How hard is it to draft a blue-chip D-Man?

[Huntingwhale]

It's hard enough to acquire top defensemen via UFA or trade. If you do manage to draft one, it's even harder to have them contributing by the age of 21 as per the OPs questions.

So the question: Can we draft a D-Man this year and get top-4 caliber play out of him by 2017?

Unlike forwards, most defencemen seem to follow a trajectory similar to goaltenders. The hit their stride in their mid to late 20s and their prime span throughout their early to mid 30s. Unless we draft an absolute stud/can't miss prospect this year, there's no way we will have a 21 years old contributing top 4 member by 2017. Rather we will have to relay on what we have now or acquire one via trade. Not gonna be easy. By that time hopefully the Flames will have enough prospect depth to trade from one of our positions of strength to get one. That's what I see as the best possible scenario. But I've found historically that a lot of defensemen come out of nowhere to suddenly become top 4 guys. Hopefully a couple of our guys have that in them.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So is Justin Schultz, but that doesn't make him top 4 quality. There's not much competition on the Toronto or Columbus blue lines so getting those minutes seems to be a case of "just don't suck" vs earning them. Lindholm is quality though, I'll give you that

I think Maata, Trouba, Lindolm, Reilly all make Calgary's top 4. They are at least equal to Russell and Wideman (in different ways).

I agree that was a really good year though.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

I think that's actually a better example of how long it takes for some defencemen to develop. He's been playing some really good hockey for Colorado the last couple of seasons.

His development really took a hit when he fell off a golf cart and hurt his knee. Otherwise he probably would have been better, sooner.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think Maata, Trouba, Lindolm, Reilly all make Calgary's top 4. They are at least equal to Russell and Wideman (in different ways).

I agree that was a really good year though.

I think Russell is one of those traditional late bloomer defencemen, he's really stepped his game up this year and I'm excited to see how he improves now that he's just hitting his prime. I take him over those 4 just because he's more of a known quantity, though after a few more years in the Anaheim system Lindholm probably proves me wrong

[Parallex]

I'd really like the Flames to load up on D at this years draft. Of course you take the best player available but really most guys in the draft will fall into a tier of talent so I hope when they look at guys in any tier they elect to pursue a "all other things being equal take the d-man" strategy.

Brodie and Giordano are great but the Flames need a better 3-4 then Russell/Wideman.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I think Russell is one of those traditional late bloomer defencemen, he's really stepped his game up this year and I'm excited to see how he improves now that he's just hitting his prime. I take him over those 4 just because he's more of a known quantity, though after a few more years in the Anaheim system Lindholm probably proves me wrong

I only saw a couple Jets games before he got hurt but I think Trouba is a stud. Not only current top 4 on most teams but a top 2 on a lot of teams in a couple years.

[Tinordi]

I'd be worried Trouba is a bandaid boy. Lots of different injuries already early. Could just be bad luck but could be he'll rarely play 82.

[foshizzle11]

Let's say Tim Erixon remained a flame and was happy to be here, is he in our top 4 right now?

Maybe if we are drafting around the 10 to 15 mark (hopefully more like 20th spot so we make the playoffs!!), then we pick a D in the first round this year or a RW, since there seems to be more of those available around that range.

I agree that we should be drafting D and RW heavy this year. More D than RW though, ie the first 2 rounds should be for a D unless there is clearly a better player available.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I'd be worried Trouba is a bandaid boy. Lots of different injuries already early. Could just be bad luck but could be he'll rarely play 82.

I agree. His style of play does not match up with his physique at this point. Too bad because he is one of my favorite young players.

I think he'll end up like Barret Jackman. He'll be awesome but it will take a few years before he can find the right balance physically and style wise.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

How has Roland Mackewon looked this year? He was who I wanted the Flames to nab at 34 instead of Mason Mcdonald.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=189364

He's on pace for about half the points he scored last season.

I was keen on him as well, but you just never know what our scouts have seen in these players to overlook them. I thought McKeown would go in the 1st round as he was projected, so there must be a good reason he slid.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

Let's say Tim Erixon remained a flame and was happy to be here, is he in our top 4 right now?

