If McKenna isn’t good enough to build around then I don’t know who is. He’d instantly be the Flames best prospect in franchise history.
This is a great, great year for the Flames to be bottoming out. Things haven’t lined up well for this franchise for as long as I can remember. It would be an awfully nice break to be able to nab a bonafide blue chip, franchise player in June.
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This idea that McKenna isn't competitive or driven is just bizarre - look at his WJ tourney last year, look at what he did in the playoffs last year... everything this kid has ever done screams a desire to be the best.
As for judging him based on points, the problem with that is that points are highly dependent on situation and linemates - if your team isn't scoring, you're getting less points. When evaluating a player, you have to look beyond that.
I think everything will reset when people see him at the WJ tourney this year, and he dominates it as a 17 year old. For me, the dream scenario would be him playing with Reschny - not likely to happen, but imagine watching those two playing together, with Parekh running the PP... that would be the best WJC ever, for Flames fans.
(yes, I know we are unlikely to get McKenna, but I prefer to be hopeful rather than pessimistic)
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If McKenna isn’t good enough to build around then I don’t know who is. He’d instantly be the Flames best prospect in franchise history.
This is a great, great year for the Flames to be bottoming out. Things haven’t lined up well for this franchise for as long as I can remember. It would be an awfully nice break to be able to nab a bonafide blue chip, franchise player in June.
100%
Some of the comments in this thread are just bizarre and ridiculous.
at BEST the Flames have a 74.5% chance of NOT getting the player and some are already shooting him down like he is a full fledged memeber of the Flames
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It’s not a question of whether his is competitive or not, it is if he is off the charts competitive, in comparison to other top level talent. I’m not saying he does not have it, it just seems that it does not get reported on.
Macklin has always been different in this regard.
I have also witnessed Bedard’s competitiveness since he was 11, in games, open ice and around the club. He too is wired differently.
Spend 10 min watching them at a summer skate with other pro’s/ prospects, and you’ll realize everyone has amazing skill, but those 2 are always playing like it’s game 7 SCF.
That competitive emotion is why the GOAT’s like Crosby and Gretzky had reps for being whiners early in their careers.
It is also the main reason any ‘marginally’ skilled NHL’er sticks in the league.
It is not a learnable skill. Some kids are just born that way.
I have a feeling this season is just going to be a constant back and forth between media members writing clickbait headlines about how McKenna isn't living up to the hype and someone else could go first overall instead, followed by someone else writing their own clickbait headlines about how McKenna is absolutely the best prospect and no one else will even come close.
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It’s not a question of whether his is competitive or not, it is if he is off the charts competitive, in comparison to other top level talent. I’m not saying he does not have it, it just seems that it does not get reported on.
Macklin has always been different in this regard.
I have also witnessed Bedard’s competitiveness since he was 11, in games, open ice and around the club. He too is wired differently.
Spend 10 min watching them at a summer skate with other pro’s/ prospects, and you’ll realize everyone has amazing skill, but those 2 are always playing like it’s game 7 SCF.
That competitive emotion is why the GOAT’s like Crosby and Gretzky had reps for being whiners early in their careers.
It is also the main reason any ‘marginally’ skilled NHL’er sticks in the league.
It is not a learnable skill. Some kids are just born that way.
It’s not a question of whether his is competitive or not, it is if he is off the charts competitive, in comparison to other top level talent. I’m not saying he does not have it, it just seems that it does not get reported on.
Macklin has always been different in this regard.
I have also witnessed Bedard’s competitiveness since he was 11, in games, open ice and around the club. He too is wired differently.
Spend 10 min watching them at a summer skate with other pro’s/ prospects, and you’ll realize everyone has amazing skill, but those 2 are always playing like it’s game 7 SCF.
That competitive emotion is why the GOAT’s like Crosby and Gretzky had reps for being whiners early in their careers.
It is also the main reason any ‘marginally’ skilled NHL’er sticks in the league.
