2016 NHL Draft

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I would assume that if Gauthier is there at 25 or so, that the Flames will attempt to trade up from 35 to get him, but I don't see them paying the price to go higher than that.

I assume 35 is going to be traded for a goalie or forward that plays next year

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I assume 35 is going to be traded for a goalie or forward that plays next year

I think goalie is more likely, but it depends on what the market is. It may be possible to get someone with a later 2nd and a decent player. The Flames do happen to have a ton of forwards and defensemen that can be enticing to teams for depth positions.

I'd be shocked if the Flames added more than 3 players in the top 90 in the draft.

[sureLoss]

McKeen's final top 30

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/draft/

[bubbsy]

it's nuts how all over the map these mock's are from 4-10th.

Should be an exciting draft, especially given the murmurs of potential trade possibilities for the 3rd and 4th picks.

[Hackey]

It does seem like there isn't a great deal of consensus past the top 3-5 but a lot of these I take with a grain of salt. If they all post the same list then there is nothing to talk about. Dubois at 8 seems extremely unlikely.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

It seems that most of the guys after 20 or so are either mediocre and big, or are small and skilled with a few that are averaged sized and talented.

Interesting comments. Same can be said about every draft. A lot of these picks are all about picking guys wit raw skill sets and helping them develop into players.

There are a few players that I wouldn't mind at 35, guys like Tyler Benson, Alex DeBrincat, Will Bitten, Jordan Kyrou, Joey Anderson, and Cameron Morrison.

DeBrincat and Bitten won't get out of the first round. I don't think Benson has the skill to be a NHL player. If things develop for him he could be a Josh Jooris level player, but I think his skating isn't stron enough. Kyrou is an interesting player, because he's a right shot. The problem there is his size. His upside is what though? Where does he possibly fit in the over scheme of things? Anderson is a real middling player and I think he'll be available in the 3rd-5th rounds. Really wasn't that impressive for the USNTDP. I thought the standouts on that team were Keller and Bellows. Keller has unreal skill and Bellows has a crazy good release.

I don't think any of Tufte, Raddysh, or Bastian will amount to much, with the latter two being players that I think will bust outright. Playing with great players leads to excellent and heavily inflated stats. If it wasn't for their linemates, I doubt Raddysh or Bastian would be picked before the 4th or 5th round. Beware of the Nemisz effect. (Raddysh plays with Strome and Debrincat, Bastian with Nylander and McLeod)

I wouldn't lump Tufte in with Raddysh or Bastian. Tufte is a very skilled kid. The knock on him, like many big kids, is he doesn't use his size effectively. If he can learn that he is going to be a very good player. Has a really strong skill set, just not certain his demeanor lends itself to the NHL.

Raddysh and Bastian are guys that remind me of Tanner Pearson. Not saying they are going to be star players, but the could both be very effective support players. As has been said about Tkacuk, knowing how to play in a support role to top talent is a skill in itself. We have a couple slots where big men that play the boards well and who know how to score garbage goals by going to the net.

I do find it interesting that you run these two guys down by are supportive of Morrison? Morrison is a less skilled version of Raddysh and Bastian, riding shotgun on a good line. He also played in an inferior league. What makes Morrison a target for you?

With the picks at 54, 56, and 66 I think there should be a few interesting options. Perhaps one or two of the guys above slide that far, plus the three goalies Hart/Fitzpatrick/Woll, and guys like Dahlen, Johansen.

This is supposedly a really bad draft for goaltenders. If they take a goaltender I think it is late. If they come away with a goaltender in this draft I think it will be via trade or a late pick.

I doubt that the Flames will have more than 3 picks in the first three rounds, likely using some to either trade up or to trade for a goalie.

I would hope this is the case, but it takes two to tango. The cost to move up seems unreasonable if what is floating around the media is true. I'm hoping we can score a goaltender at the draft, but I think teams might wait until after free agency to start dealing away their goaltending depth. Lots of options out there, so probably no rush. Plus, I still think Reimer is our target.

A name not mentioned is Tage Thompson. Another big body that has some really good skill. I just don't think he slides to the 2nd round either.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by New Era

Interesting comments. Same can be said about every draft. A lot of these picks are all about picking guys wit raw skill sets and helping them develop into players.

