2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Is Lindstrom coming back soon? He's been out since mid-December, and was supposed to return in February...

Hopefully for the playoffs, but there has been no definite timeline provided for his return.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Smurf Edition, Vol.3):

LHD Tomas Galvas spent the first game of the WJC in the press box as an extra body for Team Czechia, but an injury to Adam Jiricek in that contest opened a spot for him in Game #2, and he took off from there, earning more and more responsibility and ice-time as the tournament wore on. He only managed 2 points in 6 games, but was named Player of the Game for the Czechs against Switzerland, and turned heads with his stellar play, despite the lack of points. Scouts already had a pretty good book on him going into the current season anyway, with similar great performances in the 2023 Five Nations, as well as the Hlinka- garnering rave reviews for each. To date, Galvas is 7th in ppg for defensemen in Czechia's U20 league, with 13 points in 16 games, split between HC Olomouc and Bili Tygri Liberec. Most of his season was spent in Czechia's top men's league, the Extraliga, with Bili Tygri Liberec, and he is currently 1st in both games-played and points for U-18 players, with 7 in 32 games.

Galvas is dimunitive, at 5'10",158lbs, but manages to be an effective two-way presence with outstanding skill, and a positive influence on the game for his team. The first thing one might notice about Galvas is his exceptional skating ability, with speed that's among the best in the draft. He's explosive in all directions, and escapes pressure with lateral agility that few can match- he's sharp on his edges, light on his feet, and can turn or stop on a dime. Luckily for him, his hands are fast enough when handling to keep up with his feet, and he offsets his size deficiencies by staying super active, buzzing all around the zone, seemingly touching every square foot of space, including activating along the boards. To augment his speed and activeness, he plays at a higher pace than anyone on the ice around him, and makes plays at top speed. He's shifty, which is enough to confuse defenders, but he also uses a wide array of fakes, look-offs, dekes, and other deception to manipulate opponents into going one way, while he goes in a different direction. He's active with, and without the puck, and he has advanced spatial awareness with the knowledge of how to exploit it, getting precise passes to high-danger through seams he creates. Galvas makes quick, decisive plays with his high-end IQ and vision, and reads the ice at a high level to solve problems instantaneously. He often spearheads the rush, getting behind defenders, and makes beautiful plays around the net. In the zone, he walks the line and quarterbacks the offense, activating into the play when he's clear to do so, with well-timed pinches.

Transition is an area where Galvas makes some of his best contributions- he's more than willing and able to carry through the neutral zone, weaving through checks, or skating wide routes if necessary; or he can QB the play with crisp, quality breakouts, and give-and-go's. He is highly elusive 1-on-1, but can separate from opponents after completing a clean retrieval with his head up to scan for threats, and map out his surroundings. He's cool and composed under pressure, and is a good possession player who drives play. A lot of smaller defensemen don't hold up well in the defensive zone, but this is not true of Galvas, who sports a strong defensive game with sharp positioning, and keen anticipation. He's amazing at picking pockets, and closes gaps quickly, forcing mistakes aplenty by constantly buzzing in the face of puck-carriers, and removing all time and space. He sticks to his man like glue, and if they get possession, he pursues the puck like a dog on a bone, poking it loose and pouncing on it. He's not afraid to engage bigger players in the corners, or along the wall, and wins battles with sheer will, smarts, and an active stick- though he has a pinch of physicality to work with.

It seems fairly unanimous among scouts that Galvas will be even more sucessful defensively as he adds strength and mass, as he still struggles to handle opponents in front of the net, and can be pushed off the puck when opponents catch up to him. He knows how he wants to play, but can't always execute it, because of his lack of strength. Galvas can hold on to the puck too long, while searching for the right opportunity, which can cause him to run out of real estate. He can pinch at inopportune times, thereby being caught deep in the zone with the puck going the other way, so he has to learn to pick his spots a bit better. Many think he'll be selected in the top-2 rounds, and while I believe that's very possible, I could see him lasting into the third. In terms of small defensemen in this draft, I'm not so sure he's in the same league as Kiviharju, or Hutson- even though he does a lot of things very well.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Teddy Bear Edition):

If you were to confuse C/LW Teddy Stiga with his NTDP teammate, Christian Humphreys, I wouldn't blame you. Like Humphreys, Stiga has improved by leaps and bounds as a player in the last year or so, but his upwards trajectory has been much sharper than Humphreys'- particularly in the last few months, where he has gone from passenger to driver, and scarcely resembles the player he was last season. Stiga, who stands 5'10", and weighs in at 176lbs, currently sits at 59 points in 49 games, to go with 32 penalty minutes, which are pretty impressive numbers, and put him third in NTDP scoring behind Hagens and Eiserman. Stiga killed it in the 5 Nations in February, leading all scorers with 9 points in 4 games.

