2017 NHL Draft

[FCAV]

Big pile of content to dump on y'all (and more to come in the final week-plus leading into the NHL Draft)

Top Fives

Forwards: https://futureconsiderations.ca/patr...aft-eligibles/
Defensemen: https://futureconsiderations.ca/heis...ine-nhl-draft/
Goalies: https://futureconsiderations.ca/oett...head-of-draft/

OHL: https://futureconsiderations.ca/vila...igibles-draft/
QMJHL: https://futureconsiderations.ca/hisc...es-into-draft/

Scout Series

USHL: https://futureconsiderations.ca/bowe...out-vanbesien/
WHL/West: https://futureconsiderations.ca/maka...-scout-froese/

Enjoy!

[sureLoss]

From Pronman, top prospects weights and heights as measured at the combine:

[Rick M.]

Vesalainen's a monster.

[Beninho]

I'd be extremely happy with Suzuki, Vasalainen, or Andersson. Seems like the Flames will be able to draft one of those. I believe this team is going to go with a forward but if they pick Foote or Brannstrom I wouldn't complain.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Vesalainen's a monster.

Ya, it's hard to see this team passing on him given his size, position, and potential. If the flames somehow have the option to draft him or Suzuki it will definitely be an interesting debate.

[Love]

Yeah I wouldn't be opposed to Vesalainen. Could you imagine all of that strength and skill on our club in a couple of years?

6'4: Vesalainen, Janko
6'3: Monahan
6'2: Bennett, Tkachuk, Ferland
5'9: Gaudreau

Sounds like Vesalainen is a skilled powerforward type player with great hands, passing ability and shot . Suffers from consistency and compete issues sometimes I guess.

Great read-up on him here

https://theleafsnation.com/2017/06/1...an-vesalainen/

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Love

Yeah I wouldn't be opposed to Vesalainen. Could you imagine all of that strength and skill on our club in a couple of years?

I could, but I question if it gives us any advantage over more raw skill. A team just won the cup for the second time in a row with five top nine forwards under 6'0 (Crosby/Sheary/Guentzal/Rust/Hagelin). I would prefer to take whoever is best, whoever that is. If that's Vesalainen, sweet, but if it's Suzuki, Petterson, or Yamamoto, then I want them.

[Heavy Jack]

Yamamoto is definitely an interesting prospect to take a swing at, Suzuki too. Tiny guys with huge offensive ceilings just need to be willing to spend the time on them more than guys with size like Vesalainen. Should be an interesting pick to watch for us this year, lots of potential players that fill needs will be on the board at the time we pick. I could see us doing a trade down 3 or 4 spots if we still have 3 or 4 guys we like at that time. Wouldn't be a bad thing to grab a 2nd rounder even thought the draft doesn't have the depth of years prior.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

Yamamoto is definitely an interesting prospect to take a swing at, Suzuki too. Tiny guys with huge offensive ceilings just need to be willing to spend the time on them more than guys with size like Vesalainen. Should be an interesting pick to watch for us this year, lots of potential players that fill needs will be on the board at the time we pick. I could see us doing a trade down 3 or 4 spots if we still have 3 or 4 guys we like at that time. Wouldn't be a bad thing to grab a 2nd rounder even thought the draft doesn't have the depth of years prior.

Suzuki's not that small at 5'11"; Yamamoto is smaller than Johnny.

[Caged Great]

For this draft, I'm hoping the Flames just try to go for homeruns. Whether that's going with the oddball choice in the first round with Kostin or Liljegren or attempting to get more Eat Bread and Phillips types later on. Skill skill skill is all they should be going for. The new NHL doesn't have as much emphasis on needing to be massive. If you can out skill your opposition, you will win.

Don't go safe with a crappy draft like this because the "safe guys" top end ceiling is that of a depth player and that's a waste of a pick. If you swing for the fences and hit, you'll get another guy to go in the same group as Bennett/Brodie/Monahan/Gaudreau/Tkachuk/Janko. If you miss, well at least you tried and you have the excuse that this draft is not as good.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Suzuki's not that small at 5'11"; Yamamoto is smaller than Johnny.

Wow! Didn't realize he had that size -- 5'11 185 and growing is bigger than I expected for Suzuki.. Yamamoto is definitely an undersized highly skilled prospect ala JG though from everything I have read up on him.. Can't wait for the draft !

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

For this draft, I'm hoping the Flames just try to go for homeruns. Whether that's going with the oddball choice in the first round with Kostin or Liljegren or attempting to get more Eat Bread and Phillips types later on. Skill skill skill is all they should be going for. The new NHL doesn't have as much emphasis on needing to be massive. If you can out skill your opposition, you will win.

Don't go safe with a crappy draft like this because the "safe guys" top end ceiling is that of a depth player and that's a waste of a pick. If you swing for the fences and hit, you'll get another guy to go in the same group as Bennett/Brodie/Monahan/Gaudreau/Tkachuk/Janko. If you miss, well at least you tried and you have the excuse that this draft is not as good.

