Flames top prospects according to FAN960

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Honzek is a project but he's not far off from guys like Ciona for me at this point. Bottom-six upside and still far away.

If he were a second rounder he wouldn't even be on the radar.

Well, he'd be on the radar because he made the team this season as a 19 year old and looked decent until he was hurt. The Ciona comparison is interesting, they were next to each other in points so I'm imagining that's why you did it, a little lazy but sure fine. Ignoring the fact that Honzek is two years younger and a rookie and Ciona was in his second year I guess... I guess it's an interesting comparison.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by FlamesPuck12

Slightly off topic, how does Parekh compare to Iggy Jr. after this year? I remember a lot of fans were annoyed with missing out on Iggy but did we end up with a better prospect?

Hard comparison because Iginla got injured but in most redrafts Parekh moves up ahead of Iginla
In my view Iginla projects to be a second liner where as Zayne could be a top dman

[Snuffleupagus]

Mine

1- Zayne Parekh
2- Hunter Brzustewicz
3- Jacob Battaglia
4- Matvei Gridin
5- Andrew Basha
6- Aydar Suniev
7- Henry Mews
8- Etienne Morin
9- Samuel Honzek
10 Yan Kuznetsov

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Hard comparison because Iginla got injured but in most redrafts Parekh moves up ahead of Iginla
In my view Iginla projects to be a second liner where as Zayne could be a top dman

Tij likely would have been a 50+ goal 110+ point center this year as an 18 yr old, I'm curious where the projection of a second liner come from, is it because of the injury and lost year?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Tij likely would have been a 50+ goal 110+ point center this year as an 18 yr old, I'm curious where the projection of a second liner come from, is it because of the injury and lost year?

I was never as high on him as others and was relieved when he was drafted earlier than the Flames pick so they could pick one of the high end blueliners
I don’t think he is an nhl centre. And I just don’t see him as having top line skill

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by FlamesPuck12

Slightly off topic, how does Parekh compare to Iggy Jr. after this year? I remember a lot of fans were annoyed with missing out on Iggy but did we end up with a better prospect?

Hard to say for sure. Tij only played in 21 games this season because of injury, but he was on pace for a 100 point WHL season.

I think this one will take several years to sort out whether the Flames did better than Utah.

[BigThief]

Can see when people think a guys game won't transition to the NHL, maybe they don't have the motor, the physical game, the size etc to continue to put up points as they move up the ranks but Tij Iginla has shown nothing but top line skill for the past 1.5-2 years. Again, maybe that doesn't translate but the skill is undeniably there.

This was pre-draft

Chris Peters, FloHockey: Iginla has elite hands, with quick puck skills and a deadly release. His rise up the draft charts has been fueled by his game improving with each passing month. Iginla has good details off the puck, where he can be disruptive to the opposing team. He has quickness and while there isn’t a ton of a physical edge to him, he engages with his body. Iginla also developed a goal-scorer’s touch, working to get pucks to the interior and scoring from higher-percentage areas. While he has center capabilities, it seems more likely he will be a wing where he can maximize the offensive tools that are so plainly evident in his game.

Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News: Life is never fun when you must face Tij Iginla. Just when you think there is a bit of time or space, he takes it away and pesters you for the puck. He is one of the most hard-working and relentless players in the NHL draft class. Iginla’s game is built on that motor and the little details. Whether it’s being on the right side of the puck to support, getting in on the forecheck and taking the best route possible or just understanding how to time his routes on the cycle, Iginla has mastered the little things.

Luke Sweeney, Dobber Prospects: Few players in this draft have had as rapid of an ascension as winger Tij Iginla, and with good reason. Iginla began the season as a dogged, hard-nosed player with some exciting tools and strong details and habits across the board. By the end of the WHL playoffs where Iginla scored at a near goal-per-game rate, it’s clear that he has everything you’d want in a high-end top-six forward.

Agreed he won't be a centre but I have the same feelings about Tij Iginla as I did about Matthew Tkachuk, the guy just comes across as an NHL player each time you see him, a guy that gets "it" and has done nothing but show he's a star since he matured in the WHL. Bonus is he's still just 18, think he'll have a monster year as a 19 year old and really shine in the WJs next Christmas.

Not to take anything away from Zayne who's shown nothing but be a potential star.

[Reggie Dunlop]

No matter how you rank ‘em, each and every single one of these Flames prospects will be beasts. Mark my words.

[FanSince'01]

I know as Flames fans we tend to downplay our prospects and their potential because we were burned for years watching us draft players and having them either never turn out or turn into just ‘okay’ NHLers.

But Zayne… we’ve got a real gem here. There’s only two defensemen in history that did what he just did in the OHL - himself and Bobby Orr. Kid has so much potential that sometimes it surprises me to read some of the more ‘tempered’, if you will, expectations on him. And I get it - nothing’s set in stone until he makes the NHL and does it there. But hoooo boy I think there will be a real debate in 5 years’ time over whether he’s the best from his draft class (assuming good health, of course). Kid just has “it” and has already done historic things.

I’m not an expert at all in the area of prospects and it’s mpossible, obviously, to compare him to a player like Tij as they are two different positions, but from my vantage point (my very biased vantage point), Tij seems to have top line but maybe not franchise potential. Though he has Iggy’s genetics so nothings off the table there. Zayne has franchise potential in the vein of Makar and Hughes IMO. I would take that all day every day over Tij, as much as I’d love to have him here too

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by TOfan

One comparison I saw recently for Honzek was Michael Handzus. Honestly, if he can provide that level of play for a 3rd liner (3C hopefully) won’t catch me complaining.

