2024 NHL Draft Thread

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Which should matter exactly zero in his evaluation.

You are right and yet it will. I don't see any way Conroy can not take Iginla at 9 if he is still there. There might be better fits but the backlash from the fan base is not worth it. In the end it's an entertainment business, Conroy is kind of stuck here. The good news is Tij will still be an impact player.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Lindstrom is still my favourite, but a back injury scares the hell out of me.

I usually don’t pay much attention to the combine but for Lindstrom it could define where he goes

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Lindstrom is still my favourite, but a back injury scares the hell out of me.

The size is intriguing, but the injuries and also the goal to assist ratio for a C is concerning.

[8sPOT]

I sort of like the idea of taking a D man with both 1st round picks.

If someone like Dickinson falls to 9 and then could take a Henry Mews, or Leo Sahlin Wallenius with the Vancouver pick.

Reason being that D men simply take longer to develop, draft them now and hope they're ready in 2-3 years. Although, Dickinson may be an outlier as he is projected to be in the NHL fairly quickly.

And then since we wont exactly be a top team the next few years, should still have some good picks to get some forwards.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You are right and yet it will. I don't see any way Conroy can not take Iginla at 9 if he is still there. There might be better fits but the backlash from the fan base is not worth it. In the end it's an entertainment business, Conroy is kind of stuck here. The good news is Tij will still be an impact player.

Yup, and if Tij is taken earlier then it means the Flames will have a shot at pretty good dman or center

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

I sort of like the idea of taking a D man with both 1st round picks.

If someone like Dickinson falls to 9 and then could take a Henry Mews, or Leo Sahlin Wallenius with the Vancouver pick.

Reason being that D men simply take longer to develop, draft them now and hope they're ready in 2-3 years. Although, Dickinson may be an outlier as he is projected to be in the NHL fairly quickly.

And then since we wont exactly be a top team the next few years, should still have some good picks to get some forwards.

They have added a lot of defensive prospects, and Conroy mentioned it as well.

I think they are hoping for a forward to fall to us, but I wouldn't be disappointed with one of the defensive guys just not the big Russian.

[jmerkel3d]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You are right and yet it will. I don't see any way Conroy can not take Iginla at 9 if he is still there. There might be better fits but the backlash from the fan base is not worth it. In the end it's an entertainment business, Conroy is kind of stuck here. The good news is Tij will still be an impact player.

For the record I would be perfectly happy with a Tij selection (less so if we skipped on a Lindstrom or Parekh type tog etc.him), but I just have a feeling that management will remain objective on the pick and go with BPA. If someone falls to them, I think they go with whoever that is if they like them enough. Just a hunch, but I would imagine they're working with the mandate of objectivity because the sentimentality will certainly not need to be discussed to much degree within their draft room. I would, however, guess that conversations with Conroy and upper management might be a bit different, but I still think we go BPA.

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[jmerkel3d]

I will also say that I think Tij could really explode in his D+1 year. I know he projects as a winger I'm the NHL right now, but does anybody see the potential for him to develop as a center next year? Probably not likely, but can you imagine if he developed as a scoring center that makes everybody around him better? (He already does make people better from I've heard and seen)

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[Kipper_3434]

Rare year where BPA and position seem to line up nicely to favour center and dmen. Not high on Catton but Lidstrom I would take over most of the D. I'm pretty high on Silayev and would take him over Iginla, Canton, helenius and Yakemchuk. Could be the best shutdown D in the league one day soon and we could use an answer for, Bedard, McK, McD etc.

[Bonded]

Also, is the general hype wave just hitting or is the top end actually better than excepted? I know last TDL and draft it was all about keeping 23 and 25 picks because the 24 draft sucked.

[jmerkel3d]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Also, is the general hype wave just hitting or is the top end actually better than excepted? I know last TDL and draft it was all about keeping 23 and 25 picks because the 24 draft sucked.

The outlook seems to have improved you're right, at least at the top 15-20. I really think teams are going to get some good players in the teens.

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[Parallex]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You are right and yet it will. I don't see any way Conroy can not take Iginla at 9 if he is still there. There might be better fits but the backlash from the fan base is not worth it.

To be frank if we have a GM that's going to make decisions based on assumed* fan backlash then we have a much much bigger problem.

*and given the divisive nature of the prospect of it on here I don't think that backlash should be assumed.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You are right and yet it will. I don't see any way Conroy can not take Iginla at 9 if he is still there. There might be better fits but the backlash from the fan base is not worth it. In the end it's an entertainment business, Conroy is kind of stuck here. The good news is Tij will still be an impact player.

I would hope they don't paint themselves into that tight a corner.

I think it's a great tie breaker if the list is tight though.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Parallex

To be frank if we have a GM that's going to make decisions based on assumed* fan backlash then we have a much much bigger problem.

*and given the divisive nature of the prospect of it on here I don't think that backlash should be assumed.

I mean it’s a case where I actually get it though. Son of a Flames legend who isn’t a reach at that pick and has top line potential. I’d prefer a D or C but this one will be a good story for fans. Iggy picking Tij would be a fun story. If it’s a toss up between two prospects then whatever, go with the feel good story.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

The size is intriguing, but the injuries and also the goal to assist ratio for a C is concerning.

Normally I would agree with you, and I’ve preached the goal/assist ratio before, but it doesn’t bother me in this case. I’ve seen him enough times to know what kind of player he is.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I mean it’s a case where I actually get it though. Son of a Flames legend who isn’t a reach at that pick and has top line potential. I’d prefer a D or C but this one will be a good story for fans. Iggy picking Tij would be a fun story. If it’s a toss up between two prospects then whatever, go with the feel good story.

Not a personal thing but winning puts buts in seats and i don’t understand how picking a pr friendly winger is going to help more than a stud defender or center especially since we dont have any centers to feed that winger.

We are all aware at the end if next year we have exactly one mid thirties center signed?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Also, is the general hype wave just hitting or is the top end actually better than excepted? I know last TDL and draft it was all about keeping 23 and 25 picks because the 24 draft sucked.

I think there’s much more optimism surrounding the first three rounds than there was earlier in the season. I also wonder if the outlook is better on the overall depth beyond round 3. Just my opinion.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by jmerkel3d

I will also say that I think Tij could really explode in his D+1 year. I know he projects as a winger I'm the NHL right now, but does anybody see the potential for him to develop as a center next year? Probably not likely, but can you imagine if he developed as a scoring center that makes everybody around him better? (He already does make people better from I've heard and seen)

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No not at all. He's a winger in the NHL

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The good news is Tij will still be an impact player.

He may be an impact player.

And I would make the same comment about every player in the top 12.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Also, is the general hype wave just hitting or is the top end actually better than excepted? I know last TDL and draft it was all about keeping 23 and 25 picks because the 24 draft sucked.

I would rank the 2023-2026 drafts as follows:

1. 2023 (because of the strength of the top 3 picks)
2. 2026 (because of McKenna)
3a. 2024
36. 2025

I think 2023 was a good draft. 2024 and 2025 are average. I give the edge to 2024 because of the unusual strength on D.

Drafts are largely defined by the top end. Once you get into the later rounds, I don't think there's much difference year to year going in. Of course some drafts net out more players from the later rounds that others, but I would never rank a draft going in on the basis of what happens after the first round.

The commentary that 2024 was a weak draft was always over-stated. It was only weak relative to 2023, and if you take Bedard out of the equation, they are probably pretty equal.