2021 NHL Draft

[ForeverFlameFan]

These rankings are all over the place. I really think we can still land someone special at 12.

[Royle9]

Is FC Hockey's 2021 draft guide out yet anyone know?

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

If you class the top 6 RW in that top 20, anyone know how they rank? Hope we nab one of them (or a right handed center).

I'll take a shot....

Guenther
Chibrikov
Rosen
Coronato
Lysell
Tuomaala

I watched Guenther basically dismantle the Hurricanes this year. Would be amazing if the Flames could land him.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Everything still keeps coming up Aatu Raty for the Flames in my eyes. Big fast 200ft center.

I wish it was Kent Johnson though. Or Chaz Lucius. Id rather both of them but i douby either will be there at 12.

Im with you on Kent Johnson. Maybe we can trade up to get him.

[1qqaaz]

I still think the Flames should stay away from anyone with a bad NHLe. Just too risky for where the Flames are. But if they do opt to do this, it should be a European skater.

I like Guenther but the Flames would only pick him if the won one of the lotteries. He is way too low on Central Scouting's list. Maybe he gives some people Hunter Shinkaruk vibes, but personally I don't think they're very comparable.

Trading up into the top 10 is pretty expensive, I don't see it happening. They should have just not gone 9-5 in their last 14 games (not started injured vets and Markstrom), but that's another argument.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of these players fell to the Flames:
Kent Johnson
Mason McTavish
Jesper Wallstedt
I doubt Edvinsson, Clarke, and Eklund fall to 12, but it's not unconceivable.

One of them might got top 3, yet one might fall to 12.
It's that kind of draft.

Matthew Beniers, Owen Power, Luke Hughes and Dylan Guenther are the players I just can't see falling that far under any circumstances.

Hopefully the Flames pick one of the aforementioned players who drops. If not, I hope they just pick one of the productive USHL guys (Sillinger, Coronato, Lucius). I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these guys go top 10 either.

[bdubbs]

Based on nothing but Sandman's write up, I'd like Svechkov. Maybe he can be our Datsyuk one day.

[Sandman]

When it comes to Central Scouting, their rankings almost never match up with reality. I only pay attention to their “player grades” that tell you roughly what rounds those players will be taken in.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Based on nothing but Sandman's write up, I'd like Svechkov. Maybe he can be our Datsyuk one day.

He’s ranked 10th overall on Craig Button’s list. Just sayin’......

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Based on nothing but Sandman's write up, I'd like Svechkov. Maybe he can be our Datsyuk one day.

Or Larionov.

[Wolfman]

Don't think it will happen but it would be sweet if Guenther slipped to 12.

[Sandman]

C/LW Colton Dach 6'4"205lbs (Saskatoon,WHL): I watched some game video on him a few months back, but I HATED his skating, so I gave up on him. Last night, I watched another game video, but this time-I was really quite excited by his mobility. He's definitely no burner, and he needs to work on his acceleration, top speed, and edges-but he wasn't losing any races, or lagging behind the play at all. His stride to me looks short and choppy, and he's not getting the most out of his extensions, but it looks like something he can fix, or improve drastically. Not sure what I was seeing a few months ago...

For the Blades, Dach scored 11g/9a/20pts in 20 games, with 16 PIMs-1st on the team in goals, and 4th in scoring. His G/GP is 21st in the Dub. Dach is versatile-he can play wing or center, and he play in any situation. The video I watched had him on every PK, and he looked quite effective-good positioning, and a better stick, with a long reach. He looks to take his defensive duties seriously, and hustles hard on the backcheck.

Dach is a dominant physical player-he hits everything, and plays with meanness, and an edge. When he wades into a puck battle, his opponent is often knocked right over. He will drop the gloves. Dach has strong puck control, and a nice wrister. He loves to drive the net.

