The Drive for 30th

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by MikaelBacklund

Mackinnon
Barkov
Lindholm
Monahan
Jones
Drouin

Even though I think Drouin is going to be the best player out of this draft.

If you think Drouin is going to be the best, you draft him I think.

I noticed your top 3 were centers - I believe this is the first year that Drouin has not played center. They switched him to wing to play with MacKinnon (and I noticed you left out MacKinnon - why?).

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by starseed

I was under the impression that after the first few choices, this was a weak draft class. What is the current consensus?

Definitely has a very strong top couple tiers from what I've read/seen. A grouping of players at the top end in the top 5 or so. Another clump of really great looking guys after that in the 6-9 range or so.

Here's a quote from the brother of our head scout:

"Craig Button: Perspective will always vary. I think this draft has similarities to 2003 draft in that, there are very good players deep in the first round and I think there will be very good players drafted in the 2nd round like 2003 with Bergeron and Weber."

So Button who seems to have a pulse on his brother's rankings sees the first round as deep and that there will be good players available in the 2nd. Sounds like a pretty deep draft to me.

I think the issue is that some scouts were touting it as the best draft since 2003 and then other scouts were pushing back that it isn't as good. Because of that pushback some fans have started to think its a weak draft but from my time of following the draft it looks fairly deep.

It's pretty clear that the top end is quite good. So a top 5-8 pick should net us a real bluechip guy if not a franchise/star player. Several centres ranked in that range with MacKinnon/Barkov followed closely by Lindholm/Monahan. A potential #1 d-man in Seth Jones, a potential star winger in Drouin. Only guy I hope they avoid is Nichuskin because of the Russian unpredictability.

[HELPNEEDED]

Originally Posted by Gundo

Can you also not believe they are playing like them too?

I see the correlation just makes it unfun

[browna]

Maybe just me, but would be exponentially happier if the Flames NEVER have the distinction of finishing last in the league. Never.

If things play out worse case scenario, no matter how bad it gets, finishing anything but dead last is much more preferable.

The lottery draft and the bonus of a deep draft this year at the top end will take care of the them if they do in fact fall to the depths of the league.

And unlike others, I could never support the notion of actively campaigning for a loss night in and night out...never could back in the old days when things were darker than they are now, or now with the extremely small vested financial interest I have in the team, as a season ticket holder of 11 years.

[Mightyfire89]

Originally Posted by HELPNEEDED

Then why the order ?

Because the Flames have a desperate need for a #1 C.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Definitely has a very strong top couple tiers from what I've read/seen. A grouping of players at the top end in the top 5 or so. Another clump of really great looking guys after that in the 6-9 range or so.

Here's a quote from the brother of our head scout:

"Craig Button: Perspective will always vary. I think this draft has similarities to 2003 draft in that, there are very good players deep in the first round and I think there will be very good players drafted in the 2nd round like 2003 with Bergeron and Weber."

So Button who seem to have a pulse on his brother's rankings sees the first round as deep and that there will be good players available in the 2nd. Sounds like a pretty deep draft to me.

I think the issue is that some scouts were touting it as the best draft since 2003 and then other scouts were pushing back that it isn't as good. Because of that pushback some fans have started to think its a weak draft but from my time of following the draft it looks fairly deep.

It's pretty clear that the top end is quite good. So a top 5-8 pick should net us a real bluechip guy if not a franchise/star player. Several centres ranked in that range with MacKinnon/Barkov followed closely by Lindholm/Monahan. A potential #1 d-man in Seth Jones, a potential star winger in Drouin. Only guy I hope they avoid is Nichuskin because of the Russian unpredictability.

Totally agree with what you have said. With regards to Nichuskin, he is definitely a wildcard. He has the skill and size to be a franchise player, but is signed for another 2 years in the KHL. If the Flames end up with 2 more picks in the first round, I would actually like them to 'gamble' on this guy with one of them. I think he will fall to the late first round based on his contract in the KHL and the Russian factor, but this guy could have challenged anyone in the top 5 for skill. Still, quite the gamble...

