[News] With the 54th overall pick the Flames select RW Hunter Smith

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

Hopefully John Tortorella can get a job somewhere. The Flames starting lineup that game:

Brian McGrattan-Kevin Westgarth-Hunter Smith
Keegan Kanzig-???

Smith will play on the first two lines. He is an excellent hockey player, not a goon.

He knows he needs to improve his skating and is committed to it.

If he works hard, he will become a fan favourite.

[Miniac]

This I like!

[The Swedish Flame]

Originally Posted by devo22

his Twitter handle is @BigRigSmith

Just noticed this. That's awesome

[Day Tripper]

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

Hopefully John Tortorella can get a job somewhere. The Flames starting lineup that game:

Brian McGrattan-Kevin Westgarth-Hunter Smith
Keegan Kanzig-???

Chris Breen? Like walking with dinosaurs.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Smith will play on the first two lines. He is an excellent hockey player, not a goon.

He knows he needs to improve his skating and is committed to it.

If he works hard, he will become a fan favourite.

He has fan favourite written all over him.

What I love about all these picks?: work ethic and commitment. All these players are the ones the reports are saying NEVER STOP WORKING.

Bob Hartley is going to love these players.

Someone enlighten me: is he NHL ready? Being an older prospect (19 in Sept) can he (and should he) go back to Junior? Lots of work yet to do on his skating...

[stemit14]

With smith, kanzig, and maybe even Hayes if he wants to join Johnny... That would be a lot of size to surround our smaller skilled players with.

[Badgers Nose]

I really hope he gets a good skating coach and prioritizes that.

Smith is a finisher, and with JG feeding him pucks he will be fun to watch.

He is also an instant insurance policy on the ice for JG or anyone.

He fights like Chara. It would be stupid for anyone to risk the kind of beating a guy this big could lay on you.

[SebC]

0.03 PPG in his (first) draft year.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Smith will play on the first two lines. He is an excellent hockey player, not a goon.

He knows he needs to improve his skating and is committed to it.

If he works hard, he will become a fan favourite.

It seems extremely doubtful that this guy plays in the top two lines ever. I mean sure he lit it up this year after getting 1 point in each of his first 2 OHL seasons but if he is in our top six we are a bad hockey team.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

Forget about the fight. He destroyed that kid in the corner with that hit. If he can bring that to the NHL he will fit in nice in this division.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by SebC

0.03 PPG in his (first) draft year.

did you listen to his interview on the Fan960?

[Hyde]

Originally Posted by SebC

0.03 PPG in his (first) draft year.

Hand injury.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

It seems extremely doubtful that this guy plays in the top two lines ever. I mean sure he lit it up this year after getting 1 point in each of his first 2 OHL seasons but if he is in our top six we are a bad hockey team.

I don't think that's totally fair. Dustin Penner wasn't even drafted and managed to play top 6 for a few teams. Not saying Smith will because Penner did but sometimes big guys take longer to develop. Don't forget this was only his first full season. He should be a lot better next year and 30 goals wouldn't be unreasonable as he will be their first line RW.

[Stay Golden]

Burke said a couple weeks back you don’t get a Lucic in a trade you draft them. Maybe they just drafted one.
Really excited about this pick!
That is more like it Flames scouts.

[Parallex]

Not fond of this pick... Put up uninspiring numbers despite having a huge size advantage and while being an overager. Poor 2nd round by the new management IMO.

[Fire]

He's a 3rd liner at best, but after the 1st round I think you are fine with that. Hopefully he can keep improving his offensive game.

[The Swedish Flame]

[Clever_Iggy]

Smith and Kanzig are going to duke it out in camp this year. Couple of monsters.

[cral12]

ISS on Hunter - they had him 39th:

ISS Scout M.Cuddahee: “Can be the steal of this draft if he continues developing his skating and hands at his current pace. A monster among men standing 6'6 with actual offensive talent. Plays with a mean streak and utilizes his size defensively”.