gets the disappointing performance of the world juniors hung on him, but he is still one of the best goaltending prospects out there. It actually annoys me how the lack of quality play in that tournament hasn't affected other prospects. Marner was invisible except for one game, but that doesn't affect his rating. Just really annoys me.

Street Pharmacist · 02-14-2016, 07:56 AM

Who's better than Nylander???

And Mason McDonald hasn't had a great season at all either for him to appear in there would be very strange

cofias · 02-14-2016, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Era

Button's list is total click bait. Two Leafs in the top six, including number one? Not a chance. Nylander ain't that good. Marner isn't the straw that stirs the drink on his junior team. Talented, yes. Top end players? I don't see it. I can see why the Flames prospects get shafted here. This is a year where they all have been very quiet to disappointing, so a low rating can be expected.

I am quite disappointed in the lack of Mason McDonald on this list. The kid gets the disappointing performance of the world juniors hung on him, but he is still one of the best goaltending prospects out there. It actually annoys me how the lack of quality play in that tournament hasn't affected other prospects. Marner was invisible except for one game, but that doesn't affect his rating. Just really annoys me.

I know hating on Leafs prospects is cool, but you really can't argue W. Nylander does not deserve a top spot on this list. You can say he's soft or whatever, but honestly, what player should take his place? He is supremely talented and is destroying the AHL at 19. He is the best prospect currently affiliated with an NHL team.

Lanny_McDonald · 02-14-2016, 08:26 AM

I take Strome and Dvorak over Nylander. I don't think he'll be able to handle the speed and physicality of the NHL. If tearing up the AHL at 19 were a big thing, then Rantanen is number one on this list.

PeteMoss · 02-14-2016, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Era

I take Strome and Dvorak over Nylander. I don't think he'll be able to handle the speed and physicality of the NHL. If tearing up the AHL at 19 were a big thing, then Rantanen is number one on this list.

Rantanen and Nylander have basically identical stats. No idea why Rantanen would be ranked ahead of Nylander. I suppose you could argue Rantanen should be higher than he is (or Nylander should be lower based on where Rantanen is ranked).

Flames Draft Watcher · 02-14-2016, 09:55 AM

I mean I'm not in love with guys like Nylander or Marner but hey, usually the best prospects go straight to the NHL so this list is basically missing a lot of the best young players in the game.

Interesting to note that a guy like Connor who we could have drafted if we hadn't traded for Hamilton is freaking killing it in college hockey. Just murdering it as a freshman. Be interesting to know where he was on the Flames list. I think he's rated higher than Barzal for good reason so far. White and Boeser were another couple intriguing guys last year who are really doing well in college so far.

Gonna be interesting to watch the battle of Demko vs MacDonald for the next few years since we had our pick of the two. Always hard to cast opinions on goalies for the first few years of their careers.

Fire of the Phoenix · 02-14-2016, 09:56 AM

People shouldn't be so offended by this. There have been a lot of graduations by a lot of top prospects in the last year and Nylander is very good.

powderjunkie · 02-14-2016, 10:13 AM

Heh, Edmonton doesn't have anyone in the top 50 either. You'd think one of their glut of 31st overall picks might be good since they aren't directly in the oil stink.

McG · 02-14-2016, 10:21 AM

I find prospect lists interesting, but they are just one opinion.

like how Kevin Lowe's hockey news is the backbone of oiler drafting.

I put greater stock in the awards as they are measures against peers.

draft and develop. repeat.

FlamesAddiction · 02-14-2016, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

People shouldn't be so offended by this. There have been a lot of graduations by a lot of top prospects in the last year and Nylander is very good.

Not to mention that we didn't draft in the first round last year. If we did, that player would have almost certainly been in his top 50.