[News] With the 21st overall pick Flames select C Mark Jankowski

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Well, it's either confidence or his agent wants him to have the option of becoming a UFA...

...or, it is actually neither of these, and Jankowski simply wants to play elite-level juniour hockey before starting at Providence.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I look at these stats of NHLers that went the USHL route and then wonder how the hell Gaudreau fell to the fourth round when he had 72 points in 60 games as a 17 year old in the USHL.

I know he was about the size of a hobbit but still you think people would have looked and that production and took a flyer earlier.

My first glimpse at Gaudreau was at the prospect camp last summer when he weighed in at around 140 lbs., and he looked like he was 11-years-old. I can recall an interview he had with Alex Ruiz in which she practically dwarfed him. There are small players, and then there is Johnny Gaudreau. I believe that every team was more than a little skeptical of his potential because he was really, REALLY tiny.

[Flash Walken]

Goudreau is smaller than Fleury with his skates on.

[Roof-Daddy]

Gaudreau is going to be an absolute steal for us I think. His smarts and skill trump his size IMO.

The kid put up as many points as Kreider last season.......and JG was 3 years younger than Kreider, and a rookie.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

My first glimpse at Gaudreau was at the prospect camp last summer when he weighed in at around 140 lbs., and he looked like he was 11-years-old. I can recall an interview he had with Alex Ruiz in which she practically dwarfed him. There are small players, and then there is Johnny Gaudreau. I believe that every team was more than a little skeptical of his potential because he was really, REALLY tiny.

Imagine him at 6'4" 220 lbs....that's the comparison some are making for Jankowski.....we can only dream

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by FAN

I trust that Feaster and Wiesbrod would make a determination as to what is best for Jankowski's development. If Jankowski isn't ready for college competition and can't go to college and challenge for top 6 playing time, it might not be best for him. Jankowski needs to play against better competition at this point and if he's not ready for the NCAA right now he shouldn't go there.

My understanding of the situation was that although Jankowski has elite level skills he hasn't had the benefit of elite-level coaching. I think it was Weisbrod that said he doesn't have a good grasp of systems yet, so they wanted him to play a year in the USHL. If he goes straight to the NCAA without having a good grasp of roles and assignments he's all but guaranteed to have lesser playing time, so I agree with this route.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Or Abbotsford. He hasn't signed a CHL contract, so is free to turn pro at any time - unless the USHL has a similar agreement, though I've never heard of it.

Man this would be awesome, would love for him to have a couple years with troy ward

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by handgroen

Man this would be awesome, would love for him to have a couple years with troy ward

Perhaps. One of the benefits of going to the USHL next year is that it gives him another year to grow into his new size without facing players up to five years older than him. But 2013-14 would be interesting. He committed to the NCAA route before his chances at an NHL career really took off. Depending on how things go in Dubuque, he could well bypass college for now and look at turning pro. Even so, a couple years of NCAA hockey could do him a lot of good too.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by moon

For a guy who is supposedly good enough to be top 5 in next years draft I would hope that playing in the NCAA wouldn't make him crap his pants.

Well if he was top-5 in next years draft, wouldn't that mean he would likely be coming from a USHL team and not an NCAA team?

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

My understanding of the situation was that although Jankowski has elite level skills he hasn't had the benefit of elite-level coaching. I think it was Weisbrod that said he doesn't have a good grasp of systems yet, so they wanted him to play a year in the USHL. If he goes straight to the NCAA without having a good grasp of roles and assignments he's all but guaranteed to have lesser playing time, so I agree with this route.

That's basically my impression as well. He has the skills necessary, but needs a junior coach to teach him systems and the little details that win games. He could do this in the NCAA, but why not do it against players more his own age, many of whom are learning the same things. This is especially true considering how he is physically underdeveloped for his age, and having a year to do get stronger before going to college will really help him have a legit shot at playing top 6 minutes when he gets there IMO.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by fotze

I wonder how high Yakupov would be in next years draft? Negative 20th?

He wouldn't be drafted. Gio is going to hit him so hard he's scared to return to the NHL and will fly away to Russia.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Calgary Highlander

He looks like Dexter.

Wow, Chris Bosh called ... he wants his freakish neck back.

[GoFlamesGo1989]

I just have this feeling this kids going to be a stud

[timbit]

A lot of posters want a championship #1 C.

He projects to that as well as any C taken.

Let him grow into his body. Patience.

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by fotze

I wonder how high Yakupov would be in next years draft? Negative 20th?

Probably around 4-5 overall. There are a number of guys considered to have more potential than Yakupov coming up next year from what I've heard.

[dbqsaints]

Originally Posted by SebC

So... who are you?

Yeah a Saints fan and now that Jank and Goo are drafted to play for you, a partial flames fan. I think you guys got Benning too (another soon to be Saint).

If someone is serious about jerseys let me know, my wife (an East coast Canadian) works part time for the saints and usually has the low down on gear.

Its kinda funny we have a couple of Nova Scotian's on our Roster as well, so that makes my wife happy.

Just a note about the USHL from Peter Quennville the Alberta Jr MVP last year (who is on the roster) was really impressed with the skill and speed of the USHL hockey, and watching him during tryouts, try an keep up to the speedy play , I wonder if the US side is more finesse and the Canadian side more physical??


http://dubuquefightingsaints.com

[Prufrock]

^^^ Thanks, updates every once in a while would be amazing. We also had Johnny Gaudreau play there a couple years back.

[dbqsaints]

Yeah he was eligible still to play for us last year but opted to go to college early, and by his play at BC was the right choice.

Don't forget Gary Sutter played for Dubuque too

[Two Fivenagame]

Some quick thoughts after i've had time to think about this pick...

- Feaster et al showing confidence in their ability to develop a "raw but highly-skilled" centre. I don't know where this confidence comes from when I think about the Flames track record with previous forwards considered to be "projects".

- Skill. Seems like everyone from scout to blogger says Janko has loads of it. I'm very happy to see that skill is still very high on the list of priorities.

- Feaster says Janko "could be the best player to come out of the 2012 draft..." and i'm sure he told Janko that as well......so get out there and WORK YOUR FRICKEN *** OFF!!

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by timbit

A lot of posters want a championship #1 C.

He projects to that as well as any C taken.

Let him grow into his body. Patience.

There was a hilarious letter to the editor in the Sun yesterday where someone was crying about the pick, about how Ceci is going to be the next MacInnis and how the pick proves the Flames are only interested in finishing 8th next year.

....as if anyone available to us at 14 was going to be an impact player in the NHL in 2012-13.