2021 NHL Draft

[Sandman]

LHD Dmitri Kuzmin,5'10"176lbs (Dinamo-Molodechno, Belarus): 46gp/3g/9a/12pts,30PIM, playing in the top men's league in Belarus-15th highest scoring defenseman, and the highest point-totals for a player under 18 by 8 points. He added 4pts in 6 playoff games, tied for fourth on the team. He was supposed to play this season for the Flint Firebirds. Really opened eyes at the U-18s, with 5pts in 5 games, 2nd on Team Belarus, and 6th highest scoring D in the tournament, ahead of such names as Behrens, Edvinsson, and Suomi. For his size, Kuzmin looks like a quality two-way defenseman, with speed and smarts.

Kuzmin is extremely mobile in all directions, and his edges are elite-he can change direction or speed very quickly. He has excellent acceleration, and lateral agility to shift lanes on the fly, and generates great quickness in his crossovers when walking the line in the offensive zone. Kuzmin's size keeps him from winning some battles, but he's fearless and aggressive enough to win his share. He's a master of deception and manpulation, and amazing at controlling time, space, pace, and pressure-he's good at drawing in attackers to open space for teammates and himself, and he can slow things down when he needs to. He's an excellent distributor, with vision and quick-thinking. He fearlessly jumps into the play and leads the rush. When on the PP, he walks the line, scanning for open lanes to pass or shoot. When not on the PP, he loves to pinch-none of his goals in international play came from the point, and 3 of those 4 were Michigan-Lacrosse style goals.

Kuz seems to look to always keep puck-possession for his team- in situations where the normal D-man would dump the puck, he looks for options for the pass, or he has no problem circling back to find a more suitable lane. Pressure in the neutral zone doesn't bother him- he passes through the pressure. Elusive in transition, and can complete zone exits with passes- he's a bit more daring playing against his own age group, as he's more likely to skate it zone to zone. He can struggle in zone entries sometimes, though. Defensively, he's an excellent slot defender with a fantastic stick. He cuts down open lanes, keeps attackers in low danger, and can trap them in the corners. Uses quality positioning and pressure, with great gap control down low. Recovers pucks with speed, and is great at breakout passes, even under forechecking pressure-will go behind the net, and slow things down, before finding the best option. He's good at stretch passes, but misses the mark sometimes.

Kuzmin has flawed puckhandling- he carries too far in front of his body, making it easier to take the puck from him. This must be fixed for the next level. In defensive transition, he concedes far too much space, and doesn't provide near enough pressure on attackers. In the offensive zone, he often will not take the necessary time to survey his options, and will shoot from everywhere, resulting in 45.3% of his shots being blocked. In addition, many of his passes become turnovers, although he's still considered a very reliable distributor. People see him as a 2nd/3rd pairing guy who will provide a team with a PP quarterback. 2nd/3rd round.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Sandman: just had to say thanks for all the effort and info. Fantastic stuff, thank you very much.

As for this draft (and others in the future) I don't care what size players are (unless they're like 4'11") I want to see an emphasis on Flames draft picks in 3 areas:

Speed
Skill
Determination

And not even necessarily in that order. I just want a speedy team with some skill with players that will go through the wall for their team and teammates. Can't stand slow players, low skill, and players whose give-a-crap factor is low. I'm just done with all of that stuff. Give me some fast players that will go all out, please.

[jjgallow]

Originally Posted by herashak

Most interested in

Possible Fallers:
- Wallstedt
- Mctavish
- Johnson
- Lysell


Likely Available:
- Lambos (ekblad offensive #’s d-1, good shot at becoming a top pairing guy, but injury scare)
- Lucius (RHS didn’t play many games)
- Sillinger (Great d-2 whl #’s)
- Coronato (Small LW, but might be a Caufield)

Pretty good options I think, might luck out on a player who drops due to not playing much the last year or two.

With regards to Coronato, it should be noted that he's actually a RHS, forced onto LW on an incredibly stacked line. He could end up filling in well on RW later in his career.


I'm also a big fan of Wallstedt.


I really need to mention though, there's some incredibly talented defencemen available in this draft, and one of them are likely to fall to us. I don't see how any of those forwards above can compete with the calibre of defencemen available this year.

[Sandman]

LHD Kirill Kirsanov,6'1"198lbs (SKA St.Petersburg, KHL): Kirsanov is one of the oldest players in the draft, with a September birthday, and has the most KHL experience of all prospects this year, with 29 games. He made an appearance in this years WJC (2pts in 7 games), and was one of Coach Igor Larionov's favorites, playing the third-most ice-time on the team on a solid pairing with San Jose prospect, Artem Knyazev-and stealing the thunder from hyped prospect, Daniil Chayka. Kirsanov is a calming influence, and a minute-muncher, but is also polarizing for scouts.

