Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's Hockey Director of Scouting did a 1st round mock draft:
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nh...-mock-draft-10

He has the Flames picking Lindholm, Rychel, and Mantha in the 1st round.

I like the picks but I have a few issues with how the draft went:
- I am not sure I would pick Rychel with Gauthier on the board. I think Rychel is an excellent selection if Gauthier is gone but passing over the 6'4 center who is ranked much higher than the 25th selection is a headscratcher.
- I think Mantha is a good pick and I have suggested him before but after reading Button's comments on Morin from the U18 tournament, I think we should grab him. A 6'7 Dman ""that can skate, that are tough physically, that are rugged, that can make a play with the puck" sounds like something the Flames could really use.

[sureLoss]

Also heads up Sportsnet One at 5pm Mountain is showing the Barrie/London game with potential 1st rounders Domi, Zadarov and Horvat

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Also heads up Sportsnet One at 5pm Mountain is showing the Barrie/London game with potential 1st rounders Domi, Zadarov and Horvat

Also future Flame Aaron Ekblad.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Also future Flame Aaron Ekblad.

Sam Reinhart looks pretty damn good as well.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I already posted about the state of the Lightning team last page... the Lightning have 17 players out of this year's roster under contract for next year. They have 2 RFAs to re-sign and Pouliot will probably want a raise.

The main thing to note about the Lightning is that they do not need help scoring as they are already 5th in the league for putting pucks in the net. What they need help with is preventing goals (26th in the league in GA).

Drouin would be a fantastic addition to every team in the league but I do not believe another offensive threat will help the Lightning fix their current problem. That was the entire basis of my idea of giving them a roster player that would upgrade their D immediately within their cap constraints.

At the start of next season they will have Salo (39), Ohlund (37), Brewer (34), Carle (29), Hedman (22), and Aulie (24) if they re-sign him. This group is getting very old and I think it is showing.

Swapping Salo and Wideman would immediately upgrade that group and if the Flames eat $8M of that contract I would say that is worth more than just a 1st round pick in compensation. I do not know how other people value draft picks but this salary trading system allows you to put an actual dollar value on a draft pick. Considering that, I probably wouldn't even throw in the third round pick anymore.

Ok. The Bolts should trade the 3rd overall, a pick that is going to give its holder the most skilled forward in the draft, a guy who projects to be a franchise player, for help on defense, right now. Let's say I agree with this theory.

Too bad we don't have seasons 1-3 Dion Phaneuf anymore because that's the only asset on defense we've had in at least 10 years that would turn their head.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Wolven

... .

So why would the Lightning want an offensive Dman in Wideman if they don't need help with scoring goals. They could get a much better dman for their pick.

In no world is Wideman the centrepiece for the third overall.

Maybe our first + wideman for Tampa's first, but even then I wouldn't do it if I was Tampa.

[Captain_Obvious]

Originally Posted by saillias

Too bad we don't have seasons 1-3 Dion Phaneuf anymore because that's the only asset on defense we've had in at least 10 years that would turn their head.

Would they take Stajan and the phone number for Nik Hagman's agent instead?

[Phaneuf_Rules]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's Hockey Director of Scouting did a 1st round mock draft:
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nh...-mock-draft-10

He has the Flames picking Lindholm, Rychel, and Mantha in the 1st round.

That would be awesome (lindholm / mohanon)

[Phaneuf_Rules]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I like the picks but I have a few issues with how the draft went:
- I am not sure I would pick Rychel with Gauthier on the board. I think Rychel is an excellent selection if Gauthier is gone but passing over the 6'4 center who is ranked much higher than the 25th selection is a headscratcher.
- I think Mantha is a good pick and I have suggested him before but after reading Button's comments on Morin from the U18 tournament, I think we should grab him. A 6'7 Dman ""that can skate, that are tough physically, that are rugged, that can make a play with the puck" sounds like something the Flames could really use.

