Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

I could see the Islanders drafting a winger. They have Hamonic, de Haan, Donovan and Hickey in the line up right now as young D, with Reinhart, Pulock, Polkka, and Pelech in the system.

They have some young talent in the NHL at center as well with Tavares, Strome, and Brock Nelson are 23 and younger while Nielsen is only 29.

unfortunately the 3 best centers in this draft can be converted into very good wingers for the Islanders

Reinhart - has played RW in some of the more recent international tournaments and has looked good

Bennett - been shifted from C to LW and back numerous times this season and last

Draisaitl - converted from LW to C in the WHL this season

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Miniac

If Buffalo wins the lottery, I can see Edmonton making a deal with Buffalo for Ekblad. Buffalo goes on and picks Reinhart & Bennett.

I hope Burke calls Buffalo and tells him if the oilers call tell them that the flames are trying to move up just so Edmonton over pays.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

We lack skill though. It's also not like he's a midget, he's 5-11 which was as tall as Langkow, or taller than Cammalleri, Hudler, Gaudreau and Baertschi.

Ideally we'd find someone that has both high end skill and is 6-3, but unfortunately that guy doesn't exist this year. You're either getting someone that's mediocre and big or moderately sized and skilled.

Gotta disagree with almost everything in this post. We lack skill? Gaudreau, Baerstchi and Granlund are all highly skilled players with below average height and are arguably 3 of our top prospects. We're somewhat deep in skilled, smaller players.

No guys skilled and 6'3 this year? That's completely false. Dal Colle, Ritchie and Perlini are all highly skilled and likely to end up around 6'3. All are expected to go around our draft position.

Shakes head. It's highly unlikely we take Ehlers over the big wingers given our organizational needs.

[dammage79]

I'd rather Kapanen than Ehlers. And I'd prefer Kapanen over Ritchie for sure. Its close between Perlini and Kapanen for me.

Edit: Kapanen is listed at six feet tall one hundred and eighty one pounds. Will likely be a bit bigger come the combine.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Ehlers is listed 6' on some sites. He is not a small player but extremely skilled. Questions being asked about him are the same question that were asked about Drouin playing along Mackinnon last year.

I'd rather have a bit undersizes skilled fast player then take a flyer on a bigger player with much less skill. It's become a bit more skilled game in recent years.

Like I proposed earlier, line of of Ehlers-Monahan-Poirier would cause some serious issue for the opposition. Try to contain the wingers on that line and have the deceptive Monahan beat you.

Once again. EHLERS Bandwagon, here we go.

He's listed at 5'11.5 162. That's like Johnny Gaudreau weight. He may not be as short as Gaudreau but not every body type can easily add 30 lbs of muscle and he likely needs to add around that much. So yes, for now he should be considered a small/weak player based on his size. Not really a fit for us since we're relatively deep in small skilled guys and lack big skilled guys. There's enough big skilled guys this draft that I don't see us taking Ehlers or Nylande over them. I will be hoping somebody ahead of us takes one of them.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I'd rather Kapanen than Ehlers. And I'd prefer Kapanen over Ritchie for sure. Its close between Perlini and Kapanen for me.

Edit: Kapanen is listed at six feet tall one hundred and eighty one pounds. Will likely be a bit bigger come the combine.

Kapanen has intrigued me more of late. Beginning of the season, I wrote him off just because he was a bit undersized, but he is at that height and weight now. He does have an incredible amount of skill as well. Also, not that it is a guarantee for success, but it is also a bit of an advantage having his bloodlines - at least having a father who played in the NHL and had a fair amount of success is at least someone who could give him advice and help keep him focused (not to mention uncles who played pro).

