2014 Draft Discussion

[Wolfman]

Here's the lastest draft rankings...

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=49649

I'm assuming come the end of the season the Flames will be picking in the top 5. It all depends on where the team finishes but I don't see having a pick in the top 2.

Who is everyone wanting outside of Reinhart and Ekblad? I am interested in Nick Ritchie who is ranked 20th and if you watch his highlights defines 'truculance'. LW out playing in Peterborough. This is only if the Flames are able to snag another 1st at the deadline or draft.

[sureLoss]

pretty much being discussed here:
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=130122

[Wolfman]

Sorry dude, I tried looking back and couldn't see a thread on it.

[cracher]

Caught a Petes game in Ottawa last season. Are you sure nick ritchie plays on the left side? I could have sworn he lined up right. He is a high-octane kid, but he looked like a beanpole compared to Monahan. That and I have trouble getting past the name. It's almost as if he should be running a shady gossip blog instead a of playing hockey.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 2

Edit sorry was typing when the link to the other thread was posted.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by cracher

Caught a Petes game in Ottawa last season. Are you sure nick ritchie plays on the left side? I could have sworn he lined up right. He is a high-octane kid, but he looked like a beanpole compared to Monahan. That and I have trouble getting past the name. It's almost as if he should be running a shady gossip blog instead a of playing hockey.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 2

He shoots left but may play RW. With Burke at the helm he was just a suggestion as he play physical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z6-JHnFnoo

[djsFlames]

Here's some draft season updates on the consensus "top" players (by November ranking):


Sam Reinhart C (WHL) - 33GP 16G 34A 50PTS 2PIM +4


Aaron Ekblad D (OHL) - 29GP 10G 15A 25PTS 41PIM +1


William Nylander C (Rogle) - 18GP 4G 4A 8PTS 10PIM 0


Leon Draisaitl C/LW (WHL) - 33GP 18G 33A 51PTS 18PIM +1


Michael Dal Colle C (OHL) - 35GP 23G 33A 56PTS 24PIM +7


Roland McKeown D (OHL) - 32GP 4G 16A 20PTS 32PIM +21


Jakub Vrana C (SuperElit) - 19GP 12G 9A 21PTS 12PIM +2


Nick Ritchie LW (OHL) - 28GP 15G 11A 26PTS 70PIM -9


Jake Virtanen RW/C (WHL) - 31GP 17G 9A 26PTS 33PIM +5


Haydn Fleury D (WHL) - 33GP 5G 17A 22PTS 14PIM +7


Ivan Barbashev LW (QMJHL) - 27GP 11G 23A 34PTS 17PIM -6


Sam Bennett C (OHL) - 31GP 19G 26A 45PTS 55PIM +13


Dal Colle intrigues me as a possibility at the Flames position. Gritty but skilled player, and a center to boot.

[jg13]

I want Ekblad but that won't happen.

Would love Dal Colle. He'd be my #1st pick for a forward.

[Da_Chief]

Leon "German Gertzky" Draisaitl really intrigues me. High blend of skill and size.

[Poe969]

I don't know why some don't think we can get a top 2 pick. It's not even half way through the year yet and we all know the flames are going to trade some vets and probably end up even worse for right now. Other teams are starting to actually play hockey too.

I would love Ekblad or Reinhart but Dal Cole looks great too. I'm just excited for these next 2 drafts because I think we can get franchise players in both of them. Top 3 picks look like reality now for this team.

If we can get a couple of late first rounders, I really hope they gamble and take risks on guys

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I don't know why some don't think we can get a top 2 pick. It's not even half way through the year yet and we all know the flames are going to trade some vets and probably end up even worse for right now. Other teams are starting to actually play hockey too.

I would love Ekblad or Reinhart but Dal Cole looks great too. I'm just excited for these next 2 drafts because I think we can get franchise players in both of them. Top 3 picks look like reality now for this team.

