Calgary Flames Draft 15th Overall in the 2015 Draft

[DoubleK]

Fingers crossed for Pavel Zacha.

[dammage79]

Zacha is interesting. Good size, good skating, good compete level. I do wonder though who takes his spot up the ladder if he slips. I can see him fall from the top ten but getting to the Flames might be too much of a slide for a player like Zacha.

[DoubleK]

FC shows him dropping to 15.

Button has him at 20 something.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I'd rather take Crouse over Zacha, but would be fine with Zacha if that was the player management decided to pick. Pretty sure both wouldn't be available at our pick though.

I'm really pulling for Connor, he looks like a gamer. Would definitely allow us to have him or Bennett as the 2nd line C/LW, depending on whoever is better at center.

[dammage79]

Svechnikov or bust! Serously, he's everything the Flames are publicly saying they want in a player. Every box is ticked.

Zacha, Connor, Konecny and Joel Eriksson Ek. are the other Fw's I'd be pleased with.

From the reading and youtube scouting I've done I would be most unpleased with Crouse, Merkley (theres just something not there, can't pin it) and Sprong.

as for D-men, If they choose, I'd be happy with Kylington, Roy Zboril but I'm not as high on them as the FW's.

Not sold on Chabot.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I'm really pulling for Connor, he looks like a gamer. Would definitely allow us to have him or Bennett as the 2nd line C/LW, depending on whoever is better at center.

I like him, too, but I'm afraid there is at least one U.S. team picking before us that will pick him because they like his play and his address.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by azzarish

1. The organizational need versus best player available always surfaces prior to the draft. If you’re in the BPA camp and Connor, Merkley or Konecny are all available at #15, would you draft one of them knowing that they’re all centers and we’re pretty deep down the middle for a good few years with Monahan, Bennett, Backlund, and Jankowski? Basically putting aside positional need for the BPA.

Yep. You take one of them and can always convert someone to wing or it gives Treliving flexibility to deal one of our centres eventually. Listened to an interview last night that suggested Merkeley was already playing the wing.

Originally Posted by azzarish

2. Would you still go ahead and pick Merkley and Konecny knowing what Burke has said about the team needing to get bigger, as both aren’t the biggest?

If they are the best player available then yes. Of course the Flames do factor in size as something they consider when they make their list so IMO it's unlikely Merkley and Konecny will be the players we have ranked highest at #15. I suspect a guy they like who is bigger will fall to us.

Originally Posted by azzarish

3. Do you think the defensive prospect pool is deep enough (Wotherspoon, Sieloff, Morrison, Kanzig, Hickey) to not draft a defenseman at #15?

I don't think our depth has a big bearing on whether we take one or not. You just take the kid you think will be the best NHLer, forward or defenseman. Only position I'd avoid is goalie.

Originally Posted by azzarish

5. And finally, do you think it is worth moving up in this draft in order to draft Provorov or Werenski and possibly obtain an elite quality defenseman? And if so, what would you give up to make it happen?

I think it would take at least two 2nd rounders to move up into the top 10, probably more. I doubt we can trade up to get Provorov, I suspect he'll go top 6-7. Werenski may be a possibility.

If the price is right and a kid is there who the scouts really, really want then I love the idea of trading up. I'm just not sure we'll be able to trade up very far so unless we have a guy we like top 10 who slips to 11 or so, it probably won't happen.

[Glo Boyz]

Zacha is quite overrated below ppg in both the regular season and the playoffs. With all the talk of his elite tools and talents, I would have expected more from him. I feel like if his name was Ben Johnson he'd be going in the 2nd round in most mock drafts.

[JohnnySkittles]

He had a very up and down season, but the talent is definitely there.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Who has draft coverage this year, Sportsnet?

Anyone have a rundown of it? Just day one coverage or will they have anything post round one?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Who has draft coverage this year, Sportsnet?

Anyone have a rundown of it? Just day one coverage or will they have anything post round one?

Worst case scenario, NHL network should carry the entirety of the draft. Would suck if that changed once SN took over. Then again the FAN960 will likely have coverage.

[mhsyyc]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Then again the FAN960 will likely have coverage.

Excellent. I need more Steinberg.....

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I'm trying to get a feel for this draft. As part of my basis for this is that I've noticed centres who don't have size issues almost always go as high as expected or higher. Therefore I feel a guy like Connor is gonna be a riser come draft day, his skill set and skating will lure someone. Button has him at #6 and all it takes is one top 10 team to like him a lot. Wingers are the most likely to fall based on what I remember of draft history.

