Mark "Fricken" Jankowski (aka The Big Jankowski)

[neo45]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Just putting this out there but according to the scouting experts:

	   Jankowski	Poirier
CSS     	43	39
McKeen's	37	26
ISS     	55	79
Button     	14	29
Prospectus	36	62
McKenzie	41	46

Excluding CSS ranks as they separate NA and European skaters/goalies, the average is

Jankowski: 36.6... Poirier 48.4

Granted, Button may be a Jankowski homer so lets exclude him too.

Jankowski: 42.25... Poirier 53.25

This certainly implies from the "expert" opinions Poirier was a bigger reach than Jankowski.

The reason the pick was hated by many in the NHL and in the media wasn't because of how far the Flames reached to grab Jankowski. It was because they not only traded down, but proceeded to take one of the riskier players in the first round when they really needed a good pick.

If the Flames had taken Maata, and the Penguins then selected Jankowski, the media probably would have loved the pick by them because they were in a position to take a risky pick (they already grabbed Pouliot at #8 that year).

I've spoken to several scouts and all of them have hated the Jankowski pick, and not necessarily because of the player. Their attitude seems to be that Feaster/Weisbrod trading down, and passing on Hertl, Girgensons, Tervainen, Maata etc to recoup a 2nd pick that they traded away is kind of a joke to other people in the business. Every scout has liked what Jankowski brings

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by neo45

The reason the pick was hated by many in the NHL and in the media wasn't because of how far the Flames reached to grab Jankowski. It was because they not only traded down, but proceeded to take one of the riskier players in the first round when they really needed a good pick.

If the Flames had taken Maata, and the Penguins then selected Jankowski, the media probably would have loved the pick by them because they were in a position to take a risky pick (they already grabbed Pouliot at #8 that year).

I've spoken to several scouts and all of them have hated the Jankowski pick, and not necessarily because of the player. Their attitude seems to be that Feaster/Weisbrod trading down, and passing on Hertl, Girgensons, Tervainen, Maata etc to recoup a 2nd pick that they traded away is kind of a joke to other people in the business. Every scout has liked what Jankowski brings

So the scouts you've apparently talked to like Jankowski as a player but don't like the circumstances around him being picked?

Yeah, that's fine, I'll take that.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

So the scouts you've apparently talked to like Jankowski as a player but don't like the circumstances around him being picked?

Yeah, that's fine, I'll take that.

At the time I didn't really hate the pick but it does hurt now seeing three of the players passed on ALREADY being good in the NHL while Jankowski is still years away


but ya, the scouts hated the pick almost universally. Doesn't mean they wouldn't have loved to grab Jankowski in the 2nd round. He has a very good skill set with size

[MrMastodonFarm]

Hopefully people on this forum can start to separate the pick from the player. The last 10+ pages of this thread have been solely focusing on the pick and to be honest, that's over and done with, time to focus on the player.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by neo45

The reason the pick was hated by many in the NHL and in the media wasn't because of how far the Flames reached to grab Jankowski. It was because they not only traded down, but proceeded to take one of the riskier players in the first round when they really needed a good pick.

If the Flames had taken Maata, and the Penguins then selected Jankowski, the media probably would have loved the pick by them because they were in a position to take a risky pick (they already grabbed Pouliot at #8 that year).

I've spoken to several scouts and all of them have hated the Jankowski pick, and not necessarily because of the player. Their attitude seems to be that Feaster/Weisbrod trading down, and passing on Hertl, Girgensons, Tervainen, Maata etc to recoup a 2nd pick that they traded away is kind of a joke to other people in the business. Every scout has liked what Jankowski brings

Thanks, that's been my argument. I haven't crapped on Jankowski, in fact I've written posts that defend his development, as it is what's to be expected.

As you say, Pittsburgh would be fine taking a gamble on Jankowski because they already had Pouliot. Similarly when we maybe reached a little with Poirier, we already had Monahan and another first to come.

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Originally Posted by neo45

At the time I didn't really hate the pick but it does hurt now seeing three of the players passed on ALREADY being good in the NHL while Jankowski is still years away

Now this I can understand. As opposed to we shouldnt have taken him and it was a waste of a pick. (Not that you are in that camp Neo).

