Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[calgARI]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Unfortunately Johnny has all but committed to returning to BC next year. I feel that due to the fact that he is a sophomore and the other 2 nominated for the Hobey Baker are seniors it will probably undeservingly go to one of them since Johnny will still have 2 more seasons to win one.

Like that time that freshman Paul Kariya won it over two seniors? Gaudreau has a very very good chance at winning. More often than not, high profile players from high profile schools win it and it has nothing to do with what year they are. Like most other stupid sports awards (including many in the NHL), a bunch of not very knowledgeable and extremely biased media vote so the most recognizable players from the most recognizable programs have a huge advantage.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Agreed- frankly sucking hard this year is the best thing that could have happened. I'll take any of the top 4 guys over any of the oilers first overall picks, particularly that Yakupov goof. In this draft I bet Yakupov would go 7th or 8th.

What a goof.

I was actually talking to one of my Oiler fan buddies as he was razzing me that we still weren't going to get a 1st overall talent and I pretty well said the same thing that Yakupov wouldn't be a top 5 prospect in this draft. Hall and RNH are really good players but I don't think they crack top 3 in this draft as well.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by calgARI

Like that time that freshman Paul Kariya won it over two seniors? Gaudreau has a very very good chance at winning. More often than not, high profile players from high profile schools win it and it has nothing to do with what year they are. Like most other stupid sports awards (including many in the NHL), a bunch of not very knowledgeable and extremely biased media vote so the most recognizable players from the most recognizable programs have a huge advantage.

Yeah I'm not saying he doesn't have a chance because he does for sure. But Kariya was the clear choice in 1993 (100 points vs a couple of guys with 62 and 63 points). This year is much much tighter than that and I just hope the voters decision isn't swayed at all by age. But he SHOULD win I think.

[VERVE]

mod edit: Nobody cares about HF. Leave that discussion over there, please.

[Cheerio]

mod edit: removed Verve's useless post



Putting the thread back on track, I think I would rank the top 10 (for the Flames):
1. MacKinnon
2. Drouin
3. Barkov
4. Jones
5. Monahan
6. Nichushkin
7. Lindholm
8. Nurse
9. Rastolainen
10. Zadorov

[Hair bleach and Vodka]

I hope we grab MacKinnon and somehow move up to grab Drouin as well. Seeing as that's probably not very likely.. I'm praying to the hockey gods we get MacKinnon and Nichuskin.

Is there any talk about any of these falling like Grigs did last year? I saw a poster mention Nichuskin but are there any other names being thrown around yet?

[ramizle]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Putting the thread back on track, I think I would rank the top 10 (for the Flames):
1. MacKinnon
2. Drouin
3. Barkov
4. Jones
5. Monahan
6. Nichushkin
7. Lindholm
8. Nurse
9. Rastolainen
10. Zadorov

Your list looks great but I for one would rather pick Drouin before Mackinnon. I think Drouin is gonna be better than MacKinnon and if its true, maybe he can revert back to center anyway.

[Caged Great]

From what I've seen of the defensemen in the 15-20 range, and the defensemen in the 25-30 range they are mostly equivalent, just depends on which one you like really. Because of that, I would be more interested in getting any of Erne, Gauthier or Mantha with our 2nd pick. Especially Gauthier who looks like a 6-5 version of what Ryan O'Reilly is.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

From what I've seen of the defensemen in the 15-20 range, and the defensemen in the 25-30 range they are mostly equivalent, just depends on which one you like really. Because of that, I would be more interested in getting any of Erne, Gauthier or Mantha with our 2nd pick. Especially Gauthier who looks like a 6-5 version of what Ryan O'Reilly is.

Yes please to Gauthier.

MacKinnon
Gauthier
Petan


What a boost to our prospect center/forward depth it would be to leave the draft with those three.

[Caged Great]

Of the top 3 forwards, the comparisons of the limited viewing of each that I would give are

Drouin = Poor man's Sidney Crosby. He plays a similar style of game from the very little I've seen

McKinnon - Poor man's Jonathan Toews without the clear leadership skills.

Barkov - Olli Jokinen without an attitute problem and with good hockey sense.

[drPepper1]

Nischukin s play reminds me of Malkin, hoping he falls back to our Blues pick.

I'm not sure which player I would prefer out of Mackinnon or Drouin, tough choice. The more I watch Drouin, it seems like he could end up being better than Mackinnon. Just seems like he has more tools in terms of stick handling and his lateral movement. The guy just so shifty, is a great passer, has patience with the puck and his ability to create plays in tight.