For sure, but this time it seems like there is more of a divide than there normally is. Usually there are a couple of big guy projects and small guys with skill while the largest group being average sized guys of varying skill. This year it seems like there are a lot of taller projects and smaller skill guys with only a handful of average ones.

DeBrincat and Bitten won't get out of the first round. I don't think Benson has the skill to be a NHL player. If things develop for him he could be a Josh Jooris level player, but I think his skating isn't stron enough. Kyrou is an interesting player, because he's a right shot. The problem there is his size. His upside is what though? Where does he possibly fit in the over scheme of things? Anderson is a real middling player and I think he'll be available in the 3rd-5th rounds. Really wasn't that impressive for the USNTDP. I thought the standouts on that team were Keller and Bellows. Keller has unreal skill and Bellows has a crazy good release.

I'm higher on Anderson because of his speed and he has some good skills. It's not really about stats but rather doing little things correctly, and in the U-18's he did a few things that jumped out at me more than a lot of other prospects in the 20-65 range. Might have been just a good tournament, or he's figuring something out. Kyrou isn't very tall, but that's a problem with a whole host of guys.

I wouldn't lump Tufte in with Raddysh or Bastian. Tufte is a very skilled kid. The knock on him, like many big kids, is he doesn't use his size effectively. If he can learn that he is going to be a very good player. Has a really strong skill set, just not certain his demeanor lends itself to the NHL.

Raddysh and Bastian are guys that remind me of Tanner Pearson. Not saying they are going to be star players, but the could both be very effective support players. As has been said about Tkacuk, knowing how to play in a support role to top talent is a skill in itself. We have a couple slots where big men that play the boards well and who know how to score garbage goals by going to the net.

I like Tufte, he just would not be my first choice at 35. There are about 8-10 guys that are more interesting in the 20-40 range in my opinion. The main concern I have about him is that he has diabetes and that has a whole host of problems, especially if he runs into injuries as it takes diabetics significantly longer to heal from things. That added time will hamper his development. Look at what it did to Sieloff and his progression. That said I would not complain much at all if he was the pick. Would kind of be a Colborne type of pick and he has a similar skill set/potential as him. I don't really see that with either of the other two guys at all. I don't see them being able to translate anything in their skill sets to the next levels, where they'll have a hard time setting themselves apart from any of the litany of other guys.

I do find it interesting that you run these two guys down by are supportive of Morrison? Morrison is a less skilled version of Raddysh and Bastian, riding shotgun on a good line. He also played in an inferior league. What makes Morrison a target for you?

I'm not against that type of a player as what you're describing though. I think Morrison is faster in terms of raw speed than either of the other two and has better on ice vision and better hands in close. Plus his going to the NCAA is actually a bit of a side benefit as he would be a player that you can park for 3-4 years and let him develop into his size and build his game up. I think there's more there there with Morrison than the other two. Also, the USHL isn't really that much of an inferior league any more. It's not as low of a league as the BCHL or other similar second tier Canadian leagues.

This is supposedly a really bad draft for goaltenders. If they take a goaltender I think it is late. If they come away with a goaltender in this draft I think it will be via trade or a late pick.

It's a "bad" goalie draft, but the draft overall is a bit crap compared to the last few years. The only recent one that lacked depth like this was 2012, and I think that one was actually better depth wise. The top 17 or so is comparable with previous years, but then it falls off a cliff. I think a late 2nd/early 3rd is about right for these goalies. I think the main guys would have gone in the late 3rd or 4th last year or the year before. I'd probably go with Fitzpatrick if I had to pick one, but I'm kind of ambivalent towards the group. The Flames need to add more goalie depth to the organization though as both Schneider and McDonald will be out of juniors soon and the Flames will have nobody coming up after them. Need to keep the pipeline going. Plus I figure with having 3 picks in 12 selections, the Flames would probably be best off diversifying the picks taking 1 forward 1 d and 1 goalie if they keep them all because there isn't a huge amount of talent at any position at that point in the draft.

I would hope this is the case, but it takes two to tango. The cost to move up seems unreasonable if what is floating around the media is true. I'm hoping we can score a goaltender at the draft, but I think teams might wait until after free agency to start dealing away their goaltending depth. Lots of options out there, so probably no rush. Plus, I still think Reimer is our target.

