2024 NHL Draft Thread

[traptor]

We need a top center in the system badly.
We have no top 6 centers under 30 in the system.

Both Lindstrom and Catton fit the bill and will probably go in the top 10.
I hate to bring this up but given recent history... they're both western Canadian kids too.

Given that the Flames pick between 6-10, I would target one of these guys given that they're available.


Defence we can weather.
We have some top 4 options at every age.
Weeger - Andersson - Kylington for 20s and 30s.
Morin, Brzustewicz and Poirier all have top 4 ceilings.

I also won't be surprised if we still get a young D back in a trade like Lohrei (Boston) or Wallinder (Detroit) in a trade deadline package.
There's alot more D prospects available for trade then top 6 center prospects.

[Groot]

I hope a trade materializes with NJ and Casey comes back. Really helps defense prospect depth. Then we swing for a Center with high upside in our first pick. We can grab a defender with one of the (hopefully multiple) 1st rounders we'll have later.

[dammage79]

Yeah, top of the draft? Center, every time.

Mid round? I can see defensemen easy.
The rest, BPA.

Honestly, Celebrini, Lindstrom and Catton are exactly what the Flames need.

Traptors right, the Flames can get D prospects in these deadl8ne trades.

[Poe969]

Not like Dickinson or Silayev, or even Levshunov. Those 3 look to be game changing D and there's still a couple more.

Celebrini and Lindstrom look to be the best C options, if you can't get one of those 2, I'd take one of those Dmen.

[Sandman]

I agree, there’s at least 4 defensemen that are game-changers in this draft. I take Lindstrom first, but those kind of D are rare too.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Not like Dickinson or Silayev, or even Levshunov. Those 3 look to be game changing D and there's still a couple more.

Celebrini and Lindstrom look to be the best C options, if you can't get one of those 2, I'd take one of those Dmen.

Outside of first overall it has been risky business to use a top 10 pick on centers refently. Barrett Hayton, Kotkaniemi, Patrick, Glass, Anderson, Rasmussen, Dach, Turcotte. The first overalls have hit at the center ice position but it sure seems like you are rolling the dice picking a franchise center that high.

In those same drafts Hughes, Dobson, Makar, Heiskanen, Seider were picked in the top 10 but not first overall. 5 franchise dman picked outside the first overall pick. None of the centers picked outside of first overall compared with any of those dmen.

Could be spurious correlation but it seems like it is very difficult to find a true stud number one dman unless you draft them high but there are talented centers you can get elsewhere in the draft.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Yeah, top of the draft? Center, every time.

Mid round? I can see defensemen easy.
The rest, BPA.

Honestly, Celebrini, Lindstrom and Catton are exactly what the Flames need.

Traptors right, the Flames can get D prospects in these deadl8ne trades.

I actually think it's the other way around.

If you have a top 10 pick, you have to pick the best player available. It's too important. And the difference in value between each pick is too large. Passing on someone just because of position can result in disaster.
It's a good think the Flames didn't (or couldn't) pick Juolevi ahead of Tkachuk because they thought they needed a defenseman.
Or imagine picking guys like Hischier and Patrick over Heiskanen and Makar, just because the former were listed as centers.

In the later rounds, its more acceptable to draft for position. It builds depth and there's just so much volatility the later you go. That's why I like the strategy of picking one goalie in the later rounds every year or so.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Does Lindstrom even play on a line with McKenna?

I think he plays mostly with Wiesblatt and MacKenzie now, It may change when Lindstrom comes back.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

I think he plays mostly with Wiesblatt and MacKenzie now, It may change when Lindstrom comes back.

I thought Lindstrom was playing mostly with Basha and Weisblatt?

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I thought Lindstrom was playing mostly with Basha and Weisblatt?

He may have been but he's been out with injury for 2 months

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

He may have been but he's been out with injury for 2 months

Oh yeah, I meant before the injury.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I thought Lindstrom was playing mostly with Basha and Weisblatt?

If I remember correctly Lindstorm mostly played on a line with Basha and St.Martin before his injury.

EDIT: Thinking MacKenzie was also on that line before St.Martin?

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Oh yeah, I meant before the injury.

In looking at their instagram the season started with

Basha - Lindstrom - Mackenzie

Over time that morphed into

Basha - Lindstrom - St. Martin

On the game Lindstrom got injured in it looks like McKenna had been jumped up to the top LW slot playing with Lindstrom. For McKenna he played quite a few games with Wiesblatt and Harysani before the injury to Lindstrom happened, so with Mrsic also switching in at times on the right side.