Kirsanov is a good skater, who closes gaps, wins races, and shows good edges to cut away from attackers. He owns a powerful stride, and fluid 4-way ability. He's well-balanced, and strong on his feet, and has shown good elusiveness through the neutral zone. A simple and effective passer, and puck-mover, he's calm and poised with the puck on his stick. In the WJC, his puck game was as good as anyone's. He makes a solid first-pass, and exhibits good puck-possession and control. He specializes in bank-passes. His strength is easily among the best in this age group, and he excels in board-battles, and in clearing the crease. He's very competitive and physical, and throws his weight around.

Kirsanov makes good decisions, and reads the play well in all 3 zones-he knows when to hold the line, or retreat- or when to make a successful pinch. Puts himself in good position everywhere, and does good things on the rush, and is calm on the cycle. He shows no panic in his game, and is poised- even with a forecheck coming at him. He's great at defending the blue-line, and breaking up cycles- strong shot-blocker, and takes away lanes with his active stick and top-notch positioning. Understands where to be in the D zone, his awareness is high-end. He's aggressive, and piles on the pressure. Many times in a game, he can break up the charge (or the cycle), and turn the play back the other way. Has no problem playing in traffic, or stickhandling through it.

Kirsanov has a weird hitch in his puck-handling that is very detrimental to his game, according to many scouts. Apparently, he holds his stick in a funny way that leads to instances of bad puck-reception, fumbling of the puck, bungled exits, and bad passes. It seems that he often reads the play the way he should, but isn't able to execute the way he wants to, and this takes a big chunk out of his offensive game. He apparently looks like he's fighting the puck a lot, and it limits him from taking chances and making plays in the O-zone. This problem keeps him out of the first two rounds, where Grushnikov is. Kirsanov's problem can be coached out of him, and the team that takes him will be aware of that, and with time, he could develop an offensive dimension, giving him an impressive two-way game, and a draft steal. While Kirsanov exhibits good skating ability, it's not at the same level as Grushnikov's, so there is room to make it even better. His consistency is also a big issue, as a scout will give a scathing review one game, and a glowing review the next, that sounds like a different player altogether. Lots to like, if he can work on his shortcomings. Look for him in the 3rd/4th round.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Sandman: just had to say thanks for all the effort and info. Fantastic stuff, thank you very much.

As for this draft (and others in the future) I don't care what size players are (unless they're like 4'11") I want to see an emphasis on Flames draft picks in 3 areas:

Speed
Skill
Determination

And not even necessarily in that order. I just want a speedy team with some skill with players that will go through the wall for their team and teammates. Can't stand slow players, low skill, and players whose give-a-crap factor is low. I'm just done with all of that stuff. Give me some fast players that will go all out, please.

Thank you muchly! If you go all the way back to page 18, and read my posts from there, I've profiled a bunch of players that fit the bill, like: Martino, Lysell, Coronato, Samoskevich, Dean, Stillman, Kapanen, and the list goes on....I've written over 100 profiles so far, and I've got more for you.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I've seen them, and so far for whatever reason I keep going back to Lysell. He looks like a keeper.

For some strange reason I keep thinking this is the kind of draft that BT will trade down to get more picks, if they have a few guys in the same grouping, ala Zary. Might not be a terrible thing, but I just would like to see them pick the best player at 12, no joking around. If Lysell is there I hope they take him.

[Sandman]

RW/LW Albert Sjoberg,6'0"174lbs (Sodertalje SK, J20, SWE): 18gp/10g/3a/13pts,33PIM, which is 10th for players under the age of 18, and tied for 1st in goals. 9th in goals for the entire league, playing 2nd/3rd line minutes. His play earned him 17 games in the Allsvenskan, a men's league, where he played 4th line minutes and scored a goal. He also played in the U-18s, with 3pts in 7 games. He plays a lot of PK, and is quite good at it. Sjoberg plays a very straight-ahead, hard-working energy game, and is a bit of a pest and agitator.