I’ll be interested to see how he does at the WC’s.

That's a decent comp, the one I like is Marcus Foligno — might not put up a ton of points but can push play at both ends as a mid-rotation guy.

Honzek really needs to work on his consistency, his tools are decent but I find he doesn't use them enough and often fades into the background. Hopefully it comes with more experience. I think he ends up as a depth winger.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I was never as high on him as others and was relieved when he was drafted earlier than the Flames pick so they could pick one of the high end blueliners
I don’t think he is an nhl centre. And I just don’t see him as having top line skill

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, I see him as a play driving player with a tonne of talent with an NHL ready incredible shot and while probably not quite as tough as his dad he still has the size and that hate to loose mentality plus the ability to will his team to a win.

I see a first line star forward even if he plays wing

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Roy MFing Kerins.

[Goriders]

No one likes Solovyov, kuzetsov anymore? Poirier

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Goriders

No one likes Solovyov, kuzetsov anymore? Poirier

It's all about potential. Kuznetsov is a good 3rd pairing option, that might turn into a Kulak type D. I expect he sticks with the Flames as the 6th/7th D out of training camp.

Solo already passed through waivers once, and had trouble solidifying a spot ahead of the likes of Bean, Miromanov , Pachal and even Barrie. Again he could be a decent 3rd pairing option, but he was passed in the AHL by Kuzy, so I doubt it will be with the Flames.

Poirier lead the Wranglers in assists, but I believe that Parekh and Brz are ahead of him as offensive defensemen that might make the Flames next year. He really has been playing catch-up since he lost a year to a freak injury. I really hope he has a strong offseason, and camp and forces his way onto the Flames. He's another player that I can see turn into an NHLer with a different team.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Goriders

No one likes Solovyov, kuzetsov anymore? Poirier

I like Solo. He’s in my lineup currently. I guess it’s just he’ll be 25 at the beginning of next season…I don’t think he fits Pat’s and Wes’s definition of prospect.

Lines and Pairings (with Andersson traded for futures and RFAs re-signed)
Zary - Kadri - Farabee
Huberdeau - Frost - Sharangovich
Coleman - Backlund - Coronato
Lomberg - Kerins - Klapka/Pospisil

Bean - Weegar
Bahl - Parekh
Solovyov - Pachal
- Miromanov

Wolf

[icarus]

I just hope the Flames run it back and have another outstanding draft this year, so that we're debating which draft is better.

Having two 1st round picks in each of 2024, 2025 and 2026 is pretty sweet, if we find success in the later rounds we're off flying.

We're going to need it because San Jose and Chicago look like they're building strong teams too and will probably be the teams to beat in the Western Conference in a few years.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by FanSince'01

I know as Flames fans we tend to downplay our prospects and their potential because we were burned for years watching us draft players and having them either never turn out or turn into just ‘okay’ NHLers.

But Zayne… we’ve got a real gem here. There’s only two defensemen in history that did what he just did in the OHL - himself and Bobby Orr. Kid has so much potential that sometimes it surprises me to read some of the more ‘tempered’, if you will, expectations on him. And I get it - nothing’s set in stone until he makes the NHL and does it there. But hoooo boy I think there will be a real debate in 5 years’ time over whether he’s the best from his draft class (assuming good health, of course). Kid just has “it” and has already done historic things.

I’m not an expert at all in the area of prospects and it’s mpossible, obviously, to compare him to a player like Tij as they are two different positions, but from my vantage point (my very biased vantage point), Tij seems to have top line but maybe not franchise potential. Though he has Iggy’s genetics so nothings off the table there. Zayne has franchise potential in the vein of Makar and Hughes IMO. I would take that all day every day over Tij, as much as I’d love to have him here too

I'm only tempered in what he becomes, not whether or not he becomes.

Is he an offense only defenseman that can't play top four minutes five on five? Or is he a pp qb minute munching 1/2 defensemen?

He's too good not to play and put up points at the NHL level in my mind.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Roy MFing Kerins.

Any relation to Rory?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Goriders

No one likes Solovyov, kuzetsov anymore? Poirier

I don't think it's a question of not liking them, it's simply a question of depth.

My next 6 would be (in some order):

Stromgren, Solovyov, Kuznetsov, Grushnikov, Poirier and Kerins

These guys are all decent prospects but Basha, Battaglia and Mews, along with the top guys, should all go ahead of them in my opinion (and most, apparently).

It isn't that these guys aren't good prospects, it's that we now have 15-20 decent prospects. Some guys have Kerins in their top 5, I have him around 15 or so - and the guy has played some NHL games, it's crazy.

While we only have one elite prospect (now that Wolf has graduated), we have a ####-ton of decent to solid prospects.

[kehatch]

The Honzek pick was a bit of a reach given his age, production, and the other players available on the board. He also has a drop in production in his +1 year and a ho hum AHL debut. He has also failed to impress at multiple viewings.

But I wouldn't write him off. He is one of the few picks outside the top 10 with some NHL time and his regression can be explained by injuries. He has shown some real flashes at times. His AHL debut is similar to Zarys.

If he can stay healthy and improve his skating he could still be a great pick.