The McDavid Sweepstakes: Who will win?

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

Arizona will get the 14th pick and "win" the lottery.

I've always pictured McDavid as a Coyote

Way too obvious if it happened. There'd be an outrage.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Way too obvious if it happened. There'd be an outrage.

I don't understand how anyone can seriously believe that there could be a fix in the first place. With 30 team ownership groups involved, most of whom are highly competitive businessmen and passionate hockey fans, there is NO WAY the NHL could get away with fixing the lottery. The BoG wouldn't stand for it.

Can anyone honestly picture Murray Edwards, or Mike Ilitch, or Terry Pegula, or Jimmy Dolan, or the Molsons just sitting idly by and conceding to a predetermined placement of whom is expected by some to be the next great NHL player?

[littlereddevil]

Edmonton

They'll always find a way to outsuck the suckiest suckers, even if Gretzky played for them right now, they'd still be the Steve Smith of the NHL.

[4oh3]

Why is everyone think Edmonton will be so good? Happens every year it's so annoying.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by 4oh3

Why is everyone think Edmonton will be so good? Happens every year it's so annoying.

Have you even read the thread? No one has said the Oilers will be good.

[Bourque's Twin]

It would be nice to see the Flames finish last or second last, to guarantee McDavid, Eichel, or Hanifin.

I think Buffalo, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton will be the 4 worst teams this year.

[4oh3]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Have you even read the thread? No one has said the Oilers will be good.

I mean media wise not CP.

[Mister Yamoto]

I think that the Flames will be better this year, but their record will be as bad, or even slightly worse than last year.

The Flames had a lot of puckluck, especially in OT. They weren't really a 27th place team, they were worse.

I like the offseason moves. I'd say they draft top 5, but not top 3.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

I think that the Flames will be better this year, but their record will be as bad, or even slightly worse than last year.

The Flames had a lot of puckluck, especially in OT. They weren't really a 27th place team, they were worse.

I like the offseason moves. I'd say they draft top 5, but not top 3.

Were they 11 points worse? Because that's what it would take to get to 28th.

[AcGold]

Do we really need Mcdavid? We need a well rounded team where people want to sign and UFA's in the 3-7 AAV range want to come here. I hope we make the playoffs which would take Ramo, Giordano, Brodie, Monahan and Backlund all staying healthy. Then when we do we sign a few UFA's that are actually worth their pay and we continue to progress, no Mcdavid, last place is counterproductive.

[djsFlames]

That's like Pittsburgh fans in 2005 saying, do we really need Sidney Crosby? We've already got a good crop of solid 2nd and 3rd liners, can't we just hope to squeak into the playoffs with what we have, and then try to build the rest of our team with washed up 32 year olds in the summer?

No.

Mc####ingDavid.

(And UFAs want to come here? Really? Did Setoguchi have teams lining up for him? Was anyone else going to play Hiller as a #1? All we have right now is the hometown factor, which has landed us Mason freakin Raymond. No, quality UFAs do not want to come here. But with players of McDavid's ilk, perhaps down the road, they might.)

[mile]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Do we really need Mcdavid? We need a well rounded team where people want to sign and UFA's in the 3-7 AAV range want to come here. I hope we make the playoffs which would take Ramo, Giordano, Brodie, Monahan and Backlund all staying healthy. Then when we do we sign a few UFA's that are actually worth their pay and we continue to progress, no Mcdavid, last place is counterproductive.

McDavid would be amazing, but I won't be crying if we don't get him - especially if we get Kylington or Hanifin. Monahan and Bennett are both projected to be top line centers and with Jankowski, Backlund, Granlund as possible #2/3 centers this isn't a situation where we are filled with solely 2nd/3rd liners and hoping to sneak into the playoffs. Acquiring that #1, big-minute all-around defenseman through the draft without having to give up Bennett or Monahan would probably complete our prospect base.

A team like Pittsburgh has the two of the best centers in the league and still have struggled because they have failed to build a complete team. Their cup win in 09 and other finals appearance in 08 happened when offensive powerhouses still thrived from the post-lockout game. The last few years have changed - the most complete teams now have won the cup.

