2015 NHL Draft

[GioforPM]

I wonder where Provorov goes if you combine international and NA, and goalies.

[Ashasx]

I don't get this hype for Crouse.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't get this hype for Crouse.

I think part of it is that true power forwards with skill are just getting more and more rare.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wonder where Provorov goes if you combine international and NA, and goalies.

right now he looks to be a top 15 pick, maybe even top 10.

None of the goalies are thought of or projected to be 1st round picks and the only two international skaters that have been ranked higher or close to Provorov are Kylington and Rantanen.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think part of it is that true power forwards with skill are just getting more and more rare.

They'd be a lot rarer if people didn't call every above average sized player with skill a "power forward".

[lanny9]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wonder where Provorov goes if you combine international and NA, and goalies.

This kid is the real deal imo, I just keep reading about him, seen him play a couple times in junior and of course his games at the WJHC. He is very composed for a kid his age playing his first year of junior. I am guessing he will be up there for rookie of the year in the CHL as I think he leads all rookies in the WHL in scoring all the while being a defenseman!

[Bingo]

Kyle Woodlief's take on the draft

[sureLoss]

heads up CSS head scout Dan Marr will be on the fan 960 to discuss midterm rankings at 3:25pm

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

heads up CSS head scout Dan Marr will be on the fan 960 to discuss midterm rankings at 3:25pm

Will definitely listen.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't get this hype for Crouse.

Think part of it is the size and overall game he plays.

Other part is him being young for this draft year too and then being a "surprise" on team Canada.

I kind of agree though. If you are looking at a first rounder in this draft you would want a little more offensive pedigree, and I didn't think he was overly impressive at the WJC.

Not sure I would be happy if my team took him 5th overall, especially over other guys who are putting up pretty much 2 PPG in their draft year available there still.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Not sure I would be happy if my team took him 5th overall, especially over other guys who are putting up pretty much 2 PPG in their draft year available there still.

I agree. But there are always GMs out there willing to take a shot on guys like Crouse. He'll probably be pushing 230 when he fills out. If he does find another gear offensively he's an asset you can't buy on the market. And if he doesn't, then he's liable to be a decent depth forward who can play with skilled players - pretty much what you're expecting with a mid to late 1st. So that bump to 5th overall is the price of entering the 'potential' lottery.

[Caged Great]

Crouse to me is this year's version of Nick Ritchie. Big guy with not a ton of offensive skill that is rated highly because of size.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Crouse to me is this year's version of Nick Ritchie. Big guy with not a ton of offensive skill that is rated highly because of size.

What are teams expecting out of these guys as a ceiling? A Lucic?

[dammage79]

Provorov
Korostelev
Rantanen
Svechnikov
Carlo
Werenski

All players I'll be over the moon with if the Flames select one.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Crouse to me is this year's version of Nick Ritchie. Big guy with not a ton of offensive skill that is rated highly because of size.

I agree to some extent (likely over valued due to size), but I thought he looked much, much better than Ritchie at the WJC, while playing on the same line (and better than Gauthier, as well). As a 17 year old, I thought he was very good. Small sample size, I get that, but he did not look out of place.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

What are teams expecting out of these guys as a ceiling? A Lucic?

Lucic. Byfuglien. Backes. Burns. Ladd.

[Caged Great]

^ probably. The problem is that a vast majority of players don't just magically find that upper tier level of skill if they aren't showing flashes of it during their Junior career. Any one player can come out of nowhere to be an awesome player, but that is rare. Usually when you see a big guy rated in the lower half of the top ten, it's a mirage. If they are legit, they'd be rated in the top 3. You see guys like Pouliot that have some skill + size and get drafted high (in Pouliot's case 4th overall ahead of Price and Kopitar), but don't find that gear and either miss entirely like Hugh Jessiman or become depth guys like Pouliot.

I am all for guys with size, but skill is more important when picking in the top 15. For example, I really liked the Hunter Smith pick last year because he has size and skill and if he doesn't translate to a top 6 forward down the road it's not a big deal because he's a late 2nd rounder. It's just too difficult to find high end skill outside the top 10 (Players like Gaudreau, Nyquist, Palat etc being exceptions) to risk it on a maybe.

I like Crouse more than I do Ritchie, it's just really difficult to justify picking him when there are about 10 guys that have that higher tier.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

What are teams expecting out of these guys as a ceiling? A Lucic?

Can't comment on Crouse cause I didn't get a real good look at him in the WJC, and I don't know if he's the same type of player. Ritchie definitely has all the tools to be that type of player, but players like that rarely translate their game properly to the NHL level.

[djsFlames]

Some guys I think the Flames should target:

D Zach Werenski
D Ivan Provorov
RW Timo Meier
RW Daniel Sprong

[mile]

I wonder how many more points Crouse would have if Bennett wasn't injured and had been sent back to junior.