2015 NHL Draft

[T@T]

If Hartley didn't like Sven's zone play Sprong wouldn't make it past 2 days of training camp, don't know about his head space but he's butter soft and only moves his feet on the offensive side of the puck...huge no thanks.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I would take Connor over Merkley if they are on the board at 15 (with how ridiculous this draft is, there are 21 players that I would gladly take so we will get one at 15). He is bigger than Merkley at 6-1 or 6-2 depending on what site you're looking at, he is as fast as Poirier if not a bit quicker and he has good hands and shot. He put up 80 points in the USHL, which is really good. I do like both Merkley and Konecky, but the main concern I have about them both is being Gilbert Brule 2.0. Both play the same physical game but are too small to do that at the NHL level with a big risk for injury and that could mean a litany of injuries for both Merkley and Konecky.

With Bennett and Gaudreau being injury risks, I would try to shy away from another potential problem.

I know Gaudreau is small, but I don't really think he is an injury risk. He says that he has never been injured in his life. If he had been prone to injury, he probably wouldn't have made it this far.

Small size does not necessarily equate to injury prone

But I agree that it is wise to avoid injury prone prospects. The constant injuries of Hall and Hopkins are part of what had kept Edmonton back. A lack of injuries is part of what has made Anaheim so good this year.

[FCAV]

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http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=147298

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[united]

Craig Button released his final list this morning.
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Dylan Strome
4. Mitch Marner
5. Ivan Provorov
...
14. Ilya Samsonov
15. Mathew Barzal
16. Mikko Rantanen

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I know Gaudreau is small, but I don't really think he is an injury risk. He says that he has never been injured in his life. If he had been prone to injury, he probably wouldn't have made it this far.

Small size does not necessarily equate to injury prone

But I agree that it is wise to avoid injury prone prospects. The constant injuries of Hall and Hopkins are part of what had kept Edmonton back. A lack of injuries is part of what has made Anaheim so good this year.

Theo Fleury rarely ever got hurt. Size doesn't really have any bearing on injury proneness.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by united

Craig Button released his final list this morning.
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Dylan Strome
4. Mitch Marner
5. Ivan Provorov
...
14. Ilya Samsonov
15. Mathew Barzal
16. Mikko Rantanen

Barzal is an interesting prospect. He's been lights out in international tournaments but his WHL stats line isn't anything special.

[ThatsRobbery]

Wow Hanifin dropped hard in Button's list. Wonder if we could move up to get him if he drops that far.

If the lists holds up, definitely want Rantanen though.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Barzal is an interesting prospect. He's been lights out in international tournaments but his WHL stats line isn't anything special.

He is on a low scoring team. I could see him going 6th or 7th overall even. He was the best at the u18s besides Matthews

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by united

Craig Button released his final list this morning.
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Dylan Strome
4. Mitch Marner
5. Ivan Provorov
...
14. Ilya Samsonov
15. Mathew Barzal
16. Mikko Rantanen

Historically aren't Buttons list's pretty accurate when it comes to the Flames pick and the players usually available? If memory serves me right he was one of the only ones who originally had Jankowski right around our pick when nobody else did.

If thats the case, yes please for Rantanen

[OILFAN #81]

Button has Kylington at #47? Has he really dropped that far? I thought he dropped from an early 1st round pick to a late 1st round pick (somewhere in the 20's). 47 seems really low for me.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by ThatsRobbery

Wow Hanifin dropped hard in Button's list.

That happened a while ago. He is basically convinced Hanifin will be a very good #3/#2 but not a number one. He compared him to Jbo.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Historically aren't Buttons list's pretty accurate when it comes to the Flames pick and the players usually available? If memory serves me right he was one of the only ones who originally had Jankowski right around our pick when nobody else did.

If thats the case, yes please for Rantanen

I'm sure he talks with his brother. I know I would if I was Craig as he simply can't see most of these players very often.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Theo Fleury rarely ever got hurt. Size doesn't really have any bearing on injury proneness.

Gaudreau is not Fleury. Fleury plays with a mean streak as well. In the era where the teams had enforcers, the Flames had big forwards and defecncemen to protect guys like Fleury. Right now, the Flames team is smallish. The Anaheim series showed that deficiency on the Flames.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Gaudreau is not Fleury. Fleury plays with a mean streak as well. In the era where the teams had enforcers, the Flames had big forwards and defecncemen to protect guys like Fleury. Right now, the Flames team is smallish. The Anaheim series showed that deficiency on the Flames.

I agree for the most part but Fleury wasn't a guy that was overly "protected".

He took his fair share of big shots and abuse from guys on other teams.

If anything his mean streak and physical play as a small guy should have meant he was more likely to get injured in comparison to a guy the same size who doesn't play nearly as gritty.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Historically aren't Buttons list's pretty accurate when it comes to the Flames pick and the players usually available? If memory serves me right he was one of the only ones who originally had Jankowski right around our pick when nobody else did.

If thats the case, yes please for Rantanen

Probably more of a coincidence than any true predictor but Button does seem to have the Flames picks pretty close to where the Flames end up picking them.

2014 Craigs List:

3: Bennett
4: Draisaitl

Flames take Bennett at 4.

2013 Craigs List:

6: Lindholm
7: Monahan

Flames take Monahan at 6.

2012 Craigs List:

14: Jankowski

Flames take Jankowski at 21 after trading back from 15.

2011 Craig's List:

11: Sven Baertschi

Flames take Baertschi at 13.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by united

Craig Button released his final list this morning.
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Dylan Strome
4. Mitch Marner
5. Ivan Provorov
...
14. Ilya Samsonov
15. Mathew Barzal
16. Mikko Rantanen

Not a chance Rantanen drops to 16.

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Theo Fleury rarely ever got hurt. Size doesn't really have any bearing on injury proneness.

Maybe not, but a slight build does. Fleury was built like a fire hydrant.

[FlamesAddiction]

If Button's list is a little influenced by his brother, then Kyle Connor might be a guy that some of the other rankings have lower and the Flames might have a lot higher on their list.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Not a chance Rantanen drops to 16.

Probably not, but Craigs List is not a mock draft. Its his opinion and ranking of which kids are going to make the best NHLers in the future, NOT who he thinks is better right now.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Not a chance Rantanen drops to 16.

You're right because the Flames would pick him at 15!

It's unlikely but there is a chance that Rantanen is the one that drops. There is always a player ranked in the top 10 range that drops.

Going into the draft last year Kapanen was the top ranked European, went 23. (Ranked 11 on TSNs final list)

In 2013 it was Shinkaruk taken 24th. (Ranked 14 on TSNs list)

2012 it was Forsberg dropping to 11 and Matta to 22. (Ranked 3rd and 10th respectively on TSNs list)

Personally I hope it is one of Rantanen, Provorov, or Werenski that drops from being ranked in the 7-10 range to 15.

[Moneyhands23]

I'd love it if we were able to pick up Rantanen! That would be soooo sweet!