The Flames can talk to all the UFA's before the draft and get their contract #'s. If the Flames don't trade for a goalie at the draft, I think you can pencil in Reimer's name into the starting position despite it being a week before UFA. If the term or $ is unreasonable, I think the Flames will place more emphasis on getting a legit goalie through trade like MAF or one of several other guys. Plus the expansion talk will be sorted out before the draft as well. further sorting things out.

A name not mentioned is Tage Thompson. Another big body that has some really good skill. I just don't think he slides to the 2nd round either.

He's another similar guy to Tufte without the diabetes problem. I'd take him at 35 without problem. Forgot about him.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Anyone have insight on Dennis Cholowski? Seems to be a very late riser, and I never really get that, in particular for an average sized Dman in the BCHL. I doubt he would be in the Flames window, but curious about this prospect.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/ho...says-his-coach

Interesting article on Brown

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by New Era

I do find it interesting that you run these two guys down by are supportive of Morrison? Morrison is a less skilled version of Raddysh and Bastian, riding shotgun on a good line. He also played in an inferior league.

That is odd commentary.

The USHL is a difficult league to score in and while it may technically be inferior to the ohl the gap is very narrow as it is very much comparable to Canadian Major Junior. I am also not sure where you'really drawing the idea that he's "riding shotgun" on a very good line. He had 66 points in 60 games for Youngstown which by USHL standards could point to a future top line forward (look back at the same age scoring of NHL stars including Gaudreau). His point totals lead his team by 16 and we're tied for second best in his league as a draft-eligible.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/ho...says-his-coach

Interesting article on Brown

I'm struck by how much Brown resembles Jamie Benn facially in that picture. A clone?

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's final top 30

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/draft/

Oh great. Who's this McLeod dude? Do I need to read up on him?

[Table 5]

I don't really see the Jamie Benn resemblance. Rick Nash maybe.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

That is odd commentary.

The USHL is a difficult league to score in and while it may technically be inferior to the ohl the gap is very narrow as it is very much comparable to Canadian Major Junior. I am also not sure where you'really drawing the idea that he's "riding shotgun" on a very good line. He had 66 points in 60 games for Youngstown which by USHL standards could point to a future top line forward (look back at the same age scoring of NHL stars including Gaudreau). His point totals lead his team by 16 and we're tied for second best in his league as a draft-eligible.

I was refering to his play on the USNTDP, not his play in the USHL. Still, the quality of the USHL is about the same as tier two junior. You may find a player or two out of those leagues, but it is an uphill battle. Morrison is a big kid that may develop into something in college. Not sure I use a pick on him when there are other players of his ilk more proven in better leagues. The one thing that Caged did say that I would see as advantage is the college thing. You get a player that may blossom into something with the extra year of development before you are pushed into a decision on him.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's final top 30

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/draft/

Dubois down at 8 behind Juolevi, Nylander and McLeod. Interesting.

Can't wait for draft day.

[shutout]

http://flamesnation.ca/2016/6/10/nhl...8-92abdcbf4e18

nations USA scout article

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKeen's final top 30

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/draft/

Boy they have PLD low.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Oh great. Who's this McLeod dude? Do I need to read up on him?

Only if the Flames trade down in the area of 13th overall.

[OmegaV4]

Just had a co-worker who attended a luncheon today and Brian Burke was there.
Got some interesting tidbits(If this has been discussed, I apologize)

-Don't be surprised if the Flames drop down in the draft, as there is a list players that they are interested in that may be available sub 6th pick.
-They have a list of coaches and it looks like they will be picking one after the draft.
-He has a number in his head for Sean and Johnny, which he feels is fair. If they take it they do, and if they don't they don't play.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Only if the Flames trade down in the area of 13th overall.

Mmm. Personally I have Nylander as a stand alone after the first 5 players. then I feel like depending on what you want, the D men and the like of Keller, Brown, McLeod are all bunched nice and tight.

Since the Center argument has popped up more prominently, I don't think McLeod is that low on the totem pole. His base qualities are a big selling point.
Proficient Faceoff player, speed, responsible 200 ft game are all tangible assets teams covet in drafting a center. Even though the goals and assists stats may not be optimal, the rest of the package is top tier.

Teams who covet a C in this draft won't pass him up.