The biggest knock from what I have read - and this is rumors - is that he has a bad attitude of some sort. ONLY rumors, and I haven't heard or seen any evidence to prove them. I doubt Burke will be too keen on Kapanen though. I have no idea where he will actually go this draft - there was some noise about him being amongst the top 5 or 8 picks, then for most of the year he was dropped into the mid-teens I believe, but has been picking up steam lately. I do think he plays with more grit than Nylander though.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

He's listed at 5'11.5 162. That's like Johnny Gaudreau weight. He may not be as short as Gaudreau but not every body type can easily add 30 lbs of muscle and he likely needs to add around that much. So yes, for now he should be considered a small/weak player based on his size. Not really a fit for us since we're relatively deep in small skilled guys and lack big skilled guys. There's enough big skilled guys this draft that I don't see us taking Ehlers or Nylande over them. I will be hoping somebody ahead of us takes one of them.

I agree. We don't need these guys for this exact reason, but nothing should stop the teams ahead of us from making him a top 5 pick. Suits us juuuuust fine...

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think with the way we've been playing, we'll either finish 6th or 7th, depending on if Carolina or Ottawa want to pick up their game a little bit. We're catching up to them. With the 6th/7th pick, only four come to mind that I would want (in this order):

1. Dal Colle - Highly unlikely that he will be available at the 6th/7th pick, has good size. Made him first just in case he is overlooked.
2. Virtanen - RWer, has some grit to his game
3. Fleury - Doesn't hurt to add another defenseman in the prospect list, second best defenseman in the draft
4. Perlini - Just from hearing about him, I want to see more of that kid.

Don't really have interest in Draisaitl or Ritchie, I just don't like what I am hearing about them.

If we finish in the top 5 (4th of 5th pick), Then I would definitely try to trade up, just because the top 5 picks are just so close. But if we finish in the 6-8th spot, I don't think it's worth moving up the draft. Of course if Burke finds a smokin' good deal for the first or third round pick (I don't Edmonton will budge), then I of course Ekblad, Reinhart, or Bennett would be an awesome pick as well and trumps the list I just gave. This draft will be exciting, any pick in the top 10 will help the Flames.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Gotta disagree with almost everything in this post. We lack skill? Gaudreau, Baerstchi and Granlund are all highly skilled players with below average height and are arguably 3 of our top prospects. We're somewhat deep in skilled, smaller players.

No guys skilled and 6'3 this year? That's completely false. Dal Colle, Ritchie and Perlini are all highly skilled and likely to end up around 6'3. All are expected to go around our draft position.

Shakes head. It's highly unlikely we take Ehlers over the big wingers given our organizational needs.

Is Gaudreau, Baertschi, or Granlund a future 35-40 goal scorer? Maybe Gaudreau if he really hits his top end potential. I'm not sure that Baertschi or Granlund is more than a 20-25 ish goal guy (They could be more, but it's not guaranteed)

Usually cup contending teams have 4+ guys that are 20+ goal scorers to spread the offense around, and usually it's 5 or 6. The Flames have Monahan....... and yeah. If we get lucky, 2 or 3 of Gaudreau, Poirier, Baertschi, Jankowski, Klimchuk, and Granlund will turn into 20+ goal scorers that can be mainstays as we build towards a cup contender. I like all of those players and am optimistic, but odds are that we won't get lucky with all of them. Because, I'm not much of a gambling person I would like as many high end flashy skilled guys as we can as long as we don't get guys that are extremely undersized.

The three bigger guys that you mentioned, Perlini and Ritchie are not good enough offensively to the degree where they will be impact players. When Ritchie is getting comparisons to Zach Kassian, who is having a hard showing that he's more than a 3rd liner, then I'd rather spend the pick elsewhere. Dal Colle is adequate, but he plays small, so it's not like he's physically imposing at all either.

I have been advocating for us to get bigger since before last season, but it doesn't make sense to take an inferior player just because he's big. If anything, I'd rather take the skilled guy and make a hockey trade to address the problem than taking the meh guy just because he's big. You don't need to address size when drafting at the top of the draft. There, you're trying to find the team's next star player (especially when you're picking in the top 10). In the 2nd/7th rounds, you can try to focus on getting bigger players (as long as they are close in skill to the other options).

You can always trade for size if need be.

