2025 NHL Draft Thread

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Sharks get a lot of love from the rebuild crowd even though they tried to hold on even more than the Flames did.

It’s funny. They’re entering their 6th season without playoffs, the Flames are entering their 3rd.

In the 3rd season the Sharks missed the playoffs, they still had Burns, Karlsson, Meier, and Hertl. In their 4th they had also those guys minus Burns and didn’t sell Meier until late Feb.

People talk about having patience for a rebuild and praise the Sharks but we’ve shipped guys out two years faster than they did and people still complain.

The Sharks were considered a mess until they got Celebrini. Are people even capable of giving the Flames three more years to see how things play out?

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Not really. The Sharks went into a rebuild, and stuck to it. The Flames hung on to vets and sold them on a quick retool.

You apparently didn’t follow the Sharks until they got Celebrini. They hung on forever. They even had ownership and management telling the media they don’t believe in rebuilds lol.
Who are the Flames holding onto that was an easy trade? It is basically Andersson at this point. The Flames went into this season with the second most cap space in the league and bottom ten roster on paper. Just because they are over performing doesn’t mean Conroy didn’t try and rebuild.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

It’s funny. They’re entering their 6th season without playoffs, the Flames are entering their 3rd.

In the 3rd season the Sharks missed the playoffs, they still had Burns, Karlsson, Meier, and Hertl. In their 4th they had also those guys minus Burns and didn’t sell Meier until late Feb.

People talk about having patience for a rebuild and praise the Sharks but we’ve shipped guys out two years faster than they did and people still complain.

The Sharks were considered a mess until they got Celebrini. Are people even capable of giving the Flames three more years to see how things play out?

3/4 players listed had long term contracts they had to retain on. We had upcoming free agents who did not want to be here.

Choice #1 was to sign 3 of them.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bonded

You apparently didn’t follow the Sharks until they got Celebrini. They hung on forever. They even had ownership and management telling the media they don’t believe in rebuilds lol.
Who are the Flames holding onto that was an easy trade? It is basically Andersson at this point. The Flames went into this season with the second most cap space in the league and bottom ten roster on paper. Just because they are over performing doesn’t mean Conroy didn’t try and rebuild.

They could have moved Andersson. Maybe Coleman not sure. Even in season Andersson for sure. We chose a different path trading a 2nd for a 26 year and 25-year-old with term.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

It’s funny. They’re entering their 6th season without playoffs, the Flames are entering their 3rd.

In the 3rd season the Sharks missed the playoffs, they still had Burns, Karlsson, Meier, and Hertl. In their 4th they had also those guys minus Burns and didn’t sell Meier until late Feb.

People talk about having patience for a rebuild and praise the Sharks but we’ve shipped guys out two years faster than they did and people still complain.

The Sharks were considered a mess until they got Celebrini. Are people even capable of giving the Flames three more years to see how things play out?

It's funny how much we discuss this, but Sharks are an example of a retool just going sideways into a full rebuild, like Calgary may end up doing.

Their 2010-2020 core got old (Thornton, Marleau, Burns and Pavelski) and they tried to stay competitive by trading the farm for Karlsson -- but fell back unexpectedly hard after the 2019 season and then nosedived until they embraced the rebuild and traded out even their youngish core that they were planning to rebuild around (Hertl and Meier).

Even Grier when he was hired talked about not planning a full rebuild, but three days after this article, he shipped off Burns and seven months later, he sold on Meier. Karlsson rebounded and he took advantage of that, and then traded Hertl last summer to finish their bottoming out.

Retools are hard and the Flames could very much be on this path, however much Conroy wants to try to keep this ship floating.

To bring this thread back on topic, that's particularly why hoarding draft picks and drafting well has to remain a priority. They can't short change this part of the process in case the retool falls apart.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

They could have moved Andersson. Maybe Coleman not sure. Even in season Andersson for sure. We chose a different path trading a 2nd for a 26 year and 25-year-old with term.

So it was basically Andersson. Coleman easily could have put ten teams on his list that wouldn’t trade for him. They could easily flip Frost and Farabee is some cap floor assurance. If they truly wanted to compete they spend that cap space going into the season. You won’t convince me otherwise. We will see if that changes this summer and they try and sign big name UFAs.

Still think this team can easily implode and get a top ten pick next year.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Still think this team can easily implode and get a top ten pick next year.

Not the first time this argument has come out, but when do you start worrying about the other players in our future core?

Wolf's contract is up after next season, he's 23. We bomb out next year, he's 26 before that draft pick is even playing in the nhl. 28-30 when the pick is likely useful, unless we're getting McKenna.

I mean, it's not too bad I guess... but we almost NEED that to happen. Without that I think we miss Wolf's window.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Not the first time this argument has come out, but when do you start worrying about the other players in our future core?

Wolf's contract is up after next season, he's 23. We bomb out next year, he's 26 before that draft pick is even playing in the nhl. 28-30 when the pick is likely useful, unless we're getting McKenna.