If we can get a couple of late first rounders, I really hope they gamble and take risks on guys

I suppose there's a small chance the Oilers, Sabres, Islanders and Panthers learn how to play hockey, but I just don't see us sucking more than them over the rest of the season. The Flames just play too hard; there's no way we won't pick up more points than those hopeless & hapless franchises. (HOW are the Oilers STILL so bad and no one is being held accountable??)

The only way we tank hard enough for that to happen is if there's a Boxing Week blow-out sale and Burke trades all our vets at once. Part of me would like to see Stajan/Stempniak/Cammalleri gone for picks ASAP so that we tank hard & long enough for Ekblad, but I just don't think that's the message to send to the young guys.

[Da_Chief]

Panthers are starting to un-suck, hopefully they continue.

Oilers, still think they'll end up ahead of us, they'll go on a useless streak like we used to.

Sabres are bad. Not much to sell, can't get worse.

Isles, who knows. They need to figure it out, get a goalie, team should be better, they want to be better.

CBJ, bobrovsky not playing un-real so they'll suck.

With us selling off soon hopefully, we end up 3rd imo.

[FlameZilla]

Anthony DeAngelo – Sarnia (OHL) D – R 5'11/175 30GP 9G 37A 46PTS -11

Those are some insane offensive numbers for a Dman. Too small for Burke, though...

[dissentowner]

Put me on the Hayden Fleury band wagon. Big strong mobile D man who plays a solid two way game. This is with the assumption that all of Reinhart, Ekblad, Nylander, and Dal Colle will be gone by the time we pick. I think those 4 will be the 1st 4 picks selected.

[FlamesAddiction]

I like what Leon Draisaitl has shown so far. If we are picking 5th and the top 4 are gone (Reinhart, Ekblad, Nylander, and Dal Colle), I wouldn't mind us taking another centre.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

I suppose there's a small chance the Oilers, Sabres, Islanders and Panthers learn how to play hockey, but I just don't see us sucking more than them over the rest of the season. The Flames just play too hard; there's no way we won't pick up more points than those hopeless & hapless franchises. (HOW are the Oilers STILL so bad and no one is being held accountable??)

If the last two seasons have shown me anything, it's that it's incredibly difficult for some upstart team to just waltz into the bottom three of the league. That level of elite suckage takes years to develop, from the front office, to the coaching, right down to the ice. The Oilers, Panthers, and Isles of the league have a wealth of experience and veteran savvy at sucking that a team like the Flames just can't match. We may get there someday. But we need to temper our expectations. These things don't happen overnight.

[herashak]

panthers are playing good hockey right now. the isles are talented and if they acquire scrivens when quick comes back they can have a respectable record. Oilers will win when everyone has forgot about them again. buffalo is the only team that i am 100% sure will finish below us.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Put me on the Hayden Fleury band wagon. Big strong mobile D man who plays a solid two way game. This is with the assumption that all of Reinhart, Ekblad, Nylander, and Dal Colle will be gone by the time we pick. I think those 4 will be the 1st 4 picks selected.

If those 4 are already picked, my first choice would be Leon Draisaitl, the German 'superstar', before Fleury. If Ekblad is gone, it'll be the best forward available over the best d-man available, cause it's not a great draft and possesses few outstanding players and Draisaitl will be less of a risk being a forward. (only exception I would make in this batch would be for Ekblad). However, I would like us to pick up a 1st from a fringe playoff team for offensive help in Cammalleri, and take Fleury with that (if he's still there, which he might be).

[H2SO4(aq)]

Dal Colle hopefully if we are picking 3-7

[dammage79]

You know, if the Flames finish with a top ten pick without winning the lottery, if you could trade that pick and something else for Lindholm I think it would be good to do it. Only two years max separates whatever player in this draft the team would take and Lindholm.

Good pesky RH C/RW with a scoring touch would sit well with Monahan and Jankowski. In the future. Just a thought.

[Wingman17]

After Reinhardt and Ekblad are gone my order for 3-5 would be Bennett, Dal Colle, Draisaitl. Stats wise I like Deangelo if we had a 16-20 pick. But his stock really seems to be going up. I do like Bennett though as he seems like a gritty C coming from the OHL. Other than the top 2 there really isn't a whole bunch to get excited about.