2016 NHL Draft

[GranteedEV]

Just watched that Dubois highlight pack and depressed about it because it will just make me more mad when the no good or the canucks take him at 4.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Savvy27

Damn.... that is a nice looking highlight reel and I enjoy the audio commentary too. Excellent video. I have basically zero hope that he is going to slip to #6. Dubois looks like a stud though.

Well according to Bob Mackenzie Dubois is not nearly as consensus top 5 according to the 10 scouts he references as Tkachuk is. I think Tkachuk at #4 to EDM and VAN taking a dman is a very real possibility.

Here's the link to the interview where Bob Mckenzie talks about where the scouts he's talked to have Tkachuk and Dubois

https://soundcloud.com/tsn-radio-van...os-and-tkachuk

[Calgary4LIfe]

I am really trying not to get some false hope going here where I get enraged and then saddened when Edmonton or Vancouver pick up Dubois. In my mind, he no longer exists. Tkachuk too.

If one of them magically passes through those suck teams, then I will be asking: "Who is this Dubois/Tkachuk guy? Any good? Isn't Nylander the best pick here?"

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Well according to Bob Mackenzie Dubois is not nearly as consensus top 5 according to the 10 scouts he references as Tkachuk is. I think Tkachuk at #4 to EDM and VAN taking a dman is a very real possibility.

Here's the link to the interview where Bob Mckenzie talks about where the scouts he's talked to have Tkachuk and Dubois

https://soundcloud.com/tsn-radio-van...os-and-tkachuk

Benning all but said they are taking a forward

he said they wouldn't take a d man over a forward if they feel there is a top line forward available, and he thinks that a top line forward will be there at 5, it's no secret with the media here at least they want Dubois

just have to hope Edmonton pass on him and take D, Tkachuk not a bad consolation though

[mile]

If the Flames get one of Dubois or Tkachuk I think I'll be even more excited than when we got Bennett. I'm just gonna assume they're both gone by 6.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Benning all but said they are taking a forward

he said they wouldn't take a d man over a forward if they feel there is a top line forward available, and he thinks that a top line forward will be there at 5, it's no secret with the media here at least they want Dubois

No, that's not really what Benning said at all IMO. Are you suddenly forgetting this interview?

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-10...three-1.476159

Fast forward to 9 mins. Benning straight up says outside the top 3/4 (where they'd take BPA) that they see the players as very similar and thus would take a dman.

His newer interview doesn't necessarily contradict that. The show hosts suggest and put words in Bennings mouth that Tkachuk and Dubois are more realistic than a dman, Benning didn't say that himself.

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-10...inted-1.482137

Here's an article that potentially contradicts the first interview

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hocke...-in-draft-road

Maybe Benning is toying with your media? I'm not sure VAN fans should be ruling anything out yet.

[d_phaneuf]

the 2nd interview you posted does pretty much say it and it's much more recent, transcript from http://canucksarmy.com/2016/5/2/benn...unds-realistic

“Defense is so hard to come by now in the league – if we felt there was a true number one and we could get him at five, that’s where our focus would be,” Benning said. “But having said that with Henrik Sedin getting older now, we have to look to the future, too. If we could add a number one centre ice man, that’s attractive to us, too.

"I don’t know if there’s a true number one defenseman. If you look through the league right now, there’s maybe eight or 10 number one defensemen in the whole league. This defense group this year, I think they’re first pairing guys where they could be a good (number) two. But with a number one defenseman, we’re talking about a guy with size and strength, who can run a power play and can match up against the other teams’ top lines. I don’t know if there is a true number one defenseman in this year’s draft.”

When pushed on whether that meant the Canucks were placing more value on the forwards available after the consensus ‘Big 3’, Benning all but assured the Canucks would use the fifth pick on to bolster the team’s forward ranks.

“That sounds more realistic to me,” he said.

Also from an interview in the paper

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hocke...l-hope-at-no-5

It was a point Benning drove home earlier this week in an interview with Ben Kuzma when he said this: “If we think a player is going to be a No. 1 line player — over a first-pairing defenceman — then we’ll take the forward.”

so ya, he's pretty much said they are taking a forward

[1qqaaz]

It sounds like they specifically want a center to build a team around.

So what if Edmonton, or whoever picks 4, took Dubois? Does Benning really think he should build around wingers? There is definetely a number 1 defenseman in this draft, every draft has at least one. There's also a chance that the Canuck's scouting department will decide that an individual has the potential to be number one later on. And like Benning said, if someone has that potential, they would be the focus.

[Krynn]

Who would u rather take at 6 if our Favs are taken bye u no who?
Nylander
Brown
Jost
My pick is brown is a big boy who I think could be converted to the wing and be successful.I really think both brown and jost get taken in round 1.but if we take Nylander with the pick in hope brown falls to us in the second. I highly doubt it but a guy could dream lol

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

the 2nd interview you posted does pretty much say it and it's much more recent, transcript from http://canucksarmy.com/2016/5/2/benn...unds-realistic

Also from an interview in the paper

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hocke...l-hope-at-no-5

so ya, he's pretty much said they are taking a forward

What do you mean much more recent, the older interview is from late April where he says they'd take a defenceman if they're not picking top 4. You dismiss it far too easily because it doesn't fit the narrative the fans want to hear. I don't think the conclusion you've drawn is solid.

