So if Jankowski is a bust it isnt fair to compare him to the best of TT, Ceci, Gergunsen oe Gaunce because we couldnt have had all of those players we would have only have had one. So if you wanted to draft TT and both he and Jankoski are busts but gergensen is an all star you shouldnt really be outraged because you would have also been upset if the flames drafted gergensen.
So if in the future you want to complain about this pick i think it is important to compare him to the player you would have picked and not to the field.
Just heard from a friend somewhat in the know that Florida,Vancouver and Detroit wanted him. Apparently Detroit had a deal in place for a high first rounder and pulled it off the table when Calgary took him.
Weisbrod said that they had done research on which teams might take a chance on Jankowski based on past drafting history
Given to where they dropped down, it looked like they weren't concerned with Chicago, Tampa, Philly, Washington, or San Jose grabbing him. And dropping before Florida and Vancouver seems to fit in with your friend's story.
However, given that Boston was really high on Gaudreau, I think they might have been willing to take a chance on Jankowski as well.
So Feaster and Co decided quite some time ago, this would be their guy. That being said, I believe they hold onto the 14th slot just in case someone they never thought they'd have a chance with, somehow dropped to them ala Forsberg. When that's not the case, they have partners set up to move down and do their homework over which teams have been in contact with Jankowski and talked to the agent and him about when they're thinking of taking him. They get the 2nd round pick and move down to a spot where they still feel very comfortable that he'll be around. Well played by the Flames and I don't want to go over the top, but as someone mentioned, that looked like a very confident draft table and the interviews following up the pick. That's a great sign, especially for the awful narrative made up that people are influencing every decision from the owners box.
Weisbrod said that they had done research on which teams might take a chance on Jankowski based on past drafting history
Given to where they dropped down, it looked like they weren't concerned with Chicago, Tampa, Philly, Washington, or San Jose grabbing him. And dropping before Florida and Vancouver seems to fit in with your friend's story.
However, given that Boston was really high on Gaudreau, I think they might have been willing to take a chance on Jankowski as well.
Lots of sights and sounds at the draft, you hear about teams talking to agents or other GM's about what they've heard about the interests of other teams. To me, it would be the best time to just be a fly on the wall. The moves that don't get made, the chess game between the teams and for that matter, the agents and the teams as they try to sell them on a player and the teams that will jump on him, if you don't.
So Feaster and Co decided quite some time ago, this would be their guy. That being said, I believe they hold onto the 14th slot just in case someone they never thought they'd have a chance with, somehow dropped to them ala Forsberg. When that's not the case, they have partners set up to move down and do their homework over which teams have been in contact with Jankowski and talked to the agent and him about when they're thinking of taking him. They get the 2nd round pick and move down to a spot where they still feel very comfortable that he'll be around. Well played by the Flames and I don't want to go over the top, but as someone mentioned, that looked like a very confident draft table and the interviews following up the pick. That's a great sign, especially for the awful narrative made up that people are influencing every decision from the owners box.
I highly doubt Calgary would have picked Forsberg if he would have dropped to 14. In one of the videos Jankowski mentioned his name was stitched to the jersey and going by Feaster's interview about how he thinks Jankowski would be the best player in the draft 10 years from now, I dont think Flames had any intention of picking anyone else but Jankowski.
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the fact he has grown 8" and 45 pounds in 2 years is exciting, the height usually comes before the weight, so its not unreasonable to think over the next 2-3 years that Jankowski can put on another 1-2" and another 50lbs
We could potentially be looking at a 6'4, 220lb centerman in just a couple years.
Last edited by Alberta_Beef; 06-23-2012 at 11:08 PM.
I hate to rain on the parade, but some of you need to learn what photos shot with a wide angle lens look like.
Google image him. The pictures of him with is arms around faster and button or him taping his stick his hands do like large. First thing I noticed at the podium.
This was the most exciting draft for me in a long time - it was a roller coaster!
I couldn't believe that TT was on board - was ECSTATIC that he was available... and my joy turned into agony listening to trade-down.
I was actually quite angry...
Then when the Flames were called again for the 21'st pick, my anger suddenly turned into excitement as soon as I heard who they were picking.
I personally had him in my 'top 5' list (of reasonable expectations - as in Yakupov and such were not on it). I didn't even have TT on there - I thought for sure he would be a top 10 pick. I was hoping for Griffin to fall, though unlikely, and wanted the Flames to pick up Grigs, Collberg, Jankowski - in that order. After getting so upset at not drafting TT, I completely forgot about Jankowski.. and when that name was called, I did a fist-pump.
Risky move? Yep, you bet it is. High school player.
However, to put it in perspective, this league NEVER has NHL scouts present at any time. Scouts were flooding in to view this kid, and his rankings went up - and kept going up. I bet if they noticed this kid earlier on, his ranking would have been even higher.
What is there not to like about this pick?
1) Quality of competition - definitely a bit tougher to gauge his projection
2) A 'longer-term' pick - will not be playing with the Flames for at least a couple of years - probably 3-5.
I can't really think of anything else that is a 'con'. Let's move on to 'pros':
Pros:
1) The kid has exceptional skill - why else was most teams sending their scouts - over and over again to scout him? Must be a reason, no?
2) Size - You can sure bet that even in 'today's NHL', size is still valued. Having a 1st line BIG and talented center is money.
3) Work ethic - seems like this kid is the type that tries to improve, regardless of the obstacles. Players like this bust much less. This is exactly why Daigle busted - no work ethic to speak of. Not only is Jankowski very skilled, but he has a great work ethic.
