Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I don't think its easy to convert a guy to C. In fact you see a lot more cases where guys who play centre in junior are converted to the wing - not the other way.
It's one reason why it is so very hard to find centres, if it was as simple was converting skilled wingers to the middle - every team would do it.

Wasn't Drouin a center before this year thoough?

Personally, I have my doubts whether either MacKinnon or Drouin are optimal NHL centers and not better wingers though.

[the_only_turek_fan]

A look back at Bob McKenzie's September rankings:

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=405743

The consensus is MacKinnon and Jones, at least to start the season, are in a class above the rest of the field, but, again, the gulf between the top two and next few top prospects is not huge.

Ottawa 67s centre Sean Monahan is ranked third on the TSN pre-season, followed by Swedish centre Elias Lindholm and Finnish defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Scouts love the hockey sense and elite two-way play of Monahan, they're intrigued by the high-end playmaking ability of Lindholm and are quite taken with Ristolainen's size, mobility, physical approach and booming shot.

A number of scouts noted that MacKinnon and/or Jones stumbled, Monahan, Lindholm and Ristolainen are capable of mounting a challenge to the two top dogs.

Finnish centre Sasha Barkov, who along with Ristolainen played as 16 year olds on Finland's world junior team last Christmas, is No. 6, followed by Swedish speedster and goal-scoring winger Andre Burakowsky, the son of Robert Burkakowsky, who had a cup of coffee with the Ottawa Senators in 1993-94. Another Swede, centre-winger Jacob de la Rose is No. 8.

[Ashasx]

When MacKinnon played wing at the WJC, he struggled.

If MacKinnon is being classified by scouts as a winger because of how he plays (speed, physicality, scoring), then there are maybe 2 or 3 "traditional" centres in the entire draft.

MacKinnon is a new age centre, the only kind you'll be seeing come from the draft in the future.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Monahan is growing on me. May top out as a 30 goal, 65 point center, but if he can play at both ends and has Johnathan Towes leadership capabilities he could be our captain after Giordano.

It will all come down to John Wiesbrod. He seems to value girt and leadership and all of that stuff. Monahan could be his guy.

If Monahan can be a player in between Towes and Bergeron then he could be a great compliment to Baertschi.

[Bonded]

I was really hoping for Barkov. Maybe he will drop

[Ashasx]

I'd be okay with Monahan, but not if Lindholm is still on the board.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Monahan is also exactly the opposite type of player the Oilers would draft. Not that it is important.

I should do some work now.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

It will all come down to John Wiesbrod. He seems to value girt and leadership and all of that stuff. Monahan could be his guy.

From everything I've read the trait the Feaster Era Flames look for most in the draft is Hockey IQ/Sense whatever you want to call it. Everyone says that Monahan has that in spades though. Personally if it were between Lindholm and Monahan I'd prefer Lindholm but I would not be unhappy at all with Monahan.

[Table 5]

Finnish centre Sasha Barkov, who along with Ristolainen played as 16 year olds on Finland's world junior team last Christmas, is No. 6, followed by Swedish speedster and goal-scoring winger Andre Burakowsky, the son of Robert Burkakowsky, who had a cup of coffee with the Ottawa Senators in 1993-94. Another Swede, centre-winger Jacob de la Rose is No. 8.

Sounds like these two disappointed this year. I admittedly don't know much about European prospects, but I haven't heard them being talked about in the Top 10 at any time this year.

Edit...Button now has them listed as 39th and 50th (!).

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

When MacKinnon played wing at the WJC, he struggled.

If MacKinnon is being classified by scouts as a winger because of how he plays (speed, physicality, scoring), then there are maybe 2 or 3 "traditional" centres in the entire draft.

MacKinnon is a new age centre, the only kind you'll be seeing come from the draft in the future.

When you look back at a lot of drafts though, there is often a lopsided number of "centers" taken in the 1st round, but many never play centre in the NHL.

I think size is often more important for a centre than other forward positions, especially on the 1st line where they will be playing against the top checking lines. That's not to say that there aren't any decent <6' centers in the league, but most #1 centers are bigger.

[JiriHrdina]

I think one of the supposed big 4 will drop. The top 4 or 5 picks rarely go as everyone projects. Someone will step up and grab another dman like Nurse and a guy like Barkov will drop.

