2014 NHL draft: After the first round.

[4oh3]

I wouldn't mind taking Alex nedlejkovic with our second....

[4oh3]

But I think we will take a defenceman.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Wheaton was a player I was looking at last year while going through the big lists. Detroit picked him up I think.

Yep you're right, though he's got the lowest ceiling out of Severson and Bowey. With severson scouting or weisbrod at least just liked sieloff better, fair enough, hope the kid gets himself back on his feet and shows us what he can do.

Bowey we didn't even have a pick because of that damned Cammalleri trade... Have no idea how much value was Ramo vs how much Cammy but a high second rounder in one of the best drafts in recent memory is a pretty painful price to look back on for a year and a half rental we didn't even cash in on. Wasteful for a rebuilding team. Ramo playing over in europe at the time would have carried a pretty low value, no more than a 4th, I like the pickup in retrospect but Holland at the time wasn't worth much less himself.

Wonder if the flames would consider moving both 2nds for a pick around 20. There are some really good players later in the first round and with the varying draft boards this year, you'd think at least one guy the flames have top 10 could really fall.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Ehlers at 4? First time ive seen anyone rank him that high. Anyone reason why you have him ranked that high?

I've been on his bandwagon for sometime now. Highly skilled, super fast. Plays with Drouin and reminds me of Drouin from last year. He needs to add lotsa pounds but everything else is there.

Ehlers on LW and Poirier on the other wing? Good luck containing these two.

[Rick M.]

The Hockey Writers now have Ehlers at number 6. He is a gem but I suspect that at 5'11" he's not in Burke's plans.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

The Hockey Writers now have Ehlers at number 6. He is a gem but I suspect that at 5'11" he's not in Burke's plans.

Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if he'll even be there at #4.

He seems like an amazing offensive talent.

Also 5-11 isn't small. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are both 5-11 and they get by without much problem.

[Rick M.]

I saw him play in Charlottetown in January and I couldn't take my eyes off him. He's not a hot dog like a lot of elite level talents as he really sees the ice well and made some incredible set-ups in addition to turning the defence inside out. I don't think the comparisons of his skating to Pavel Bure are far off the mark, either. If we had the 5th pick too, I'd be taking the available center at 4 and Ehlers at 5.

[Da_Chief]

If you're good you'll find a way. Look at Giroux, he's not much bigger then Ehlers and he dominates.

Ehlers is listed at 6 feet on most sites, its his weight thats kept him out of the top 5 for now. He's in low 160s. He should be able to get that upto 180 in a season and a half.

He can play the off-wing as well.

[bubbsy]

outside the top3 you have got dal colle, draisatl, ritchie, ehler, nylander, perlini, kappanen, virtanen.

Curious if there would be any interest in trading down if it's sort of a toss up between this group or if the guy the flames target may be a few spots down on most team's scouting order?

[ForeverFlameFan]

As long as we use our picks for size and skill, I don't mind who we pick. I trust out scouts, lots of big boys this draft that we can really capitalize on.

[puckedoff]

I'd like to get Lemeiux and Glover, if either is available in the second round.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

I'd like to get Lemeiux and Glover, if either is available in the second round.

Agreed. I would love to take Lemieux with our 2nd if he is available.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think Bleakley could be a decent find.

Led his junior team in scoring, was almost a PPG, and didn't play on a very high powered offense.

Edit: Actually sounds like he is bigger than the 5'11" hockeydb has him listed at.

I've seen Connor Bleackley listed as early as mid-first round. Really hoping he falls to our 2nd pick, but it looks unlikely.

I really like the look of him and Cornel, but I've seen reports saying neither of them have top-6 upside. They both look like awesome options to me though and if either were on the board I'd snap me up.

Glover looks awesome to me, but he's slipped down the rankings recently. Any explanations? A lot of posters are very wary of the the kids whose rankings slide...

These 2 rounds seem to be full of 2 things: beefy RWs and beefy defencemen. Lots of RH shots. EXCELLENT.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

outside the top3 you have got dal colle, draisatl, ritchie, ehler, nylander, perlini, kappanen, virtanen.

Curious if there would be any interest in trading down if it's sort of a toss up between this group or if the guy the flames target may be a few spots down on most team's scouting order?

There seems to be a unanimous perception in the reports I've read that a rift exists between the top 4 prospects and everyone else this season. These other prospects look great, but there's a reason for each and every one of them not being in the top 4.

We need the top talent available, and with 5 picks in the top 90 we'll already be getting a solid amount of quantity in prospects. I've said it before, but we need a QUALITY player first and foremost. Stick with the 4th pick and use the 2nds & 3rds wisely and I think we'll be in the best position imaginable at this stage of the rebuild.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think Bleakley could be a decent find.

Led his junior team in scoring, was almost a PPG, and didn't play on a very high powered offense.

Edit: Actually sounds like he is bigger than the 5'11" hockeydb has him listed at.

I like to use their junior team stats. The Rebels list him at 6'1" and 195.

http://whl.ca/roster/show/id/9140

[Imported_Aussie]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Justin Kirkland from Kelowna is going to be a great pickup for somebody, he scored at a much higher rate in the 2nd half of the season and is flying under the radar because of his first half numbers, has just recently started to fill out his 6'3 frame, too bad he is a left wing from the flames perspective though. I think he will end up being an NHL player, once he fills out he is gonna be big.

Might be a similar progression to Poirier - he came on late in his draft year and vaulted up the board into round 1, and now looks a very good pick. Might not be at the same upside as Poirier, but could be a value pick

67th ranked NA skater - might be a guy to look at in 3rd round

[PeteMoss]

If he's available for our 2nd round pick I would love Robby Fabbri. He's not big... but extremely talented.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I've been on his bandwagon for sometime now. Highly skilled, super fast. Plays with Drouin and reminds me of Drouin from last year. He needs to add lotsa pounds but everything else is there.

Ehlers on LW and Poirier on the other wing? Good luck containing these two.

Or we could just have Gaudreau, Baertschi, Dal Colle or Bennett opposite Poirier.

If we drafted Ehlers we'd be forced to move one of Baertschi or Gaudreau. Can't have three undersized skilled wingers in your top 6 (four with Hudler). Two of our top prospects are undersized skilled LWers.

When you're drafting top 5 for the first time ever you need to get a rare commodity. An undersized, skilled LW does not fit the bill for us. Potential top line centre or skilled winger with size are what we'll get IMO.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

I've been on his bandwagon for sometime now. Highly skilled, super fast. Plays with Drouin and reminds me of Drouin from last year. He needs to add lotsa pounds but everything else is there.

Ehlers on LW and Poirier on the other wing? Good luck containing these two.

Someone on HF did the analysis and evidently only 25% of Ehlers' points come when Drouhin is on the ice.

[Arsenal14]

There's a lot of big defencemen available in the second round so I'm hoping we get one of them with either our pick or Colorado's:
Marcus Pettersson - 6'4" but only 167 lbs
Jack Dougherty - 6'2", 185
Josh Jacobs - 6'2", 193
Travis Sanheim - 6'3", 189
Jack Glover - 6'3", 195
Alexis Vanier - 6'5", 215
Alex Peters - 6'3",207

Other than that MacInnis, Cornel, Lemieux and Quenneville should be around our second round pick and I wouldn't mind any of them.