[HELPNEEDED]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

Because the Flames have a desperate need for a #1 C.

I think we're in need of every position considering a fire sale is unavoidable

[Mightyfire89]

^^^True enough, but the center position has to be the first priority in my opinion.

[HELPNEEDED]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

^^^True enough, but the center position has to be the first priority in my opinion.

I guess so, but one should draft the best player always trade him for a plus. Shoot we suck

[Saqe]

Curious why people here prefer McKinnon over Barkov. I don´t know anything about McKinnon so tell me to whom does he compare to? At this moment Barkov is the most complete 17 year old ever to come out of Finland and holds probably every record worth mentioning.

[HELPNEEDED]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Curious why people here prefer McKinnon over Barkov. I don´t know anything about McKinnon so tell me to whom does he compare to? At this moment Barkov is the most complete 17 year old ever to come out of Finland and holds probably every record worth mentioning.

Canadian boy I guess

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Curious why people here prefer McKinnon over Barkov. I don´t know anything about McKinnon so tell me to whom does he compare to? At this moment Barkov is the most complete 17 year old ever to come out of Finland and holds probably every record worth mentioning.

His skating is a concern to some.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by HELPNEEDED

I think we're in need of every position considering a fire sale is unavoidable

Sure but #1 centre is a more important position than the wings. A dominant #1 centre makes his wingers twice as good whereas a #1 winger doesn't really have the same effect on his linemates. Look at how Lemieux made Rob Brown look, or how Crosby/Malkin are making Kunitz/Neal/Dupuis look. Look at how important Toews, Getzlaf, Kopitar/Richards and Datsyuk have been to their teams. Look at how DAL/COL were competitive with Sakic/Forsberg and Modano in his prime. Look at Yzerman/Larionov in DET. Staal in CAR. What championship teams haven't had a legit #1 centre?

Compare that to the highest scoring wingers of the last decade or so. Where have Ovechkin, Iginla, Kovalchuk, Nash, etc led their teams? Mostly nowhere.

#1 centre and #1 d-man are clearly more important than grabbing a star winger IMO. Many of the highest goal scoring wingers in the game haven't lead their teams anywhere without the #1 C/#1 D. So I think prioritizing a true #1 centre or defenseman is the way to go.

[djsFlames]

Preference if in top 5.

1. MacKinnon
2. Drouin
3. Barkov

[ClubFlames]

Originally Posted by timbit

His skating is a concern to some.

Barkov is an excellent skater.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Curious why people here prefer McKinnon over Barkov. I don´t know anything about McKinnon so tell me to whom does he compare to? At this moment Barkov is the most complete 17 year old ever to come out of Finland and holds probably every record worth mentioning.

Well we haven't seen the full scouting reports that will come out in May so its hard to completely compare them without having seen a ton of them. I've seen a few games of MacKinnon and only highlights of Barkov.

But MacKinnon's strengths seem to be skating and tenacious forechecking combined with a a high skill level.

Barkov is bigger, stronger and not as good of a skater.

Not sure you can really go wrong if you have to pick between them. I'd be happy with either.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by ClubFlames

Barkov is an excellent skater.

Well,fair to say that you are not one of the "some" that have that concern.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Barkov is definitely a good skater. MacKinnon is just a VERY good skater.

MacKinnon has been hyped up for a number of years now. Most of the other players were not nearly as well known before. However, I would bet there are some teams that have ranked Barkov higher on their list.

Take a poll amongst professional scouts and even with NHL team's overall lists, and you are likely to see a different combination for all 4 players. I think it is safe to say that Drouin and Barkov have both 'caught' MacKinnon and Jones. I wouldn't be 'shocked' at all to see any of those 4 being drafted 1st over-all.

[Split98]

Dear lord this team is terrible...

[David Struch]

The Drive for 30th

How about this thread title instead...

Calgary Derailment: Train Wreck season hopefully sends Flames crashing into last place