[News] With the 80th OA pick the Flames select D Jake Boltmann

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Hopefully the Flames re-think their thought process that led them to this pick.

To make it worse, the Oilers picked Carter Savoie 20 picks later, and he 20 points in 24 games for Denver.
Daniil Chechelev was picked between them, and he had a pretty good year.

Even if they were focused on a dman with this pick, Michael Benning who many of us were very interested in went soon after to Florida. Benning put up similar numbers to Cale Makar in AJHL and was absolutely dominant. Had a similar 1st season to Makar in college too.

Michael Benning D+1 21 3 8 11 .52 ppg

Cale Makar D+1 34 5 16 21 .61 ppg

Not trying to say he will be as good as Makar but he's tracking fairly well and obviously way superior to Boltmann.

Baffling pick. are there any weird ties to this kids parents anywhere? Otherwise it just really doesnt make sense to me.

[Roof-Daddy]

It was a stupid pick.

Defensive dman with no outstanding attributes with a 3rd rounder. Especially after just taking Kuznetsov in the 2nd.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The clear strategy was to draft a defensive dman with no offensive skill (Boltman) and combine him with a offensive dman with no defensive skill (Poirier) thus creating the perfect dman.

Of course that hinges on somehow being able to merge them together into a frankenstein-ish freak of a player that defies humanity. But that is easily solved.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The clear strategy was to draft a defensive dman with no offensive skill (Boltman) and combine him with a offensive dman with no defensive skill (Poirier) thus creating the perfect dman.

Of course that hinges on somehow being able to merge them together into a frankenstein-ish freak of a player that defies humanity. But that is easily solved.

Would rather Poirier + Kuznetsov were smashed together. Boltmann is just extraneous any way you cut it!

6'4 220 lbs 19year dman known for excellent stick work and trusted by the national team with top defensive pairings; also an incredibly fluid skater who often leaps in to the play and has excellent up ice vision.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

No disrespect to Boltmann personally but this pick was a joke and is borderline indefensible. These are supposedly the top talent evaluators in the world if theyre employed by an NHL team. Yet, there was likely tons of us already biting our tongues a few minutes after looking into this pick when it was announced.

Now? Well... it somehow looks even worse.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

No disrespect to Boltmann personally but this pick was a ####ing joke and is borderline indefensible. These are supposedly the top talent evaluators in the world if theyre employed by an NHL team. Yet, there was likely tons of us already biting our tongues a few minutes after looking into this pick when it was announced.

Now? Well... it somehow looks even worse.

Every team is going to miss on draft picks. It happens, and getting this bent out of shape about it is probably a huge over-reaction unless these types of picks form a pattern. The Flames have drafted pretty well for a while now, and it sucks that this one looks like a dud in the early-going, but this looks like a one-off.

[HighLifeMan]

This selection was backed from the guy who identified the likes of Gaudreau and Fox in the mid to late rounds.. you can’t hit on every pick. You have to go to bat on guys you believe in and sometimes it just doesn’t work out. This is also a player who up until recently had just fully committed to one sport. Who knows where he will be in three years time. He’s very raw in terms of his hockey development.

We are talking about a late 3rd that was acquired for essentially nothing. It’s easy to scout from behind your keyboard with the advantage of hindsight.

Scouting is difficult. Who woulda thunk?!

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Every team is going to miss on draft picks. It happens, and getting this bent out of shape about it is probably a huge over-reaction unless these types of picks form a pattern. The Flames have drafted pretty well for a while now, and it sucks that this one looks like a dud in the early-going, but this looks like a one-off.

They've drafted O.K., I don't know if I'd even say "pretty well." You're not wrong about it being somewhat of an over-reaction. I just don't think this organization can be affording to miss this badly on third rounders right now. It's not like they took a chance on him in the sixth or seventh where he should have gone (if at all).

Do we really think other teams were champing at the bit to get him this early? I seriously have my doubts but I'm obviously not privy to what our scouts are.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think it's premature to say that we have "missed badly" on this pick.
I didn't get the pick at the time and the stats don't look good.
But I also have not watched him play a minute of hockey and I suspect that's the case for most.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think it's premature to say that we have "missed badly" on this pick.
I didn't get the pick at the time and the stats don't look good.
But I also have not watched him play a minute of hockey and I suspect that's the case for most.

Notre Dame is actually very accessible in terms of NCAA broadcasts (NBC Sports). I've been able to watch parts of 3 games of theirs already. He was completely invisible and in one of them I actually had to check if he was even playing that day.

[HighLifeMan]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

Notre Dame is actually very accessible in terms of NCAA broadcasts (NBC Sports). I've been able to watch parts of 3 games of theirs already. He was completely invisible and in one of them I actually had to check if he was even playing that day.

Just for some perspective Connor Mackey had 2 points in 29 USHL games at the same age as Boltmann. Fast forward five years and not only did he go on to become the top college free agent available last year but is likely ready to step into an NHL lineup today. The early returns are not great, but we knew that he was a work in progress from the second he was selected.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

Notre Dame is actually very accessible in terms of NCAA broadcasts (NBC Sports). I've been able to watch parts of 3 games of theirs already. He was completely invisible and in one of them I actually had to check if he was even playing that day.

If a defenseman doesn't stand out in a bad way in a game that's usually a good sign. Hopefully his offensive game comes around. Like another poster said, drafting is tough, who would've thought?

[Burning Beard]

Oh no a 3rd round draft pick might be a bust but we won't know for years. Fold the franchise.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

Just for some perspective Connor Mackey had 2 points in 29 USHL games at the same age as Boltmann. Fast forward five years and not only did he go on to become the top college free agent available last year but is likely ready to step into an NHL lineup today. The early returns are not great, but we knew that he was a work in progress from the second he was selected.

Yes, free agent. Mackey was undrafted. I'm not saying that Boltmann will never improve or develop, although honestly it doesn't look promising. But there's no need to take a shot in the dark in the third round on someone you don't even have a guarantee of signing if he does reach the level of a Mackey-type. Or Fox, another third round collegiate defenseman.

Yes it's 'just' a third rounder but historically for around the 80th selection thats still a 30% chance of playing more than 100 NHL games. That is significant for a team with a relatively bare cupboard for prospects in the system.

I realize it won't be the end of the world for the Flames. I will continue to tune in and watch his growth. After all, I still want him to be successful.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think you’ve got to judge this in a few years rather than a year in. Plus, covid has made things extremely difficult to judge this pick. He was never going to pot a lot of points.

[Reggie Dunlop]

I recall a certain 19 year old defenseman who was an OHL rookie...

[Bingo]

Given the scout group's recent success I'm happy to wait this one out and not judge them too harshly.

I mean how many of you have actually seen the guy play? Talked to him?

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Given the scout group's recent success I'm happy to wait this one out and not judge them too harshly.

I mean how many of you have actually seen the guy play? Talked to him?

Bingo, not sure you realize how good a management, scouting and coaching group that you have put together on this forum.

[1Nite]

I think it was all about the Poolman-Boltman paring.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Given the scout group's recent success I'm happy to wait this one out and not judge them too harshly.

I mean how many of you have actually seen the guy play? Talked to him?

What recent success? The guy in NY?

They are pretty mediocre to me