All in all, Colton is a pretty different player than his brother Kirby. Kirby was obviously ready for the next step, whereas Colton is still very much a work in progress. Kirby has more finesse, and Colton is more rough and tumble. Colton needs to work on his skating, and further develop his offense. He also needs to improve his faceoffs, which were a paltry 34.9%. CS gave him a "C" rating, expecting him to get picked in the 4th-6th rounds, but I think he'll go in the third.

[Sandman]

C Jayden Grubbe 6'3"201lbs (Red Deer, WHL): When Brent Sutter names a guy his Captain, you know that player is a leader, is hard-working, plays the game with energy in all 3 zones, and does things the right way. The Captain of the Rebels is Calgary-born Grubbe. This year, his season was limited to 5 games due to a season-ending knee injury, and in that span, he put up only 3pts in 5 games. In 2019-20, he had 6g/23a/29pts in 57 games. Grubbe is indeed a gritty, competitive, and skilled power forward, who plays with urgency.

I just watched a shift-by-shift video of his, and I can confirm that this kid is a very good skater for a guy his size. He has good acceleration and separation speed, and his edges look good too. He has an impressive motor, and is dogged in his puck pursuit. Makes opponents pay with his physicality-drags the troops into battle by initiating physical play. His intimidating presence causes trouble at both ends of the rink. Watching him, he hits to make a point, and you don't want to be hit by him again.

Grubbe can drive his line's offensive play, and can dictate the game's pace and zone play. He's a crafty puckhandler, with good hands in tight. Goes to the net with enthusiasm. He's a leader in all 3 zones, and has a good understanding of the C position-he takes away the middle very well. Plays in all situations, including the PK. Very hard worker who wins 50/50 battles.

With Grubbe, there's plenty of uncertainty-only 7 goals in two seasons, and one of those cut short by a knee injury. Those are things that hurt a kid's draft status. He needs to continue working on his skating, particularly his explosiveness, and his on-ice discipline-he can fly off the handle now and then. He also needs to upgrade his offensive game. Look for him in the 4th round. I really like this kid.

[Sandman]

C/LW Cole Huckins 6'4"201lbs (Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL): 14g/18a/32pts in 33 games, with 49 PIMs-4th in scoring on the team. In 2019-20, he registered 38pts in 64 games-leading me to believe that his numbers should've been better this year. Huckins plays a lot on the 3rd line, and occasionally on the second line with Kyle Kidney. Another exmple of a big-bodied, mean power-forward type, Huckins is ultra-competitive, dominates puck battles, and overwhelms the greasy areas. Scary on the forecheck, and chasing down pucks. Attacks the net, and plays with snarl.

Huckins is definitely not without skill and vision. In 2019-20, he played mostly C, and many said his play-making was reminiscent of Joe Thornton. This year, playing the wing has brought out his power-forward tendencies, and his snarl-this is how he developed his nasty presence along the boards. He still demonstrates good passing ability, and good puck manipulation-he can draw defenders to him, creating space for teammates. He has a good net-front presence, where he scores most of his goals-his longer range, lower danger shots tend to miss the mark.

As mentioned, Huck plays a strong board game, and a gritty defenive game. He can separate man from puck with his stick, or with huge hits-often of the open-ice variety. He keeps the puck in low danger with his size and physicality.

Huckins skating can be inconsistent-it's heavy, but he employs a longer stride in acceleration while in puck pursuit, or breakouts that gives him a pretty good top speed. Other times, his stride is short and clunky. Needs work, but many think he'll be ok in this department. Needs work on his agility, edges, and balance as well. Huck also needs work on his stickhandling. Looks to be a middle-6 player at the NHL level. CS ranks him as a "C" prospect, but I think we'll see him go in the third round.