[sureLoss]

From the NHL central scouting meetings doing their final rankings

RT @mikemorrealeNHL: Tough decision, eh? "You want mini-Jagr, take Draisaitl; You want Adam Oates you take Sam Reinhart; want Cam Neely you take Jake Virtanen"

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Is Gaudreau, Baertschi, or Granlund a future 35-40 goal scorer? Maybe Gaudreau if he really hits his top end potential. I'm not sure that Baertschi or Granlund is more than a 20-25 ish goal guy (They could be more, but it's not guaranteed)

Not sure why you are convinced that Ehlers has any higher upside than the guys we already have.

Originally Posted by Caged Great

The three bigger guys that you mentioned, Perlini and Ritchie are not good enough offensively to the degree where they will be impact players.

That is a ridiculous and absurd thing to say. There's a reason these guys are ranked top 10 and that reason is offense.

Originally Posted by Caged Great

When Ritchie is getting comparisons to Zach Kassian, who is having a hard showing that he's more than a 3rd liner, then I'd rather spend the pick elsewhere. Dal Colle is adequate, but he plays small, so it's not like he's physically imposing at all either.

Seems you are guilty of selectively reading their scouting reports. Emphasizing their weak points while doing the opposite for Ehlers.

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I have been advocating for us to get bigger since before last season, but it doesn't make sense to take an inferior player just because he's big.

Who said anything about taking an inferior player? There's a reason why many scouting agencies are putting the big guys ahead or around Ehlers.

Originally Posted by Caged Great

You don't need to address size when drafting at the top of the draft. There, you're trying to find the team's next star player (especially when you're picking in the top 10). In the 2nd/7th rounds, you can try to focus on getting bigger players (as long as they are close in skill to the other options).

You can always trade for size if need be.

False. Not many teams are looking to trade big skilled players who don't have big question marks on their game. They rarely move. And in the draft you have to get extremely lucky to find size + skill outside the top 10 picks. Gotta completely disagree with you there.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

From the NHL central scouting meetings doing their final rankings

RT @mikemorrealeNHL: Tough decision, eh? "You want mini-Jagr, take Draisaitl; You want Adam Oates you take Sam Reinhart; want Cam Neely you take Jake Virtanen"

If you wanna get super high, take what that guy's taking

[superfarmer]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

From the NHL central scouting meetings doing their final rankings

RT @mikemorrealeNHL: Tough decision, eh? "You want mini-Jagr, take Draisaitl; You want Adam Oates you take Sam Reinhart; want Cam Neely you take Jake Virtanen"

Give me a ####ing break. Jesus

[strombad]

Originally Posted by nik-

If you wanna get super high, take what that guy's taking

Expand.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by strombad

Expand.

Really?

[strombad]

Originally Posted by nik-

Really?

Absolutely, I mean, you can't honestly think he means that those players are going to turn into their comparisons, but the playing style comparisons are pretty accurate.

Thus, I'm just curious as to what kind of drugs you think make people make accurate playing style comparisons.

[nik-]

I'm saying making those comparisons are ridiculous. It was a light hearted comment, if you want to take it so seriously, that's your issue.

What an odd thing to take issue with.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by nik-

I'm saying making those comparisons are ridiculous. It was a light hearted comment, if you want to take it so seriously, that's your issue.

What an odd thing to take issue with.

Yeah, but how?

You don't always have to be so defensive, I'm just asking why you think the comparisons are ridiculous? Every player is compared to the "archetype" players that fit their playing style. It's been done for years. It's never once meant to be a direct statement on a player's ceiling.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by strombad

Yeah, but how?

You don't always have to be so defensive, I'm just asking why you think the comparisons are ridiculous? Every player is compared to the "archetype" players that fit their playing style. It's been done for years. It's never once meant to be a direct statement on a player's ceiling.

This reminds me of a movie...

"You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little ###### up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to #### amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how?

[ForeverFlameFan]

^ Like Monahan is in comparison with Toews, but we don't know if he'll turn out to be like him. So far, signs are pointing to yes, he's capable of doing that. Now, we just need a Patrick Kane comparison on one of our players...

EDIT: This comment was for strombad.