How Would the Flames Handle a 2016 Top 3 Pick Next Season?

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

Iginla will always be my favorite player but that ship has sailed. He doesn't fill holes and there are tons of RW's i'd rather trade for or sign. He just doesn't have the speed he used to.

He's still putting up 25+ goals per year everywhere he goes. He's still a top six forward. He helps on the powerplay. Still has grit and sticks up for his team mates on the ice. Seems like most of the time Johnny is setting someone up with a prime scoring chance it's the guy who is coming late into the high slot... That's how wideman had such a productive season last year. Iggy is still one of the best in the league in that spot.

Plus he makes it so the flames can shelter the new young players like Matthews or one of the Finns. The flames need at least 2 quality right wingers next year. I think if they draft top 3 they will fill one of those RW spots for sure. But they need one more. Iggy is probably cheaper to acquire than any of the other right wingers out there and is only signed for one year. If he has a great season then you know he could be re-signed on a reasonable cap hit and term cause of his age and cause of the potential to win again in Calgary.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Erick Estrada]

If the Flames fall out of the top 3 I would trade the pick in a package for Druin and Bishop.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by kn

Thanks for jinxing our chances.

What?

[Jason14h]

When I run that draft simulator it seems the Fames move back one or two spots more than they move up or stay in the same position.

The odds are higher to move move from 29th then not. Sooooo welcome to odds?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If the Flames fall out of the top 3 I would trade the pick in a package for Druin and Bishop.

A signed Bishop.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If the Flames fall out of the top 3 I would trade the pick in a package for Druin and Bishop.

There is no way I would trade a top 5/6 pick for Drouin + one year of 30-year-old goalie on a $6 m deal. The Flames could do much better than that.

...and haha. You suck at the draft simulator.

[polak]

Originally Posted by devo22

this organization has never had a top 3 pick since the Atlanta years. While it sucks that Flames are in the Matthews hunt, there's no shame in it ... heck, a lot of the top teams right now have had multiple top 3 picks in the last 10-15 years. Chicago had 3 in a span of 4 years, Tampa Bay had 3 in a span of 6 years, Pittsburgh even had 4 consecutive top 2 picks. L.A., St. Louis, Washington, Colorado and the Isles had multiple top 5 picks including 1st overalls (except for L.A., they "only" had a 2nd).

Potentially picking top 3 for the first time in 40+ years is not "Edmonton level of bad". As long as they pick it up again next season, everything's fine.

Yup. Our lack of high draft picks is probably a big contributor to the overall mediocrity of this franchise since the 80's. One Iginla isn't enough.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

When I run that draft simulator it seems the Fames move back one or two spots more than they move up or stay in the same position.

At 29th place there's a better than 50% chance they're outside the top 3

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by polak

Yup. Our lack of high draft picks is probably a big contributor to the overall mediocrity of this franchise since the 80's. One Iginla isn't enough.

I couldn't agree more. In 1997, we picked 6th, which was high, but not high enough. Imagine if were picked Thornton first overall.

Iginla plus Thornton for 20 years? Just imagine.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

There is no way I would trade a top 5/6 pick for Drouin + one year of 30-year-old goalie on a $6 m deal. The Flames could do much better than that.

...and haha. You suck at the draft simulator.

After the top 3 prospects there are no players that wow me or look like more of a sure thing than Druin. He will be able to step in and contribute next season for a team that badly needs top 6 forward depth. That one year of Bishop is perfect as if by January he proves his worth they can work on an extension. That's the route I would take if it was available and what exactly would be a better deal they could get for that pick?

[ScorchyScorch]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If the Flames fall out of the top 3 I would trade the pick in a package for Druin and Bishop.

This
Brilliant. If the top 5 is NHL ready then Yzerman can get his wish of a player for now and the future.

Bishop is the key component. Of course there would be a + from our end. But we'd have something Tampa would want.

[Imported_Aussie]

If the Flames go #1 they get Matthews, no question. Bennett can play on his wing, Jankowski gets a shot at #3 centre, and you can package Backlund into a deal to go for a RW.

2-3 they get a Finn to play RW, giving them 4 young guys that are set in the top 6, adding to Gaudreau, Monahan, and Bennett. They then have a mix of responsible veterans and middling prospects to balance out the top 3 lines, trying to find chemistry. Both Finns seem ready to play.

