2020 NHL Entry Draft

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Raymond has maintained a very solid rating all year in spite of being fairly mediocre/ struggling in the mens league. I am surprised to see him pretty consistently locked into the top 5 in ratings. Is there something there with him that I am not seeing?

I've read that the team he played with in the men's league was pretty laden with high-end veteran talent. It's also pretty common for young guys to get only small minutes of playing time in Sweden and Finland. It shouldn't scare anybody off, he's too good.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by dammage79

If you're looking for some in depth draft analysis I would suggest watching the YouTuber DraftDynasty. He puts some effort into his videos and gives you a decent look into the players he profiles.

I'll admit though it is a little tough cutting through his francophone accent but he does good work.

Definitely a tool for a fans couch scouting.

He just came out with his final rankings for those interested.
Not sure if we can link so just look him up on youtube
First up is 30 to 21st and of interesting note he has Zary all the way down @ 22.

Interesting thoughts that stand out to me based on what Draft is saying but also people on CP:

1. One of the oldest in the Draft.
2. Probably better suited for LW as play making is the "weakest" part of his game.
3. Vision needs improvment.
4. Concerned with skating ability, few things to work on.
5. See's him primarily as a "maybe" 2nd liner but likely more so a 3rd liner.

• Good motor
• One of the best in draft to put pucks on the net, though not the hardest shot
• Works hard on the ice

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Connor Zary is projecting better than Dylan Cozens did in their Draft -1 and Draft 0 years.

That's how good and deep this draft is.

If Zary is available at 19 (and he should be because of just how deep this draft is), you don't over think it - you grab him.

Failing Zary's availability you turn towards which of Quinn or Jarvis dropped, and beyond that directly to Bourque, Amirov, Mercer, or lastly towards Holloway or Foerester - but you do not overthink Zary at 19, not for a moment.

Unfortunately, I doubt Zary and Jarvis will be available at 19 (despite what some sites say).

There seems to be quite a dip in quality between the 12-16 range and the 17-24 range.

Some players might fall, but the Flames never pick those guys in the first round.

[Icon]

I'm fine with Zary, Jarvis, Quinn, Mercer, Holloway, Foerester or Amirov. (And of course some others but I don't see them dropping to 19)

Though I think most likely to be there and pan out are Foerester or Zary, and i'd rather them than the others as they're centers anyway.

Foerester I feel is underrated, but someone else a few picks before the Flames jumps on him. Zary I feel is better than the maybe 2C/3C ranking from some scouts, which mostly discount his skating, something he can easily work on.

[Sandman]

Sadly, I don't see any way we have a shot at guys like Mercer, Quinn, or Jarvis. I think the odds are slim we get Holloway either. I think we are in the territory where we're looking at Zary, Foerster, Bourque, Perreault, and possibly Amirov (very slight chance) and Gunler. If I could pick anybody from the above list, I would take Jarvis in a heartbeat with Amirov and Mercer the runners up. Realistically, I'm still looking at Foerster, or Zary.

[TheScorpion]

My next profile will be on Hendrix Lapierre. I've taken looks at Connor Zary, Jacob Perreault, and Lukas Reichel over at FlamesNation.... Zary is still my favourite target. Reminds me a lot of a more skilled Backlund.

But Lapierre is another guy who could really be a star centre.

[Rutuu]

I always get nervous when people suggest picking a guy in the first round, when one of his teammates is ranked higher than him.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

I always get nervous when people suggest picking a guy in the first round, when one of his teammates is ranked higher than him.

I assume you mean Jack Quinn, ranked behind Marco Rossi in the first round? I wouldn't worry too much about that-they played mostly on separate lines, except the PP. You could say that most of Quinn's offensive numbers came without Rossi. Quinn has displayed a mature game-he plays a good 200ft game, and he has one of the best wrist shots in the draft. Good speed and stickhandling, too.

If there's anything negative to consider, it would be Quinn's age-he missed last year's draft by only a few days, and played the entirety of the year as an 18 year old. The previous year, which would be his draft year if he was a few days older, his production (32 pts in 61 games) would hardly net him first round status.

[Tkachukwagon]

Scott Cruickshank had a great write up on Matt Rempe this morning in the Athletic. Rempe is a 6'8" centerman from Calgary. Most draft sites have him in the 6th round, it would be great to get this kid that late in the draft. If he puts on some weight, he would be an absolute monster on the ice.

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player...w-rempe/35878/

[1qqaaz]

Based on his size and stats, I'm kind of surprised that Matt Rempe is only expected to go in the 6th round or so.