McDavid, Eichel, Strome, Hanifin, Provorov, Marner, Werenski, and Connor are the 8 most likely to go top 10 IMO. That leaves:
Crouse, Rantenen, Barzal, Meier, Zacha, Merkley, Konecny, Svechnikov, Ek-Eriksson, Chabot, Roy, Zboril and Boeser as legitimate possibilities for our pick from what I've gleaned so far. 7 of those guys will be available if we stay at #15. I mean I like a lot of those names and there's a good chance one of the guys the Flames really like will fall to them at #15.

Some pertinent questions assuming things do go somewhat like that
1) Q: What are the Flames biggest organizational needs
A: IMO they are for top 3 defensemen with size and top 6 forwards with size.

2) Q: How much will that affect our drafting?
A: Obviously they won't shy away from taking amazing players who aren't huge. But make no mistake, size is an attribute that the Flames are looking for and it will be reflected in how they've chosen to rank the players. Big players with skill and speed are likely to be highest on our list. It won't shock me to see us take an average sized player or even below average but in an ideal world we'd land someone with both skill and size/strength.

3) Q: Is there anybody worth moving up to get if we could move up to say #11?
A: To me Crouse and Rantenen are intriguing because of their skating/size/skill combinations. I'd move up for Connor as well but I think he'll be long gone before we can move up. If the Flames are in love with any defenseman in particular I'd be fine with moving up to nab him.

As Sureloss's ranking variance reflects I think Konecny and Zacha are two big wildcards who could fall on draft day.

Svechnikov, Zacha, Ek Eriksson, Chabot, Roy, Zboril and Boeser are all intriguing me right now and I think they are a lot of the players that will be available at #15. I'm not as hyped on Merkley and Konecny because I think we're too small up front as it is. If either are deemed the best player available by Flames scouts I certainly won't be disappointed because they proved with Johnny that they know how to find good small players. But I'd be very happy to get someone with skill, skating and size.

[icarus]

Interesting to look at this site which tries to aggregate and establish consensus rankings based on multiple sources: http://www.mynhldraft.com/2015-draft...nsus-rankings/

Using this analysis, if we divide into tiers (say 10+ points between tiers), we see the following:

1. McDavid, Eichel

2. Strome, Marner, Hanifin

3. Provorov

4. Werenski, Crouse, Barzal, Rantanen

5. Zacha, Connor

6. Meier, Merkley

7. Svechnikov, Konecky

8. White, Chabot, Eriksson Ek, Roy

9. Zboril, Boeser, Sprong, Harkins, DeBrusk, Kylington, Samsonov, Bittner, Guryanov, Bracco

If tiered this way and drafted in order, the Flames would have Svechnikov and Konecky available at 15 to choose in the top tier available. Svechnikov (LW, 6'1" 180) would have the advantage in size, Konecky (C, 5'10", 172) in position.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by icarus

If tiered this way and drafted in order, the Flames would have Svechnikov and Konecky available at 15 to choose in the top tier available. Svechnikov (LW, 6'1" 180) would have the advantage in size, Konecky (C, 5'10", 172) in position.

I thought Svechnikov was RW (which is why he fits the perfect mold) as the flames want size/speed/skill and our RW depth is non-existent

Then again... maybe I'm high

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I thought Svechnikov was RW (which is why he fits the perfect mold) as the flames want size/speed/skill and our RW depth is non-existent

Then again... maybe I'm high

I've seen Svechnikov listed as both a LW and RW, RW in most reports. Kind of like Poirier, he can probably play both wings.

[Poe969]

I've been a little confused about Svechnikov too. I've only seen him listed as a LW and I pretty much stopped looking into him because of his position. It makes a lot more sense if he can play RW though.

There are so many players that I'm liking in this draft. It's too bad I'm going to have to hate a few of them because they're going to the oilers.

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I've seen Svechnikov listed as both a LW and RW, RW in most reports. Kind of like Poirier, he can probably play both wings.

but shoots left correct?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by handgroen

but shoots left correct?

Yes, shoots left.

[sureLoss]

Flyers scouting director tells Flyers media that he is really high on Rantanen and Crouse.

He also tells them that the Flyers need a forward but will take BPA. Flyers have watched Provorov "many times".

Also says from the 3rd OA pick to the 10th or 12th OA pick the players are all close.