Sure it hurts, but you must also remember that Maata plays on the Penguins with 2 of the top 5 best players in the world, and a pretty decent defence core - and the teenage mutant ninja Hertl was playing a lot of top line situations and minutes with jumbo Joe Thornton when he had that ridiculous 4 goal night - maybe the best set up guy in the NHL in the past 10 years. Heck look how he made Cheechoo look..

Am I saying these two players are only looking good because they are on amazing teams and getting top opportunities? No - but lets not forget that they probably wouldnt be as highly rated by the same fans if they (Maata and Hertl for example) were say in the AHL on the Heat, scoring at the pace of Billins or Granlund. or playing 3rd line / 3rd pairing minutes and scoring at the rate of Paul Byron or Shane O'Brien on the Flames. Which is exactly what they would be doing if we picked them in the early / mid first round.

I think the Flames may just have the last laugh on this one. I am very certain Mark will prove all the scouts and Weisbrod right because he has somethings you can't teach - size, hockey IQ and a natural offensive instinct.

Not to mention 99% of the CP users who are so appalled by the pick dont watch NCAA hockey and wouldnt know that Providence has just secured their first top 10 ranking in i believe the last 10 or so years..(correct me if I am wrong). Its not like Boston College or Michigan or even Yale (who only enjoyed at best modest success before their win last year). Jankowski is not playing with the top recruits in the NCAA circuit - but other project players just like himself. On top of that its known to be a defensive system at Providence and the kids not getting 1st line minutes, nor should he yet.

But just because he isnt putting up 1ppg in his first 2 seasons and isnt up for a hobie baker he is a bust of a 1st round pick already?

Please look past the numbers and into the deeper story. The kid has in my opinion done just fine for his first 2 years.
B+ rating from me for Janko for how he is developing.

Some fans be trippin'.

I am stoked on Mark. I call him Djanko - Djanko Unchained. He will be a monster for us. Just needs to fill out, move up the pecking order and have that 1st round pick swagger and confidence about him, like "I am the most talented player in this game". If he does that we have a steal of a pick who probably would have been top 10 in the next draft if he was 2 weeks younger.

[Fire]

I wonder how many posts will be created in this thread before he plays his first NHL game? I'm predicting 2847 posts.

[saillias]

The one argument I see repeated is that he doesn't get ice time, he's on the third line, second PP unit. People said the same thing last year as well.

Maybe if he was playing good enough to deserve the minutes, he'd get the minutes?

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by neo45

I've spoken to several scouts and all of them have hated the Jankowski pick, and not necessarily because of the player. Their attitude seems to be that Feaster/Weisbrod trading down, and passing on Hertl, Girgensons, Tervainen, Maata etc to recoup a 2nd pick that they traded away is kind of a joke to other people in the business. Every scout has liked what Jankowski brings

I don't buy this. If the Flames had Jankowski ranked ahead of Hertl, et al and they trade down, still get their guy plus Seiloff... isn't that awesome?

If other scouts "hate" that kind of strategy, it sounds like their delicate egos were bruised by Feaster and Weisbrod acting like they are smarter than everyone else in the room.

[TjRhythmic]

Originally Posted by neo45

The reason the pick was hated by many in the NHL and in the media wasn't because of how far the Flames reached to grab Jankowski. It was because they not only traded down, but proceeded to take one of the riskier players in the first round when they really needed a good pick.

If the Flames had taken Maata, and the Penguins then selected Jankowski, the media probably would have loved the pick by them because they were in a position to take a risky pick (they already grabbed Pouliot at #8 that year).

I've spoken to several scouts and all of them have hated the Jankowski pick, and not necessarily because of the player. Their attitude seems to be that Feaster/Weisbrod trading down, and passing on Hertl, Girgensons, Tervainen, Maata etc to recoup a 2nd pick that they traded away is kind of a joke to other people in the business. Every scout has liked what Jankowski brings

I think people take Burke's comments about the draft being the main reason him being fired and they jump on the Jankowski pick and say that is the reason, and that pick was a mistake. But, you make a better point in that I think it was more how Calgary got to the pick more so then the pick itself.

I think Burke likes Jankowski, he's a solid prospect and like all prospects could turn into something, or not. I think Burke was more upset with the trades that were made during the 2012 draft.

[lanny9]

With the systems in place in NCAA, which most are defence first, I think we need to look at the end of the season and see how he has progressed physically. He has the height but does he have the muscle mass to boot? My reasoning for this is that he is in a program that preaches defence, defence, defence. If he has gained muscle and is showing great improvement should the Flames look at moving him into the AHL where his offensive talents could flourish more?

