Don't know if I'd consider Colborne or even Backlund "core" guys, but longer term and important depth pieces, nonetheless.
Current future core: Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Giordano, Brodie
If Poirier continues to progress into a speedy scoring RW he may become a core player too.
Key future supporting players: Baertschi, Backlund, Colborne, Granlund, Klimchuk, Wotherspoon, Sieloff, Arnold. Guys who can fill in the top 9 and top 4 if they can project near their ceilings, and while they won't be top or dominant players, will also be key to the team's success as they are young and can be part of the solution for years. But of course not all of them will pan out or remain here. If half of these guys can step into those key positions for us that would be great.
The rest are the supporting cast, the stop gaps and character/tough guys. Will change from year to year. Maybe some can prove to be longer term 4th liners like Bouma and Reinhart.
Future core requirements going forward: A top line RW with size and a scoring touch, a top 2 defenceman with size and a strong all around game that can anchor the back end.
We like to temper expectations, and for good reason.
But.....
There are 3 or more hall of fame players inducted every year. That means on average 3 are drafted every year. So which ones are they? Someone in the top three is likely to be a future hall of famer and I hope we got one
We like to temper expectations, and for good reason.
But.....
There are 3 or more hall of fame players inducted every year. That means on average 3 are drafted every year. So which ones are they? Someone in the top three is likely to be a future hall of famer and I hope we got one
Funny how you put "temper expectations" and "hall of fame" in the same post about a player drafted this evening. (I'm excited too though, but my expectations are a little more tempered)
Yeah there's a bit of Oiler-style cup-dreaming going here right now.
Not that I think it's stupid. As long as we're not doing the exact same thing in the exact same situation 5-10 years from now, it's all good
It's actually really really nice to see so much optimism on this board for a change. It's been a while. Feels like a good ending for what turned out to be a surprisingly feel-good season.
Well, there's still the rest of the draft to go. I guess you can never have too much icing on a cake
Last edited by Itse; 06-28-2014 at 01:04 AM.
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To me, having watched both of these guys, Ekblad was the clear #1 in the draft, Bennett #2. However, what the Flames would have had to give up to get Ekblad, I'd rather the #4 choice for the #2 player and make a trade or UFA signing for a D.
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agggghhhhhh!!!
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Funny how you put "temper expectations" and "hall of fame" in the same post about a player drafted this evening. (I'm excited too though, but my expectations are a little more tempered)
Haha. There was a "but" in between. All I'm saying is it never occurred to me that someone, or a few players in each draft will end up as hall of famers. I know nothing about Bennett and I'm not projecting to be one, but it's not as rare as I first thought
"Then came the fourth pick, and when the Calgary Flames called my name a million things went through my mind. I can't even describe how I felt. I think the main things were excitement and relief at the same time. Calgary is a team that I wanted to go to. I couldn't be happier to be here."
I just got home from a Draft party and I just wanted to say that I'm very, very happy the Flames got the best player in the Draft. No doubt in my mind.
__________________ "It's a great day for hockey."
-'Badger' Bob Johnson (1931-1991)
"I see as much misery out of them moving to justify theirselves as them that set out to do harm." -Dr. Amos "Doc" Cochran
The pullup thing was all a ruse so the Oilers wouldn't take him. There's a scrum with MacTavish on the Oilers site and he talks about picking Draisaitl because he's stronger today than the other players they were considering.
Smart thinking, Sam.
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Turn up the good, turn down the suck!
Don't remember Monahans exact comments after being drafted but both he and Monahan were stoked to be here and we are stoked to have them! Always nice to have people who want top be here i hope Bennet inspires some truculence in our other players! He was who i wanted so i am beyond stoked right now!
I think I love this pick more than Monahan. Maybe it's because I was so invested in this draft for the past few months, but I really feel we got the best player in this draft.
Maybe it's the extra investment, maybe it's the extra 0.34 points per game - nine months younger - in his draft year.