Spector - Flames have bigger plans beyond key 2014 draft

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Wasn't 2012 basically all weisbrod for early picks?

Tod Button was the one who recommended that Weisbrod go scout Jankowski. Obviously both were involved.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Tod Button was the one who recommended that Weisbrod go scout Jankowski. Obviously both were involved.

But it was a Weisbrod pick. Button was reporting to Weisbrod and had Weisbrod not liked Jankowski even if Button did, the Flames would not have made that selection. Feaster said that Weisbrod had initially recommended trading the pick before he saw Jankowski play.

That's one of the biggest problems I had with Feaster. He wasn't a talent evaluator. He can't confirm the work of his scouts.

[EldrickOnIce]

A novel approach to all of this might be to let the draft/free agent process take place before you haters pile on.
Everyone is excited about our new management team, but no one is anointing them just yet. Would be ok to not vilify at this point too.

Off-season can't end soon enough...

[FlamesAddiction]

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

No you are not alone

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

Nope, not alone at all. I think Jankowski is progressing quite nicely. He's the best all around player on his team and has taken huge steps forward in most of the areas the Flames were iffy on. The fact he's only a couple months older than Monahan is lost on most people. Jankowski is looking like a very smart pick. He has plenty of talent and he's finally growing into that big frame. It is unfortunate he plays in a defense first system because his offensive gifts are obvious to those who watch the games. If he was on the BC Eagles with Gaudreau and Arnold he would have made the splash Kevin Hayes made this year. I currently would put Jankowski on the same level as Hayes, and Jankowski still has 27 months of development on the much hyped Chicago pick. Jankowski still has potential to be a great player for the Flames. It is all going to be in how he is handled through the rest of his development process.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

Your not alone. Always said that the earliest we would be able to start to get a good read on him was his 3rd year of college do to his age

That said does not mean I like the pick. ( don't hate it either) there were some other players I rather they had taken at original spot. When they dropped and Matta was still available I thought they looked like geniuses, only to be denied.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

No, he's not a bust yet, but it was still a bad pick.

When a gambler mortgages his house on a double-or nothing, ieven if he's lucky enough to win, it was still a poor decision.

Jankowski might still become a player, but the fact that they (whoever "they" really were in this case) chose the riskiest player picked in the 1st round, at a time when the Flames absolutely could not afford to miss on another 1st rounder? That was a poor decision.

Hence Jankowski not being a bust yet, but that pick still being an example of a bad pick.

[Trailer Fire]

I almost miss they days of panic over Gaudreau signing or not....

[SHOGUN]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Am I alone in thinking that Jankowski isn't even a bust yet? A lot of people use him as an example of a bad pick, but he is still 19 years old for crying out loud.

It's not that Janko is a bust, it's the fact that we moved down and passed on Girgensons, Hertl, Teravainen, Vasilevski, Maatta, Ceci, Wilson. I think it's a bad pick until he can prove otherwise.

[Da_Chief]

I don't know why people think they're alone in some thinking or need to ask that question. There are thousands of Flames fan I'm sure some share the same thought as you do.

Just a pet peeve. Carry on.

[Monahan23]

Jankowski's progressed as I've thought he would. I think he'll be a top 6/9 two way centre

[Scoreface]

^^^ So he is a bust you say, but only compared to a Maata or Teravainen? Jankowski was a project pick and I'm not terribly high on him, but neither am I of the other guys. Hertl looks to have a biggest upside IMO, but he plays and is sheltered on a stacked team. Still though, he does look at the least like an every day player.

This is Jankowski's year to break through though. He plays in a defensive oriented system at Providence, but he will be given more minutes in a larger role. I don't think it's so bad that defense is being branded into him where he is at. He'll still get plenty of room offensively and have more pp time. The kid has a huge frame and is continuing to grow into it. (Did you see the size of those mitts at the draft?)

