QOTD: June 1st - what player in Calgary's draft range have you warmed up too?

[polak]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Nylander. If we don't draft him -- unless we get Dubois -- I will be severely disappointed.

Same here.

I'll trust scouting to pick any forward but I'll be super disappointed if they take a D.

This is hopefully the last time we draft this high for a while, we need immediate help.

[skudr248]

Keller, but will be happy with whatever to be honest.

[shotinthebacklund]

While I am still very intrigued by mcloed (not at 6) I have really warmed up from my previous stance of no dman. Sergechev I have warmed the most of the 3. Not saying he would be my pick but probably my biggest riser over all

[GreenLantern2814]

Want Keller, he looks like a sightly bigger Johnny.

Warmed up to Juolevi. If we don't go for a high skill forward, I'll be happy taking a guy who could be the next Karl Alzner and smile.

[polak]

Keller Maingnapane and Gaudreau on one team?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by polak

Same here.

I'll trust scouting to pick any forward but I'll be super disappointed if they take a D.

This is hopefully the last time we draft this high for a while, we need immediate help.

Man I hope the Flame's brain trust doesn't think like that.

To be honest I believe your two statements almost contradict themselves.

1. last time we draft this high for a while
2. we need immediate help

teams that are rebuilding get immediate help if they draft high, for sure. But you can't take the player that gives you immediate help as a deciding point, that's crazy.

If this is the last time the Flames draft high for a while they'd better take the guy that will have the biggest impact in the next ten years, not the greatest impact in 10 months.

if they think a dman is the best player available then take him!

shudder

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by polak

Keller Maingnapane and Gaudreau on one team?

If they're all fast and good, why not? This is going to be a great possession team in the next three years. To do that, you need guys that can play with the puck on their stick.

The puck sticks to Keller like glue.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Man I hope the Flame's brain trust doesn't think like that.

To be honest I believe your two statements almost contradict themselves.

1. last time we draft this high for a while
2. we need immediate help

teams that are rebuilding get immediate help if they draft high, for sure. But you can't take the player that gives you immediate help as a deciding point, that's crazy.

If this is the last time the Flames draft high for a while they'd better take the guy that will have the biggest impact in the next ten years, not the greatest impact in 10 months.

if they think a dman is the best player available then take him!

shudder

Disagree. We have immediate holes that can be filled by the consensus BPA expected at our position.

Our farm and roster is stocked with high end young D.

[ComixZone]

Juolevi.

Assuming Tkachuk and Dubois are gone, one of Nylander or Juolevi should definitely be the pick.

[Itse]

Juolevi. Bit of a homer pick, but I wouldn't go for it if I didn't think he'd be a fine pick.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Man I hope the Flame's brain trust doesn't think like that.

To be honest I believe your two statements almost contradict themselves.

1. last time we draft this high for a while
2. we need immediate help

teams that are rebuilding get immediate help if they draft high, for sure. But you can't take the player that gives you immediate help as a deciding point, that's crazy.

If this is the last time the Flames draft high for a while they'd better take the guy that will have the biggest impact in the next ten years, not the greatest impact in 10 months.

if they think a dman is the best player available then take him!

shudder

It does appear that management expects to make the playoffs next season though. From the GM's mouth this season was a failure. Based on that and the fact they may have the weakest winger depth in the NHL it certainly would point to an area of immediate help if they truly want to meet their goals. Now they can address the RW position via free agency but we all know that plugging holes with free agents is a recipe for failure which leads to drafting one of the top forwards that is close to NHL ready. I don't know if a forward will be available to step in next season but if there's one there in the conversation for BPA that you think can I believe you have to take him. Defense is probably the least area of need as there's already a problem of too many defensemen and not enough roster spots as well as some newly drafted defensive prospects from last season that will get another year of seasoning.

[dammage79]

If not Nylander, Sergachev, McLeod or Gauthier, I'm a little more open to Jost. But unless you're taking Nylander at 6 I think you can trade down for any one of those other guys.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

I am hoping they pick Joelevi, strikes me as an asset that will have the most value in the future, whether its as a Flame or in a trade.

Took the words out of my mouth. I don't care about filling holes in our lineup, I care about getting the highest value asset and I think that's a defenseman.

I picked Juolevi because based on my luddite understanding he might have the highest floor.

[Wolfman]

It's time to draft by need and not bpa. This team has lacked a RW power forward since the departure of Iginla. Gauthier was my pick, he would look good alongside Mony and Johnny. With the addition of Pribyl the RW prospects look a lot better. We've seen how hard it is to fill those holes through trade and free agency.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It does appear that management expects to make the playoffs next season though. From the GM's mouth this season was a failure. Based on that and the fact they may have the weakest winger depth in the NHL it certainly would point to an area of immediate help if they truly want to meet their goals. Now they can address the RW position via free agency but we all know that plugging holes with free agents is a recipe for failure which leads to drafting one of the top forwards that is close to NHL ready. I don't know if a forward will be available to step in next season but if there's one there in the conversation for BPA that you think can I believe you have to take him. Defense is probably the least area of need as there's already a problem of too many defensemen and not enough roster spots as well as some newly drafted defensive prospects from last season that will get another year of seasoning.

Two to three 18 year olds step in and make an impact. The Flames are drafting 6th. If they expect someone taken this year to fix a problem that impacts their playoff chances next year then they are in fact the Edmonton Oilers.

Take the best player available every time.

Fill the today holes with today players.

Be surprised by an 18 year old, don't plan on his success.

[dissentowner]

Still going with Nylander. Have certainly warmed up to Jost. I can live with anyone except Brown, I will lose my mind if we waste #6 on that guy. If he was available with our 2nd I would be willing to gamble on him then but no way would I draft him in the first rnd. I hope the Canucks take him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Two to three 18 year olds step in and make an impact. The Flames are drafting 6th. If they expect someone taken this year to fix a problem that impacts their playoff chances next year then they are in fact the Edmonton Oilers.

Take the best player available every time.

Fill the today holes with today players.

Be surprised by an 18 year old, don't plan on his success.

Considering the BPA is very likely to be a forward and by most accounts a RW it doesn't appear we have much to argue about.

[Roof-Daddy]

So are some here advocating taking Gauthier at #6?

That seems unnecessary. If he's a target for the Flames they should be able to trade down and still get him while also getting another pick/prospect no?

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

So are some here advocating taking Gauthier at #6?

That seems unnecessary. If he's a target for the Flames they should be able to trade down and still get him while also getting another pick/prospect no?

That is a possible scenario, I think I've seen Gauthier as high as 12th...not much of a reach.

[Buff]

Outside of Matthews, Laine and Puljujarvi there isn't a player in the draft, that will be guaranteed to be playing in the NHL next season. For that matter, not even the three aforementioned players are guaranteed.

After the top three the odds of any other 1st round pick of making the NHL next season drops quite a bit. Drafting a guy because he is ready now doesn't mean he is the best player available. Just because he is ready now doesn't mean he'll continue to develop into a better player than the others. Maybe they pass on a guy they deem to be NHL ready for a guy that they deem to have more potential.

What if they took player A who played in the NHL as an 18 year old and he went on to average around 15 goals per year in a 12 year career playing for 4 teams. Wouldn't you have regret if the next player taken, player b, didn't play in the NHL as an 18 year old, but went on to play for 20 years, averaging 30 goals per year, winning a couple of cups along the way?

Best player available doesn't mean who can make the most impact in the NHL this very next season.