Of the 3 top 10 picks that transferred from the CHL to the NCAA it appears to be going good for only one of them and that is Porter Martone the 6th pick from the past draft and flyers pick.
McQueen (10th in 2025) and Lindstrom (4th in 2024) have some poor numbers. No goals for either
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Makes great passes his linemates can’t finish? Huberdeau commiserates. Only Kadri has been a relatively consistent scorer for him.
One of the reasons I think McKenna would actually be a great, great fit on the Flames is we’re in desperate need of another pure playmaker. We have a bunch of guys who can muck around the net and a couple guys with great shots. McKenna perimeter play and ability to pass through traffic takes a ton of heat off Huberdeau and gives us two lines (two whole lines!) where someone can facilitate passing plays.
Add Parekh on the backend and you can start to dream about what the power play could do.
Have they? I don’t recall reading that but I’m interested in hearing their argument over it, could you point it out?
He is a playmaker, yes. But as I said, there’s the kind that can utilize their line mates regardless of skill and the kind that need a certain calibre of line mates to convert. You look at Patrick Kane and he was very much a player that could do it all by himself and elevate anyone. Outside of when they stick McDavid and Draisaitl together, a lot of the stars in the NHL play with younger players or pluggy kind of guys that you wouldn’t expect, and do really really well doing it.
Sure. And McKenna was already doing it by himself, and elevating the people around him, last year at the WJs, having just turned 17. And it's interesting that you use Kane in your example, because I think he is one of the best comparables for McKenna.
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Of the 3 top 10 picks that transferred from the CHL to the NCAA it appears to be going good for only one of them and that is Porter Martone the 6th pick from the past draft and flyers pick.
McQueen (10th in 2025) and Lindstrom (4th in 2024) have some poor numbers. No goals for either
Depending on how it goes for McKenna this year, I could see CHL players being more cautious about going the NCAA route in their draft year. If McKenna stayed in junior and just kept lifting up the same league, no questions or concerns about his draft position would likely be discussed right now. NCAA is a tougher league and might not be the right fit for every player depending on their play style and physical maturity.
I still think McKenna should go first overall though and I’m sure he’ll produce more as his NCAA season goes along.
Sure. And McKenna was already doing it by himself, and elevating the people around him, last year at the WJs, having just turned 17. And it's interesting that you use Kane in your example, because I think he is one of the best comparables for McKenna.
Me too, as I mentioned previously, which is why I brought Kane up again.
McKenna is just going to have to learn to do the same at higher levels. He’ll get there.
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good discussion, not just on McKenna. Lots of college hockey talk, including a minute or so on Cole Reschny (~32 min mark), and Potter (~45 min), Zayne and Mews (~50 min)
Last edited by Canada 02; 11-14-2025 at 08:44 AM.
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One of the reasons I think McKenna would actually be a great, great fit on the Flames is we’re in desperate need of another pure playmaker. We have a bunch of guys who can muck around the net and a couple guys with great shots. McKenna perimeter play and ability to pass through traffic takes a ton of heat off Huberdeau and gives us two lines (two whole lines!) where someone can facilitate passing plays.
Add Parekh on the backend and you can start to dream about what the power play could do.
He would fill the same role Gaudreau did. How does he compare to JG?
Regarding the video above, and the issue of him not being engaged, that doesn't worry me in the slightest. There are a myriad of reasons why he might be in a funk - maybe he is struggling with the new coach or systems, maybe he doesn't trust his linemates, maybe he has a bit of an injury and is being careful, or maybe his girlfriend dumped him. Who knows? Who cares? Because none of those things will still be the case when he is in the NHL.
The only potential concern is that it is because he isn't driven. And to that I say: if he isn't driven, he wouldn't be where he is. There is no way that is the issue.
So again, who cares? What matters is talent, and that is indisputable - he's the most talented player in the draft.
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Isn't there actually a photo floating around somewhere of McKenna wearing a Flames jersey when he was kid? I recall seeing it somewhere, but Google is not my friend on this one.... so maybe I had him mixed up with someone else.
Not that it means anything without context, but I thought it was pretty cool.
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Isn't there actually a photo floating around somewhere of McKenna wearing a Flames jersey when he was kid? I recall seeing it somewhere, but Google is not my friend on this one.... so maybe I had him mixed up with someone else.
Not that it means anything without context, but I thought it was pretty cool.
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His team is getting pumped tonight 6-1 by Michigan halfway through the 3rd. No points for McKenna yet and he is a -3 so far. Penn State played the soft part of the schedule already, gets tougher now.
One of the reasons I think McKenna would actually be a great, great fit on the Flames is we’re in desperate need of another pure playmaker. We have a bunch of guys who can muck around the net and a couple guys with great shots. McKenna perimeter play and ability to pass through traffic takes a ton of heat off Huberdeau and gives us two lines (two whole lines!) where someone can facilitate passing plays.
Add Parekh on the backend and you can start to dream about what the power play could do.
Don't sleep on Gridin's passing ability.
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Pronman article that questions if McKenna will still go number 1. He is going to need an absolute monster WJ and second half to get back the hype he had last year.
Pronman article that questions if McKenna will still go number 1. He is going to need an absolute monster WJ and second half to get back the hype he had last year.