It is not a learnable skill. Some kids are just born that way.
No one is debating whether Celebrini and Bedard are that way - we all know that they are.
What we're questioning is: why do you think McKenna isn't that way? What have you seen that makes you think he doesn't have the drive those guys do?
I have a feeling this season is just going to be a constant back and forth between media members writing clickbait headlines about how McKenna isn't living up to the hype and someone else could go first overall instead, followed by someone else writing their own clickbait headlines about how McKenna is absolutely the best prospect and no one else will even come close.
Remember all the stories trying to make it seem like it was close between McDavid and Eichel? Clickbait. It never was.
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No one is debating whether Celebrini and Bedard are that way - we all know that they are.
What we're questioning is: why do you think McKenna isn't that way? What have you seen that makes you think he doesn't have the drive those guys do?
Seems to me that most of the questions regarding McKenna are about his desire to play a 200' game, not whether or not he is competitive and wants to win.
Someone brought up in a different thread that Iginla was competitive but clashed with Regher because he just wanted to focus on pond hockey style all offense and not be concerned with coming back defensively.
This is some of the questions/criticism of Bedard as well. A guy you want out on the ice when you are down by a goal, but you staple to the bench when you are up by one goal late in a game. Bedard is still trying to answer that question, and might be a factor on if he is on the Olympic team.
Cellebrini does not have those questions. He is a 200' player.
McKenna is great offensively, but will he be able to, and is he willing to embrace all facets of the game? Sutter finally got Gaudeau to play responsible hockey. Its responsible hockey when your team does not have the puck that seems to be the biggest questions on McKenna in my opinion. Not whether or not he is competitive.
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Remember all the stories trying to make it seem like it was close between McDavid and Eichel? Clickbait. It never was.
Was gonna mention this. Everyone tries to create interest in a slambunk draft. They said Puljujarvi was the "most NHL ready" and was a threat to be first over Laine and Matthews.
OTOH, while Taylor v Tyler was a media creation, you could have a pretty good argument about it today. Ditto Tavares v Hedman, Stamkos v Doughty, Power v Beniers, Ekblad v Reinhart (doesn't matter any more). And I'm pretty sure I take Landeskog over RNH, and I know I take Murray over Yakupov.
It's great if the offensive superstar learns a two way game like Crosby or Barkov or Datsyuk. But it's not fatal. Iggy wasn't great at defence and he did fine. Ditto Ovie, Bure, Rantanen, Kane, Conner, etc.
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Was gonna mention this. Everyone tries to create interest in a slambunk draft. They said Puljujarvi was the "most NHL ready" and was a threat to be first over Laine and Matthews.
OTOH, while Taylor v Tyler was a media creation, you could have a pretty good argument about it today. Ditto Tavares v Hedman, Stamkos v Doughty, Power v Beniers, Ekblad v Reinhart (doesn't matter any more). And I'm pretty sure I take Landeskog over RNH, and I know I take Murray over Yakupov.
I still think guys like Yakupov and JP were good prospects that were just ruined by being rushed into the NHL before they were ready. Going from top dog to being dunked on can be ego crushing and a hard thing to recover from. They definitely could have utilized the development and farm system better with those guys.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
I still think guys like Yakupov and JP were good prospects that were just ruined by being rushed into the NHL before they were ready. Going from top dog to being dunked on can be ego crushing and a hard thing to recover from. They definitely could have utilized the development and farm system better with those guys.
JP suffered from a lack of attention off ice. He didn't speak the language and no one helped him. That's been well reported. I suspect the same happened with Yakupov.
But some of that has to be on the player. Lots of guys are rushed in and do fine.
It's great if the offensive superstar learns a two way game like Crosby or Barkov or Datsyuk. But it's not fatal. Iggy wasn't great at defence and he did fine. Ditto Ovie, Bure, Rantanen, Kane, Conner, etc.
Especially if it's a winger - just play them with a C that has a good 200 ft game
