[News] Flames considering up to 8 guys for #4

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

So you wouldn't feel a bit queasy when the Flames pass on Reinhart for Virtanen and New York picks up say Dal Colle and Reinhart falls into Vancouver's lap? Even Ritchie or Ehlers and I'd still feel sick to my stomach.. but I guess I'd eventually find reasons to be excited for the player.

Chances are Vancouver is going to get an impact player regardless of who the Flames choose. There is no point in worrying about it.

The main point is that the Flames are doing their own due-diligence and selecting the player who will have the biggest impact at the #4 slot over the course of their career - whomever he may be.

[herashak]

Edmonton is considering 8 oil kings for #3 overall.

[Matty81]

Pretty clear top 4 in this draft with a couple fringe guys in nylander and dal colle so I can see 6 but eight is really reaching. If they picked Virtanen or Ritchie at 4 the hockey world is going to be dissing our scouting staff for years unless it is an absolute home run and the kid will have insane pressure on him right from the start.

I think there is a consensus across the nhl that neither of those players should even be considered at 4. I have read a lot of scouting reports and never seen either at 4.

I guess trading down wouldn't be so bad but come on, just take one of the big 3 centres, trying to be smarter than everybody else with a top 5 pick would be a disaster.

Hopefully just due diligence

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by May 25, 1989

The only drawback in evaluating based on points per game between the two is that Draisaitl is a year older then Virtanen.

Not trying to say Virtanen is better, I don't follow much junior hockey but there is a big difference in junior between your 17 year old season and your 18 year old one.

Monahan also has an October birth date making him older than most of his draft class, but is anyone upset that we took him over say Horvat?

As each draft goes by, the more it seems that birth date doesn't play a factor.

[AC]

This could be a case of the Flames really liking 3 of the big 4, and not being crazy about the 4th versus a few others in the mix.

[Day Tripper]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Monahan also has an October birth date making him older than most of his draft class, but is anyone upset that we took him over say Horvat?

Monahan in 2011-12 nevertheless way outproduced what Horvat did in 2012-13.

Monahan 2011-12 - 62 GP, 33 G, 45 A, 78 PTS
Horvat 2012-13 - 67 GP, 33 G, 28 A, 61 PTS

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

Monahan in 2011-12 nevertheless way outproduced what Horvat did in 2012-13.

Monahan 2011-12 - 62 GP, 33 G, 45 A, 78 PTS
Horvat 2012-13 - 67 GP, 33 G, 28 A, 61 PTS

Horvat was just an example... LD had a pretty good rookie season in the WHL as well.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by May 25, 1989

The only drawback in evaluating based on points per game between the two is that Draisaitl is a year older then Virtanen.

Not trying to say Virtanen is better, I don't follow much junior hockey but there is a big difference in junior between your 17 year old season and your 18 year old one.

This! People forget he's one of the youngest in the draft. Two years of Junior and people think what you see is what you get and only talk of negatives (poor passing skills,hockey sense..etc.) and completely leave out probably best shot in the draft, extremely fast/great skater and hits like a truck. people also forget he played the last part of the season with a very bad shoulder that required surgery. There are plenty of hockey people who feel Virtanen is the next Iginla type player, a pro scout said to me 3 months ago "don't be shocked in 5 years that Virtanen turns out to be the best in this draft"

For fun:

Iginla's draft year - 33g - 38a - 71pts (7th on team) - 111 pim in 72 games
Virtanen draft year - 45g - 26a - 71pts (3rd on team) - 100 pim in 71 games

Personally I'll pimp this kid until he proves me wrong...I think his middle name is "beast"

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by T@T

This! People forget he's one of the youngest in the draft. Two years of Junior and people think what you see is what you get and only talk of negatives (poor passing skills,hockey sense..etc.) and completely leave out probably best shot in the draft, extremely fast/great skater and hits like a truck. people also forget he played the last part of the season with a very bad shoulder that required surgery. There are plenty of hockey people who feel Virtanen is the next Iginla type player, a pro scout said to me 3 months ago "don't be shocked in 5 years that Virtanen turns out to be the best in this draft"

For fun:

Iginla's draft year - 33g - 38a - 71pts (7th on team) - 111 pim in 72 games
Virtanen draft year - 45g - 26a - 71pts (3rd on team) - 100 pim in 71 games

Personally I'll pimp this kid until he proves me wrong...I think his middle name is "beast"

This year I see a lot more of this from varying scouts, and it makes feel that the Flames are actually becoming more competent in widening who they are looking at for #4 rather than over-scouting the top 4. There are a handful of players further down the list that different scouts say have the ability to become 'best in the draft', including Virtanen (who I am personally not so high on, but I can acknowledge that he may indeed become something very special in the right development program!).

[Ashasx]

But Iginla is the exception, not the rule.

Yeah, their draft year numbers are eerily similar, but that doesn't really imply that he has a better chance of becoming an impact player than the players who are ranked ahead in every single list I've seen.

[Hockey_Ninja]

This kinda reminds me of how scared everyone was that we where going to take Nichuskin over Lindholm/Monahan.

[Trojan97]

Virtanen has been a huge playoff disappointment thus far. That is worrisome to me, I haven't looked into it too deep but it seems to me like the majority of NHL stars were able to take that next step in the jr playoffs whereas Virtanen has struggled mightily.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

Virtanen has been a huge playoff disappointment thus far. That is worrisome to me, I haven't looked into it too deep but it seems to me like the majority of NHL stars were able to take that next step in the jr playoffs whereas Virtanen has struggled mightily.

Virtanen was also playing with an injured shoulder.

[BlackWallStreet]

Not what I wanted to hear. If it's anyone outside the big four I'm egging the scouting staffs homes one by one

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

Virtanen has been a huge playoff disappointment thus far. That is worrisome to me, I haven't looked into it too deep but it seems to me like the majority of NHL stars were able to take that next step in the jr playoffs whereas Virtanen has struggled mightily.

I don't get how people can possibly worry about draft picks and future players when then can't stay on top of the news.

Your either a fan who follows or just watches...make up your mind.

[OzSome]

Flames mentioned they are interested in 8 players.... there goes CP meltdown

I still think Flames will get a chance to pick one of the Sams... preferably Reinhart then later on we are going to trick Garth Snow in trading us Griffin Reinhart.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by OzSome

Flames mentioned they are interested in 8 players.... there goes CP meltdown

It's just the usual suspects that you expect to pop up every time there is something said in the media. They look for anything that can be interpreted negatively by an innocent comment.

[Poe969]

This could also just be some kind of act to say that there are a lot of okayers available at their spot in case they want to trade up to the first overall....I'm still dreaming of drafting Ekblad

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

This kinda reminds me of how scared everyone was that we where going to take Nichuskin over Lindholm/Monahan.

I'd have been on cloud nine if they took Nichushkin. Kid is going to be a stud for many years. His first year so far I think have opened a TON of eys on the skill set this kid carries. I still find it unbelievable that the Russian factor dropped someone with his size, speed, IQ and skill set down to the tenth pick.

I still am very happy they took Monahan, don't get me wrong here. But Nichushkin is right there IMO.

[StrykerSteve]

If Calgary drafts someone in the 4th spot other than Draisaitl, Bennett, Ekblad or Reinhart, I may have to kick a puppy. A really cute one.

Won't someone think of the puppies?