Hockey's Future ranks Flames Prospect Pool 6th

[sureLoss]

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article...s-to-top-spot/

Strengths: The Calgary Flames have really strengthened their organizational depth and talent in their prospect pool with their rebuilding effort. They have added leadership, character, physicality, and more speed to their system. The organization possesses a good group of versatile forwards that can play many positions along with some potential high-end talent at the left wing position. The Flames have good NHL caliber goaltending but could use more depth at the position in their farm system.

Weaknesses: The right wing position has little depth and requires an overall upgrade in talent. Despite having a good mix of defensemen, the system lacks a high-end puck-mover in the pipeline. The Flames could also stand to add more depth in net.

[ignite09]

There top five probably doesn't mesh with most on CP, but nice to see them climbing.

[Table 5]

The one reason why Jay Feaster may get a job again in this league. Fault him all you want for his trades (and almost trades), but the guy and his team of scouts did a fantastic job in turning our prospect base into one that shows probably the most promise since the 1980s.

[Table 5]

Also, we need to raid that Buffalo defensive cabinet. They need forwards, we need dmen...come on guys, make it happen.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Also, we need to raid that Buffalo defensive cabinet.

Or the Isles.

[ignite09]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The one reason why Jay Feaster may get a job again in this league. Fault him all you want for his trades (and almost trades), but the guy and his team of scouts did a fantastic job in turning our prospect base into one that shows probably the most promise since the 1980s.

Most of our scouts are still Daryl Sutter scouts are they not?

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by ignite09

There top five probably doesn't mesh with most on CP, but nice to see them climbing.

Take out Knight and put in Gillies and I'd be happy with their top 5, they did a pretty good job with that list.

Surprised they underrate Ortio and Gillies so much though, I agree with them that we need to draft another goalie this draft but it's not like we are extremely lacking in goalie depth for our prospects.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

So much better than in past years. Poirier, Wotherspoon and Klimchuk didn't even given a mention (not that I agree with the stated top 5). Not sure why Chicago is ranked higher, but overall, a pretty good place to be. Need to check HF boards. Heads must be exploding on that board with the news that Calgary has prospects!

[Kavvy]

27. Vancouver Canucks

Strengths: While it has not surfaced yet, the Vancouver Canucks have some deep talent in the CHL that is going to make a difference in the next few years. Bo Horvat, Brendan Gaunce, and Hunter Shinkaruk are going to be relied upon as banner forwards for the Canucks future, and they have done extremely well at the junior level so far. Nicklas Jensen and Jordan Schroeder are also expected to be difference makers and have great potential despite some growing pains in recent years. There are also some potentially useful players mixed into the pool with Yann Sauve, Joseph Labate, and Alexandre Grenier. Frank Corrado has also shown vast improvement recently and looks ready for the NHL on the backend.

Weaknesses: It is all very far away for the Canucks, with their most talented prospects still several years away from contributing to the NHL team. In their current state, they have few impact players ready to compete at the highest level, and lack depth at goaltending and on defense.

Top 5 Prospects: 1. Bo Horvat, C; 2. Nicklas Jensen, RW; 3. Brendan Gaunce, C; 4. Jordan Schroeder, C; 5. Frank Corrado, D.

Key Additions: Jeff Costello (trade-OTT), Dane Fox (free agent), Michael Zalewski (free agent).

Key Losses: Zac Dalpe (graduation), Steven Anthony (trade-FLA), Adam Polasek (released).

Do people agree they should be ranked so low?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by ignite09

Most of our scouts are still Daryl Sutter scouts are they not?

I believe there has been turnover there too, but even if there wasnt any, it would just show how much directional philosophy at the top can be the difference between success or failure, even if the scouts remain relatively unchanged. Perhaps Feaster told them to look for other qualities, or perhaps he left it all up to them...but for some reason, the results (at the moment at least) seem to be much better than with Sutter. I know people like to make fun of the guy, but this is one aspect of the Flames where he made a huge positive difference.

[ignite09]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I believe there has been turnover there too, but even if there wasnt any, it would just show how much directional philosophy at the top can be the difference between success or failure, even if the scouts remain relatively unchanged. Perhaps Feaster told them to look for other qualities, or perhaps he left it all up to them...but for some reason, the results (at the moment at least) seem to be much better than with Sutter. I know people like to make fun of the guy, but this is one aspect of the Flames where he made a huge positive difference.

Trading first and second round picks away on what seemed like an almost yearly basis didn't help either.

[sureLoss]

2011 draft were all scouts from the Sutter era. Feaster supposedly had them refocus rankings based on hockey sense as a priority.

After the 2011 draft, Feaster did not renew about 4 scouts contracts and did some more turnover and added more scouting positions in the subsequent years.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Hockey sense became a priority under Sutter. 2010 saw hockey sense as a general theme, but the Flames' drafting philosophy began changing around 2008 IIRC (according to Todd Button).

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Hockey sense became a priority under Sutter. 2010 saw hockey sense as a general theme, but the Flames' drafting philosophy began changing around 2008 IIRC (according to Todd Button).

it became a growing priority under Sutter, but I truly believe once Feaster took over in 2011 it became THE priority over size, skating etc. which wasn't necessarily a bad thing

IMO Weisbrod refocused it again in 2012 to bring more emphasis back to other qualities.

[EldrickOnIce]

Scary is that perennial powerhouses like Anaheim and Chicago are ranked that high. Cammalleri to Anaheim for something from that pool at deadline would have been nice...

[cannon7]

If HF likes what your organization is doing -- you got problems.

Obviously the organization has some excellent prospects (Gaudreau, Poirier, Gillies, etc.), but we're still going to be in a rebuilding mode for the foreseeable future.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by ignite09

There top five probably doesn't mesh with most on CP.

With good reason. They got #1 & #2 correct but 3-5 are odd. FWIW I'd have Poirier, Gillies, & Granlund in those spots.

[Bourque's Twin]

The great thing is that we will get to add Reinhart, Bennett, Draisaitl, or Dal Colle to that list (an immediate top 3).

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

Do people agree they should be ranked so low?

Yes, Horvat is a good prospect but he's not an over top prospect, the rest are meh at best.

[TheDebaser]

A little OT here, but I really wonder how good Buffalo is going to be after their rebuild is over. Their prospect pool is ridiculous as it stands, and they're set to pick 10 times in the 1st and 2nd round of the 14/15 drafts. They'll probably get a stellar player out of the 2nd pick overall too.

Next year they won't have Miller, so Eichel and McDavid are real possibilities for them.