This 1000 percent. I don't want to see safe picks anymore at least to a certain degree. You can always get those bottom 6 depth guys, those bottom pairing D in other ways. The draft should be all about going for the highest end available talent at the time of the pick. We've been seeing this the last few years from our scouting team and its been refreshing. It will be even more rewarding if a couple of those swings turn out to clear the fence.

[868904]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I could, but I question if it gives us any advantage over more raw skill. A team just won the cup for the second time in a row with five top nine forwards under 6'0 (Crosby/Sheary/Guentzal/Rust/Hagelin). I would prefer to take whoever is best, whoever that is. If that's Vesalainen, sweet, but if it's Suzuki, Petterson, or Yamamoto, then I want them.

I do prefer an emphasis on skill at the draft, I think skill gives the highest potential “currency” but in the case of Vesalainen, he is big and skilled too so it's not just a case of going big.

You make a good point but the big thing about the pwnguins is their two best players are Malkin (all 6‘5 and 200 plus pounds of him) and Crosby (top 5 player of all time and built like a fire hydrant). When you have those two, the rest of the team can have many deficiencies such as lack of size, lack of skill on defence, etc.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

This 1000 percent. I don't want to see safe picks anymore at least to a certain degree. You can always get those bottom 6 depth guys, those bottom pairing D in other ways. The draft should be all about going for the highest end available talent at the time of the pick. We've been seeing this the last few years from our scouting team and its been refreshing. It will be even more rewarding if a couple of those swings turn out to clear the fence.

How do you define talent though?

Is it puckhandling and shooting? Skating?

Seems like you are advocating for "hands" at the draft.

That can pay off, but there are a lot of guys in the NHL with average hands, that are better then their more "skilled" peers.

If you avoid the safe pick, you probably never find a Kesler or an O'Reilly in the draft.

[Love]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I could, but I question if it gives us any advantage over more raw skill. A team just won the cup for the second time in a row with five top nine forwards under 6'0 (Crosby/Sheary/Guentzal/Rust/Hagelin). I would prefer to take whoever is best, whoever that is. If that's Vesalainen, sweet, but if it's Suzuki, Petterson, or Yamamoto, then I want them.

The thing about the Pittsburgh model is we will never be able to recreate that. They have two centers better on that roster than we've ever had in the existence of the Calgary Flames (including Sid, who is an arguable top 5 forward of all time).

And I agree with you with the skill trumps size sentiment, but there is a really good chance that Vesalainen is the most skilled player available on the board when we step up to pick, he just happens to be playing in that mammoth of a frame.

Regaurdless though, I flip flop every day when I think about who I want. This will be one of the more exciting drafts in recent years for us, just because of it's unpredictability.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

Wow! Didn't realize he had that size -- 5'11 185 and growing is bigger than I expected for Suzuki.. Yamamoto is definitely an undersized highly skilled prospect ala JG though from everything I have read up on him.. Can't wait for the draft !

By comparison, Jiri Hudler is listed at 5'10" and 183 lbs.

[sureLoss]

article on Kostin

https://www.nhl.com/news/klim-kostin...?tid=277764372

Considering Treliving said they might swing with someone with high potential, Kostin could fit the bill.

From the article he hopes to play in NA next year (he is eligible to play in the AHL) but not interested in reporting to Kootenay who owns his CHL rights.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

article on Kostin

https://www.nhl.com/news/klim-kostin...?tid=277764372

Considering Treliving said they might swing with someone with high potential, Kostin could fit the bill.

From the article he hopes to play in NA next year (he is eligible to play in the AHL) but not interested in reporting to Kootenay who owns his CHL rights.

Also think Yamamoto may fit that bill as well. Button has him very high on his rankings and having watched him live 4 or 5 times he very much passes the eye test but does have a lot to work on. Also wasn't on a very good team in junior and still racked up points. He would be worth the gamble imo, very creative skilled player.

[Love]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Also think Yamamoto may fit that bill as well. Button has him very high on his rankings and having watched him live 4 or 5 times he very much passes the eye test but does have a lot to work on. Also wasn't on a very good team in junior and still racked up points. He would be worth the gamble imo, very creative skilled player.

How is his skating? Is he a burner like Tyler Johnson? Or more agile and elusive like Johnny?

[Caged Great]

For me, any of Andersson, Pettersson, Liljegren, Foote, or Kostin would be ideal at 16. If all of them are gone, then I'd probably prefer to trade down a bit and take one of Suzuki, Poehling, Robert Thomas, or Yamamoto.

If I had to rank the 9 guys it would be

Pettersson
Andersson
Kostin
Foote
Liljegren
Thomas
Yamamoto
Suzuki
Poehling

The only players I'd be disappointed in taking would be Rasmussen or Hague. I'd be underwhelmed with Vesalainen, Ratcliffe, Brannstrom, or Vaakanainen.