If McDavid or Eichel was on the board of course you take them immediately. But if the Flames had McDavid/Bennett/Monahan but still lacked a #1 defenseman they may still be at a disadvantage against the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. We may have to trade one of them (which is something I wouldn't want) to address that need.

I'd be satisfied if the Flames finish in the 6-10 draft pick range (still get a good player), but the work ethic/identity of this team remains strong and our young players takes the steps forward needed which results in said improvement in the standings. Not to mention that more wins would build an atmosphere in which our current young players feel like they are a part of the solution, increasing the chances that they would want to stay here long term. I think is probably the scenario Treliving wants the most as well when he says he is looking for improvement.

Or if the Flames are scraping the bottom near the end of the season, that is when I hope we get a high draft pick.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Do we really need Mcdavid? We need a well rounded team where people want to sign and UFA's in the 3-7 AAV range want to come here. I hope we make the playoffs which would take Ramo, Giordano, Brodie, Monahan and Backlund all staying healthy. Then when we do we sign a few UFA's that are actually worth their pay and we continue to progress, no Mcdavid, last place is counterproductive.

Last place would guarantee a top 2 draft pick. Top 3 draft picks are counterproductive? You sir make no sense at all.

Would PIT be better without Crosby/Malkin?
Would CHI be better without Toews/Kane?
Would LA be better without Doughty?
Would COL be better without MacKinnon/Duchesne?
Would NYI be better without Tavares?

The answers are obvious and make your statement a bunch of silly talk.

You don't always get a key championship component drafting top 3 but you usually do. Sure someone will try and point to EDM as an example why drafting high doesn't lead to success but the reasons why they continue to struggle have to do with rushing their kids, failing to surround their kids with talent, sometimes drafting the wrong kid high, and failing to draft secondary players later in the draft.

Calgary is likely to finish bottom 5 this year. Talk of the playoffs is again silliness IMO. We lack the top end talent to compete unless we get exceptional performances from many young players and veterans alike and that is unlikely unless we are miraculously immune to injuries.

Calgary is likely to pick high and grab another key piece for a future cup run. Winning the lottery would be great for our long term success. Basically the exact opposite of counterproductive.

[AcGold]

I don't get why people compare Mcdavid to Crosby though, Crosby had more than 3 points per game in his junior days. Mcdavid has less than 2, odds of him reaching Crosby's level are small? No?

[Ashasx]

Crosby played when scoring was much easier.

The OHL is the best of the three leagues. Is he Crosby? No, but I'd say he's the best prospect since.

[Mr.Coffee]

We will end up with either McDavid or Eichel.

And it's going to be ####ing awesome.

[Mr.Coffee]

double post

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I don't get why people compare Mcdavid to Crosby though, Crosby had more than 3 points per game in his junior days. Mcdavid has less than 2, odds of him reaching Crosby's level are small? No?

No he didn't. In his first juniour season Crosby averaged just over 2.0 pts/game, and in his draft year he scored at a 2.71 pts/game pace.

[djsFlames]

Connor isn't Sidney. But he might be the closest thing to Crosby in the past 5+ years worth of prospects coming up. He just scored 99 points in 56 games in his pre-draft season, that's very impressive. I'd say he's the best forward to come up since Tavares.

So, regardless, it'll definitely be a big deal for whoever ends up "winning" the sweepstakes.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Connor isn't Sidney. But he might be the closest thing to Crosby in the past 5+ years worth of prospects coming up. He just scored 99 points in 56 games in his pre-draft season, that's very impressive. I'd say he's the best forward to come up since Tavares.

So, regardless, it'll definitely be a big deal for whoever ends up "winning" the sweepstakes.

I totally agree, and it would be amazing for the Flames to have the opportunity to draft one of him or Eichel. Having said that, the very likely scenario that sees the Flames outside of the top-three picks in the 2015 draft should not be viewed as some sort of set back or failure. The Calgary Flames do not need McDavid to be successful. It is helpful, yes. But they are still in the process of assembling a fairly impressive collection of talent (which, by the way, is already substantially better than "a good crop of solid 2nd and 3rd liners") that should make an NHL impact even without McDavid.