BleacherReport: Flames 4th in prospect depth now

[djsFlames]

It's always nice to get some recognition. Even from a meh source like BR.

Flames are easily top 5 in forward talent and depth. Bennett, Gaudreau, Baertschi, Granlund, Poirier, Klimchuk, Jankowski and Ferland all have top 6 upside.

I'd say we're top 10 in goaltending. Gillies, Ortio and now MacDonald are all solid tenders with the potential and tools to become starters in the NHL someday.

I'd say we're 20-25 for defensive depth and talent, though. Sieloff and Wotherspoon are both potential top 4 guys and Wotherspoon already looked comfortable in the NHL through his short stint last season. Kanzig could be a darkhorse prospect that may come through, but no guys with definite top 2 potential. We need to add an Ekblad type d-man (if there is one) next year if we're just out of reach of the star centers.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Wasn't going to report to camp???? Source?

was on the team1040 posted by a few different people after the trade on a Canucks forum

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

was on the team1040 posted by a few different people after the trade on a Canucks forum

This is not directed at you per se, but this is used to defend the return on this trade yet many did not consider it a legitimate reason for Iginla's poor return.

[Vinny01]

The Canucks did about as good as they could with Kesler and they did have to move him this summer. They could not afford to repeat the Luongo saga with a new regime in charge.


Vancouver has fallen apart so quickly but while they might not have got full value for their vets they have restocked the cupboards rather quickly. They still have a long way to go but are no longer bottom 5 in the league

[killer_carlson]

As much as I dislike the Canucks, I think they did pretty good in the return for Kesler.

[GoJetsGo]

Considering the fact guys like Kessler and Burrows are a massive detriment to the proper character and makeup of a team, getting rid of him was addition by subtraction as far as I'm concerned. I was hoping he would have pouted and they would have kept him, would have been great to see that circle of suck-age continue.

However, considering the lofty expectations of Canucks fans as it pertained to trading Kessler, that was an underwhelming return.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

This is not directed at you per se, but this is used to defend the return on this trade yet many did not consider it a legitimate reason for Iginla's poor return.

I agree it happens, but I dont think its that

Benning was pretty open after an interview that he argued with Kesler's agent almost daily, and that the list of teams had dropped from 6 to 2 this summer

plus there was Spector and Botchford wrote separate articles that the trade was greeted with happiness for the vets in the room

[JJ1532]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

It's always nice to get some recognition. Even from a meh source like BR.

Flames are easily top 5 in forward talent and depth. Bennett, Gaudreau, Baertschi, Granlund, Poirier, Klimchuk, Jankowski and Ferland all have top 6 upside.

I'd say we're top 10 in goaltending. Gillies, Ortio and now MacDonald are all solid tenders with the potential and tools to become starters in the NHL someday.

I'd say we're 20-25 for defensive depth and talent, though. Sieloff and Wotherspoon are both potential top 4 guys and Wotherspoon already looked comfortable in the NHL through his short stint last season. Kanzig could be a darkhorse prospect that may come through, but no guys with definite top 2 potential. We need to add an Ekblad type d-man (if there is one) next year if we're just out of reach of the star centers.

Whilst I'd love for us to be 1st or 2nd to draft either McDavid or Eichel, the consolation prizes aren't too shabby either. Noah Hanifin and Ollie Kylington look like top notch D-men. Rasmus Andersson and Jeremy Roy also look like solid D-men prospects, so if we were to finish in the bottom 10 as looks very likely, we'd be well placed to select a decent defensive prospect if thats the direction we chose to go. It won't be 2 out of the top 10 like Ekblad and Fleury were in this draft.

Maybe this is why we went for a goalie, because we were instead more interested in only adding a top defensive prospect in next years draft.

[Roof-Daddy]

1. Bennett
2. Gaudreau
3. Baertschi
4. Granlund
5. Reinhart
6. Poirier
7. Ferland
8. Klimchuk
9. Jankowski
10. Agostino
11. Knight
12. Arnold
13. Smith
14. Hanowski


That is ridiculously deep forward prospect depth IMO.

There are a ton of NHLers in that list IMO, of all "shapes and sizes", so to speak.

[Enoch Root]

And Van Brabant and Wolf could easily be placed ahead of Smith and Hanowski (all debatable of course)

Personally, I would slide Poirier up and Agostino down a bit, but otherwise, my list is almost identical to yours

When you're getting down to the mid-teens before getting into the mediocre prospects (and just in forwards), that's pretty impressive.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

There are a ton of NHLers in that list IMO, of all "shapes and sizes", so to speak.

Hmmm. Considering that Hunter Smith is still a growing boy, and what his ultimate playing weight is likely to be—

Yeah, there may be a literal ton (2000 lb) of NHLers on that list. Good call.