FC's 2014 NHL Draft Thread

[Commandant]

Not 2014, but 2016 Wonderkid Sean Day interview.

He talks about his decision re: Hockey Canada vs USA Hockey, and joining the OHL with a ton of pressure.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/...tional-player/

[Matty81]

My list for the Flames based on need and ability (as a non-scout who likes watching junior and reading draft previews haha) is that
1A/1B should be Reinhart/Ekblad - ability is head and shoulders better. not going to get either
3A/3B Bennett/Draisatl - different players but both high end centers that would set the Flames up for a decade down the middle with Monahan, probably not getting either of them either

After that it's going to be a winger with size which is where the Flames will slide down into. Dal Colle, Virtanen or Ritchie are the big 3 based on need for the team and I think the Flames will pick one of them almost certainly barring a big trade or the team having a big losing streak again. Assuming they will end up picking 6th-8th which looks likely, Dal Colle most likely will also be gone.

Nylander is not what the Flames need regardless of his skill. If he had MVP calibre upside obviously that would go out the window but I don't think anybody is making that kind of projection. Small skilled winger is just not going to be picked by the Flames with huge holes on D, lots of shrimpy wingers and good centres available, a premium position you always have to take if you can get it at the top end of the draft.

Perlini doesn't have the offensive skill of those other 3 wingers or the physical play of JV or Ritchie.

Fleury is an outside shot but I just haven't seen enough offensive upside to say he is a top 10 pick.

Nobody else should be in the conversation IMO.

Thinking with draft position looking like it will slip a little over the last month with the Flames charging hard while other teams tank they will probably get their second or third choice out of those 3 wingers. If I could bet on something like this, Ritchie or Virtanen would be where my money would be. As much as I'd love a top 4 pick and one of the elite guys in the draft this year, I just don't think it's happening again.

[frinkprof]

What I'd like to see in this upcoming draft:

1st Round - If the Flames win the lottery, draft Ekblad, no questions asked. He's just what the doctor ordered for this team. While there is some defensive depth in the system, the Flames are lacking a high end guy who is pegged for the first pairing. Getting Ekblad, with the bonus of keeping the Oilers' mitts off of him would be a win for the franchise.

If the Flames don't win the lottery, and end up in the 3-6 spot, draft a centreman, or trade down and take Fleury on D (although I consider this to be an inferior option). Any of the players in this range will do, excepting Nylander. Any of Reinhart, Bennett, Draisaitl or Dal Colle could pair with Monahan as second line centre or on his wing for a formidable 1-2 punch. I consider Reinhart unreachable unless Edmonton or Buffalo go off the board, and I prefer Draisaitl otherwise.

2nd - 3rd rounds - The Flames should pick a defenseman with one of those 4 picks (barring trades that increase or decrease that number), and focus on strategically stocking wing depth, particularly right wing with size. Taking a centre isn't wrong, but I don't think the Flames should take any less than 2 right-hand-shot forwards in this draft, and maybe even more than that. With basically only Poirier to speak of in the system on right wing (who everyone should be excited about to be sure), the depth here needs to be addressed.

Prospects that stick out to me are Alex Tuch, Conner Bleackley and Jack Dougherty.

Later rounds - with only a sixth round and a seventh round pick, take a goalie with one of them and throw a dart for the other one.

[Vulcan]

Good post but just one comment. Dal Colle is a left wing and while I wouldn't get upset if we picked him as BPA, we have LWs out our yin yang.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Good post but just one comment. Dal Colle is a left wing and while I wouldn't get upset if we picked him as BPA, we have LWs out our yin yang.

Not many 6'2+ potential top two liners though.

Big forwards are an organizational need at all positions.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Not many 6'2+ potential top two liners though.

Big forwards are an organizational need at all positions.

Just a preference for a RW or D man as it fills more of a team need. If the drop off in talent is too much, well than we take Dal Colle.

[Matty81]

I agree that RW and D are the biggest needs but D is really weak in the draft at the upper end after Ekblad - really only Fleury. I look at guys like Severson and Bowey here in Kelowna who I watched a lot in their draft years and I don't see Fleury as much, if at all better. Offensive game seems ok but not amazing and not much physicality. Those were 2nd round picks in deeper drafts.

Virtanen looks like a good potential pick as a RW and I'd be happy with him but I think if one of the top 3 centres are on the board you can't pass, it is such a valuable position that even if you trade the player the return would be great compared to a winger with the same talent.

