Our future and their stats this year

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Matthew Lombardi. Dustin Boyd. Probably Kobasew. I'm sure there are others.

Thing is, the Flames drafted a lot of defencemen and goalies with the 1st and 2nd rounds picks for a while there. Then there was Sutter's fixation on 'character' guys. Skilled forwards drafted in the first couple rounds are often the top scorers on their junior teams.

I certainly understand the reticence, and my default stance is the same.

But Boyd and Lombardi never generated the interest for me that these guys do.

Also, the other huge difference is that there are several at the same time.

Extremely unlikely that they all make it, but there's plenty of reason to be excited about them as a group.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Matthew Lombardi. Dustin Boyd. Probably Kobasew. I'm sure there are others.

Thing is, the Flames drafted a lot of defencemen and goalies with the 1st and 2nd rounds picks for a while there. Then there was Sutter's fixation on 'character' guys. Skilled forwards drafted in the first couple rounds are often the top scorers on their junior teams.

Not trying to nit pick but only Lombardi lead his team in points in junior, and he was in his fourth year in the QMJHL.

[codynw]

You forgot Ortio.

6 GP, 6-0-0, .930sv%, 2.24 GAA

[Enoch Root]

Just the fact that Lombardi, Boyd and Nemisz were used as past examples illustrates just how barren it has been for the last decade or so.

We're a long way from having fully-stocked shelves, but this the best things have been since the 80s.

[4oh3]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

What Calgary is missing is a high end defensive prospect. I'm really hoping we are able to get Ekblad this year.

Me too

[sa226]

I think its absolutely fair to temper expectations for Gaudreau, especially for a fan base that is starving for someone like him.

His future is far from certain. But in my opinion, you can't really compare him to any other player, good or bad.

Gaudreau isnt really dominating college hockey like previous players have. He is flat out in another class altogether.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

From my perspective, Gaudreau reminds me way too much of Gerbe. Very undersized, high skill forward, mid-round pick, dominated in college... only to not be able to translate his game to the NHL. All us Sabres fans were fawning over the prospect of having the next St. Louis on our hands but the reality with those little guys is they more often struggle then excel. Time will tell with him but the expectations for him need to be tempered.

Baertschi was the top scorer on the Winterhawks 2 years ago and has struggled to translate his game to the NHL so far. Nemisz and Wahl were point per game players in junior. Chuck Kobasew scored 40 goals for the Rockets way back. Etc.

It's certainly not BAD to be a top scorer in junior, but it's always better to keep expectations in check.

That is all fair but Gaudreau has been a better prospect than Gerbe. He scored at a higher clip, dominated the World jr and nearly won the Hobey Baker as a sophomore. If he keeps up the 2 ppg pace as a 20 year old he will win it this year for sure.

[GreenLantern]

Still a lot of question marks surrounding Gaudreau, but we've seen small guys make it before so I wouldn't be shocked to see him stick in the NHL.

Jankowski to me looks like the most promising of them all, the way he has developed and matured in just one season speaks volumes. Looks to be a complete player down the middle.

[4oh3]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Scoring and succeeding in junior is a VERY different thing from doing it in the NHL. Some of the most prolific scorers in junior history have never done anything significant in the NHL.

Not to take the wind out of your sails, but it's a little early to be proclaiming this our future top six and be getting hyped up.

Pavel brendl I remember going to hitmen games to see him play got to the nhl and just was a terrible player

[flamesfan55]

Originally Posted by 4oh3

Pavel brendl I remember going to hitmen games to see him play got to the nhl and just was a terrible player

This is the one that always come to mind for me as well.

[Jacks]

We are told that their focus has been on drafting guys who play smart so hopefully they will have an easier transition into the next level?

Nice to have something to look forward to either way.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by 4oh3

Pavel brendl I remember going to hitmen games to see him play got to the nhl and just was a terrible player

Ray Ferraro had some astronomical numbers in the WHL but he didn't pan out to be a superstar that you would project him to be based on his stats in junior (108 goals in one season!).

Rob Brown also had impressive stats in the WHL and his only really impressive years was when he played with Mario Lemieux.

There are plenty of players you can look in junior and say "Wow, can you imagine what they'll do in the NHL?" and then they just turn out to be average.

[Day Tripper]

Re: Gaudreau vs. Gerbe

Freshman Year
Gaudreau: 44 GP, 21 G, 23 A, 44 PTS (1.00 P/G)
Gerbe: 39 GP, 11 GP, 7 A, 18 PTS (0.46 P/G)

Sophomore Year
Gaudreau: 35 GP, 21 G, 30 A, 51 PTS (1.46 P/G)
Gerbe: 41 GP, 25 G, 22 A, 47 PTS (1.15 P/G)

Junior Year (To Date for Gaudreau)
Gaudreau: 9 GP, 9 G, 9 A, 18 PTS (2.00 P/G)
Gerbe: 43 GP, 35 G, 33 A, 68 PTS (1.58 P/G)

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by 4oh3

Pavel brendl I remember going to hitmen games to see him play got to the nhl and just was a terrible player

Me too. Brad Moran, Dodginghorse, that was a good team.

The year he was drafted was a horrible horrible draft year. The Sedins came out of that one, Taylor Pyatt, and Martin Havlat.

[The Yen Man]

I vaguely remember a Sergei Varlamov in the Flames system back in the 90's. I had to wikipedia his name to read up on the details as I didn't really follow prospects back then. I remember hearing about him leading the WHL in points, but I didn't realize he was a free agent signing rather than a draft pick.

[GreenLantern]

I think another prospect that is getting over looked right now is Ortio.

ECHL 4 GP - 3-1-0 w/ 1.01 GAA 0.944 %
AHL 6 GP 6-0-0 w/ 2.24 GAA 0.930 %

Granted he has a team that is playing really hard and really well right now in front of him, those are still solid numbers and a solid start to the season.

For a guy coming in who was worried about his place on the depth chart, he posted better numbers in 6 games than Mac has in 2, and his main competition in Broissot for AHL/ECHL time got traded, maybe that was the motivation he needed.. lets hope he keeps it going.

[Papi34]

Im finding it super hard to control my expectations because this class looks outstanding.

I temper it with remembering how good i thought Dustin Boyd and Adam Cracknell would be when they were 2nd and 4th in 06 for whl scoring.

Long way to go but its definitely more exciting having these players than not.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by Buff

Ray Ferraro had some astronomical numbers in the WHL but he didn't pan out to be a superstar that you would project him to be based on his stats in junior (108 goals in one season!).

Rob Brown also had impressive stats in the WHL and his only really impressive years was when he played with Mario Lemieux.

There are plenty of players you can look in junior and say "Wow, can you imagine what they'll do in the NHL?" and then they just turn out to be average.

Hard to imagine he didn't make the WJC that year!

[herashak]

Gerbes game was built around speed. gaudreau is Iq and vision. id say iq translates better to the nhl in a small forward.

[starseed]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Hard to imagine he didn't make the WJC that year!

Is it really? After seeing his attitude on display on national television?