That "all but assured" line in the transcript is a joke, I've listened to the interview multiple times and that isn't what he did. Did you ignore the part where he says there is 2 defencemen right in that same range with Tkachuk?

[GoJetsGo]

I feel confident that regardless of who Vancouver picks it will be the wrong choice. Much like they did with Virtanen.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Krynn

Who would u rather take at 6 if our Favs are taken bye u no who?
Nylander
Brown
Jost
My pick is brown is a big boy who I think could be converted to the wing and be successful.I really think both brown and jost get taken in round 1.but if we take Nylander with the pick in hope brown falls to us in the second. I highly doubt it but a guy could dream lol

I'd probably take whichever dman the Flames scouts like best. I'm guessing it would be Sergachev or Chychrun and not Juolevi.

As for Brown I think he's definitely a playmaking centre, I don't think his skill set fits the winger position as well. Zero chance he falls to the 2nd.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

It sounds like they specifically want a center to build a team around.

So what if Edmonton, or whoever picks 4, took Dubois? Does Benning really think he should build around wingers? There is definetely a number 1 defenseman in this draft, every draft has at least one. There's also a chance that the Canuck's scouting department will decide that an individual has the potential to be number one later on. And like Benning said, if someone has that potential, they would be the focus.

Maybe the Canucks take Brown at #5 if Dubois goes 4th.

[Vinny01]

So the Canucks are going to draft a winger over a top poring Dman (Bennings words). Dim Jim thinks the top D in this draft are not legit number 1's but could be a solid number 2. The Canucks have Horvat, McCann, Virtanen, Baertschi as forwards under 24 on the roster and big winger Boeser coming in a year or so. He wants to prioritize a winger over a Dman where they are embarrassingly thin? They have Hutton and Tanev that are decent under 30 Dmen. Benning is just so bad

[FlamesAddiction]

I think it's cute that people take any GM at their word when they talk to the media about roster and personnel decisions.

It's essentially a big poker game. They aren't going to make it obvious to the whole hockey world who they want to draft, sign, hire, fire, etc...

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think it's cute that people take any GM at their word when they talk to the media about roster and personnel decisions.

It's essentially a big poker game. They aren't going to make it obvious to the whole hockey world who they want to draft, sign, hire, fire, etc...

But... Dim Jim.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Maybe the Canucks take Brown at #5 if Dubois goes 4th.

I think there is a better chance that the Canucks take Brown at #5 over a d-man. Probably the only way i could see Tkachuk falling to #6. Dubios does not make it past the canucks.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

the 2nd interview you posted does pretty much say it and it's much more recent, transcript from http://canucksarmy.com/2016/5/2/benn...unds-realistic




Also from an interview in the paper

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hocke...l-hope-at-no-5



so ya, he's pretty much said they are taking a forward

Yeah they are definitely taking a forward. I realize some Flames fans are going to grasp to the hope that Benning would screw up and not take the best player available but it's already pretty hostile in Vancouver and reaching for a defensemen when better players are available at number 5 is a sure fire way to hurt season ticket sales and the Canucks are a bottom line team that are interested in ticket sales above all else.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I think there is a better chance that the Canucks take Brown at #5 over a d-man. Probably the only way i could see Tkachuk falling to #6. Dubios does not make it past the canucks.

I only saw Brown at the U-18, but I liked what I saw. I am perfectly happy if we take him at 6.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

No, that's not really what Benning said at all IMO. Are you suddenly forgetting this interview?

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-10...three-1.476159

Fast forward to 9 mins. Benning straight up says outside the top 3/4 (where they'd take BPA) that they see the players as very similar and thus would take a dman.

His newer interview doesn't necessarily contradict that. The show hosts suggest and put words in Bennings mouth that Tkachuk and Dubois are more realistic than a dman, Benning didn't say that himself.

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-10...inted-1.482137

Here's an article that potentially contradicts the first interview

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hocke...-in-draft-road

Maybe Benning is toying with your media? I'm not sure VAN fans should be ruling anything out yet.

I think you're hearing what you want to hear. Both Benning, and Button yesterday, have stated that there is no defenseman in this draft with number one potential. You have three defensemen who have potential to be, at best, number 2-4 level defenders, based on the comparisons thrown out there.

As for the forwards, the playing field is a lot more wide open. There is a consensus on the top three, suggesting they will all be top line players. After that is a group of forwards who are comparable to the defenders just mentioned. That would put them in that second tier of talent, or most likely 2nd line talent. There are a dozen names that have been mentioned in this group, so you likely have potential high end 2nd liners to potential low end 2nd liners in this group. Outside of that top group of three you are battling it out to find players that fill niches and be support players. Nothing more, unless someone has a massive development spike in the following years.

I personally don't think this is a bad thing as that fits with the needs of our hockey team. Unfortunately, because of the lack of quality defensemen in this draft it likely means that forwards are going to be sniped early on. I think the Flames end up with Brown or "go off the board" and have a possible dark horse pick in mind.