Barkov/Lindholm/Monahan - all the same to me.

Nurse sounds interesting as well - a guy I haven't seen at all but certainly sounds like a real intriguing package of skills.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Monahan is growing on me. May top out as a 30 goal, 65 point center, but if he can play at both ends and has Johnathan Towes leadership capabilities he could be our captain after Giordano.

It will all come down to John Wiesbrod. He seems to value girt and leadership and all of that stuff. Monahan could be his guy.

If Monahan can be a player in between Towes and Bergeron then he could be a great compliment to Baertschi.

I agree, Monahan has grown on me also. I think he has grown on a lot of other fans of different teams. I really think Monahan will be taken 5th if the Oilers are there. Need the Oilers to get 1 freakin win in their last 2 games. Tough order, but it needs to happen.

In 5 years, Monahan and Janikowski down the middle would be huge for playoff hockey. At their size even if one tops out at 1B and the other a 2nd line center, they will win playoff hockey games.

[The Yen Man]

The more I hear about Nurse, the more I think he's going to go top 5 as well. He sounds like he has a pretty high ceiling and can potentially turn out to be a franchise d man. Loubo was raving about him on the Fan. He thinks him and Jones are probably the best pure athletes in the draft. I think he'd actually help the Oilers a lot, but with their preference for forwards, I see them taking Monahan instead. My preference is still Barkov/Lindholm/Monahan, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if the Flames took Nurse.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Sounds like these two disappointed this year. I admittedly don't know much about European prospects, but I haven't heard them being talked about in the Top 10 at any time this year.

Edit...Button now has them listed as 39th and 50th (!).

it happens all the time that prospects show glimpses early, but then don't develop as expected. Last year for instance, Nick Ebert, who was a top 5 or top 10 candidate for most experts before the season, was just barely picked at all, by L.A. with the very last pick of the draft (210th). Andreas Athanasiou was also a top 10 candidate at the beginning of the season, then dropped to 110th overall.

I really hope Barkov drops ... it happens. Couturier dropped from 3 to 8, remember?

[smalltownref]

It sounds like everyone is pretty content with the idea of the Flames drafting one of Barkov, Lindholm, or Monahan with our first pick in the draft. What I am interested to see is what happens after the fact with our other two first round picks. Personally I would just like to see the Flames draft two Centers and a Dman. I know we are in desperate need of a franchise C, but that -30 GF/GA differential sure makes me nervous. If we draft a Nurse or a Ristolainen with our first pick, I hope it's because they feel they can draft a couple diamonds in the rough who play C with our next two picks.

[smalltownref]

Of course... I would also be extremely happy if we won the draft lottery and all this crap we've had to deal with about winning those games last week is all for not. Never be affraid to dream.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

If the Flames select Monahan, how likely would it be for him to play for the Flames next season as an 18 year old?

The team may keep him in the NHL but in my opinion it'd be smart to send him back to juniors. He'd be a 3rd/4th line guy at best in the NHL at this point. Send him back (he'll get traded to a contender) and bring him up next year. His seventh season before free agency is going to more valuable than his 19 year old season for the Flames at this point.

He should go down... play in the world juniors and get some experience. But the Flames may rush him just to add excitement to the fan base.

[Dienasty]

So I just did a quick calc.

Flames can't finish worse than 7th, or better then 4th. To get 4th we will need Car to get OTL or better against Pitt, Edm to get 2 points from its remaining 2 games (Min, Van) and Nashville to beat Columbus with Calgary losing to Chicago.

As it stands now the Flames have a 4.7% chance of 1st overall, 83% chance at 7th overall, and a 12.3% of 8th overall. This is worst case scenarios.

Best case scenario the above happens we will move into 4th worst. Meaning we would have a 10.7% chance at 1st overall, 58% chance at 4th overall, and a 31.3% chance at 5th overall

[Icon]

Originally Posted by nik-

I think Ristolainen, Morrisey and Zadarov are all considered pretty solid, but I think they're all projected to go before 20.

I think I'd take Morrisey over Ristolainen. Would be nice to draft a local kid.

[Huntingwhale]

Monhan please. Any player who makes the others around him better, as the scouting report says, needs to be on our team.

I also have a sickening feeling that given our luck with the hockey gods, that a team above us will win the lottery. I can just feel it.