Now, I say this because Burke has made it clear that half of our UFAs are maybe getting signed, this will open up a lot of spots for AHLers to make the jump and the Heat may have a few positions open up which could allow for more minutes for someone like Janowski. He would still be taught all the defensive aspects of the game but being in a more offensive system wouldn't hurt, especially if we have the likes of Gaudreau, Agostino making the jump to the A next year. It would not hurt for him to start seeing minutes with higher end talent and learn the Calgary system. Maybe give him second PP minutes along with 3rd line? Again, only if his body could handle it.....Thoughts?

[Brando]

I would prefer him to stay in the NCAA. Next year he should be the number 1 center(Mauermann is a senoir this year) playing with the best scoring wings. This alone should add 10-15 pts to his season stats. Add 1st unit pp time and any of the weight that he should naturally gain making him bigger stronger and faster and I am sure we will all be a lot more optimistic about this pick. I think all he really needs is more time. But I can see how playing with more offensively gifted players like JG would benefit him.

[Tinordi]

Can anyone provide a link or some information confirming that Montreal or New Jersey wanted to draft Jankowski in the first round?

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Can anyone provide a link or some information confirming that Montreal or New Jersey wanted to draft Jankowski in the first round?

It's not hard to believe, considering his pre-draft rank was in the 36-42 neighborhood.

NJ had the 29th pick
MON had 33rd

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

It's not hard to believe, considering his pre-draft rank was in the 36-42 neighborhood.

NJ had the 29th pick
MON had 33rd

Even so, I don't buy this line of thinking. Select a player and go with him no matter what? If Nashville used this line of thinking, they wouldn't have drafted Jones. What other teams are going to do after you, should also have no bearing. Take the best player that fits your needs.

It was probably Feaster who put out, another team was going to take him, argument.

Correction it was Weisbrod.

Weisbrod covered his bases with those who might question the pick, saying that “at least two teams that would have taken him in the first round after us.”

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Even so, I don't buy this line of thinking. Select a player and go with him no matter what? If Nashville used this line of thinking, they wouldn't have drafted Jones. What other teams are going to do after you, should also have no bearing. Take the best player that fits your needs

Well I think that draft in the top 5 and drafting in the bottom 10 of the first round are two different beasts. If you're drafting in the top 5 of the draft, you need to know absolutely everything about the guys in the top 5. But if you're in the later rounds it makes a bit more sense to focus on the guys you want, where there is a bit more variant and teams won't be following the same script.

I think the Poirier/Klimchuk picks kinda shows how that this sort of thinking can be helpful. From various reports they invited Poirier and Klimchuk to Calgary (along with Petan) that those were their guys from the go. We all saw Hunter Shatenkirk drop in to their laps, but if you're the Flames do you take a run at a guy you probably haven't spent that much time following or studying or do you stick with your guns with the guys you want.

I like that the Flames stuck with the guys they wanted with those last two picks. But of course only time will tell.

[dammage79]

Also remember Philly being mentioned as one of the teams that would have taken Janko if he fell to them.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Hopefully people on this forum can start to separate the pick from the player. The last 10+ pages of this thread have been solely focusing on the pick and to be honest, that's over and done with, time to focus on the player.

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Can anyone provide a link or some information confirming that Montreal or New Jersey wanted to draft Jankowski in the first round?

I do believe both Button and Maguire said some thing to that effect during the draft coverage. But that won't matter. As has been pointed out, those that don't watch or follow NCAA hockey will continue to damn the kid without any understanding of his progress or potential.

Jankowski is in a situation like Backlund has been with the Flames. Plays in a defense first system with two guys with little to no skill and still saddled with expectations to put up points. We won't know much about Jankowski until he gets a chance to play in the top six with other skilled players. Providence has a small program that doesn't attract a ton of skill, so they play a team game featuring strong defense and truculence. Jankowski is cast in a role to work on those same qualities that should make him a perfect future Flame. Unfortunately that doesn't show up in a stat sheet, so posters that rely on stats won't see this or the positives of this development.

[UKflames]

I don't get to see any NCAA hockey, live or whatever, so i just want to thank those of you that do get to see janko play and are keeping us up to date with his progress.

If he is playing in a system that preaches defence at least he may not have to deal with the Burkes "200ft player" comments once he gets to the flames.