I agree with the Gauier comment but morin will definitely be gone imo.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I like the picks but I have a few issues with how the draft went:
- I am not sure I would pick Rychel with Gauthier on the board. I think Rychel is an excellent selection if Gauthier is gone but passing over the 6'4 center who is ranked much higher than the 25th selection is a headscratcher.
- I think Mantha is a good pick and I have suggested him before but after reading Button's comments on Morin from the U18 tournament, I think we should grab him. A 6'7 Dman ""that can skate, that are tough physically, that are rugged, that can make a play with the puck" sounds like something the Flames could really use.

I have heard from some that Gauthier is over-rated. He is just big, that's all. So I decided to check out as much highlights as I could on this guy and I got to say that I was not at all impressed. He did not at all look like he had any offensive instinct to him and didn't look like he had a good hockey IQ~ I know it's just highlights etc that I saw, but from what I saw, I was not impressed at all and I don't think we should rate someone over a guy with real talent like Rychel cause he is big- no matter where Gauthier is rated IMO.

[bucksmasher]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's Hockey Director of Scouting did a 1st round mock draft:
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nh...-mock-draft-10

He has the Flames picking Lindholm, Rychel, and Mantha in the 1st round.

Hes got Niskirussian going to Winnipeg, falling way low and to a team that is supposedly not on the commrade's list.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by bucksmasher

Hes got Niskirussian going to Winnipeg, falling way low and to a team that is supposedly not on the commrade's list.

I would like to see the Flames find a way to draft Nichushkin, not with our first pick. This guy is an obvious, elite talent that doesn't come around all the time. Russian or not, and yes, I know he's under contract for the next 2 years in the KHL, but I think we would be silly to pass on possibly the most talented player in this draft. If he wasn't under contract the next 2 years and add the russian factor, I would take him first.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by cowtown75

I would like to see the Flames find a way to draft Nichushkin, not with our first pick. This guy is an obvious, elite talent that doesn't come around all the time. Russian or not, and yes, I know he's under contract for the next 2 years in the KHL, but I think we would be silly to pass on possibly the most talented player in this draft. If he wasn't under contract the next 2 years and add the russian factor, I would take him first.

1st overall? How much have you seen him play? (Honest question). I have not seen him play at all, only read scouting reports but what about him makes you believe he will be a better NHL player than the current top 4 ranked players?

[getbak]

The Los Angeles win tonight guarantees the St Louis pick will be 23rd overall, at the latest. The pick can still move up a maximum of four spots (to 19th overall) depending on which teams make the Conference Finals.


For every one of the teams in green who make the Conference Finals, the Blues pick moves up one spot...

Chicago
Anaheim
Vancouver
St Louis
Los Angeles
San Jose
Detroit
Minnesota

Pittsburgh
Montreal
Washington
Boston
Toronto
Rangers
Ottawa
Islanders


A Detroit win on Sunday would guarantee the 22 overall pick because it would put 3 lower-ranked teams in the second round, guaranteeing at least one goes to the final four.

Unless one or more of the Leafs, Rangers, or Islanders can come back and win their series, the highest the pick could go would be 20th because Ottawa would be the only lower-ranked team in the second round.

[nik-]

pretty likely at least one more division leader gets knocked out before the conference finals. Along with Anaheim possibly losing, I think it's likely we end up at 21 or 22.

Not bad

[DeluxeMoustache]

^^ Very good post by getbak. Thanks.

[sun]

22 is not bad at all. Could be a really solid player still on the board at that point.

[PlayfulGenius]

For sure there will be... I'm PUMPED!!!

[Max Cow Disease]

I find this all to be just utterly fantastic.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's Hockey Director of Scouting did a 1st round mock draft:
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nh...-mock-draft-10

He has the Flames picking Lindholm, Rychel, and Mantha in the 1st round.

I've seen a ton of different mock drafts and as they once were fairly similar, in the past month they all have changed dramatically. None of the lists are the same anymore and that excites me. Will be a very interesting day come draft day.