Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by SanFranFlamesFan

One question - why is everyone under the impression that Edmonton wants Draisitl? Why wouldn't they want one of the big 3 (Reinhart, Ekblad or Bennett) that most of us want?

Did I miss an interview where Edmonton pumped him up? Or is it just because he's 30 lbs heavier? He's about the same height as Reinhart and 2" taller than Bennett.

It's coming from a few people who are close to the Oilers organization.

Jim Matheson and Bob Stauffer are pumping Draisaitl. Stauffer has been for the past few weeks been preaching on Edmonton radio that the Oilers aren't necessarily going for Ekblad.

Also a poster on this board who works for the Oilers is implying that the Oilers may have Draisaitl ranked even higher than Ekblad.

Draisaitl plays a physical type of game and has the size to back it up that the Oilers are sorely missing in their top 6.

[jg13]

Originally Posted by SanFranFlamesFan

One question - why is everyone under the impression that Edmonton wants Draisitl? Why wouldn't they want one of the big 3 (Reinhart, Ekblad or Bennett) that most of us want?

Did I miss an interview where Edmonton pumped him up? Or is it just because he's 30 lbs heavier? He's about the same height as Reinhart and 2" taller than Bennett.

What i've been hearing through oilers media is that they're really high on Ekblad and Draisaitl to the point where they'd take Draisaitl over Reinhart if they had the chance.

Not sure why but its best not to ask questions when things don't make sense that involve the Oil.

[Jables16]

I wouldn't be terribly shocked if Ekblad fell to the Flames at fourth. If it can happen with Seth Jones it can happen with him. It seems like he'd be the obvious pick for the Oilers but it would be just like Lowe to think he knows better than everyone else and take another forward. Not to mention they were supposedly praying Monahan would fall to them last year when they ended up taking Nurse.

[SanFranFlamesFan]

Thanks guys. In that case, let's go Oilers! Beat those Ducks! If they are forced to third overall good things may happen for us.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

It's coming from a few people who are close to the Oilers organization.

Jim Matheson and Bob Stauffer are pumping Draisaitl. Stauffer has been for the past few weeks been preaching on Edmonton radio that the Oilers aren't necessarily going for Ekblad.

Also a poster on this board who works for the Oilers is implying that the Oilers may have Draisaitl ranked even higher than Ekblad.

Draisaitl plays a physical type of game and has the size to back it up that the Oilers are sorely missing in their top 6.

And once again, the Coilers have a chance at dashing my dreams of a favorite and sending him into their unmitigated tsunami of suck to be lost forever. They did the same thing with Eberle during the year of his amazing world jr run.

#### I hate the Oilers.

[burnitdown]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

It's coming from a few people who are close to the Oilers organization.

Jim Matheson and Bob Stauffer are pumping Draisaitl. Stauffer has been for the past few weeks been preaching on Edmonton radio that the Oilers aren't necessarily going for Ekblad.

Also a poster on this board who works for the Oilers is implying that the Oilers may have Draisaitl ranked even higher than Ekblad.

Draisaitl plays a physical type of game and has the size to back it up that the Oilers are sorely missing in their top 6.

Granted, the Oilers media can't always be taken at face value. Prior to the Yakupov pick, Stauffer and Tencer were both pumping up Murray saying how they thought he'd be the guy taken. I would guess it has more to do with them trying to temper expectations in case they finish 3rd last and a team jumps them in the lottery...so they can say they got Draisaitl at #4 and that's who they wanted the whole time.

[SHOGUN]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

It's coming from a few people who are close to the Oilers organization.

Jim Matheson and Bob Stauffer are pumping Draisaitl. Stauffer has been for the past few weeks been preaching on Edmonton radio that the Oilers aren't necessarily going for Ekblad.

Also a poster on this board who works for the Oilers is implying that the Oilers may have Draisaitl ranked even higher than Ekblad.

Draisaitl plays a physical type of game and has the size to back it up that the Oilers are sorely missing in their top 6.

Draisaitl is not a physical player at all. He only shields and protects the puck with his size... I think Bennett would be a better pick for them.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

Granted, the Oilers media can't always be taken at face value. Prior to the Yakupov pick, Stauffer and Tencer were both pumping up Murray saying how they thought he'd be the guy taken. I would guess it has more to do with them trying to temper expectations in case they finish 3rd last and a team jumps them in the lottery...so they can say they got Draisaitl at #4 and that's who they wanted the whole time.

The story on the street is that the Oilers wanted Murray but the owner said otherwise. Of course that could just be trying to spread the blame game around.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

Granted, the Oilers media can't always be taken at face value. Prior to the Yakupov pick, Stauffer and Tencer were both pumping up Murray saying how they thought he'd be the guy taken. I would guess it has more to do with them trying to temper expectations in case they finish 3rd last and a team jumps them in the lottery...so they can say they got Draisaitl at #4 and that's who they wanted the whole time.