I mean, it's not too bad I guess... but we almost NEED that to happen. Without that I think we miss Wolf's window.

23 is young for a goalie. I am not too worried about Wolf. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he has a total sophomore slump next year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bonded

So it was basically Andersson. Coleman easily could have put ten teams on his list that wouldn’t trade for him. They could easily flip Frost and Farabee is some cap floor assurance. If they truly wanted to compete they spend that cap space going into the season. You won’t convince me otherwise. We will see if that changes this summer and they try and sign big name UFAs.

Still think this team can easily implode and get a top ten pick next year.

The only thing keeping us from imploding this retool is if that cap space is used recklessly in the summer on a free agent. This is why I hope Conroy is turned down on every door he knocks on.

I do think it implodes, like YYJ said about San Jose maybe it goes down that road.

I know people cite Wolf's age but that isn't an issue goalie can play a long time. I look at it like Chicago when they got Toews and Kane. They already had pieces big ones that contributed to the cup runs. If we pick top 3 those players usually are instantly in the NHL and make an immediate impact.

If you can hit those picks, and already have young players on the roster like Parekh and Wolf and hopefully a few more guys including Zary and Coronato you can go free agent shopping add to the roster and off you go. Maybe Hubderdeau is our version of Hossa a much older one but who knows.

[Ashes]

Do we think the Flames will try to draft two centers in the first round? I would have to think so, but if not.. and they get their Center with the first pick, I'd be alright taking a guy like Aitcheson.

Another D-man I know.. but with Parekh, Mews, Bru coming along as RD, having a super solid LD prospect doesn't sound so bad to me. 6'2, physical, mean, point per game D-Man late in the first round? Sounds like great value. He looks like a good skater too, and one of the scouting reports from NHL.com compares his physicality to Trouba, that sounds fun.

First order of business though has to be drafting a Center. And please god no more wingers unless the scouts believe its an absolute steal I suppose.

[Svartsengi]

Draft best player available. Flames can always trade a couple of wingers for a center. That said I hope a winger is not the best player available whenever it comes to Flames draft selection. Can never have too many centers or defensemen but an organization can have too many wingers and goalies.

[The Fonz]

^disagree

Draft best center available with our first 4 picks. We haven’t had a superstar center in my 25yrs as a fan…. It’s time to prioritize that position.

Reschny another goal tonight.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

^disagree

Draft best center available with our first 4 picks. We haven’t had a superstar center in my 25yrs as a fan…. It’s time to prioritize that position.

Reschny another goal tonight.

100%

#### BPA (and there is no such thing anyway), we need centers. Just keep drafting centers until we have too many and have to start trading them for those coveted wingers

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Svartsengi

Draft best player available. Flames can always trade a couple of wingers for a center. That said I hope a winger is not the best player available whenever it comes to Flames draft selection. Can never have too many centers or defensemen but an organization can have too many wingers and goalies.

Can they?
Centres are a far more scarce commodity. Teams either need them, want more of them, or if they have enough aren't going to trade them.

The idea you can trade wingers for a center isn't realistic. Centers are just DAMN hard to get.

[The Fonz]

Half the guys drafted as centers that make the NHL, end up doing so as wingers anyway.

Take a center, unless there’s a dynamic winger that you just can’t ignore (Kucherov, Gaudreau).

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Reschny another goal tonight.

Reg Season
62GP 26G 66A 92PTS +44

Playoffs
4GP 5G 4A 9PTS +5

[BrownDrake]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Reg Season
62GP 26G 66A 92PTS +44

Playoffs
5GP 5G 4A 9PTS +6

Full disclosure I’ve never really watched him closely or near enough.
I watched a mock draft show on YouTube that said he is a poor skater - is this the case?

[Svartsengi]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Can they?
Centres are a far more scarce commodity. Teams either need them, want more of them, or if they have enough aren't going to trade them.

The idea you can trade wingers for a center isn't realistic. Centers are just DAMN hard to get.

They can and did. Kuzmenko and Pelletier were traded for Frost. Will see if Morgan can become the top 2 line center they hope he can in time. I understand what you and other posters are saying if there is a center and a winger available with top 6 potential take the center. I agree, but if the center is only trending to be a 3rd liner at best why take him over a winger with top 6 potential. Flames need top end talent.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

Full disclosure I’ve never really watched him closely or near enough.
I watched a mock draft show on YouTube that said he is a poor skater - is this the case?

I don’t think poor is the right word. But yes, skating needs work in order for his game to translate to the NHL level.

I don’t get too worried about players who don’t possess elite skating ability - it seems teachable. We’ve seen a lot of these guys with skating issues resolve it entirely once they get to work within NHL programs.

I’m reaching here but, wasn’t Draisaitl’s skating knocked when he was drafted? Look at him now, his skating & control is elite.

[The Fonz]

Also I’m just really biased as he’s close to home for me, and I’ll always defer to an AB/SK/MB kid over anywhere else.