A guy like him would have been a 2nd/3rd round pick a decade ago.

I don't think Calgary has ever drafted and developed a player over 6'5. If they take flyers, it should be late in the draft.

[simmer2]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

Scott Cruickshank had a great write up on Matt Rempe this morning in the Athletic. Rempe is a 6'8" centerman from Calgary. Most draft sites have him in the 6th round, it would be great to get this kid that late in the draft. If he puts on some weight, he would be an absolute monster on the ice.

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player...w-rempe/35878/

https://theathletic.com/1909446/2020...nential-curve/

For those that have a subscription, here's the link to the article.

[sureLoss]

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
NHL Draft is being moved ahead a couple of days. First round Oct 6, rest on Oct. 7.

[Toonage]

Free agency on Thanksgiving Day I wonder? Or the Saturday prior?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Free agency on Thanksgiving Day I wonder? Or the Saturday prior?

October 9th “or 7 days after the conclusion of the playoffs, whichever is later” was how it was originally stated I believe.

and now Lebrun reiterates:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1303373270121615360

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Based on his size and stats, I'm kind of surprised that Matt Rempe is only expected to go in the 6th round or so.

A guy like him would have been a 2nd/3rd round pick a decade ago.

I don't think Calgary has ever drafted and developed a player over 6'5. If they take flyers, it should be late in the draft.

He's the kind of guy we used to take in the 2nd or 3rd round, ala Hunter Smith and Keegan Kanzig. I'm glad it seems those days are over.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

He's the kind of guy we used to take in the 2nd or 3rd round, ala Hunter Smith and Keegan Kanzig. I'm glad it seems those days are over.

Well now you've done it. Welcome to the Flames Mr. Rempe, 1st round!

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

He's the kind of guy we used to take in the 2nd or 3rd round, ala Hunter Smith and Keegan Kanzig. I'm glad it seems those days are over.

Yeah, the only huge players drafted in recent years are Riley Bruce and Stepan Falkovsky. Both didn't turn out, but at least they were 7th round picks. Falkovsky actually had a decent first year in the ECHL.

We can also be glad that the Flames no longer pick large low-ceiling players in the first round (Greg Nemisz in 2008, Matt Pelech in 2005). At least Jankowski had potential.

Matt Pelech (RW) was drafted 26th overall by the Flames in 2005. He had 6 points in 31 OHL games during his draft year. This would be mind-boggling today.

[cral12]

Pelech was a dman in his draft year; he was later switch to forward

[Sandman]

They drafted Pelech high because they thought they found the next Regehr. They were wrong.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Both Kanzig and Smith were skilled guys, not goons. They just didn't end up working out.



Smith got passed over in his draft year (I believe he missed a chunk of games), but the Flames already had their eye on him. They invited him to camp after the draft, but he didn't end up coming (I forgot the reason now). Anyway, in his second year, Smith played all over the line up and in different situations - PP, PK and spent time on the top line as well. That's not a 'goon'. The Flames were tracking him and he looked like he could be pretty decent power-forward. It just didn't work out, but he was NOT a 'goon'. He was a kid with size and a lot of toughness who also had a fair bit of skill - and that's why the Flames picked him.


Likewise, Kanzig was not a goon either. IIRC, the Flames had a meeting in Vancouver with all their scouts. Button convinced them all to take the Ferry over and watch Kanzig, and they ALL liked his game. Kanzig's development in junior was fantastic - it grew by leaps and bounds leading up to his draft year, and they noticed he was tough, skilled, defensively sound for his age, and he seemed like a leader out there. He was also a decent skater for his size.



Sucks that neither of them worked out, but people talk about them like they were simply unskilled goons without much upside. They both had fairly good upside and the size that this team probably still misses. Now we have a lot of undersized players on the team and in the organization - that's not ideal either. I don't mind that the Flames take a shot at players like this now and then. If it did work out, the Flames would have been a monster team that would have been a nightmare to play a playoff round against.


Pelech also had some injury issues... didn't he almost die at one point? Something with a blod clot or something? He may have been a reach, but I think injuries kind of derailed him somewhat. Flames had a number of those happen over the last while - Wahl was looking like a player until he got rocked with a hit in the AHL, Negrin was looking good until a knee injury... heck, Tkaczuk was looking like he may end up being the next captain in Calgary down the road when concussions early on pretty much destroyed his career.



It makes me wonder how many prospects actually 'bust' due to injury (I personally never think of them as busts due to injury) across the league. Flames can't be that bad luck.