[Sandman]

RW Simon Robertsson 6'0"190Lbs (Skelleftea, SWE): Stood out in a good way to me at the U-18's, with 4pts (3g) in 7 games. 20pts in 15 games in Sweden's J20 league. Despite being a 6 footer, this kid is man-sized and plays a well-rounded, gritty power-forward game-has a good frame, strength and a good motor. Doesn't make many mistakes, and is positionally sound. Robertsson is a left-shooting RW, who forechecks hard, competes, and is solid in transition.

Robertsson may be the best shooter in the draft. He has a shooters mentality-uses screens, and knows how to find open space to unleash his big-league shot. He has perhaps the hardest shot in the draft, and the deceptive release to go with it. His wrister is like most slappers, and he can pick corners from distance, or shoot "through" the goalie. He can score from anywhere, and wants the puck on his stick. Robertsson has a well-developed two-way game, and can PK. Freakishly strong, he can go up against anybody along the boards,in front of the net, or in the dirty areas.

Robertsson is a good skater, who's more than a handful to deal with at full speed. He's at his best when using his long, powerful stride to get up to an impressive top speed, but he still could use some tweaks in every area of his skating, particularly his agility-he loses speed in turns. Skating isn't really a detriment though. There are questions as to how his offense will translate to the NHL, as he won't have near the time or space to execute, and as much as he is a capable distributor-he can struggle when under pressure. It is said though, that even if if he doesn't fulfill his potential as a top-six sniper, he has enough tools to make it in a lesser role. He's a first-round talent, but I wrote about him today because you never know-he could float into the second round....

[Sandman]

C/LW Conner Roulette, 5'11"176lbs (Seattle, WHL): 11gp/6g/6a/12pts. I wasn't a fan of his in the first few games of the U-18 tourney, where he put up 5pts in 7 games. Seemed to me to be having problems with his decision-making (caught the ire of the coach a few times), and his skating. There still might be a player there though-his productivity says so. Roulette is an offensive-minded forward who's always in the right spot to earn a scoring opportunity, or a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. His attention to detail is often talked about-he surveys the ice to create a blueprint for the play.

Roulette is a strong, tough winger who's not afraid of the hard areas, and is a great player along the boards. His best asset might be his shot-it's hard, accurate, and his release is deceptive. He pays attention to his own end, and his defensive metrics are good. Conner's coach thinks he could lead the Dub in scoring, he's that good. From watching film, he sure gets a lot of breakaways.

Roulette has excellent straight-line speed, but the rest of his mechanics need work. They say he often skates on his inside edges, which gives him some escapability to slip past defenders, but takes away from his efficiency and power. Most of his issues in this area can be fixed. He must also learn to use his teammates better, and improve some of his decision-making. He also tends to stickhandle in front, rather than from the hip, which leads to turnovers- also fixable. Despite his shortcomings, he's still a top-tier offensive player, so when he finishes developing-look out! Conner was rated an "A" level prospect, but he'll most likely be taken in the first third of the second round.

[Sandman]

C/RW Robert Orr 5'11"176lbs (Halifax, QMJHL): 15g/17a/32pts in 41 games, playing mostly RW on a line with L'Heureux and Elliot Desnoyers-considered one of the best units in the league. Originally drafted by Saint John, in the 5th round in 2019. Orr is used in all situations, special teams, and late-close scenarios-and he can play all forward positions. 80% of his points were primary.

Orr is blessed with excellent speed and quickness-he uses a long, powerful stride to gain separation on opponents, or pressure on the forecheck. He can back opponents off, and has lateral agility for escapability, or to switch lanes. He's excellent in transition, breaks out and creates plays with passing, or along the boards. He has many tools to gain entry-can dump it in and beat his opponent to the puck, or he can rely on his wide array of passes and banks. His shot is accurate with a quick release, and can still shoot while cutting across the middle. Scores mostly within 15 feet of the net, with a lot of tip-ins and rebound goals. Drives the net, loves the greasy goals, and finds open space down low. Likes to mix it up along the boards, and in the trenches-his intensity is noticeable.

