[News] With the #28 pick the Flames select LW Morgan Klimchuk

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

lol over a point per game in the W while battling through an injury. Can't see much to complain about. People get wayyy too impatient.

Any one who complains about development of draft picks, start reading the Gaudreau thread from page one. oh how people will be shut up eventually.

People complained about Gaudreau's size.

Also shockingly not every draft pick works out. People are looking at a prospect and his development curve. Not every pick turns out to be a Gaudreau (very few do obviously). When exactly are we allowed to be critical of a draft pick? If Greg Neimsz was still in the system would we still have to throw on rose coloured glasses and say he just needs time?

[FAN]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

lol over a point per game in the W while battling through an injury. Can't see much to complain about. People get wayyy too impatient.

It does represent a "regression" in terms of production. Overagers are expected to put up huge numbers. But in reality, offensive production to a certain degree doesn't indicate NHL ability.

[Red Ice Player]

Originally Posted by FAN

It does represent a "regression" in terms of production. Overagers are expected to put up huge numbers. But in reality, offensive production to a certain degree doesn't indicate NHL ability.

Klimchuk isn't an overager. He was eligible to play in the WJC, making this his 19 year old year. My main concern with Morgan is a propensity for getting injuries. His production for the Pats is fine, but for his sake I sure hope he remains healthy for the rest of the season.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

People complained about Gaudreau's size.

Also shockingly not every draft pick works out. People are looking at a prospect and his development curve. Not every pick turns out to be a Gaudreau (very few do obviously). When exactly are we allowed to be critical of a draft pick? If Greg Neimsz was still in the system would we still have to throw on rose coloured glasses and say he just needs time?

I'm still waiting all he's got to do is improve his skating, not unheard of with the flames power skating program and he could become a nice depth piece. I would remind you he was on the world juniors, he's got nice size and had shown steady improvement since junior. Not every prospect's development path is linear and you have to show a lot of patience for big guys like Nemisz. There's certainly the potential for it work out with the flames.

[zyzz]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I'm still waiting all he's got to do is improve his skating, not unheard of with the flames power skating program and he could become a nice depth piece. I would remind you he was on the world juniors, he's got nice size and had shown steady improvement since junior. Not every prospect's development path is linear and you have to show a lot of patience for big guys like Nemisz. There's certainly the potential for it work out with the flames.

Green text?

[FlameZilla]

Sask_Flames_Fan posted this in the Backburner. Just in case you missed it:

Watched Klimchuk and the Pats play tonight. The kid can play... very smart at both ends, great hands, shot lots, and wasn't afraid to get into the dirty areas.
Not to mention with Regina down 3-2 in middle of the 3rd, he took the game over scoring a natural trick for a 5-3 win!!

All Klimchuk seems to do is score clutch, game-winning goals. I don't see how that translates to the NHL...

[albertGQ]

Jordan Eberle scored clutch goals too.

Just sayin'

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Jordan Eberle scored clutch goals too.

Just sayin'

And he's a multiple 60 point scorer. If Klimchuk turned into anything remotely close to Eberle, the pick is a home run.

[btimbit]

I see him as a bit of a Glencross. Goes into the dirty areas, hits, great shot, solid defensively, local boy, leader in the room, consistently misses a quarter of the season due to injury.

[gunnner]

Originally Posted by btimbit

I see him as a bit of a Glencross. Goes into the dirty areas, hits, great shot, solid defensively, local boy, leader in the room, consistently misses a quarter of the season due to injury.

I am hoping he can turn into a Brendan Gallagher type player, but he needs to add more edge to get there.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by btimbit

I see him as a bit of a Glencross. Goes into the dirty areas, hits, great shot, solid defensively, local boy, leader in the room, consistently misses a quarter of the season due to injury.

I think those injuries might be related to his style of play - from what I've seen he is one of those true warriors along the boards. And I'd rather have a system crowded with Boumas, Klimchuks or Ferlands than a system full of iron-man Bouwmeesters.

Also, it is interesting to see how quickly he's able to recover and continue to play gritty - perhaps another similarity to Bouma and Ferland situation who both recovered from serious knee injuries yet playing at full throttle again.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by btimbit

I see him as a bit of a Glencross. Goes into the dirty areas, hits, great shot, solid defensively, local boy, leader in the room, consistently misses a quarter of the season due to injury.

If he turns out to be Glencross, that would be fantastic. I think Klimchuk will be a key middle 6 LW on this team, especially during the playoff runs. I heard he can play RW if need be, so that is a bonus.

