Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[wingmaker]

We are pretty firmly entrenched in the bottom 3. We would have to start playing a lot better than our season average thus far to move past Florida. And the Islanders have really turned their season around as far as their play is concerned. There is no chance we pass them. Furthermore, you have to assume that we will be trading some veterans out before the deadline, which theoretically should make winning more difficult, not the other way around.

[The Original FFIV]

From TSN's draftcentre - pretty good summary of what Ekblad projects to be:

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/story/?id=442022

"In the summer, a lot of the projections for (Ekblad) were he might not be anything more than a (No.) 4 (NHL defenceman), that he was neither a real offensive threat or a true shutdown defenceman," one scout told TSN. "But the way he played at the Hlinka, this season in Barrie, the World Juniors and the Prospect game, he's showing a lot more range in his game."

While Ekblad will never be a power play quarterback, he can hammer the puck well enough to project as a power play shooter from the point and score goals. Both at the Hlinka and WJC, Ekblad was consistently used in a shutdown role and performed well. Many scouts believe now he has top-pairing NHL potential, a big body who can skate, move the puck, defend, contribute offensively and play both sides of special teams while munching a lot of minutes. After the WJC, Ekblad scored four goals (including a shorthanded marker) and one assist in one game.

"He's not a superstar by any means," another scout said, "but he's going to be a very good NHL defenceman."

Some scouts have taken note of Victor Hedman's emergence, the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, as a top-minute defenceman for Tampa this season and see many similarities in Ekblad.

[Rubicant]

Jones was also 18 in the tournament while Ekblad was 17. I think Jones is a more natural skater but Ekblad is still a fantastic prospect.

[neo45]

Ya, at this point in the year Jones was generally ahead of Mackinnon on rankings. I dont't think scouts are feeling the same way about Ekblad (there are no forwards like Mackinnon this year). He is probably comparable to Adam Larsson in his draft year

He doesn't move the puck like Jones can. At WJC most of the zone exits came from Pouliot.

[strombad]

That's my only hesitation in picking Ekblad first. He not likely to be a game breaker. IMO it's a lot harder to find solid top 6 center than it is to find a dependable top pairing guy like Hedman.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

From TSN's draftcentre - pretty good summary of what Ekblad projects to be:

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/story/?id=442022

"In the summer, a lot of the projections for (Ekblad) were he might not be anything more than a (No.) 4 (NHL defenceman), that he was neither a real offensive threat or a true shutdown defenceman," one scout told TSN. "But the way he played at the Hlinka, this season in Barrie, the World Juniors and the Prospect game, he's showing a lot more range in his game."

While Ekblad will never be a power play quarterback, he can hammer the puck well enough to project as a power play shooter from the point and score goals. Both at the Hlinka and WJC, Ekblad was consistently used in a shutdown role and performed well. Many scouts believe now he has top-pairing NHL potential, a big body who can skate, move the puck, defend, contribute offensively and play both sides of special teams while munching a lot of minutes. After the WJC, Ekblad scored four goals (including a shorthanded marker) and one assist in one game.

"He's not a superstar by any means," another scout said, "but he's going to be a very good NHL defenceman."

Some scouts have taken note of Victor Hedman's emergence, the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, as a top-minute defenceman for Tampa this season and see many similarities in Ekblad.

Yup good article on how Ekblad is closing the gap on the other elite defensive prospects.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by strombad

That's my only hesitation in picking Ekblad first. He not likely to be a game breaker. IMO it's a lot harder to find solid top 6 center than it is to find a dependable top pairing guy like Hedman.

This is what stood out for me:

"He's not a superstar by any means," another scout said, "but he's going to be a very good NHL defenceman."

You can get very good defencemen in the mid-late first round (and beyond) but it would be a shame to use a pick on a non-superstar defenceman. Completely agree that top six F (especially C) are very hard to come by and that should be the focus for our pick.

[Ashasx]

A top 2 defencemen is harder to find than a 2nd line centre.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

A top 2 defencemen is harder to find than a 2nd line centre.

I would disagree.

I calculated around new year's that 23% of the top 2 centres by points on the top 15 NHL teams were acquired by trade or veteran free agency.

