Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[Wolfman]

Depending where we finish, I see Burke drafting...Ritchie, Virtanen or Tuch. He says every time he's asked about the team he wants to get bigger. Just a hunch of mine and I completely agree with him. The draft will be interesting and can't come fast enough IMO!

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

From the Brian Burke Lunch, he went through the top 10...here is what I got out of it:
Bennett - He loves him Competes, plays all 3 zones, tough, and sticks up for himself. Not afraid to drop the gloves.
Ekblad - I got the sense that if we won the lottery, he would be the pick. Burke said he builds from the line out, and he is a 25min guy. Mature, hard hitting. Said that his knock is that he wouldn't drop the gloves, but Burke said if you are hitting clean, you don't have to.
Reinhart - Tough player, high compete level, watched him tear apart the Hitmen.
Dal Colle - Big guy, skates well, uses his body. Reading between the lines, it sounded like Burke question's his 'compete'.
Draisatl - This is almost exactly what Burke said 'Draisatl is a big guy...I don't like him. lets move on.' Unless he is throwing out a smoke-screen, cross him off your wish list.
Ritchie - Carries about 10 lbs too much, but your prototypical power forward. Will be scoring goals in the pros for years! I am guessing if we land at 5, he will be our pick (based only on what Burke said today).

One thing interesting about these comments... Ekblad fought more than Bennett this year in the OHL. Neither fight much.. but its not like Bennett is throwing down a ton and Ekblad doesn't do it.

[Ashasx]

Just looking at the remaining schedule, I'd say it's likely we get 2 points and Carolina gets none, moving us to 6th.

[PeteMoss]

^^ We'd be 5th in that scenario. Carolina would finish ahead if tied with us.

[YogiBerra]

After Burke's luncheon comments I don't think Draisaitl will be picked by us which is dissapointing there doesn't seem to be anyone out of the top five who is close to him. At this point you gotta think Ritchie will be our pick.

[CalgaryFan1988]

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...st-for-oilers/


If this is Fata, I apologize. Had a write up on Ritchie, among others.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Totally agreed. Beyond confused why Caged Great would suggest he's a severe disappointment or has flamed out.

Panthers are my 2nd favourite team and he's not looking as good as he "should".

He's looking more like another Bryan Allen than something really good. That doesn't mean he won't be useful, but he doesn't really have any offensive abilities at all.

for a #3 overall pick, that's terrible.

Gudbranson is also the Panthers' 5th defenseman with such defensive luminaries as Tom Gilbert, Mike Weaver, Brian Campbell and Dmitri Kulikov getting more ice time per game. Only Kulikov has a worse +/-.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by $ven27

Too early to call the 2010 draft busts. No way Johnson is either, huge breakout season for him.

It only took him 8 years to become most of what he should've been.

For 7 years though he was a severe disappointment.

Especially when you look at what was taken right after him.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I am relegating myself to the 'hope' comments attached to some of the players outside the top 5:

Ritchie: Might have the highest ceiling in the draft.
Nylander: Might have the highest offensive acumen
Kapanen: 1st line possibly elite offensive talent ceiling

Who knows? Perhaps some of the anonymous scouts saying this are working for teams that will be picking ahead of the Flames! Either way.. focusing on the bright side.

[djsFlames]

I think the smallest player in the top 10 he'd consider taking is Bennett

[ForeverFlameFan]

I kind of want us to get #6 and continue our streak of not being in the top 5. I just love our winning mentality. At #6, I want Ritchie, he may be the riskiest but it's a weak draft. Of course, if one of the top 5 are still open at #6, we'll gladly take them.

[Poe969]

watch, we're going to end up with Fleury just because of yesterday and all the comments....

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Poe969

watch, we're going to end up with Fleury just because of yesterday and all the comments....

Yeah, and then CP is going to come in here and cause a ruckus.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Poe969

watch, we're going to end up with Fleury just because of yesterday and all the comments....

I guess.... After all, he is a meat and potatoes player, and is a comparable to Pietrangelo, Doughty, Bouwmeester, etc...

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I kind of want us to get #6

#7 is by no means out of the question. Even #8 still possible with lottery.
1 loss seals no worse than #5, before lottery.
Have to start Joey Mac maybe...

Would really love them to win out, pick falls to where it may

[nik-]

Jesus, we're only two points behind Carolina?! This #### is going to happen again.

[shutout]

We might very well end up with Fleury.
I can see us beating the Jets and Canucks.

Carolina lose to Capitals, Red Wings, and Flyers
Winnipeg lose to Bruins and Flames
Canucks lose to Avalanche and Flames - Have to think they beat the Oilers

We will be drafting 7th or 8th if Canucks lose to Edmonton.
Still inside of the Fleury window from a scouting perspective.
But not as big of a reach as opposed to a five or six.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Is there a Ritchie comparable? If he reaches his highest ceiling, I would like a Corey Perry on our team.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by shutout

We might very well end up with Fleury.
I can see us beating the Jets and Canucks.

Carolina lose to Capitals, Red Wings, and Flyers
Winnipeg lose to Bruins and Flames
Canucks lose to Avalanche and Flames - Have to think they beat the Oilers

We will be drafting 7th or 8th if Canucks lose to Edmonton.
Still inside of the Fleury window from a scouting perspective.
But not as big of a reach as opposed to a five or six.

Even if we draft 7th or 8th, we would be drafting Ritchie, Perlini, Kapanen, or even Tuch over Fleury.

[nik-]

To say I'm disappointed that a week ago we were talking about the possibility of Bennett or Reinhart slipping to us at 4 and now we're talking about Nick Ritchie would be a massive understatement.

To go through a rough season, as fun as watching them work hard was, to end up without a shot at the best players in a the draft is a dick punch.