I really don't think he would be. Though it's hard to know, because had he stayed he would have probably had a lot more NHL playing time. Irony's a bitch, ain't it Tom?

My favourite of our defensive prospects is Wotherspoon, and if I'm not mistaken he was picked using one of the 2nd rounders Feaster got for Erixon. I'm glad it worked out this way, because Wotherspoon is the mobile, steady 2nd pairing guy we need.

[Walter Reed]

Seeing Nurse's progress, gives me a measure of encouragement. The Oil have not had a d-man with his physical skill set since Chris Pronger.

[PeteMoss]

Reilly's been bad this year.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Walter Reed

Seeing Nurse's progress, gives me a measure of encouragement. The Oil have not had a d-man with his physical skill set since Chris Pronger.

Nurse has all the tools to be a real impact player.

His biggest challenge will be learning how to be a good NHL defenseman on that poopshow of a team of yours. And by many accounts, Nurse isn't real long on hockey sense. Considering that, plus the fact that mentorship will be hard to come by, gives me concern for his overall development.

[savardandjokinen]

Not cundari, foresure not cundari.

[Lobsterfreak]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

Not cundari, foresure not cundari.

If you watch the kids contribution to the game and his leadership qualities you would not make this comment. He is playing significant role in ADK and one of the top D's right now. Smacking a player is easy when you know little about them and what they bring to the table.

[Caged Great]

With defensemen, you kind of have to spam picks on them because development isn't linear especially for defenders. Back in 2003, the Predators used their first three picks on D-men, and while they all became NHLers, the last pick ended up becoming the best of the three (Suter first, Klein 2nd, Shea Weber 3rd).

The Flames will probably pick a defenseman in the first, and I hope that we add a minimum of 3 or 4 this draft.

In 2012, the Flames took Sieloff, Kulak and Culkin. All three are looking good to this point.

In 2013, they took Kanzig, Roy, Rafikov and Gilmour. Rakifov and Gilmour are looking better than Kanzig at this point, and Roy looks like he won't be retained.

last year, they added Hickey and Ollas-Mattsson. Hickey's looking like a potential home run at this early point, and Ollas Mattsson has been okay (I haven't actually heard much about him this season)

Just keep spamming picks. You will get lucky like the Flames were with Brodie if you add more and more guys to the bullpen. The best ones will show themselves and will rise to the top. Wotherspoon is looking like a solid #5 moving forward with upside. The problem is that with the rest of the guys, it's still way too early to tell whether or not they will elevate themselves.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Lobsterfreak

If you watch the kids contribution to the game and his leadership qualities you would not make this comment. He is playing significant role in ADK and one of the top D's right now. Smacking a player is easy when you know little about them and what they bring to the table.

He's a career AHLer, and I have watched almost all the AHL games this year for Addy. He is still too prone to defensive lapses to be an NHL regular. The best he could be is a temp call up like a Corey Potter unfortunately. Diaz, who's the shakiest of the current Flames defensemen in his own zone is a lot more composed throughout the game than Cundari.

That's not to say that he's not useful on Adirondack. You need decent players to help facilitate the development of the better guys.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I'd say the safest route is to pick the BPA in the 1st round, and if a defenseman isn't within your range, probably best to pick a forward with high upside and spend a couple of picks in the 2nd/3rd/4th round on a defender.

I think a defenseman in the top 10 is more likely to be a home run, outside of the top 10 is where I'd probably be looking to most likely pick a forward, unless a D dropped.

[Lobsterfreak]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

He's a career AHLer, and I have watched almost all the AHL games this year for Addy. He is still too prone to defensive lapses to be an NHL regular. The best he could be is a temp call up like a Corey Potter unfortunately. Diaz, who's the shakiest of the current Flames defensemen in his own zone is a lot more composed throughout the game than Cundari.

That's not to say that he's not useful on Adirondack. You need decent players to help facilitate the development of the better guys.

I have watched all but 2 games this year and your opinion is your right. I just feel he is better than what you think. Different opinions are ok.