I'm also questioning if you can pass on Dal Colle even though LW is the strongest position in the system, I've heard people say he is the clear #5 in the draft and would be in that second tier with Draisaitl and Bennett if he played Centre too.

Still you're right, LW is almost overloaded with players in the system. Somebody would have to go eventually.

[Caged Great]

Couldn't we just move a wing to the other side?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Couldn't we just move a wing to the other side?

sure. Still, it'd be great to have RH wingers in the system. Even Poirier, our best RW prospect, is LH.

[Matty81]

Always been my understanding that you really only want a guy playing his off wing on the powerplay or if you have a dump and chase team style and he's good on the cycle where it's not a huge difference maker. Or I guess in the rare instance that he has an amazing backhand.

If you have a puck possesion team, the weakness is when they're carrying the puck forward on the inside of their body, it's closer to the d-man and they will lose the puck with greater frequency and its tougher to make or receive a pass because it will be on the backhand (a guy on his natural wing who will carry it on the outside towards the boards can pass more easily while movng up the ice on his forehand and may be able to see the centre of the ice better because he doesn't have to look over his shoulder).

Wonder who in the system are righties playing their off wing that could more easily be converted.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Wonder who in the system are righties playing their off wing that could more easily be converted.

nobody. In fact, the only RH forward prospects in the system are Knight, Arnold, Jooris and Harrison.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by devo22

nobody. In fact, the only RH forward prospects in the system are Knight, Arnold, Jooris and Harrison.

Jooris has played a bunch of wing this year. Wouldn't surprise me if one of Arnold or Knight gets converted to wing as well

[ForeverFlameFan]

Well, it all depends on where we are placed in the draft. You have to go for Ekblad if we get the lottery pick. If not, we are for Ritchie or Virtanen assuming Bennett is already drafted.

[Commandant]

Brendan Perlini Interview
http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/...gara-ice-dogs/

Roland McKeown and Spencer Watson Interviews
http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/...tson-progress/

[FCAV]

April Rankings were released this morning...

1). D Aaron Ekblad, Barrie (OHL), 6-4, 215
2). C Sam Reinhart, Kootenay (WHL), 6-1, 185
3). C/LW Sam Bennett, Kingston (OHL), 6-0, 180
4). C William Nylander, MODO (SHL), 5-11, 170
5). C Leon Draisaitl, Prince Albert (WHL), 6-2, 210
6). LW/C Michael Dal Colle, Oshawa (OHL), 6-2, 180
7). LW Nick Ritchie, Peterborough (OHL), 6-2, 230
8). LW Nikolaj Ehlers, Halifax (QMJHL), 5-11, 165
9). LW Brendan Perlini, Niagara (OHL), 6-2, 205
10). D Haydn Fleury, Red Deer (WHL), 6-3, 200

FULL TOP-30 AVAILABLE HERE
FULL TOP-100 AVAILABLE HERE

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Pretty similar to how I'd have it for the Flames except I don't think we'd consider Nylander over the bigger OHL wingers.

1. Ekblad
2. Reinhart
3. Bennett
4. Draisaitl
5. Dal Colle
6. Ritchie

Seems pretty close at the top end. Still would rather a top 4 pick but nice to see we'll have our pick of a couple big wingers if all the centres go ahead of us.

[Commandant]

First in the draft series... Aaron Ekblad

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/04/...-aaron-ekblad/

[Johnny Rotten]

IIf going by tonight's standing, and if Buffalo wins the lottery, the Flames will draft fourth.

I'd like the Flames to draft Ekblad, but excluding him, is there much of a difference between Sam Bennett, Leon Draisaitl, Sam Reinhart, and Michael Dal Colle, Nylander?

Dal Colle and Nylander maybe out of the top four, but the others seem close from what I've read.

[Commandant]

IMO there is a drop between 3 and 4 and another between about 7 and 8.

Top 3 have a clear separation from #4 imo. I could see any of the top 3 going 1st overall.

That said, #2 on the draft preview is Sam Reinhart.
http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/04/...-sam-reinhart/

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Commandant

IMO there is a drop between 3 and 4 and another between about 7 and 8.

Top 3 have a clear separation from #4 imo. I could see any of the top 3 going 1st overall.

That said, #2 on the draft preview is Sam Reinhart.
http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/04/...-sam-reinhart/

With any luck the Oilers don't agree with this 'clear separation' and pick Draisatl.