Beyond 3 it depends on where they have everyone ranked, but it likely means a D like Chuchryn or a LW like Tkachuk or Dubois. If they get Chuchryn, I can see them leaving him in juniors as they have a crowded blueline and it may be a good year to trade veterans and try out the closer to graduating D in the system. They can get trade returns on veteran D/package prospect D to look for a solution in the forward ranks (or a goalie?). if it is a LW, it will depend on how NHL ready they are in camp, but I think there is a drop in the forwards after #3

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by ScorchyScorch

This
Brilliant. If the top 5 is NHL ready then Yzerman can get his wish of a player for now and the future.

Bishop is the key component. Of course there would be a + from our end. But we'd have something Tampa would want.

5thOA + DAL 1st + Shinkaruk + McDonald

for

Drouin + Bishop

this is way too much...

so Tampa essentially gets a do-over with a top 5 pick for a player who won't even play for them anymore

and a 1st + Shinkaruk + early 2nd round goalie prospect for a below average, 30 year old starting goaltender?

why?

[ScorchyScorch]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

this is way too much...

so Tampa essentially gets a do-over with a top 5 pick for a player who won't even play for them anymore

and a 1st + Shinkaruk + early 2nd round goalie prospect for a below average, 30 year old goaltender?

why?

When I realized Bishop's age and contract status, I definitely realized this..lol.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Huh? At this point it looks very unlikely we'll be drafting lower than 5th. It can happen but its unlikely. I'd be freakin shocked if they took Nylander top 5. I'm guessing he's more in the 6-10 range on our list.

If both Mathews and the Fins are gone I hope we actually take Nylander. Kid is fast, shifty, great puck handler with a great shot as well. We need a top 6 RW.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

Matthews is a left shot that does currently play right wing I believe. Probably would get played as a right winger for a season or two.

Hope we draft top 3, fingers crossed.

Dream scenario after lottery
1. Calgary
2. Arizona
3. Toronto

Trade number one overall for:
Arizona's 1st & Perlini then take Laine or Puljajarvi (Matthews is Arizona boy)
or Toronto's 1st & Kapanen take Laine or Puljajarvi

In my dreams

It would be beyond foolish to trade Auston Matthews (or any of our centres for that matter) before we are absolutely forced to in the event we're lucky enough to draft him.

[dino7c]

If the Flames have a top 5 pick they need to use it...to pick a player

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

After the top 3 prospects there are no players that wow me or look like more of a sure thing than Druin. He will be able to step in and contribute next season for a team that badly needs top 6 forward depth. That one year of Bishop is perfect as if by January he proves his worth they can work on an extension. That's the route I would take if it was available and what exactly would be a better deal they could get for that pick?

I personally would prefer to use the pick. Tkazhuk, Dubois, and Chychrun are all players that I would prefer over Drouin at this stage.

The last time a top ten pick was dealt for a roster player it netted a young, franchise-level goalie. Bishop is not that, and Drouin is a huge wildcard right now. If the Flames are dealing that pick, then I would be targeting a goalie like Petr Mrazek, Frederik Andersen, Connor Hellebuyck, or John Gibson.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Beyond 3 it depends on where they have everyone ranked, but it likely means a D like Chuchryn or a LW like Tkachuk or Dubois. If they get Chuchryn, I can see them leaving him in juniors as they have a crowded blueline and it may be a good year to trade veterans and try out the closer to graduating D in the system. They can get trade returns on veteran D/package prospect D to look for a solution in the forward ranks (or a goalie?). if it is a LW, it will depend on how NHL ready they are in camp, but I think there is a drop in the forwards after #3

Chychrun - NHL size, skating, skill. I think he's NHL ready like Ekblad and Hanifin were. I think by halfway through the year he could be top 4 for us.
Tkachuk - NHL size, skill, already plays pro style.
Dubois - NHL size, skill, skating, already plays a pro style too.

Chychrun and Tkachuk I'm fairly sure could play. Dubois not as convinced on but wouldn't surprise me if he could make the NHL, especially if we're weak on the wings come training camp. Nylander I don't think would be NHL ready, he's too slight at this time.

Because of the size at the top end this year a lot of them will make the NHL right away. Most of them have NHL size and skating right now.

[ScorchyScorch]

Matthews will likely be the best player from this draft, so if they luck out and win the thing, then best not to trade down for positional need and regret it.

You can make two pairings that can dominate for years in Gaudreau-Monahan, Bennett-Matthews. As mentioned in an earlier thread, even good teams don't always have a complete top line of elite players. It's spread out.

Perhaps we're a little to fixated on making that ideal 1st line. Though if we draft a Finn, I have no objections to slotting him there.