Sjoberg, as mentioned, has tons of energy and makes an impact every game. He's fearless, with a very high compete, and excellent work ethic. Despite his average size, he wins battles all over the ice-he will be scary when he fills out and gets stronger, although he's quite strong already. He has good skills, including his stickhandling, which is considered above-average. He owns a hard shot with accuracy. Sjoberg throws himself into the middle of all the battles, trying to capture the puck-he's great in the corners and along the boards, and isn't afraid of the dirty areas. Always seems to be in the right place all the time. He's equally good on the forecheck as the backcheck-he's more than a handful to deal with. Drives the net with purpose. He has very good speed, and keeps his feet moving- good first-step and acceleration. Defensively, he's aggressive and works hard, without over-committing. He blocks shots with no hesitation, and has an effective stick. The way he played in the U-18s, and the way he was talked about, kind of reminds me of Ville Neiminen.

Sjoberg needs to fill out and get stronger, and he will be a monster, and it will help with his shot, which could use better velocity. His skating is good, but can be built upon. His decision-making and creativity need to be further developed, as he's not much of a playmaker. Some say he could go in the third, some say he'll go in the later rounds, if he gets picked at all- so i guess we'll see...

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I've seen them, and so far for whatever reason I keep going back to Lysell. He looks like a keeper.

For some strange reason I keep thinking this is the kind of draft that BT will trade down to get more picks, if they have a few guys in the same grouping, ala Zary. Might not be a terrible thing, but I just would like to see them pick the best player at 12, no joking around. If Lysell is there I hope they take him.

Lysell is one of the favorites in these parts, and I like him too. If Tre can move down and pick up an extra second, that could get us another really good player.

[Sandman]

C Arvid Eljas, 5'11"179lbs (Leksands J20, SWE): 14gp/3g/7a/10pts. His play earned him 8 games in the HockeyEttan, a men's pro league, where he did surprisingly well (2g/4a/6pts), and was the 5th highest scorer under 18 in the league. He added 3pts in 6 playoff games-tied for 4th in scoring on his team. He played a game in the SHL as well, plus he went to the U-18s (3pts in 7 games), where he was cast in a defensive role. Eljas is the second-cousin of Emil Heineman. "A hard-working, intense center who can drive play, Eljas may not be the most beautiful skater but is explosive and effective anyway". He's another player I don't know much about, but I've heard scouts like him.

Eljas works hard, and makes things happen- he can be offensively dynamic. He has the ability to gain speed with control through the neutral zone, cut through traffic, and find teammates for chances. Finds all the open spaces to make himself an available option. Eljas is a good two-way player. He's seen as a good skater and puckhandler-he's calm and patient with the puck, and will button-hook and circle back to find a better option. He is good along the boards, and wins his fair-share of battles, because of his determination. He works hard to win loose pucks. He's also brilliant in transitions, and great against the breakout.

[Sandman]

RHD Cole Jordan,6'2"205lbs (Moose Jaw, WHL): 23gp/3g/7a/10pts,14PIM. Jordan is one of the older players in the draft, having a September birthday. Playing for the Warriors, he doesn't get his pick of prime partners, and doesn't get the opportunity to play with Daemon Hunt, in order to balance out the pairings. Jordan has the size, skating, and smarts to get a look from scouts, but he also has vast offensive potential. He's not flashy, but facilitates the play-he knows when to jump into the rush, and has an efficient approach to developing the play.

CJ's skating is very good, especially for a player his size- he can fly when he gets a full head of steam. He's effective in changing speed, or direction. He makes a smart, accurate first-pass, which is one of his specialties. His IQ is top-notch, and he seems to make the right play in every situation, and the right reads. He owns a wicked wrist shot, hard and accurate. Effective in transition, always calm and poised on the breakout- he makes great passes out of his zone, and can move pucks through the middle of the ice to strong reception areas. His speed means he can stick with almost anyone through the neutral zone. Defensively, his positioning is sound- he always puts himself in prime position to stop the puck carrier. He can pinch into the neutral zone to break up rushes, and exhibits fantastic gap control. Breaks up passing lanes, forces attackers to the outside and out of high-danger areas, and pins players to the boards. He's not overly physical, but uses his body to win battles, or seal off opponents to the boards.

"With Jordan, it's not so much what he is now, but what he can be 5-plus years down the road if he keeps improving at the rate he has". Jordan needs to keep improving his offensive game, and many think that he has the tools to do so. To me, this is the kind of D-man that sees a huge jump in his numbers in his D+1 year in the WHL. He has a pretty high floor as a third-pairing D, with special teams time. Central Scouting gave him a "C" rating, meaning they project him to go in the 4th-6th rounds.

[sureLoss]

With the eliminations last night the picks the Flames currently have are finalized in order.

