Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Rapidfire999

I really hope he tells some of them to relax and play for FUN and not win. It was so hard watching last nights game when the whole time I was hoping for a loss. I'm still hoping for a top 5 pick. Jones/Mackinnon/Drouin/Lindholm/Monahan??

it is one thing for a fan to hope and cheer for losses, but to expect someone within the Flames to push the players to lose is ridiculous - if there were such a person, I'd hope he were fired and blackballed out of the NHL

[$ven27]

If I knew we could get Sam Reinhart next season I'd have no problem taking Nichushkin this year.

[PlayfulGenius]

Is there any historical evidence to suggest there's an advantage to drafting younger players?

Ed. Mackinnon is 11 months younger than Seth Jones... Barkov is much younger than Jones as well.

[shutout]

We have moved from discussing which of the elite three players (Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin) to draft. And are now moving past which of the three franchise centermen (Barkov, Lindholm, Monahan) to possibly draft. And we are now going into the which of the top three defensemen (Nurse, Zadorov, Ristolainen) do we decide to take. Very, very depressing that the team can be so bad and yet fall into a mediocre drafting position.

[drPepper1]

Ryan Hartman interview from January:

[shutout]

I think that unless a couple of teams look at Nichushkin and a defenseman we do not have a chance at a center with our first pick. The three defensemen that are possible top 10 have very different skill sets but I would be very happy to get Nurse or Zadorov if Lindholm or Monahan are already gone.

My draft board ranking

Jones
MacKinnon
Drouin
Barkov
Lindholm
Monahan
Nurse
Zadorov
Ristolainen
Nichushkin

If we end up with a defenseman with our first pick than we need to do our best to acquire Gauthier with the Blues pick. He has the size and skills to be a potential second line center.

If Gauthier is gone when the Blues pick comes around than I am a proponent of the plan to trade the Blues and Penguins first round picks to the Canadiens for the Canadiens first round pick, the Predators second round pick, the Flames second round pick, and the Canadiens second round pick. Give up two picks and get back four picks. But only if we cannot get Gauthier.

[Saqe]

Since we won´t get Barkov, I hope we get my hometown boy Ristolainen. Extremely mature for his age and would be able to jump in right away. Good size and mobility.

[Wronskian]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Since we won´t get Barkov, I hope we get my hometown boy Ristolainen. Extremely mature for his age and would be able to jump in right away. Good size and mobility.

Can you shed some light on the military service requirements? If I recall, aren't Finnish born players required to do some sort of mandatory military duties when they turn 18? And if so, would that not hinder Ristolainen or Barkov's ability to play in the NHL next season?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Since we won´t get Barkov, I hope we get my hometown boy Ristolainen. Extremely mature for his age and would be able to jump in right away. Good size and mobility.

I like that he's also a right handed shot as well. Flames are extremely thin when it comes to right handed defensemen in the system.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by Wronskian

Can you shed some light on the military service requirements? If I recall, aren't Finnish born players required to do some sort of mandatory military duties when they turn 18? And if so, would that not hinder Ristolainen or Barkov's ability to play in the NHL next season?

Yes, every man in Finland has to go through military or civil service. But if I recall correctly Mikko Koivu did his service during the summer (the army is pretty flexible with professional atheletes) while he was already overseas, so Ristolainen could probably also arrange his service that way.

With Barkov, I don´t know if he is still in school or not. But at 17, I doubt he would come yet but who knows, depends a lot obviously what team thinks who gets him.

[Kaine]

I really don't think he will still be available if we pick in the 7-8 spot but Lindholm looks like a player you can build around. Beyond that Nichushkin looks like he could be the best player for this draft years down the road but he seems to be a far higher boom or bust than the other top 10 picks.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I like that he's also a right handed shot as well. Flames are extremely thin when it comes to right handed defensemen in the system.

yeah and to my understanding has been playing PP quite a bit this season

[StrykerSteve]

If the Flames keep getting results like they have lately, they won't even be drafting in the top 10, barring a miracle lottery selection.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

If the Flames keep getting results like they have lately, they won't even be drafting in the top 10, barring a miracle lottery selection.

I'd be thrilled if they kept winning but the realist in me thinks they have one, maybe two more wins in them this season. While they have been playing some great hockey considering, they have been getting a lot of lucky bounces.

[Psytic]

Florida - Mackinnon
Colorado - Jones
Tampa Bay - Drouin slots in immediately next yr at LW
Nashville - I'm thinking Lindholm, they have Forsberg, Aberg and Hornqvist so he would fit like a glove and slide in behind Colin Wilson as early as next year
Carolina - Barkov
Edmonton - Nurse
Calgary - Monahan / Russian assuming we start losing

[StrykerSteve]

They only have 3 games left. If they win 2 of them, that's pretty much maintaining the pace they've been on.

[Wronskian]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

If the Flames keep getting results like they have lately, they won't even be drafting in the top 10, barring a miracle lottery selection.

I don't see the Flames getting more than 4 points out of the last 3 games, with wins against Nashville, and one of Chicago or St.Louis (fairly unlikely but lets be very pessimistic). By that metric Flames finish with 46 points. Phoenix who picks at 11 currently has 46 points, I think it's fairly safe to say we'll be in the top 10. Our standing is contingent on not only how well the Flames play, but in how well the other teams (Philly, Buffalo, New Jersey, Edmonton) play.

[Tinordi]

We're going to look back at this season 5 years from now and say we should have tanked.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

We're going to look back at this season 5 years from now and say we should have tanked.

Will you bump the thread?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

We're going to look back at this season 5 years from now and say we should have tanked.

We tried to tank, look at our lineup over the last two weeks.

You can't just force the players to stop playing hockey.