He has a scorer's finish and has great vision not to mention great edges in his skating. I believe management wants him to go go to the gritty areas more and I think he will this year as he becomes more comfortable with his size. It may not be his strong point ever, but it is a bit of wait and see there. Has the IQ though similar to Monahan in finding open spaces and anticipation.

Maybe more conjecture than anything, but that's just my take. Sure, he could bust. He's a project in his middle stages. We also got that Sieloff guy. This is a big year for him too after his unfortunate infection which set him back a year. No one saw that coming.

[Trailer Fire]

@BACKCHECK

Every draft pick, in a way, is a gamble. Very rarely is a draft pick ever a sure thing. Calgary didn't mortgage their future, or house as you put it, by trading down. If anything we improved our odds of drafting another impact player by adding another pick.

But by all means continue to hate the pick or the player because you liked another player better.

[Scoreface]

I think we can all agree that he needs to have a big year at college to not be considered a bust quite yet. I do agree with you guys that it was a risky pick and I even would have leaned towards Girgensons maybe. But hey..the Janks wades his way into different threads and it creates interesting discussion, even if some are sick of it.

He's a first round pick. He is going to garner attention! Also, we are in the area (no man's land) between hockey and the draft..

[mile]

This is definitely a big year for Jankowski - I don't think he will disappoint at all.

I think at worst Jankowski's upside is that of a checking line centre if his offense doesn't translate - He is way too well-rounded in the other aspects of his game to not find a role in the NHL. His career trajectory could be similar to that of Backlunds.

If Mauermann stays in Providence for his senior year I'm hoping Jankowski can bump him off the top line - It'd be nice to know that he is getting the most minutes he can.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by mile

I think at worst Jankowski's upside is that of a checking line centre if his offense doesn't translate - He is way too well-rounded in the other aspects of his game to not find a role in the NHL. His career trajectory could be similar to that of Backlunds.

Based on what?

Best case he makes the NHL, but worst case he doesn't. There's absolutely nothing about his game that screams blue chip prospect. He shows flashes for sure, but most prospects do. I'm definitely higher on him than I was at this point last year, but he's not an "at worst he's still in the NHL" kind of player

[mile]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Based on what?

Best case he makes the NHL, but worst case he doesn't. There's absolutely nothing about his game that screams blue chip prospect. He shows flashes for sure, but most prospects do. I'm definitely higher on him than I was at this point last year, but he's not an "at worst he's still in the NHL" kind of player

Just an opinion of course.

In his second year of college (and his first year at center) he is already being relied upon his coach to play in every key situation - Defending leads, penalty killing, etc. while still being one of Providence's leading scorers.

If he doesn't make the top six forward group on an NHL team, I don't see any reason why he couldn't play on a teams bottom six if his two-way game continues to develop - he plays with intelligence, he can be good in the face-off circle, and once he fills out he can easily out muscle other forwards to the puck.

Of course you can't guarantee that he is an NHL player - But given what possible roles he can play at the NHL it does provide a more positive outlook (in my view) in terms of his likelihood of making it. Some prospects HAVE to make the NHL as a top six player (or in a specific role) - I don't think this is necessarily the case with Jankowski which is why I think the "Best case he makes the NHL, but worst case he doesn't" is less of a worry to me (and is too simplistic in terms of looking at his upside) - In his case I see it as "Best case he is a top six forward, average case he is a bottom six forward, worst case he doesn't make the NHL."

There are more outcomes where in which he makes the NHL than he doesn't, which gives me more confidence in the "at worst he's still in the NHL" position I'm taking - I'm not excluding the possibility that he doesn't make the NHL though.

[Street Pharmacist]

Fair enough. I just took what you said as "at worst he's a bottom 6 guy in the NHL", which I disagree.

It's way too early to tell much at all except that he wasn't close to NHL ready, which we all knew at the time

[Hackey]

Jankowski looks like a bad pick until he proves otherwise. So far he hasn't done much. It's still early so by no means should we give up on him but at this point it looks like there were much better choices available.