Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I don't track conditioning or consistency as those variables both tend to be correctable and are inconsistent in their impact.

My flags for him are Passing, Release, Stickhandling, Creativity, and Hockey IQ.

That's why I'm dubious about his offensive upside.

How much have you seen him to come to those conclusions?

I haven't seen any evidence that those are big weaknesses for him. In fact at least one scout directly contradict you and claim he has one of the best releases in the draft.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2014...-for-2014.html

"So big, powerful and strong but also kills penalties, blocks shots and once given a legitimate center in hunter garlent, has dominated the league.....I question his work ethic and his desire but too many intanglibes and maybe the highest ceiling to me in the draft....terrific release." - Anonymous

Also some of what you claim to be negative flags just seem like stylistic differences. Ritchie's a powerforward. Not a creative playmaking winger like a Tanguay. But who doesn't want a 6'3 200+lb powerforward regardless of how creative they are? Every team in the league wants a Lucic and scouts are saying he's got higher upside than that. Not every player on every line has to be a playmaker, some can be huge physically dominating snipers. And we've got quite a lot of playmakers already with Baertschi, Gaudreau, Hudler, Monahan, Backlund. We lack snipers and have no powerforwards.

Strange that you really liked Carter in 2003 since playmaking and creativity aren't really his strengths either. He's a speedy sniper who's scouting reports sounded extremely similar to Perlini's this year. How do you explain that discrepancy in your evaluation? If you liked Carter shouldn't you like a similar style of player in Perlini? Both big, speedy snipers who don't play physical.

I still don't really understand your perspective here. Sounds like you are just rationalizing at this point but maybe I'm wrong. No wonder you like small, skilled forwards as it sounds like your criteria is already biased towards them.

[The Fonz]

CagedGreat, correct me if I'm wrong, I thought you were/are an interior designer?

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

CagedGreat, correct me if I'm wrong, I thought you were/are an interior designer?

To clarify, there's nothing wrong with that. It is however misleading, saying you've scouted 2000 players over a 15 year span. I don't believe notes from YouTube videos qualify as a scouting report.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Muta

Scouts should make conservative comparisons, in order to over-deliver on their results later on, making them look like geniuses.

Aaron Ekblad - Bobby Dollas
Sam Reinhart - Pavel Torgajev
Leon Draisaitl - Lonny Bohonos
Sam Bennett - Scott Pellerin
Michael Dal Colle - Vesa Viitakoski
Jake Virtanen - Stan Drulia

I would say Draisaitl is more like Jason Wiemer.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I would say Draisaitl is more like Jason Wiemer.

Sweet. Can't wait to get my Flames hat signed by him so I can sell it on CP and make a tidy profit.

[Money Baer]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I don't track conditioning or consistency as those variables both tend to be correctable and are inconsistent in their impact.

My flags for him are Passing, Release, Stickhandling, Creativity, and Hockey IQ.

That's why I'm dubious about his offensive upside.

His passing, release, stickhandling, and hockey IQ are good! Definitely not weaknesses. Might give you "creativity" depending on your definition?

His shot/release is very accurate and powerful!

Have you even seen Nick Ritchie play? ...

[FlamesAddiction]

What's the deal on Joshua Ho-Sang? It seems like he is ranked all over the place. Is it just an attitude thing, or are there some holes in his game? I am assuming the fact that he is sometimes ranked really high also means that he has some great skill too.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

What's the deal on Joshua Ho-Sang? It seems like he is ranked all over the place. Is it just an attitude thing, or are there some holes in his game? I am assuming the fact that he is sometimes ranked really high also means that he has some great skill too.

Size, holes in his game, and rumored attitude issues.

One of the biggest holes - though apparently this season he has been better at it - is the inability to use teammates. Would always try to do everything himself. He does have talent that rivals the top of this draft, but lots of warts.

[cral12]

Interesting stats posted on HFBoards about Virtanen by user Andy Dufresne:

You can question Virtanen's PPG numbers, which is basically saying he's not a very passer, but as a goal scorer he's one of the top 17 year old scorers in a long time. I was curious so i looked it up:

Here's the top goal scorers since 2000 in the whl (as 17s)

Shinkaruk- 49
Kane- 48
Dawes- 47
Petan- 46
Virtanen- 45

Somebody on the Canucks board draft thread mentioned Virtanen scored 35 at ES. So just to compare:

Shinaruk 32
Kane 24
Dawes 25
Petan 27

A few other guys who had big draft years: Upshall 24, Eberle 25, Gallagher 26, Brule 22, Lazar 22
As far as i can tell Virtanen has the most ES goals of any 17 yr old Whl player this millennium.

[Enoch Root]

A big RW that can score - who could he fit in with on the Flames?... hmmm...

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah if we drop out of the top 5 I think we go with Virtanen unless one of the big names drop.

A big RW that can score and plays physical.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

A big RW that can score - who could he fit in with on the Flames?... hmmm...

Could you imagine in a few years...bolded players in organization already.

Poirier/Baertschi-Monahan-Virtanen/Gaudreau
Poirier/Baertschi-Backlund-Virtanen/Gaudreau
Klimchuk/Agostino-Granlund/Reinhart-Colborne
Ferland-Knight-Big Ern

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Wotherspoon/Seiloff
Wotherspoon/Seiloff/Butler-Smid

Ramo-Ortio-Gillies

And players in drafts in between those years. The future doesn't look that grim. I know all players won't pan out but If you could add some RW depth to the team it would help the process.

[ForeverFlameFan]

^ McGrattan should fill that UFA spot.

And Backlund is staying with us too.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

^ McGrattan should fill that UFA spot.

And Backlund is staying with us too.

Backlund 2nd C

[Wolfman]

I don't know how everyone feels about the LW depth but could we see someone dealt for some RW help? Or is it not that big of a deal?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Backlund 2nd C

Didn't even see that haha

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

I don't know how everyone feels about the LW depth but could we see someone dealt for some RW help? Or is it not that big of a deal?

I don't think it is much of a big deal. There is still no guarantee that all the LW prospects make it. If they start making it, and don't function well on the LW, I would expect the Flames to make trades then. No point in doing it now.

If the best player wherever the Flames pick happens to be a LW'er, then so be it. If it is a tie, or at least 'very close', then they should pick for need.

You can always make trades down the road when you have an excess of something. Flames will need depth at all positions anyways.

[Wolfman]

Going to the Stolarz suspension of 8 games for this slash on Ho-Sang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGKSilwpUQ8

Too harsh of a suspension IMO

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Going to the Stolarz suspension of 8 games for this slash on Ho-Sang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGKSilwpUQ8

Too harsh of a suspension IMO

No way, fully deserved. Swinging your stick around has nothing to do with a hockey play, and if you're going to swing it at another guy's head you deserve the book thrown at you.

I would've gone 20 games.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

A big RW that can score - who could he fit in with on the Flames?... hmmm...

I believe Virtanen is a right handed LWer.