Orr is also a quality playmaker, able to saucer passes tape-to-tape at full speed. When a teammate is open, Orr will usually find them, often in high danger. He's smart and poised in all 3 zones, and the fact that he was given more and more responsibility as the season progressed, proves that. He plays well defensively, and is trusted on the PK and in late-close scenarios. Doesn't shy away from contact, hustles on the backcheck, and pressures the points. He blocks shots, and keeps the puck in low danger. Orr needs work on his stickhandling-he can turnover the puck easily at times, and his forechecking is described as a work in progress. As good a skater as he is, he needs work on some aspects-namely his crossovers and edges. If he works out his kinks, he projects as a top-6 winger/special teams player. Look for him in the 3rd/4th round.

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Originally Posted by Sandman

C/RW Robert Orr 5'11"176lbs (Halifax, QMJHL): 15g/17a/32pts in 41 games, playing mostly RW on a line with L'Heureux and Elliot Desnoyers-considered one of the best units in the league. Originally drafted by Saint John, in the 5th round in 2019. Orr is used in all situations, special teams, and late-close scenarios-and he can play all forward positions. 80% of his points were primary.

Orr is blessed with excellent speed and quickness-he uses a long, powerful stride to gain separation on opponents, or pressure on the forecheck. He can back opponents off, and has lateral agility for escapability, or to switch lanes. He's excellent in transition, breaks out and creates plays with passing, or along the boards. He has many tools to gain entry-can dump it in and beat his opponent to the puck, or he can rely on his wide array of passes and banks. His shot is accurate with a quick release, and can still shoot while cutting across the middle. Scores mostly within 15 feet of the net, with a lot of tip-ins and rebound goals. Drives the net, loves the greasy goals, and finds open space down low. Likes to mix it up along the boards, and in the trenches-his intensity is noticeable.

Orr is also a quality playmaker, able to saucer passes tape-to-tape at full speed. When a teammate is open, Orr will usually find them, often in high danger. He's smart and poised in all 3 zones, and the fact that he was given more and more responsibility as the season progressed, proves that. He plays well defensively, and is trusted on the PK and in late-close scenarios. Doesn't shy away from contact, hustles on the backcheck, and pressures the points. He blocks shots, and keeps the puck in low danger. Orr needs work on his stickhandling-he can turnover the puck easily at times, and his forechecking is described as a work in progress. As good a skater as he is, he needs work on some aspects-namely his crossovers and edges. If he works out his kinks, he projects as a top-6 winger/special teams player. Look for him in the 3rd/4th round.

If only he was a D-man.

[shutout]

Sandman - where do you project Scott Morrow to be drafted?

Numbers and supposed mobility make him a perfect second round candidate for the Flames unless you project he is a late first round option?

[dammage79]

My FC mock draft for the flames:
https://nhlentrydraft.com/mock-draft/57159

1. Aatu Raty (C)
2. Oliver Kapanen (C)
3. Ilya Safonov (C)
3. Robert Orr (RW)
4. William Trudeau (D)
5. Nikolai Hakala (C)
6. Charles Savoie (LW)

Hakala intrigues me as a late pick. 6'6 220 Center 24 points U20 for Ilves. My mock is very center heavy.

[shutout]

My FC draft as of today with all of the discussions about drafting #1 centers.
This is one way by over drafting the position to try and get a diamond in the rough.

13. FC RANK 13 - SILLINGER COLE - C MEDICINE HAT
45. FC RANK 65 - MORROW SCOTT - D SHATTUCK ST. MARYS
77. FC RANK 999 - HELENIUS SAMUEL - C JOKERIT U20
86. FC RANK 999 - HUCKINS COLE - C ACADIE-BATHURST
141. FC RANK 999 - KUKKONEN KYLE - C MINOT
173. FC RANK 999 - MACDONALD CAMERON - C SIOUX FALLS
205. FC RANK 999 - VYAZOVOY SEMYON - G TOLPAR UFA