It doesn’t look like they’ve played a ton of 5 on 5 together, at least based on the lineup cards they’re posting on their instagram.

[Sandman]

Thanks a ton for clearing that up, guys! The only linemate I was sure of was Basha- in every Lindstrom highlight/game video it seems Basha is right there with him...

[Calgary4LIfe]

I really do believe that in the 2025/26 season, Calgary will still be bad. This is a rebuild, not a retool. it just not a 'to the studs' rebuild.


I think it will be 2-3 years of drafting high then the team starts rising in the standings. I think the plan will be to:
2023/24 - sell this year, and get a lot of picks (duh - already happening!)
2024/25 - sell more next year, bottom out. Mangiapane, Sharangovich(?), Kuzmenko(?), Vladar(?). Who knows which other players Calgary gets back in trades or signs as UFAs for one year deals.
2025/26 - Will they really be going back up? I think they will be at the bottom of the standings for 2 full seasons. I think they will be in the McKenna lottery. Maybe not the best chance, but one of the 3-4 worst teams in the NHL that year. Unfortunately, there will be some teams who will probably be very determined to tank that year.



I think that next year they rebound back up. Flames should have been in the 2015 McDavid lottery as well, but suddenly they made the playoffs, and then kept trying to make the playoffs.



I think a 'down to the studs' rebuild takes 5 years if you are lucky, and if everything goes right. I think a rebuild leaves you at 2-3 years, lasting 5 if you are unlucky. Some markets can speed things up drastically - like the Rangers where everyone wants to play for them. There won't be a lineup trying to bust down the door here in Calgary. I think they should still be in the McKenna lottery, and with a new building around the corner from there, Bettman will want to make sure that enough tickets will be sold!

[Heavy Jack]

My dream is we somehow land Lindstrom and Iginla in this draft and bottom out the following year ahead of the McKenna draft for a true shot at a generational talent. If we landed him awesome, if not another surge of 1sts to go along with the potential haul of this draft class could pave the way for the franchise. We already have some youth that is starting to show well at a variety of levels, how we handle the next two years paired with some luck should really help build some excitement in the roster. Super pumped!

[dammage79]

After much more digging and sniffing over the last month, I'm still 100 percent all about getting Cayden Lindstrom in a Flames Jersey.

Only riser on my list is Demidov. He's turned on the heat in his draft year and making the previous Russian hype beast look lesser of a player.

And the chance(Still not convinced he is I've seen nor read anything of the sort that says he is) Demidov is a natural center? Man alive there's 3 stellar centers in this draft. We need one of them.

On the D side I favor Levshunov and Dickinson before any of the other ones. Silayev is cool and all I don't get a vibe from his play.

Helenius and Catton are growing on me but there's a long way between them and Lindstrom on the list.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

My dream is we somehow land Lindstrom and Iginla in this draft and bottom out the following year ahead of the McKenna draft for a true shot at a generational talent. If we landed him awesome, if not another surge of 1sts to go along with the potential haul of this draft class could pave the way for the franchise. We already have some youth that is starting to show well at a variety of levels, how we handle the next two years paired with some luck should really help build some excitement in the roster. Super pumped!

The 2025 Draft features a player I really like in 6’5”Center, Roger McQueen. Can you imagine if we ended up with Lindstrom and McQueen as our top 2 centers?

McQueen is a ppg player with the Wheat Kings this season, and was dynamite at the Hlinka.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I agree, there’s at least 4 defensemen that are game-changers in this draft. I take Lindstrom first, but those kind of D are rare too.

I think I would take Levshunov and Parekh over Lindstrom but I'm not as high on Lindstrom as most. Call me crazy but I think Catton is the 2nd best center in the draft.

Levshunov looks like the full meal deal that can do it all and Parekh is the Adam Fox we lost.

Unfortunately though, I don't think the Flames will be bad enough to have a choice

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

I think I would take Levshunov and Parekh over Lindstrom but I'm not as high on Lindstrom as most. Call me crazy but I think Catton is the 2nd best center in the draft.

Levshunov looks like the full meal deal that can do it all and Parekh is the Adam Fox we lost.

Unfortunately though, I don't think the Flames will be bad enough to have a choice

You could end up being right- Catton is a gifted player for sure.