McKenna Watch

[topfiverecords]

McKenna? Who’s expected to go in the 10-16 range.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I have read conflicting reports on McKenna. Some had him being the next one a couple years ago and based off his run last year it seemed to jive with those reports. This season I have read some reports that have him below Bedard/Celebrini.

It would be amazing to add a talent like him to the pipeline.

I’m not saying he’s going to be a bust, because he is seriously flashy and sees the game well, but his college career is exposing major holes already.

Him being a center is basically off the table as he has poor instincts at the position and no natural faceoff ability to build from, he can be boxed out and doesn’t seem to know what to do with a collapsing D that forces him to the perimeter, and he has a wavering compete level.

If he becomes as good as he should, he’ll probably be closer to a Patrick Kane type of player (as mentioned earlier) with a little less jam.

Still the top prospect, but it’ll be interesting to see how quickly he addresses these issues and gets up to speed at the college level. Might be an indication of how quickly it will come at the NHL level.

[BigThief]

McKenna is 17, doesn't turn 18 for another two months. He's young, really young for College Hockey, and he's playing in one of if not the most competitive conferences. By the time McKenna is 18 years old sixteen of his teammates will be 21 and older. No one on his team in Medicine Hat was over 21 or older last year. He's going through a big adjustment but he's been six games, let's not write too many new narratives yet.

I do wish he was a center and it's always curious when a star player isn't, but he's going to be a high level offensive player in the NHL, I just wouldn't look into the game being exposed just yet.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Has he been played at center at any level?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by OldSam

If you honestly think the NHL will allow a small market team to luck into a star through the lottery, you are delusional. Even if the Flames, God forbid, only got 20 points this season, they will never, ever, win the draft lottery. Follow the money. Maybe this thread should be renamed "Hope for a decent player".

Edmonton and Buffalo are two of the smallest markets in the league and have each won the draft lottery multiple times.

Buffalo is the smallest US market in the NHL, and only Winnipeg is smaller leaguewide. Prior to last season, Edmonton was the third-smallest market in the league and is now fourth with the addition of Utah.

Pittsburgh won the biggest lottery in league history in 2005. They are currently the 12th smallest market in the league, but would have been 9th in 2005 (Winnipeg, Utah, and Vegas are all smaller and new since 2005).

[CgyFlamesftw]

Originally Posted by getbak

Edmonton and Buffalo are two of the smallest markets in the league and have each won the draft lottery multiple times.

Buffalo is the smallest US market in the NHL, and only Winnipeg is smaller leaguewide. Prior to last season, Edmonton was the third-smallest market in the league and is now fourth with the addition of Utah.

Pittsburgh won the biggest lottery in league history in 2005. They are currently the 12th smallest market in the league, but would have been 9th in 2005 (Winnipeg, Utah, and Vegas are all smaller and new since 2005).

Prior to Mcdavid Edmonton was small market. Now they are what, 5th largest revenue and estimated worth in the league. Crazy what a player can do for an organization.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Has he been played at center at any level?

No idea but always a little question mark when a player of his calibre hasnt or isnt. The top kids growing up tend to play the middle and stay there. The other guys tend to get pushed to the wing. Same happens at the NHL level. Guys with stars and their teams move to the wing. Marner in Toronto, Reinhart in Florida. Always a center until he played with Barkov. When a guy of McKenna's talent is only A winger ya kinda go.. Why?

[saillias]

I'm seeing some water cooler talk he is not a slam dunk #1st overall, some saying he's not on the level of Bedard/Celebrini.'

edit: just realized vinny above posted basically the same thing. well good, we should be having this discussion

[Roof-Daddy]

Connor Bedard points per game in the WHL in his draft minus 1 season 1.61
Gavin McKenna points per game in the WHL in his draft minus 1 season 2.30

Not at Bedards level is quite the take.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Connor Bedard points per game in the WHL in his draft minus 1 season 1.61
Gavin McKenna points per game in the WHL in his draft minus 1 season 2.30

Not at Bedards level is quite the take.

Bedard didn't turn 18 until after his draft, McKenna turns 18 in December, six months before his. Connor Bedard had 71 goals in 57 games, McKenna with 41 in 56. Bedard plays down the middle as well. Stuff like this matters when evaluating prospect, you can't just through out PPG without putting all the context into it.

I'm a big believer in looking at the birthdate when comparing players, it's by no means crystal ball but it can tell a story. Celebrini stepping in and doing what he did all last year as an 18 year old was super impressive.

Cn

[PepsiFree]

It’s tough because basically every knock on him from junior has remained and been amplified in the NCAA and he’s not been able to outscore those criticisms yet the way he did in junior.

I don’t see it as many new narratives, just old ones that are going to get harder to ignore if he doesn’t start outscoring them.

He’s projecting like an playmaking, offensive specialist winger. To what level he does that I guess will determine whether he’s generational or not, but I don’t think anyone should expect they’re getting a center or 200 foot player out of the pick.

Might be a real good fit with a strong 2-way center… like Reschny.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Bedard didn't turn 18 until after his draft, McKenna turns 18 in December, six months before his. Connor Bedard had 71 goals in 57 games, McKenna with 41 in 56. Bedard plays down the middle as well. Stuff like this matters when evaluating prospect, you can't just through out PPG without putting all the context into it.

I'm a big believer in looking at the birthdate when comparing players, it's by no means crystal ball but it can tell a story. Celebrini stepping in and doing what he did all last year as an 18 year old was super impressive.

Cn

I know all that stuff. Being 5 months older than Bedard doesn't erase him out producing Bedard by that wide of a margin in their draft minus one seasons in the same league and then to say he's not at Bedards level is comical. If he wasn't at Bedards level he wouldn't outproduce him by 0.7 points per game. If anything he's above Bedards level not below. At worst they may be at the same level.

[Table 5]

This McKenna sounds questionable. Time to start a "Dupont Watch" thread.

[1qqaaz]

Though it's still early in the season, the Flames only have an 11.7% chance of making the playoffs, as per MoneyPuck. Furthermore, they only have a 1 in 500 chance of winning the cup.
Seeing that they are already out of cup contention, it would seem rather foolish to do anything other than tank for the season.

As per Tankathon, if the Flames did indeed finish last, they would have a 25.5% chance of picking 1st, 18.8% of picking second, and 55.7% chance of picking third, based on the lottery.
Their pick from Vegas #29 would be only 4 picks ahead of the Flames' own 2nd round pick. Since Ottawa's pick is forfeited, the Flames second round pick would technically be the 32nd pick.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Are the stated lottery odds to win the lotto or win 1st overall?
Meaning, as it stands would the Flames odds at landing 1st be their own odds + the odds of the Sens winning 1st since their pick would be skipped?

And then would it also be the Flames odds of winning the lotto + the Sens winning the lotto + The odds of a team that is too far back to move up to 1 winning the lotto? Since a team that is 12th or later can't move up to #1, if the Flames were last and those teams won the lotto - Calgary keeps #1.

Or am I over thinking this?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Table 5

This McKenna sounds questionable. Time to start a "Dupont Watch" thread.

Would prefer a MacKenna.

[Monahammer]

McKenna with our picks and Joe Iginla with the Vegas pick. Unless the Vegas pick is high.

[Fan69]

I may be an outlier but i have guys right now ahead of mckenna. Scouching has him currently at 4 but its early.
Personally want Lawrence or Keaton if i had the pick in the top five.
Lawrence has everything you want in a center except huge size.

[Snuffleupagus]

I can see a world where a team might take Verhoeff over Mckenna because of team needs but as of right now I don't see another forward over him.