Compare that to 43% of the top TOI/G for the top 2 dmen on the top 15 NHL teams were acquired by trade or veteran free agency.

The centres go to 31% when you consider all NHL teams and dmen to 45% when you consider all NHL teams.

Suggests top pairing d-men are easier to get than top 6 centres.

[Tinordi]

On our top pairing we signed a walk on and drafted a guy in the 3rd round.

as an aside: That TSN article I would think agrees with my point more. Ekblad is good, but Jones is special. If you put Ekblad in last year's draft there basically no chance he's ranked 1st for 9 months.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Huh? I just don't see the Flames pulling ahead of either Florida or NYI. In my mind, a d bottom-three finish is all but guaranteed.

The gap between us and Florida has been cut in half in three games. We can definitely pull ahead of them.

[stemit14]

I'm not as certain on the flames finishing bottom 3... Not because they won 2 games and that means the rebuild is over and the flames are a now powerhouse... But because all teams tend to go through stretches of good play and bad. The flames have for through a long bad stretch and have dropped in the standings because of it. The islanders and panthers both had a strong run of 10-15 games and are likely going to come back down to earth while the flames might put a winning record together over the next 10 games or so.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I don't disagree with any of this, Ekblad has emerged as a solid prospect. But what your post didn't convince me of is that Ekblad is pulling even with Jones. Jones was the number 1 ranked prospect for almost the whole year in a draft that was considered much stronger. Jones was considered a special prospect, infact he's still looking special when he's been relied on to be Nashville's #2 defenceman throughout the season as a 19 year old.

And yes, use much more than the WJCs but the eye test can be important sometimes. Jones was that American team, the whole play defensive and offensive funneled through him, and a team that eventually won the tournament. Ekblad just wasn't close to that level in the tournament. Sure there could be many reasons for that but it was a strong contrast between the two players.

You are vastly over-estimated Jones in last year's WJHCs. He had 7 points in the tournament. (Trouba had 9 points including 4 goals)

All of his points game in blow out games:
8-0 pool game against Germany - 1 goal and 1 assist
9-3 pool game against Slovakia - 1 assist
7-0 quarter final against Czech - 4 assists


So in the games against Russia, Canada (twice) and Sweden - he had no points.

[getbak]

The US had 4 players on the World Junior All-Star team last year, and Jones wasn't one of them (Gibson, Trouba, McCabe, and Gaudreau).

[AltaGuy]

Trouba may have been as good as Jones - but I didn't think so when watching at all. When I saw Jones play there he reminded me a ton of Rob Blake and stood out every time on the ice.

Ekblad simply didn't.

[CliffFletcher]

Ekblad may not be Jones, but Reinhart and Bennet aren't McKinnon and Barkov either. I don't have a lot of confidence that either are #1 center material.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ekblad may not be Jones, but Reinhart and Bennet aren't McKinnon and Barkov either. I don't have a lot of confidence that either are #1 center material.

And I think McDavid is heavily overhyped for 2015.

We won't know what kind of players any of these prospects evolve into until they reach their prime. Until then its all speculation and hearsay.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by saXon

And I think McDavid is heavily overhyped for 2015.

We won't know what kind of players any of these prospects evolve into until they reach their prime. Until then its all speculation and hearsay.

OHL Stats at age 16:
Taylor Hall - 1.33
Steven Stamkos - 1.46
Connor McDavid - 1.72

(Tavares was at 2 PPG however)

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ekblad may not be Jones, but Reinhart and Bennet aren't McKinnon and Barkov either. I don't have a lot of confidence that either are #1 center material.

If the Flames don't take Ekblad and take one of Reinhart or Bennett, I see the Flames having a Boston-esque centre situation like Krejci / Bergeron.

Reinhart / Bennett
Monahan

I'd be happy with that.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

If the Flames don't take Ekblad and take one of Reinhart or Bennett, I see the Flames having a Boston-esque centre situation like Krejci / Bergeron.

Reinhart / Bennett
Monahan

I'd be happy with that.

Absolutely. This is why I'm still hoping for Reinhart. Then if next year we're in top 2 range, take Eichel or McDavid and flip one of them the first two draftees to wing.