Splitting Atoms Poll - Cgy pick Draisaitl/Dal Colle

[Caged Great]

If the Sams and Ekblad are gone, I kind of hope for neither, and we go Ehlers.

However, between the two, it'd be Draisaitl by a hair and that's only because of him being a center.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah I think the center position is more important but my only fear with Draisaitl/Reinhart is that they are only average skaters and Monahan isn't a burner so the Flames first two lines may struggle with faster teams. This is why Bennett IMO is the ideal player for the Flames.

I like your logic. If we don't get Bennett we need speedy wingers to compensate.

[tvp2003]

Pick the guy with the higher upside (which I think is Draisaitl based on the limited info I've read?)

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I like your logic. If we don't get Bennett we need speedy wingers to compensate.

Paging Emile Poirier

[Domoic]

Serious question - which European-born NHLers have been key cogs in Stanley Cup winning teams?

Lidstrom?
Chara?
Malkin?
Zetterburg?

Should this be taken into consideration?

I don't know Draisaitl's personal history or anything.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I've only seen Dal Colle in youtube clips, so I can't say what his overall game looks like, but sure seems like he can snipe pretty well.

I'd still go with the center. A decent center can be a valuable commodity, so worst case you draft Draisatl and then trade one of your centers for help on the wing later.

I have seen a few Generals games this year, probably not enough to come up with something statistically significant, but one thing that seems to stand out to me is that he is clutch. He isn't always 100% involved, but when he is, it always seems to be at a big moment and influences the game. He almost reminds me of Chris Drury in that regard.

However, I went with Draisaitl. The Kopitar comparisons some have made have really sold me on him. Plus, his name is Leon.

[RyZ]

It has to be Ekblad or a C. Skilled, speedy wingers are not something we are short on.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I like your logic. If we don't get Bennett we need speedy wingers to compensate.

It's not about compensation. Dal Colle is projects to a top line winger as he's the total package of size, speed, and skill. Because a lot of us out west haven't seen him play it's like some of you think he's chopped liver compared to Draisaitl which just isn't the case. Ideally Jankowski would turn into the franchise 2nd line center and Dal Colle could be that big winger to complement some of the smaller wingers in the prospect base. Like I said I'm happy either way but my only fear would be that Monahan/Draisaitl 1-2 punch would be a little on the slow side.

[ForeverFlameFan]

The Bruins/Kings look just fine with some slow centers. We need size, Draisaitl addresses that.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

The Bruins/Kings look just fine with some slow centers. We need size, Draisaitl addresses that.

But Dal Colle is a little taller and younger so he would fill out into one of the Flames biggest wingers. Size isn't an argument here.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

But Dal Colle is a little taller and younger so he will fill out probably. Size isn't an argument here.

Please let me know on who you want to trade in our LW pool, because I don't really want to give up on Sven or another one with high upside. I know you go with the BPA, but I feel Draisaitl and Dal Colle are the same, and now we need to pick by position. If Dal Colle was a RWer with a right handed shot, I am pretty sure our decision would be different.

[Imported_Aussie]

I like Dal Colle - he will take more time, but this team is not competing next year or the year after to be honest. Long term thinking needs to come into play, and Dal Colle projects to be an elite goal scorer IMO. I am always leery of a player who is more developed physically dominating at the CHL level - will this point total project to the NHL as well when you aren't one of the biggest fish in the pond? I am also not convinced Draisatl stays at centre, so the whole "draft a centre" debate is moot.

I would rank Ehlers and Nylander a tier below these two

[StrykerSteve]

Can't vote on phone, but Draisaitl, without question.

[SportsJunky]

I know ISS has Dal Colle rated 3rd I think but to me, Drasaitl has to be the guy. The consensus seems to be that Dal Colle's game is dynamic but he's missing that edge that you'd like to see in a bigger guy (I know he's light right now but he has the height). One scout in THN said that Dal Colle will respond to contact if he has to but he almost never initiates contact.

Drasaitl is no goon but he has no issues using his size to push the play.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Please let me know on who you want to trade in our LW pool. I know you go with the BPA, but I feel Draisaitl and Dal Colle are the same, and now we need to pick by position.

The LW pool doesn't matter that much as some of those players won't make it and I don't believe Sven is long for this organization. The team has a lot of center prospects in addition to LW so ideally they would want a RW or a defenseman and unless Ekblad drops to 4 neither of those look to be a prudent pick at 4. I don't think there's anything wrong with stockpiling at any particular position as you can always trade or move centers to wing, etc. I would be very happy with Draisaitl and it's just my hunch that Burke may prefer the big Canadian kid to the big German kid but that's just me.

At the end of the day this is just fan discussion as a lot depends on who the other three teams pick and which players the Flames covet more. We don't know any of that right now. There isn't a right or wrong answer right now.

[formulate]

Originally Posted by Domoic

Serious question - which European-born NHLers have been key cogs in Stanley Cup winning teams?

Lidstrom?
Chara?
Malkin?
Zetterburg?

Should this be taken into consideration?

I don't know Draisaitl's personal history or anything.

Just in recent years you could add Kopitar, Krejci, Datsyuk, even Hossa, Franzen, Kronwall, Selanne. When you consider that only about a quarter of the league is European, I see nationality as being a complete non-issue.

[Flames89]

I voted for Draisaitl, but after a thorough scouting of a few youtube video's each, I think they should go for Dal Colle. Just looks like more upside, and used to having checkers all over him.

[NewFan]

Draisaitl. We already have 1 German, so lets add one more. I hope 2 of Monahan, Jankowski & Draisaitl become 1a,1b Center for us. Johnny - Monahan, Beartchi - Daisaitl, Backlund - Granlund. Add some power wingers in each line.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Domoic

Serious question - which European-born NHLers have been key cogs in Stanley Cup winning teams?

Lidstrom?
Chara?
Malkin?
Zetterburg?

Should this be taken into consideration?

I don't know Draisaitl's personal history or anything.

Kopitar

[_Q_]

I went with Draisatl, but man it might be tough to pass on a speedy sniper like Dal Colle.

[automaton 3]

Draisaitl. Big centers with soft hands are a rare commodity.