Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by calgARI

This is the best college hockey recruiting website with detailed rankings for every league dating back to the 90's. Always interesting to look back.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...2c&output=html

Hard to tell from there how strong Providence's recruiting class is from that but it doesn't look like they've landed anybody with any experience with US junior national teams who I'd assume the better players available would play with along with the top Junior A guys from Canada and the only Junior A guy they picked up is a 21/22 year old dman from West Kelowna.

Hope they are able to add some stronger players... you'd think with Gillies amazing year and Jankowski an NHL 1st rounder that it would help them recruit around them.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Why? I like Monahan a lot but Bakrov is the much better prospect.

Just a feeling about Monahan and I may be wrong but I think he's better than being announced, nothing against Barkov at all and I would be happy with either

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Are any of the picks outside of the top 3 even NHL ready? I think Monahan should be back in junior if the Oilers draft him.

MacKinnon, Jones, Barkov are all NHL ready from what I've seen. Drouin and Lindholm are probably/maybe.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

MacKinnon, Jones, Barkov are all NHL ready from what I've seen. Drouin and Lindholm are probably/maybe.

Lindholm said he is playing another year in Sweden next year. Monahan is ready now.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by T@T

Doubt Mackinnon value but a couple of players have me wondering how good they'll be.

Morgan Klimchuk - Extremely fast skater with great instints, like Mackinnon he works hard every shift in every zone.

Bo Horvat - Kid seems to be the full package, at worst a good 2nd-3rd line center.

Frederik Gauthier - late bloomer but is very talented,nice skater and very big, a friend told me he like Joe Thornton the way he controls and passes the puck.

I think Gauthier is the next Rob Niedermeyer. He is clumsy as crap- no where close to Joe. I'm sorry about your friend's assessment. He is just big, that's all.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Are any of the picks outside of the top 3 even NHL ready? I think Monahan should be back in junior if the Oilers draft him.

According to his coach, he is ready now. Also, he has already put his time in as a junior.

[HighLifeMan]

Originally Posted by cowtown75

I think Gauthier is the next Rob Niedermeyer. He is clumsy as crap- no where close to Joe. I'm sorry about your friend's assessment. He is just big, that's all.

That is simply not true.
He is a big, strong, mobile, two way center that thinks the game at a good but not elite level in all three zones. He may not have the raw offensive skillset to project as a first line center but his upside is still more than enough to get excited over.

Very few players his size can skate the way he does, and you can't knock his compete level or work ethic. I would have absolutely no problems selecting Frederick Gauthier with the St. Louis pick if he were to be available.

As a rookie in the QMJHL Gauthier was nominated as a finalist for the Guy Carbonneau award, which is annually awarded to the best defensive forward in the Q.

Calgary could very well come out of the draft with a Jordan Staal type center if developed properly.

He has the physical tools and smarts to be a high end defensive center at the NHL level in my opinion.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by calgARI

This is the best college hockey recruiting website with detailed rankings for every league dating back to the 90's. Always interesting to look back.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...2c&output=html

I didn't realise Johnny Gaudreau had a brother named Matt. USHL stats don't blow me away but I wonder if he's any good?

[Caged Great]

Fredrik Gauthier reminds me mostly of Martin Hanzal. Big, responsible defensively and okay offensively. A good 3rd line Center. If there's a guy available that has legit first line upside like Zykov or Horvat available at 22, sure, don't be stupid and go for them, but having a big good skating responsible 3rd line center is nothing to shake a stick at.

Gauthier should be at least a good 3rd/4th liner and if he develops offensively, he could be a 6'5" Ryan O'Reilly.

[FlamesAddiction]

I have never seen Frederik Gauthier, but someone around here alluded to him as being next Dingman. If so, stay away.

[moon]

Originally Posted by cowtown75

According to his coach, he is ready now. Also, he has already put his time in as a junior.

I am sure it won't be a popular opinion but if you get Rob Niedermayer, guy who played 1000+ games, defensively responsible, not awful offensive numbers with the 20-23 overall pick that is a good pick.

I know everyone wants Claude Giroux/Corey Perry with the two late picks but getting a Rob Niedermayer type would be useful as well.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Klefbom (1st rounder from 2 years ago) should be in the lineup this season or 2014-2015 latest. Nurse is 2-3 years away from being NHL ready.

