I would love for the Flames to be able to snag Brayden Burke from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Currently 3rd overall in WHL scoring. 14G 52A in 45GP. Projected to be a 2nd round pick at the moment but it wouldn't shock me to see this kid end up going in the 1st round.
Only knock against him is his size (and that he's from Edmonton). 5'10 164lbs according to WHL website.
How do Jake Bean, Jordan Stallard, Carsen Twarynski, Jakub Stukel and Beck Malenstyn look?
A lot of potential mid round picks.
On a side not I'm dying to know what the conditions on the pick acquired on the Reinhart trade are. I wish some journalist would do some digging and find out.
Jake Bean is an awesome skater and stick handler. Very good offensive pinch but also can play great in his own end. He's 6'1" 170 right now but give him a couple years to fill out and hit 200 lbs or more and he'll one day be a top 4 Damn on an NHL team. Born and raised in Calgary and now has spent the last 2 years with the Hitmen I'd love to see him some how end up in the Flames organization but that is doubtful as he will be drafted somewhere around 16th to 25th I imagine.
Nice to see Kasper Björkqvist get a special mention. Makes me more confident that the writer paid attention to the team. I liked him a lot in the fourth line role for Finland.
I've only watched the Fins at the WJC, but based on that viewing, I would take Laine over Puljujarvi. Laine seems to have a little more dynamism to his game and I think his upside is elite sniper. He also is bigger and will probably end up playing around 6'4", 215-220. He showed he's willing to play physical at the WJC.
I think that would be a hell of a core. I haven't watched Matthews enough but is he really that much better than the Fins? IF we drafted #1, I wouldn't have a problem moving down one or two spots to grab a Fin. Need a win, draft a Fin!
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Laine should be taken before Pulju. I'm pretty sure thay he will be a better player at NHL level. Don't know why he is listed as a C in that list, however.
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Laine should be taken before Pulju. I'm pretty sure thay he will be a better player at NHL level. Don't know why he is listed as a C in that list, however.
No way Puljujärvi is still ahead of Laine on any list by the season's end.
Laine scored a hat trick tonight. Not the prettiest one but the highlights show him gaining confidence and momentum against men. He could score a ton from now on
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What I do find fascinating though is now there are two Finnish people from Finland saying Laine is better than Puljujarvi.
My impression is that lots of people in Finland have been saying that since the start of the season. I wouldn't have been so confident in my own views if there hadn't already been a buzz around Laine.
And it feels like he's got so much more room to grow. If he makes the same kind of progress in the next eight months, he's going to light up the NHL.
Think I like Puljujarvi a little more. Love that breakaway explosive speed that he has over the just "good" skating of Laine. Laine is the better shooter but I can't see scoring being a big weakness at the NHL level for either of them. The Flames don't lack in scorers in their youth either, Gaudreau, Monahan and Bennett all have excellent noses for the net.
Regardless, if we end up with either those guys or Matthews.. we're laughing.
I see Laine as being a better individual career guy due to his shot, but Puljujarvi is so impressive behind the net, through the neutral zone, things like that, I think he's going to help his line score more goals as a unit. Maybe the Flames could use a sniper but I don't want to fill such a specific single-dimension team need through the top of the draft - I see Puljujarvi as being the more all-around impactful pro, even if that means a 25/45 guy instead of a 40/30 guy that Laine can be. You can always pick up a PP sniper for hire, even a 39 year old Iginla.
I know CP has a hate-on for Taylor Hall, but Puljujarvi will probably be able to carry his line in a similar manner. He reminds me of Ovechkin with the puck, though it's Laine who has that sniper rifle.
Really though, it's splitting hairs. As long as we get one of them and Oilers get none of them this draft is a success.
Last edited by GranteedEV; 01-23-2016 at 02:05 PM.
Think I like Puljujarvi a little more. Love that breakaway explosive speed that he has over the just "good" skating of Laine. Laine is the better shooter but I can't see scoring being a big weakness at the NHL level for either of them. The Flames don't lack in scorers in their youth either, Gaudreau, Monahan and Bennett all have excellent noses for the net.
Regardless, if we end up with either those guys or Matthews.. we're laughing.
Laine is a very atypical Finnish prospect which might make him more interesting to our eyes.
Either way, if the season is unsuccessful for the Flames, there's a decent chance the forward core is set from next season on.
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