Stiga is an all-situations player, and is starting to show the ability to drive play. His feet are always moving, and he makes plays at high speed. He makes quicks reads, and reacts to what is coming at him, solving problems along the way. On the forecheck, he shows great hustle, and is highly disruptive- he's constantly in motion in the offensive zone, and covers a ton of real estate. With high IQ and anticipation, he finds, opens, and exploits space; he knows where teammates are going to be a few steps ahead of the play, and is a crisp, accurate passer. As a dual threat performer, he also packs an accurate wrister, with a snappy release- but he could stand to add more power to his arsenal of shots. His hands are soft, and he can beat goalies in tight after working the puck to the inside. Stiga has excellent speed, with smooth edges that provide him with his fantastic small-area game, spinning away from pressure, and outmanouvering opponents. He's a deceptive puckhandler, using all kinds of feints to manipulate opponents into going in the wrong direction. He's an asset in transition, and aids his teammates in completing clean exits and entries with control.

Stiga's off-puck game is a huge asset- he's always an option for a pass at the right time and place, and positions himself well to capitalize on opportunities. He plays with high energy, and oodles of pace, and his relentless motor might be his best quality- he never takes a shift off, and keeps his feet moving with, or without the puck. He seems to pride himself on winning battles, and overcoming his size deficit with work-ethic and will- he's unafraid to wade into battle in the greasy areas, and finishes his checks. Defensively, he's an effective player who brings his work-ethic and anticipation to the zone, never cheating for offense, and remaining on the right side of the puck. He's proficient at forcing mistakes and turnovers, and gets in his opponents' faces, to limit time and space with his body and efficient stickwork. His off-puck positioning is exemplary, and he's useful in this regard on the breakout, as he skates out at the right time to be an option for a pass. Stiga has rounded out his repertoire nicely, but any holes in his game are centered around his size- he must get stronger to help him win battles at the next level, and strengthening his shot is a must. Stiga is committed to Boston College, but it may be awhile until he can earn a top-6 role on that squad, as they are quite deep in talent. Look for Stiga in the 2nd/3rd round.

[FlamesAddiction]

Stiga is the player Tankaton has us taking with the Dallas 2nd. currently

[cral12]

From Adams to Zetterberg, caught up again to Sandman's prolific profiling.
Now 98 profiles already!

Alphabetical with a hyperlinked table of contents at the top...

https://bit.ly/2024nhldraftprofiles

[CroCop]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Terik Parascak I think should be a target with that Van pick.

Kid is tearing it up.

Unreal season and happy for him. Going from not ranked to projected first rounder. Huge byproduct of who he’s playing with this year. Super intelligent player still huge concerns about skating and other areas of his game. Prefer we stay away.

[Dude Where's Makar?]

Justin Poirier just scored his 50th goal of the year with 78pts in 66 games. (also 66pims)
I don't want to miss out on another Point/Stankoven. Would be a nice target with our 2nd round pick.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Mr. Mrs Edition):

C/LW Tomas Mrsic was given a "C" rating by Central Scouting at the beginning of the year, meaning that they saw him at the time to be a likely 4th, or 5th round pick; however, they probably didn't foresee him putting up the kind of offense he has shown for Medicine Hat of the WHL, with 23 goals and 61 points in 61 games. The way I see it, Mrsic's numbers have been pumped up a little by two factors: first of all, the absence of Cayden Lindstrom due to injury since mid-December has most likely given him more ice-time and responsibility (35 points in 29 games since the start of 2024)- and second, the fact that coach Willie Desjardins likes to deploy 5 forwards on the PP, which ranks second-best in the league, at 29.2%. Out of Mrsic's 61 points, 29 have come via the powerplay, which usually features Mrsic, Lindstrom, McKenna, Basha, and Weisblatt. Mrsic, who is actually a Canadian from Surrey, BC with Croatian decent, was selected 8th overall by the Tigers in the 2021 WHL Draft.

Mrsic was tasked over the the summer by coach Willie to get faster and stronger, as well as improve his shot, and give the kid credit- he went to work in the gym and on the ice, and shot 300-400 pucks every day. The results are noticeable- he looks much bigger (and has grown a few inches, now measuring 6'0",170lbs) and much faster on the ice, and his shot looks better. He still isn't an elite skater, but he moves very well with good acceleration and a little explosiveness, and strong edges to make tight turns, and move quick laterally. He's always had a hard and heavy selection of shots, and a variety of quick releases, with a cannon of a one-timer that has earned him a spot on the left wall on the PP. He can score from in-tight, or from a distance, with the pinpoint accuracy to pick corners in full flight, and the moves to beat goalies 1-on-1. He is able to snipe or finish, and has uncanny hand-eye co-ordination to knock down passes, or tip shots. In past seasons, in lower levels, Mrsic has looked like he leaned heavily towards scoring goals, but he seems to be comfortable playing the role of skilled playmaker these days, and has the vision and anticipation to read gaps in coverage, with the passing skill to capitalize. He can thread the needle through traffic, over sticks, between legs, and through triangles.