[Fischy13]

When does the lottery take place this year. What new date am I looking forward to? IIRC, it's the day before the playoffs start?

[Hustle]

Originally Posted by Fischy13

When does the lottery take place this year. What new date am I looking forward to? IIRC, it's the day before the playoffs start?

April 29th.

As for the draft, as big as our first is going to be... it's those later two picks where this organization has to make its hay. The top end of this draft is pretty fool-proof (I'd hope anyways)... be great to nail those other two picks and really start this rebuild off properly.

[vilzeh]

MacKinnon or Drouin, sign me up. While, Barkov is highly anticipated and all, but from the games I've seen him play (live & tv) in the SM-Liiga, seems to me like the loved ex-flame Ville Nieminen makes Barkov a better player than he really is with his gritty and never give up attitude. Also Barkov is now off for the entire season (due to injury, clean hit, boom), just when his team is going to the finals.

[Dorkmaster]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

[IMG]
1. MacKinnon
2. Drouin
3. Barkov
4. Jones
5. Monahan
6. Nichushkin
7. Lindholm
8. Nurse
9. Rastolainen
10. Zadorov

Here is what I don't really understand. The Flames have holes everywhere and yet we would rather take Barkov than Jones even when Jones is consensus number one?

Having said that though, I think any of the top 4 would turn this club around in a hurry. Very lucky that we're terrible this year instead of some of the others.

[Da_Chief]

Wanted Mackinnon before but watched a few youtube vids.

From watching youtube vids:

Mackinnon
-Really good shot
-Goes to the net
-Good skater
-Decent stickhandling
-Finds that open area to be in, good instincts

Drouin
-Shifty
-Mad stickhandling, really good
-Relentless on the play
-Really good skater
-Great vision

Just from these videos, here how Id rank them.

Pure skill: Drouin
Shot: Mackinnon
Speed: Drouin
Hockey sense: Would call it even, Drouin finds the open men and Mack finds open slots
Playmaking: Drouin

If I was picking I'd go Drouin.

[Ashasx]

I really don't think Drouin is as fast as MacKinnon. His skating is fine, but Nate is one of the best skaters I've seen.

[Fischy13]

So if Calgary finishes 3rd, we actually have a really good chance of not moving down at all. 58% to be exact. I keep thinking we only have our odds. But if either of the 2 teams below us wins it, that's a win for us too in a round about way.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Dorkmaster

Here is what I don't really understand. The Flames have holes everywhere and yet we would rather take Barkov than Jones even when Jones is consensus number one?
.

I agree. Too much emphasis is put on position. Most, if not all of these prospects will not step in right away, and if they do, they aren't likely to be key players immediately. Not to mention the unpleasant truth that any of them could end up being busts or not live up to expectations.

For this reason, you need to take the best player available. If you're an optimist, you might even point out that some centre we already drafted (maybe Jankowski), or some later round dark horse could develop beyond expectations in a couple of years. Drafting for present needs is not a great strategy IMO.

People might point out to the rarity of #1 centres available on the market, which is a fair observation (but it's not an impossibility either), but elite players in general are rare enough that if you think one has even a slightly better chance of panning out or being a better player, you need to jump on it. How many Iginla calibre players have we had in the past 16 years? One! It's still once is a hockey generation for us. Isn't that rare enough? How many Al MacInnis's have we have since we traded him? Zip.

I'm not saying Drouin or Jones are better prospects than Mackinnon or Barkov, but if I was a GM and I thought they were even slightly better (or had a slightly smaller chance of being a bust), there is no way I wouldn't take them over the others.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Dorkmaster

Here is what I don't really understand. The Flames have holes everywhere and yet we would rather take Barkov than Jones even when Jones is consensus number one?

Having said that though, I think any of the top 4 would turn this club around in a hurry. Very lucky that we're terrible this year instead of some of the others.

I think why a majority of people are leaning towards Mackinnon, Drouin, Barkov, or even Monanhan over Jones is that first time in franchise history the Flames from a very realistic shot of picking-up a generational offensive scoring talent with a top five pick. And one of these three or four prospects has a very strong chance that they'll turn into that player that the team desperately needs, especially now that Iginla has left.

Jones would be an amazing pick-up, but he's not the sexy pick at the moment. Jones may still turn out to be a better player in the long term, but the opportunity for the Flames to pick-up a surefire offensive talent is something the franchise should be salivating at.