2011 Re-draft: Gaudreau makes big jump to #1

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Iggy3x

Great for Johnny and our scouting staff, but this Sven is not a good thing. It means that there is still room for improvement for our scouts in the first round. Sure, one could argue that the Burke and Hartley handling of him probably played a major part of him dropping out of the first round - but mental toughness should be a criteria when we consider who we'd draft.

The fact that there are three players in the first round of this re-draft that were either drafted by the Flames current scouting staff, or acquired by the current Flames management group should quell any concerns about Baertschi falling out of the top-thirty. I am quite certain that the scouts know very well what they are doing.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Button for sure is the guy who gets the credit for identifying Johnny and taking him before others could. But Jay allowing the people he hired to do the job he hired them for rather than interfering in aspects that didn't fall under his expertise, is the mark of a good manager.

Jay made a few big mistakes, but overall, he helped this team in the long term pretty dramatically.

Let's please not allow this thread do denigrate into a fences toss between posters on both sides on the quality of the former Flames GM who has now approaching three years removed from this organisation. Gaudreau was a terrific pick. Thank God the Flames picked him. Thank God Tod Button is still the Flames head scout.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yes but let's hope the Hunter Smith type picks don't become a reoccurring thing.

If I recall, you were in favour of the Flames taking Hunter Smith in the 2nd, pre-draft. (as was I)

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yes but let's hope the Hunter Smith type picks don't become a reoccurring thing.

It's not. How often have these "type picks" occurred in the second round of the past three drafts?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Iggy3x

Great for Johnny and our scouting staff, but this Sven is not a good thing. It means that there is still room for improvement for our scouts in the first round. Sure, one could argue that the Burke and Hartley handling of him probably played a major part of him dropping out of the first round - but mental toughness should be a criteria when we consider who we'd draft.

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The fact that there are three players in the first round of this re-draft that were either drafted by the Flames current scouting staff, or acquired by the current Flames management group should quell any concerns about Baertschi falling out of the top-thirty. I am quite certain that the scouts know very well what they are doing.

Part of the draft is expectations on where other players are going to go.

If they really knew Johnny was going to be what he is, they would have taken him at 13 instead of Sven. If they thought someone was going to take Johnny earlier than them, they they may have had him higher.

So while they may very well have had Johnny's skill and upside higher than Baertschi's, Sven was going mid-1st round regardless, and Gaudreau was going to drop due to his size. So they take the risk that they can get Gaudreau later and then you have two decent prospects instead of one.

Sven's stock also rose immediately following the draft and it was only once he got to the NHL that questions started to arise.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Keselke

Stupid 103 picks

This is a great point. Because it's not like the Oilers squandered any other first overall picks - or that we don't need a reason to laugh at them.

Thanks for contributing.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Iggy3x

Great for Johnny and our scouting staff, but this Sven is not a good thing. It means that there is still room for improvement for our scouts in the first round. Sure, one could argue that the Burke and Hartley handling of him probably played a major part of him dropping out of the first round - but mental toughness should be a criteria when we consider who we'd draft.

Change mental toughness to just toughness and I'd agree. He's soft as butter.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If I recall, you were in favour of the Flames taking Hunter Smith in the 2nd, pre-draft. (as was I)

I was okay with the pick at the time. I read a few articles on him as a late bloomer. Nothing based on actual scouting because after seeing him in the memorial cup he looked more raw than I envisioned he would be. If I actually scouted him I'm not sure I would have made the pick lol. The occasional swing and a miss is expected so I'm not condemning Treliving for the pick and more hoping it's the exception not the norm.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Wait... would anyone actually take Brandon Saad over Nikita Kucherov? Kucherov has a case to be made for the #1 spot.

[Robbob]

I would put Scheifele higher than RNH

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Wait... would anyone actually take Brandon Saad over Nikita Kucherov? Kucherov has a case to be made for the #1 spot.

Gaudreau .892 PPG
Kucherov: .701 PPG

But yes, I would put him ahead of Saad at 3rd.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Gaudreau .892 PPG
Kucherov: .701 PPG

But yes, I would put him ahead of Saad at 3rd.

While I agree that Gaudreau is better than Kucherov, you can't straight up compare their ppg like that IMO. Kucherov started a whole year earlier and got 18 points in 52 games, which is really weighing down his ppg. Had Gaudreau played in 13-14, I have no doubt his career ppg would've taken a hit too.

[CSharp]

I think Nuge would be in the top 3 to 5 if he wasn't so lanky. With Nuge, Yakipov, Gagne, and Eberle in the lineup, it's like watching little kids running around and getting hammered in the the ice or the boards. He's starting to look like a real first rounder now, but when he first joined the Oilers, he was injury-prone like most of the small Oilers.

[Har-Calgary]

Funny cuz the only player I can argue that should be there ahead of Johnny is Kuch. I still think Johnny is better but that might be biased, Kuch is unreal, he might have been the best player in these playoffs. No way I'd take Landy or Saad over him. Not sure how he isn't second.

[Coach]

God it would have been awesome to end up with both Gaudreau and Kucherov as diamonds in the rough from the draft. What a story it would be.

[Bunk]

Has there been a situation like this in the last say 25 years where someone outside the first couple rounds is the best player in the draft? Datsyuk from 1998 maybe?

[Jets4Life]

I would not trade Scheifele straight up for Nugent-Hopkins.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Has there been a situation like this in the last say 25 years where someone outside the first couple rounds is the best player in the draft? Datsyuk from 1998 maybe?

Alfredsson in 1994, 133rd overall in the 6th round. 132 more points over his career than the second-highest scoring player from the draft (Elias, who went 51st overall).


Kane is still the best player from 2007, but Benn at 129th is a pretty solid second place.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

While I agree that Gaudreau is better than Kucherov, you can't straight up compare their ppg like that IMO. Kucherov started a whole year earlier and got 18 points in 52 games, which is really weighing down his ppg. Had Gaudreau played in 13-14, I have no doubt his career ppg would've taken a hit too.

Don't be silly, Gaudreau had a goal per game pace in 13-14.

Seriously though, I think he would have had a lot more than 18 points had he played 52 games, his game is all about creating points.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

I would not trade Scheifele straight up for Nugent-Hopkins.

Me either, and I hate both teams.