It has since come out that the scouting staff wanted Murray but someone high up in the organization overruled and took Yakupov.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by SHOGUN

Draisaitl is not a physical player at all. He only shields and protects the puck with his size... I think Bennett would be a better pick for them.

From what I saw of him in the limited viewing WJC he was pretty physical, enough to get suspended twice by IIHF standards. Some conflicting scouting reports on how physical he really is.

For example:
https://soundcloud.com/lowdownwithlo...14-hour-1-alan 33 min mark

Corey Pronman describes him as a gritty physical forward

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by dammage79

IMO, Draisaitl and Ekblad are the only ones with NHL ready size but then again. I think all of them need another year with their perspective junior clubs.

I think it would be a waste of time for Reinhart to go back to the WHL. He just finished a playoff series against a good team with 17 points 6 games and averaged 1.75 points/game. He's played in the World Jrs, Under 18s, etc. Nothing left to prove.

The only guy I might keep down in the top 4 is Bennett, but he plays in Kingston which is the Oilers of the OHL (although they have turned it around a bit under Gilmour) so you might want to get him out there.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett would be a nice 1-2 punch.

Best since Nieuwendyk and Reichel.

Monahan is just 'filler' at this point. Going by some comparisons some people have made:

Nieuwendyk = Jankowski
Gilmour = Bennett
Monahan = Just over-kill

[Matty81]

Only concern I'd have with Bennett is that the Flames might take the easy road and convert him to LW. He is going to be a heck of a centre but it is a tough position to learn and there will be growing pains to live through with two young guys down the middle, rookie centres tend to get owned in the dot in particular.

Anyway cart before horse. Thanks for the result tonight Isles - one step closer!

[SHOGUN]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

From what I saw of him in the limited viewing WJC he was pretty physical, enough to get suspended twice by IIHF standards. Some conflicting scouting reports on how physical he really is.

For example:
https://soundcloud.com/lowdownwithlo...14-hour-1-alan 33 min mark

Corey Pronman describes him as a gritty physical forward

Wow that's the first time I heard Draisatl as "gritty". He reminds me of Bobby Ryan a bit... not intense or physical but a tremendous offensive player.

[Caged Great]

Does anyone else see a lot of Matt Duchesne in Sam Bennett?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Then why is Bennett put ahead of Draisaitl on virtually every 2014 draft ranking? It's more than your production in junior. It's skills and assets in the players' games. And Draisaitl is widely viewed as having more holes than Bennett.

Widely viewed as having more holes? Can you back that up?

Draisaitl is ahead of Bennett on Redline (http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...semen/5952761/) which is one of the most reputable of the independant scouting services. Draisaitl is ranked ahead of Ekblad and Reinhart by Central Scouting (http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=699869)

The top 4 are pretty close, don't try and present it as if Bennett is a slam dunk to go ahead of Draisaitl because that isn't really the case. At this point it looks like Draisaitl could go anywhere in that top 4. It really looks like a four horse race at the top, much like last year. And Draisaitl could be like Barkov of last year. Big centres usually rise in the draft.

[sun]

Originally Posted by SHOGUN

Wow that's the first time I heard Draisatl as "gritty". He reminds me of Bobby Ryan a bit... not intense or physical but a tremendous offensive player.

Can he spell the german word for intense?

[ricardodw]

It is incredibly wrong how the NHL has set up the draft. There are 6 games remaining to what has to be a hugely disappointing season for the bottom 5 clubs.

With what seems to be a no-brainer top-4 how does a team not tank. Right now the Islanders 3 game win streak has moved them into 5th overall.

That gave the Flames the opening needed to get into the bottom 4.

Would anyone be disappointed on April 15th if the Flames closed out the season going 0-8 and getting a top-4 pick?

The league should have the team that does the best in the last 20 games and does not make the playoffs get the 2nd or 3rd pick overall.

The Islanders are 7-2-1 over their last 10 games and will be severely punished as an organization if they finish out 4-2 ... right now they took the 5th pick away from the Flames and might go down yet another pick if they continue to play well.

[albertGQ]

The good thing though is that drafting 18 year olds is a crapshoot. If this was a 21 year old draft, then I would agree.

[Bourque's Twin]

Sam Bennett would fit in so well with this organization.

So would Reinhart or Ekblad. I'm not as sold on Draisaitl, but I think the Oilers are. They are so desperate for size up front that I think they would be willing to pass on either Reinhart or Bennett to draft Draisaitl.