1st Round CGY - 13th OA
2nd Round CGY - 45th OA
3rd Round CGY - 77th OA
3rd Round EDM - 84th OA
5th Round CGY - 141st OA
6th Round CGY - 173rd OA
7th Round CGY - 205th OA

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

With the eliminations last night the picks the Flames currently have are finalized in order.

1st Round CGY - 13th OA
2nd Round CGY - 45th OA
3rd Round CGY - 77th OA
3rd Round EDM - 84th OA
5th Round CGY - 141st OA
6th Round CGY - 173rd OA
7th Round CGY - 205th OA

Except Arizona's pick is forfeited.
Calgary is picking 12th.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Except Arizona's pick is forfeited.
Calgary is picking 12th.

Yes Arizona's pick is forfeited, but the Flames will still be counted as the 13th pick OA.

In the records it will show the 11th OA pick as forfeited.


If you want a further example, look at the 2020 draft.

The Coyotes forfeited the 49th OA pick for the same rule break. Yan Kuznetsov is still considered taken with the 50th OA pick by the Flames even though he was the 49th player selected.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

With the eliminations last night the picks the Flames currently have are finalized in order.

1st Round CGY - 13th OA
2nd Round CGY - 45th OA
3rd Round CGY - 77th OA
3rd Round EDM - 84th OA
5th Round CGY - 141st OA
6th Round CGY - 173rd OA
7th Round CGY - 205th OA

Please be another Fox, Dube, Mangiapane, Wolf pick! Too delicious going forward if they hit on this one.

Great to have 4 picks in the top 90.

[Royle9]

Bingo do you have a shared link to your consensus draft rankings likely in an excel spreadsheet?

I was in the process of building one this morning and then realized you said you were keeping track of this! I'd like to print a copy etc so if you could share that would be great.

If not then I'd take your list and build an excel spreadsheet which I could share with the group etc.

I like to follow along on draft day to see all the risers/fallers and whatnot

[Bingo]

I'll post a PDF for sure when I'm all done.

I may be running out of rankings to be honest.

Central Scouting NA
Central Scouting EU
FC Hockey
Dobber (Ferrari)
Cosentino
Ryan Kennedy
Steve Kournianos
Bob McKenzie
Draft Prospects Hockey
Neutral Zone
SMAHT Scouting
McKeen's
Craig Button
Elite Prospects
Ryan Pike
Forbes - Hockey Writers

[Bingo]

Here is the PDF as of today

https://www.calgarypuck.com/wp-conte...-Consensus.pdf

Brief explanation:

Sorted by "Average" then "Deviation"
Two shaded Central Scouting ranks not included in the average

Final three columns are the ranking moves if you take out the best and worst ranking for each player.

A good example is Nikita Chibrikov. He has an 11 that is an outlier ... if you remove the best and the worst his average falls from 20.50 to 20.8 and he drops two spots.

For Flames specific, if you look at the Adjusted Rank Lucius moves past Sillinger as Lucius has a 25 in his ranking.

[krynski]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Here is the PDF as of today

https://www.calgarypuck.com/wp-conte...-Consensus.pdf

Brief explanation:

Sorted by "Average" then "Deviation"
Two shaded Central Scouting ranks not included in the average

Final three columns are the ranking moves if you take out the best and worst ranking for each player.

A good example is Nikita Chibrikov. He has an 11 that is an outlier ... if you remove the best and the worst his average falls from 20.50 to 20.8 and he drops two spots.

For Flames specific, if you look at the Adjusted Rank Lucius moves past Sillinger as Lucius has a 25 in his ranking.

This is insane. Megathanks.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Here is the PDF as of today

https://www.calgarypuck.com/wp-conte...-Consensus.pdf

Brief explanation:

Sorted by "Average" then "Deviation"
Two shaded Central Scouting ranks not included in the average

Final three columns are the ranking moves if you take out the best and worst ranking for each player.

A good example is Nikita Chibrikov. He has an 11 that is an outlier ... if you remove the best and the worst his average falls from 20.50 to 20.8 and he drops two spots.

For Flames specific, if you look at the Adjusted Rank Lucius moves past Sillinger as Lucius has a 25 in his ranking.

The deviation is crazy this year.
McTavish seems to be falling a lot during these final rankings which is suprising.
We all knew it would kind of be all over the place but its crazy how different even the TOP 3 is for most people, then you get into the Flames range and its even deeper.

This draft will be crazy, almost wish we had more than 1 first round pick this year (and we dont let Todd screw it up)

[SuperMatt18]

Olen Zellweiger with the Oilers pick would be fantastic.

With a full season my guess he would have been a big riser based on his production in limited games in the WHL and at the U-18S.