4) Age - he is young - we basically drafted next year's choice. Whatever skill and possible ceiling he has now, imagine him in another year with QUALITY coaching and another year of growing into his frame. Imagine him now talking with the Flames' development people, an off-season of actual professional high-level training. He is ahead of the curve, in my opinion.
Nobody is right or wrong with their opinion of him - both sides are actually right. This IS a risky move, and you either like it, or you don't (well, Lt. Spears and his voting for and subsequent 'meltdown' opposing this pick not counted out of pure trolling).
This is one of the picks I hoped that the Flames were aggressively scouting at least because of the way I 'think' about it. He has come a long way, and has made a LOT of professional scouts take time from their schedules to view this kid - and KEEP viewing him (according to the team's coach, I believe). This says something. Now, he seemingly developed exceptionally well, without any really good coaching at a critical point in his age (in my opinion - I would think CHL coaches help to develop players along, and no knock against his high school coach - but I would assume he is a step down).
Given that he is the youngest player in the draft, and still rated so highly - and has done so without 'top-tier' coaching - this bodes well for him. It is as if he gets a full year of additional development, and we get to see where he progresses. Dubuqe scouted him, and they are very high on him. This is also good news - some pretty good players of late have been coming out of there. Better coaching and a better program will develop him further - a 'free' year in a way of development.
Nobody really knows how good this kid is going to be. Next season, we will all have a better feel for what he really projects to be. We can compare him to this year's draft class with the players going back to Junior, and because he is really so young, we can compare him to next year's draft class and sort of see where he ranks there as well. I look at this - though I admit it is kind of lame - as us having traded our 1st in 2012 for a 1st in 2013. Not exactly right to do so, but you can make an argument based on only 2 single days of eligibility (and remember, Sven was 'old' in his draft class if memory serves correctly).
At any rate - the people who are high on this pick, and those that are negative on it will get some 'answers' next season.
I, for one, am happy. Not only did we secure a POTENTIAL 'big elite' center, but I have a higher degree of faith that Jankowski will not bust. Reason? Flames scouting staff has VASTLY expanded and seemingly have been getting better every year. Don't trust our scouting staff? Well, trust the scouting staff of other teams who sent their scouts for REPEATED viewings - this is expensive, and it is also an 'opportunity cost' by not viewing players from established leagues. 25 scouts (I think that is what the coach said in one game) all viewing ONLY him, when they could have used that time to scout a regular CHL game and been viewing numerous possible picks in the same game. This leads me to believe that this kid is 'exceptional', but hard to gauge.
I am POSITIVE that no scout just looked at his stat line. They saw his skating, his release, his vision, etc - all the 'skills' on display regularly, and Jankowski came from NOWHERE to be ranked as a late first/mid-second pick by most lists out there. Can he bust? Sure he can... so can Yakupov! Anyone can bust... but I feel WAY better about Jankowski's ceiling as a POSSIBLE #1 center over Gaunce right now, to be honest, and I am STARTING to feel better about his ceiling over that of TT - size is so important no matter how much the NHL changes.
One other thing of note... and this makes me think even better of this pick...
The fact that he 'exploded' in height but was able to still be so 'skilled' is really exceptional, in my opinion. How many guys that suddenly grow like this become 'clumsy' and 'awkward' for a while? Wait until he catches up with his body, and fills in a bit.
He sure can still be a bust.. but at least the Flames drafted the youngest, fastest-rising, tallest, and PERHAPS the 2nd most skilled center available (I don't agree with Craig - I personally think Grigorenko will translate into a #1 center - but next season we get to see how 'close' Jankowski is).
I like this gamble. I am betting that next year, there will be less people 'hating it'. I am eager to see how he does next season in Dubuqe.
What a roller-coaster ride it was yesterday.
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I am interested in comparing him to next year's prospects this time next year. We very well may have got a top 5 talent a year early. It is exciting if this kid pans out to his top potential he could be a franchise centerman.
If he's supposed to be so amazing and would be a slam-dunk top ten or top five pick in the draft next year, why is he '3-5' years away from playing on the Flames? Shouldn't he be ready as early as next season then, as most top ten picks are either ready to jump in right away or only take 1-2 years. Just a thought.
Just seems odd that so many people are saying if he was born three days later he'd be a sure-fire early round guy next draft, maybe even first overall, and others say he won't play on the team for five years.
These are the stats breakdowns of the forwards drafted out of lower tier leagues in North America in the first round since Wheeler, Zajac, Chucko days.
This includes raw point totals, points per game, and draft position.
Out of the Canadian contingent, there is a sizeable split after Cogliano when it comes to ppg in draft year. 2/4 of the players above the split are established NHLers.
BCHL I believe is widely acknowledged as the best tier 2 league.
The Big question here is how Jankowski's league compares to the other tier 2 leagues. The US high school leagues look much weaker then BCHL, and AJHL based on the ppgs, and I would guess Jankowski's league as well.
Leveille is an epic failure of a pick by the stats, and the results. No wonder they moved to Winnipeg.
Last edited by Oil Stain; 06-24-2012 at 10:39 AM.
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I think his age is being overblown; it's not like he's a year younger than the other guys. He's only 2 days younger than Teravainen, 3 weeks younger than Maatta, 1 month younger than Forsberg, and 6 weeks younger than Dumba.
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I think his age is being overblown; it's not like he's a year younger than the other guys. He's only 2 days younger than Teravainen, 3 weeks younger than Maatta, 1 month younger than Forsberg, and 6 weeks younger than Dumba.
Yeah, I think a lot of people are using the age thing as a way to feel better about the pick
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