Mrsic handles the puck well, even in tight spaces, and he can roll off of checks, or outwit opponents with his small-area game. He does a good job of drawing defenders towards him, thereby opening space for himself and teamamtes to operate in, or pass through. His puck-control and protection skills are a plus, and it's difficult to strip the puck from him. Mrsic is good at capitalizing on opponents' mistakes, turning them into offensive opportunities- he pounces on turnovers, and picks off passes well. He plays with good energy, and a high pace, and will fight in the trenches for pucks. Despite being 10th in goals-against, all of the personnel on the Tigers have bought in to Coach Desjardins' defensive scheme, and Mrsic is no different- he hounds puck-carriers, forces mistakes, pounces on loose pucks, breaks up plays, and helps turn the tide to offense. He uses an active stick to execute clever poke-checks, and block lanes. He is also trusted with penalty-killing duties. I wouldn't say Mrsic is elite in any way, but is fairly good in many areas, however- his dependency on the powerplay might be a bit of an issue for scouts. Still, I don't think it will keep him from being picked past the 4th round in this year's draft.

[Sandman]

By my count, Berkly Catton has put up 38 points in his last 20 games, and sits at 113 points in 66 games.....

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Sandman

By my count, Berkly Catton has put up 38 points in his last 20 games, and sits at 113 points in 66 games.....

If we can end up with Berkly Catton or Tij Iginla, I'll be overjoyed on draft day.

[FlamesAddiction]

With Pittsburgh winning tonight, they move up to 11th, which means the pick now goes to San Jose.

https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/mock_draft

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Dude Where's Makar?

Justin Poirier just scored his 50th goal of the year with 78pts in 66 games. (also 66pims)
I don't want to miss out on another Point/Stankoven. Would be a nice target with our 2nd round pick.

Jumbo Shrimp

Late birthday has me asking if he might have a late growth spurt like his brother did, either way he's one of the youngest players in the draft, not super straight line fast but a great tricky skater, good IQ and vision, built like a tank,tough as hell and already has an NHL shot.

He's trending to be an early 2nd rounder so depending on who's left the Flames may have to reach a little and use Van's 1st to get him.

[Freeway]

This is probably the appropriate thread to mention that my new book on the history of the Flames franchise at the NHL Draft is out today everywhere books can be found.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by Freeway

This is probably the appropriate thread to mention that my new book on the history of the Flames franchise at the NHL Draft is out today everywhere books can be found.

This is so awesome, Ry - saw your announcement on the Twitter as well - best of luck with this release. I can only imagine how much work gone into this, but super cool to have Flames draft history covered your patent-pending Pike perspective. Proud of you, dude!

[cral12]

Originally Posted by cral12

From Adams to Zetterberg, caught up again to Sandman's prolific profiling.
Now 98 profiles already!

Alphabetical with a hyperlinked table of contents at the top...

https://bit.ly/2024nhldraftprofiles

Make that 99 ; )

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Freeway

This is probably the appropriate thread to mention that my new book on the history of the Flames franchise at the NHL Draft is out today everywhere books can be found.

good stuff. Looks like delivery to Austria might be a bit of a hassle, so I'll probably just grab the Kindle version. Congrats on the release!

[Sandman]

Congratulations Mr. Pike! That’s definitely a book I’m interested in reading!

[FlamesAddiction]

Ryan Pike was on Barn Burner today and released a tidbit from his book.

In 1997, the Flames decided on Daniel Tkaczuk over Sergei Samsonov because they wanted a center. Only three centers from that draft became top line centers and all were drafted in the top 3.

We'll never know for sure how Tkaczuk would have turned out without the injury problems, but I think it's still a good lesson to not draft for position. Some really good wingers and dmen were picked after Tkaczuk in that draft.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

In 1997, the Flames decided on Daniel Tkaczuk over Sergei Samsonov because they wanted a center. Only three centers from that draft because top line centers and all were drafted in the top 3.

We'll never know for sure how Tkaczuk would have turned out without the injury problems, but I think it's still a good lesson to not draft for position.

It's an even better lesson not to put yourself in a spot where you desperately need to draft for position.

In the 1995 off season, Doug Risebrough managed to lose the organization's four best centremen: Joe Nieuwendyk to a contract holdout, Robert Reichel to Germany, Joel Otto to free agency, Kelly Kisio to retirement. I believe that debacle was what got him fired. For years afterwards, the Flames were using a combination of AHLers, journeymen, and converted wingers to try to patch that giant hole down the middle.

Kisio was retiring no matter what, but if the team had managed to keep even two of the other three, they would never have been so desperate to fill the hole and could easily have afforded to draft the BPA.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Ryan Pike was on Barn Burner today and released a tidbit from his book.

In 1997, the Flames decided on Daniel Tkaczuk over Sergei Samsonov because they wanted a center. Only three centers from that draft because top line centers and all were drafted in the top 3.

We'll never know for sure how Tkaczuk would have turned out without the injury problems, but I think it's still a good lesson to not draft for position. Some really good wingers and dmen were picked after Tkaczuk in that draft.

Could also be a good lesson in the importance if draft position. The top 3 picks were the only top centers to come out if that draft.

Imagine if we would of had a prime Thornton or Marleau centering iginla for 15 years.