Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[FlamesAddiction]

I am not even sure MacKinnon projects to be a centre at the NHL level. He is playing there now in junior, but is a converted RW (a lot of sources I see still have him as an RW). Is it even a guarantee that he won't be one of those "centres" drafted that ends up playing wing in the NHL?

[Poe969]

That's something that has to be discussed in interviews with players before the draft. Great point.

[PeteLFan]

Its a hard pick between Mackinnon or Droiun, but Mackinnon has the goal scoring ablity, playmaking, and hes got speed.

Drouin is high IQ, quick hands, and ability to go one on one.

We should be getting a franchise player either way, but if we have to pick between the two, I would say Nathan Mackinnon is the guy.

[Jing]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I am not even sure MacKinnon projects to be a centre at the NHL level. He is playing there now in junior, but is a converted RW. Is it even a guarantee that he won't be one of those "centres" drafted that ends up playing wing in the NHL?

I was thinking this as well. I haven't watched him play too much, but from highlights it seems like he is more of a shooting center as opposed to a playmaker? Can anyone confirm this?

[moon]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I am not even sure MacKinnon projects to be a centre at the NHL level. He is playing there now in junior, but is a converted RW (a lot of sources I see still have him as an RW). Is it even a guarantee that he won't be one of those "centres" drafted that ends up playing wing in the NHL?

I have heard that he is very good defensively and that is one of the things that seems to be an issue for junior centers that get shifted to wing. But other than that I haven't heard anyone suggest that he wouldn't be a center at the NHL level in anything I have read/heard and I would imagine that would be a big issue with him if that were the case.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by Jing

I was thinking this as well. I haven't watched him play too much, but from highlights it seems like he is more of a shooting center as opposed to a playmaker? Can anyone confirm this?

Hes more of a scoring centre, the likes of Steven Stamkos, more then a Crosby. More like Tavares and Stamkos, less of Crosby.

I think he still projects to be a NHL centre, and I think a lot of people see it that way as well. Plus its easier to convert centres to wing, then it is to wingers to centres.

He is also very good two way players, which we need real bad. Not to mention the speed and the fact he goes hard every shift, hes tenacious on the forecheck and backcheck.

[Nemisz/Breen]

Button says that Barkov is the more natural centre, of the two.

[Poe969]

If he turns out anything like Tavares we'd be lucky!

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by Nemisz/Breen

Button says that Barkov is the more natural centre, of the two.

Then its settled Mackinnon it is.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Then its settled Mackinnon it is.

Not that long ago, Button made a case for Barkov for 1st overall as well. Button loves him and some people say that Craig's list is based on scouting from Tod. I don't know if he still feels that way or if he was just shooting the breeze.

[Tinordi]

With a high pick you need to go for the elite offensive ceiling not the positional need player. Excellent comparison is the 2007 NHL draft.

For many here in this thread, the best pick with the first overall would have been Kyle Turris because he's a center and still projected very high. Patrick Kane was a smaller winger that had significantly more talent. Would you have preferred the Flames took Turris at the time? There were questions at the time about Kane, was he big enough, he wasn't the "clear cut" consensus #1 compared to other drafts say with Stamkos or Yakupov. He was also a left wing, played on a dominant team, but showed very good hockey IQ and elite hands.

Now the analogy isn't direct, certainly there was a bigger gap between Kane and Turris than there is now between Mackinnon and Drouin the logic is the same. Drouin looks like he has the elite scoring talent while Mackinnon is more of a jack of all skills.

[Tinordi]

My final point is that there isn't just one positional need anymore. Look at the roster, there are needs at EVERY position. Jones, Drouin, Mackinnon whomever, they all fill a big hole.

[Poe969]

I agree with pretty much everything you're saying. I just think that center is a position that never comes along. It's next to imposible to find an elite #1 center for your team other than through the draft. Kane was picked because they had Toews. The Flames have holes everywhere but the center position is just to rare to pass up. There will always be a chance to pick up another winger, the chance to get a true center just never comes along.

Ideally, they'd somehow manage to get Drouin and MacKinnon together

[Saqe]

Yeah, I don´t think you can go wrong if you have a top3 pick with any of these guys. Flames need help in every position, there are no strengths in this team at the moment, which is pretty puzzling.

[nfotiu]

How much of a concern is it that Mackinnon and Drouin are playing in the Q? Lots of guys seem to rack up points in that league and most of them never even sniff the NHL. Is there a guy since Crosby who has translated success in the Q to an any kind of elite nhl career.

[Muffins]

So if the standings remain the way they are and the Flames pick 3rd, how does everyone see the first 3 going?

my guess

COL: Jones
FLA: Drouin (Huberdeau and Drouin is a scary good combo)
CGY: MacKinnon

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Nemisz/Breen

Button says that Barkov is the more natural centre, of the two.

curious where this came from.

Button says this about Mackinnon - "A clear cut number one center."

and this about Barkov - "Has the potential to be a top number 1 center."

the former seems more definitive than the latter

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=9840

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Muffins

So if the standings remain the way they are and the Flames pick 3rd, how does everyone see the first 3 going?

my guess

COL: Jones
FLA: Drouin (Huberdeau and Drouin is a scary good combo)
CGY: MacKinnon

I see that as pretty realistic. In a way, it would be kind of a relief since the decision will be made for us. No amount of bad scouting could screw up Mackinnon at 3rd... unles less they go off the board. Hard to imagine they would. Barkov might sneak in there, but I doubt it.

[_Q_]

Call me crazy, but the Brian Burke in me would like to do the following:

Gaudreau + Granlund + Pittsburgh pick for pick #1/2
Baertschi + St. Louis pick for pick #4/5

Then pick any 3 of Drouin, Jones, Barkov, MacKinnon.

Boom, instant rebuild.

[FlamesAddiction]

Here is Button's case for Barkov to be taken 1st overall:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=407200