Which should be perfect as by the time he's getting his feet weth Justin Schultz will be bolting via free agency. You only need to look at what he did to the Ducks to see there is no loyalty with this kid and he chose the Oilers only because he knew he could walk in and get a lot of ice time and build himself up for a big payday in free agency.

[Commandant]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Myth #1 of the entry draft: There is consensus outside of the top few picks.

There is no consensus. The teams will have lists that drastically vary from each other. Weisbrod saying that some players went in the first round that the Flames didn't have ranked as high should be expected. It happens every year.

Some fans believe there is consensus of opinion in the draft but difference of opinion is actually the norm. I think some fans would be shocked to see how different teams lists are. Sometimes a player could go in the 1st or 2nd that another team didn't even put on their list.

Yup, when I interviewed Trevor Timmins he said they only do about 90-100 guys on their draft list, because even with 210 picks, someone they have ranked in the top 100 is available in the 7th round . NHL teams vary that much.

[Commandant]

Anton Slepyshev, big Russian forward, very skilled, KHL Factor alarm bells.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/05/...er-profile-47/

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by moon

I am sure it won't be a popular opinion but if you get Rob Niedermayer, guy who played 1000+ games, defensively responsible, not awful offensive numbers with the 20-23 overall pick that is a good pick.

I know everyone wants Claude Giroux/Corey Perry with the two late picks but getting a Rob Niedermayer type would be useful as well.

I don't see a problem with that and a lot of people seem to have a hard on for Horvat who projects to be a Rob Niedermayer type player. Nothing really wrong with that as you need those utility guys.

[calgARI]

Originally Posted by icarus

I didn't realise Johnny Gaudreau had a brother named Matt. USHL stats don't blow me away but I wonder if he's any good?

He's fine but won't sniff the NHL. Will be a 4th line enery guy at BC when he cracks the lineup which probably won't be right away.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't see a problem with that and a lot of people seem to have a hard on for Horvat who projects to be a Rob Niedermayer type player. Nothing really wrong with that as you need those utility guys.

If we can get 3 guys that can be contributing players on the Flames once we return to the playoffs, then those picks are good ones regardless of what position they are or how high/low they are on the depth chart. We need players that are effective at what they do, period. If we can get guys that fit in the top 6, all the better, but usually you only get those guys in the top 5 or so and have to get lucky beyond #15

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by cowtown75

According to his coach, he is ready now. Also, he has already put his time in as a junior.

I'd send Monahan back. Even if he is mentally ready... he's not going to have an elite rookie season and saving a year on his contract is more important to the Flames future than having him in the NHL playing 4th line minutes.

[calgARI]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Hard to tell from there how strong Providence's recruiting class is from that but it doesn't look like they've landed anybody with any experience with US junior national teams who I'd assume the better players available would play with along with the top Junior A guys from Canada and the only Junior A guy they picked up is a 21/22 year old dman from West Kelowna.

Hope they are able to add some stronger players... you'd think with Gillies amazing year and Jankowski an NHL 1st rounder that it would help them recruit around them.

Recruiting for college hockey happens mostly 2+ years in advance to the player arriving on campus. And during this time period Providence has changed coaches so their recruiting is a bit up in the air with high end players. So most of Providence's recruits had committed well before Jankowski and Gillied ever showed up. And Providence has always been a mid level program so unlikely they are landing many studs though their coach Leaman has strong pedigree having built the Union program from nothing.

It should also be noted that very few college freshmen are the natural age with many as old as 21 which is one reason more and more guys are getting drafted out of USHL, BCHL, high schools, etc. Most of the guys from the national program are overrated and natural aged in college but because they are usually very hyped, almost all the good ones land at BC, BU, Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan with very few exceptions. The players out of the USHL and BCHL are the oldest and highest impact. The site I listed above ranks players in order coming from those leagues going back to 98 so interesting to look at.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't see a problem with that and a lot of people seem to have a hard on for Horvat who projects to be a Rob Niedermayer type player. Nothing really wrong with that as you need those utility guys.

I personally think Horvat may have a higher upside, like maybe that of a Conroy type of player. And while Niedermeyer was decent defensively, he was also dog lazy, indifferent at times, and at other times, just clueless on the ice. Some of the things Horvat gets praised for the most are his drive , hockey sense and work ethic.