[PeteMoss]

This was impressive last night:

3. REG M. Klimchuk, (11) (A. Brooks, B. Christoffer), 10:56
3. REG M. Klimchuk, (12) (A. Brooks), 11:27
3. REG M. Klimchuk, (13) (A. Brooks, B. Christoffer), 15:26


Shame on B.Christoffer for slacking off on the 2nd goal.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I'm still waiting all he's got to do is improve his skating, not unheard of with the flames power skating program and he could become a nice depth piece. I would remind you he was on the world juniors, he's got nice size and had shown steady improvement since junior. Not every prospect's development path is linear and you have to show a lot of patience for big guys like Nemisz. There's certainly the potential for it work out with the flames.

Nemisz was never going to be an NHLer, I have no idea what the hell the Flames were thinking there. I remember before that draft I said that was by far the one player I did not want us to draft, I was swearing up a storm.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Nemisz was never going to be an NHLer, I have no idea what the hell the Flames were thinking there. I remember before that draft I said that was by far the one player I did not want us to draft, I was swearing up a storm.

As awful as it sounds, Nemisz always felt to me like a pick about Mickey Renaud. He'd just died a few months before and we took his teammate.

That's probably pretty awful of me to think ... but I always have

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Jordan Eberle scored clutch goals too.

Just sayin'

And your point is...?

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

This was impressive last night:

3. REG M. Klimchuk, (11) (A. Brooks, B. Christoffer), 10:56
3. REG M. Klimchuk, (12) (A. Brooks), 11:27
3. REG M. Klimchuk, (13) (A. Brooks, B. Christoffer), 15:26


Shame on B.Christoffer for slacking off on the 2nd goal.

Too little too late. He's a bust...

[Vulcan]

From the little I've seen of Klimchuk he reminds me of Gelinas. Not saying he'll be as good.

As for him being our first round pick, he was a good pick. He comes from a good league where he starred and had played on Team Canada's first line in the Under 18s. He's had some injury problems but that is pretty hard to predict when taking a player.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Really fricken annoyed that I typed out a long post after researching stats, only for it to disappear.

Let me summarize my long post on Klimchuk:

His closest comparable was Eberle - Klimchuk actually had better 2nd and 3rd seasons in the WHL than Eberle. Disappointing this year with his injury, but I bet he finishes off the year strong and puts to rest the "3rd line ceiling upside". I think he is a legitimately equal or BETTER prospect than Eberle was. I HATE the player Eberle is TODAY - complete lack of a defensive game in terms of effort or even acumen. I think Klimchuk is a much more solid all-round prospect with the same level of offence as Eberle. By the way, they both played for the same teams, and have eerily close to the same stats - both are listed at 5'11 and Klimchuk is listed at 5lbs heavier..

Neither one were surrounded with great players, though neither one were the 'only' option either. Eberle finished consistently a bit higher in their individual team's rankings, but Klimchuck has him beat in year 2 and 3 in points AND points per game. This final year Klimchuk is VASTLY behind, but again, his injury to start will impact this, and let's just see where he finishes before labeling this season as anything other than incomplete. I will bet money this kid cranks it up and makes people notice him the rest of the way out.

Klimchuk strengths: Great skater, great shot, great distributor of the puck and able to make high-end passes, great defensively, non-stop motor, a leader with high character, doesn't shy away from the hard areas and has a very high IQ. You can stick him with any player and have him not only 'complete' a line, but add to it. He didn't just feed off of Reinhart and McDavid - he added to that line. Fully capable of playing with high-end talent, fully capable of shutting down high-end talent as well. That is what I really like about this kid. He is just so dynamic and versatile.

Weaknesses: Injury concerns. Maybe it is just bad luck (I hope that is all it is). Maybe it is just a poor off-season training regime. Hope it is that if it isn't bad luck. Hopefully the Flames training staff will help him out here, and we can all 'wish' him some good luck. It may be that he is just one of those players that end up being injury prone. Don't know yet.

I think if anyone is 'down' about Klimchuk, they haven't watched him. I would say he was 'disappointing' at camp, but it was also his first pro camp (was injured for the first one). I wouldn't read too much into a single camp. Klimchuk is still above a PPG, and looking like he is heating up. Let's just wait and see how he does in his next 25 games at least before we write this kid off. Up until this point, he was looking like a BETTER prospect than Eberle was offensively, without any defensive deficiencies!

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

If he turns out to be Glencross, that would be fantastic. I think Klimchuk will be a key middle 6 LW on this team, especially during the playoff runs. I heard he can play RW if need be, so that is a bonus.

Agreed. I think the guy will be fine, very solid 2nd/3rd line that could probably even fill a 1st line spot if needed without looking too out of place.

We'll find out, but it's my prediction. I like him. Not worried. Hilarious where all this bust talk came from, he's not even out of jrs yet