McKenna Watch

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by 5abi

How’s the gap between number 1 and 2? Is McKenna that much better then the rest?

I tend to look less at numbers than most and focus on what the player actually is. Parekh is s perfect example, generational numbers still struggling to adjust.

Mckenna is extremely gifted offensively, no question . However he will be an average sized wing at the end of the day the league has maybe 7 or 8 of these guys who are total difference makers, and his off puck has been questioned. I see more of mcdsvid than mckinnon for his career .

Stenberg has less inherent offensive skill but still high end but seems to be a more complete player including physically and is already being succesful against men. Lawrence has all the tools to be a 1 center. Very good skater , high iq, wicked shot. Great motor, 200 ft game.
Belchetz has johnny like skill in a 6.5 frame. Vaerhoff is a 6.5 right defender. This is a grest draft to get multiple firsts in.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Flames are digging themselves a deep enough hole that hopefully they can't even surge.

NHL has never seen as much parity as they have this year - 28 teams are .500 or better right now.

Only 4 teams are below .500

Sabres. 1 game below .500
Preds and Blues - 3 games below .500
Flames - 7 games below .500

Dec 1 marks the 1/3 of the season mark (27 games), and they have 10 games left before that date.

It's likely they are something like 8-16-6 at that point and 8 games below .500.

Honestly I think at that point is when you also then start hearing more about guys being moved, etc.

They really should be able to get a top 5 pick this year barring a remarkable turnaround. 75 points gets you a bottom 5 pick - they have to play .500 hockey just to get to that threshold at this point.

Yes, pick any date after US Thanksgiving as your benchmark day. The Flames will be well under .500 on that day, and almost certainly still 32nd (no better than 31st).

At that point, the Flames should, and I believe will, start looking to move Andersson, Kadri and probably Coleman.

No one is going to make any significant trades before Thanksgiving, and there is probably a good chance nothing happens before New Year's. But so what? The changes are coming, and there is no reason to get upset if they don't happen yesterday.

If we hit the trade deadline and those guys aren't moved? Then rip away at the team. As would I. And I'd probably cancel my ST.

But I strongly doubt that is the way things will play out.

[Vinny01]

It will likely be a long few weeks but once the world juniors start and the Flams start to sell some guys off and bring some kids up it will be a more exciting time as a fan.

[Two Fivenagame]

I really hope they don't fire Huska until after the season ends, if at all. My big fear is a new coach arrives and suddenly the Flames are stringing together meaningless wins, working their way out of the bottom 10.

[Heavy Jack]

It’s time the southern Alberta team got their own ‘McPlayer’ come on hockey gods, you friggen owe us lol.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

I really hope they don't fire Huska until after the season ends, if at all. My big fear is a new coach arrives and suddenly the Flames are stringing together meaningless wins, working their way out of the bottom 10.

He'll be fired either mid-way through next season or heading into the following year when he has only 1 year remaining.

[Lewis_D]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

It’s time the southern Alberta team got their own ‘McPlayer’ come on hockey gods, you friggen owe us lol.

Just ran the lottery on tankathon like 10 times and got Oilers and Canucks in 1st more times than Calgary, that site must be trolling us at this point lol.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Just ran the lottery on tankathon like 10 times and got Oilers and Canucks in 1st more times than Calgary, that site must be trolling us at this point lol.

Oh but of course lol.

[Funkhouser]

Better watch out. Sabres got wind of this thread and decided to step it up:
-Dahlin: on leave
-Benson: IR
-Zucker: IR
-Norris: IR (long term)
-Kulich: IR (long term)

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

He'll be fired either mid-way through next season or heading into the following year when he has only 1 year remaining.

Unless things change (like he grows as a coach and really starts getting results from young players), I see this as the natural path as well. Flames head into 2027/2028 with a new head coach.

...maybe Cooper or Maurice will be available at that stage and want to come coach Stenberg/McKenna/some great 2027 drafted kid.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Coming into the season everyone would have said the gap was huge - but it's closing at this point due to Mckenna having a harder NCAA transition than expected and Stenberg and Verhoeff having better starts.

Personally Mckenna is still clearly number 1 to me, but really I do think you want to be in the top 3 this year.

I'm still diving into the draft year, and it's hard for me to look at Lawrence Vs. Verhoeff...but so far it looks like Verhoeff is in that top-3, with Lawrence right after it...tough to not look at 'best player available' and it'd be Verhoeff...but that centre position.

Teams make mistakes chasing position pretty often though.

[Lewis_D]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Unless things change (like he grows as a coach and really starts getting results from young players), I see this as the natural path as well. Flames head into 2027/2028 with a new head coach.

...maybe Cooper or Maurice will be available at that stage and want to come coach Stenberg/McKenna/some great 2027 drafted kid.

Cooper is my pipe dream. I'm praying there's a chance the timing could work out based on how it goes in Tampa over the next couple of seasons. (Emphasis on 'praying' as I know the actual unlikelihood based on how the Flames hire coaches)

He may also want to come here to coach his favourite team Canada defenceman in Makar.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Cooper is my pipe dream. I'm praying there's a chance the timing could work out based on how it goes in Tampa over the next couple of seasons. (Emphasis on 'praying' as I know the actual unlikelihood based on how the Flames hire coaches)

He may also want to come here to coach his favourite team Canada defenceman in Makar.

ah, to dream a dream.

Flames draft McKenna this year, nail a top-5 pick in '27, walk into free agency and nab Cooper and Makar.

What a bang.

[Badgers Nose]

I hope that through some miraculous stroke of luck that we get a no protection 1st round pick this year via trade, and that it wins the lottery. 1 and 2 OA in a single year.

#1RW and #1C in a single draft year, yes please!

Just need a mid pack team to decide they are all in, and need to pay up to get one of our guys, only to have their team's season all fall apart after the TDL.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

I hope that through some miraculous stroke of luck that we get a no protection 1st round pick this year via trade, and that it wins the lottery. 1 and 2 OA in a single year.

#1RW and #1C in a single draft year, yes please!

Just need a mid pack team to decide they are all in, and need to pay up to get one of our guys, only to have their team's season all fall apart after the TDL.

Vegas hasn’t exactly been lights out lately, and are closer to being out of the playoffs than leading the division. Only 1 point away from falling out of a playoff spot. Perhaps with a little luck and maybe another key injury it’s conceivable they have a down year

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by HitterD

Vegas hasn’t exactly been lights out lately, and are closer to being out of the playoffs than leading the division. Only 1 point away from falling out of a playoff spot. Perhaps with a little luck and maybe another key injury it’s conceivable they have a down year

Couldn't happen to a a nicer bunch of guys.

That would be some serious sunshine for us, on an otherwise gloomy season.

I now revise my wish to THREE top ten picks this draft. Haha

[JTech780]

Am I the only one that gets Alexis Lafreniere vibes from McKenna? I think McKenna is going to be a good player, I just don't think he is going to be an elite player. He certainly is a big step down from the last 3 1st overall picks (Schaefer, Celebrini and Bedard).

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by JTech780

Am I the only one that gets Alexis Lafreniere vibes from McKenna? I think McKenna is going to be a good player, I just don't think he is going to be an elite player. He certainly is a big step down from the last 3 1st overall picks (Schaefer, Celebrini and Bedard).

Based on.. what?

[Canada 02]

Lafreniere is an average/slightly above average skater. Mckenna is an exceptional skater

[Tbull8]

If anything this is the best thing for McKenna. Face some adversity against bigger older players and adapt. He hasn’t been challenged like this but the talent is there. He’ll figure it out