2021 NHL Draft

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

2016 should have been a high point, going 3 for 8 and grabbing Tkachuk, Dube, and Fox, but the latter decided he never had interest in playing for anyone other than the Rangers (should have been caught in interviews).

Firstly, picking Fox was a spectacular pick regardless of where he ended up. The Flames got great value for that pick.

Secondly, Fox was not considered a great prospect when drafted. I doubt he was giving any ultimatums when interviewed. Suggesting that it “ should have been caught in interviews” is ridiculous to the extreme.


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[GioforPM]

Chances are either that Fox said nothing about intentions or desires for NYC when he was interviewed or that the Flames and other teams simply don’t interview candidates that far into the draft rankings. But even if they interviewed him and he expressed some desire for NYC, I struggle to see why they shouldn’t have drafted him anyway. he either changes his mind or he’s worth a lot more than anyone picked anywhere near him in a trade.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Sandman

RW Jake Chiasson,6'1"165lbs (Brandon, WHL): 23gp/9g/11a/20pts,4PIM, 6th in scoring for the Wheaties. I haven't written about him yet, as I find him to be quite vanilla. Power-forward who battles in all the greasy areas, and plays with some physicality. He's got a ways to go in his development, so he's by no means a finished product, but it sounds to me like he looks to a background complimentary player, who right now is making a living riding the coat-tails of two talented line-mates in Ben McCartney and Ridly Greig. He doesn't seem to have any dynamic skills, or attributes, other than his hard shot, and ability to score in-tight. Decent straight-line skater, but all other aspects such as lateral quickness, agility, and acceleration, are lacking. Not high-skill in any area, and not particularly creative. I would say maybe take a flyer on him if he's still there in the 6th round, but otherwise-stay away. Just my opinion, of course.

It would be interesting to know what his point per 60 minutes played is.
Sometimes it's actually impressive when skaters can put up good numbers while playing below so many others in the depth chart.

Chiasson might excel when McCartney and Grieg are no longer in the picture. It'll be interesting to see how he does next year.
But a lack of strong skating and high end skill isn't a good combination. So I agree with you there.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Dumb question but was is forp/gp?

Sorry about that- Heavy Jack is right, I always say “p/gp”, to denote “points per game played”, rather than “ppg” which looks a lot like “power play goals”.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

It would be interesting to know what his point per 60 minutes played is.
Sometimes it's actually impressive when skaters can put up good numbers while playing below so many others in the depth chart.

Chiasson might excel when McCartney and Grieg are no longer in the picture. It'll be interesting to see how he does next year.
But a lack of strong skating and high end skill isn't a good combination. So I agree with you there.

Exactly right-I’m just going on what I’ve seen in limited viewings, mixed with what I’ve read about him. He still put up good numbers, so the scouts may see things in him that the rest of us don’t. It will be interesting to see where he gets drafted, and how he does next year.

[Sandman]

C/W Danila Klimovich,6'1"187lbs (Minskie Zubry, Belarus Vysshaya): 37gp/ 28g/24a/52pts,40PIM, very impressive production for a kid playing in the 2nd highest men's league in Belarus-16th overall, and first in p/gp for players under-18. 12gp/9g/5a/14pts in the playoffs. Scouting reports for Klimovich differ between those before, and those after the U-18s (5gp/6g/0a/6pts, on a team with little scoring talent), where he was tied for 6th in goals in the tournament. Scorer's touch, and mentality with a full toolbox. "Size, skill, hockey sense are all there for him to be an offensive producer, and he's consistent in his approach. He's got NHL speed and competes hard. Now he does have a flair for the dramatic, but that's good. It means he's confident, but every shift, he's first on pucks, always going to the net, and he's got that knack to be open and available to get that shot off. He's on the top line and is the top scorer, and he's one of the first forwards coming back on the play".-Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. Klimovich was selected by Rouyn-Noranda of the QMJHL in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, so hopefully we'll see him in North America soon. Offensive weapon, but his defensive game doesn't get the highest marks, so that's what he needs to work on going forward.I think he might get picked late first/early second round.

LHD Gustavs Ozolins,5'11"181lbs (HS Riga, Latvia): 34gp/6g/19a/25pts, 6th in D scoring in the top men's league in Latvia, top scorer on his team, and wears an "A". 1a in 4 games at the U-18s. Drives play with the puck on his stick. Was all over the place at the U-18s, playing over-agressively, pinching deep, and trying to carry a team devoid of top-end talent. Great 4-directional skater shows good lateral mobility in walking the line, scanning for lanes to pass or shoot. Passes are hard and accurate. Nice puck-control and stickhandling, and has a bit of jam in his game. Doesn't play the flashiest game, and there's not many high-end tools, other than maybe his vision and IQ, but there's no real weaknesses-he can play in any situation. Plays and carries with confidence, and shines in the defensive zone-coaches trust him there, as he shows excellent defensive awareness. Defends the net well, and wins battles in the corners and along the wall, despite his size. He's competitive, and can play physical, and lay the body. Gets heavy minutes, and is liked by his coaches. Oz will need to keep working on his skating and his shot. I think he'll be gone in the 3rd round.

[Sandman]

G Jesper Wallstedt,6'3"212lbs (Lulea,SHL): 22gp/ 2.23GAA/ .908. Played 2 games at the World Juniors, putting up a 2.40GAA, and .923%. In 2019-20, he was the youngest goalie to ever play in the SHL, and aquitted himself very well. Calm, cool, collected, excellent positionally, with superb timing. Smooth, effortless lateral movement, and relies on solid technique and supreme poise under pressure. Play awareness is elite-he's always scanning the ice, preparing to change position to make the next save. Plays the puck well, rarely making mistakes. Excellent angles, great rebound control, solid glove. Only nitpick is that he can sometimes play too deep in his net, and get beaten high. Elite prospect, perhaps a notch below Askarov. He'll go top-10.

G Sebastian Cossa,6'6"212lbs (Edmonton, WHL): 19gp/ 1.57GAA/ .941%. I read that he's closer to 6'8". Highly consistent, his poise and approach is always the same. Athletic, and always in position-he never has to scramble, or make a reactionary save-his movements always seem pre-planned. Quick feet, fantastic lateral movement, and fast in going up and down in the butterfly. Great glove, and huge wingspan. Like Wallstedt, his vision and tracking are elite, and he gobbles up rebounds. Needs some work on his five-hole, which on a player his size with such long legs, is huge-not a big concern though, he's still better in that area than most. He'll go between picks 15-20, as he won't get past Edmonton.

G Benjamin Gaudreau,6'2"174lbs (Sarnia,OHL): No hockey this year for Gaudreau, except the U-18s, where he was named top Goalie with 2.20GAA, and .919%. Has amazing athleticism that gives him a chance to make a save on any play. Good glove, excellent tracking, and great crease-awareness. Good positioning, he never leaves the blue paint, and always stays square to the play. Skilled puckhandler, but keeps it simple to cut down on mistakes. Stands tall with his shoulders back to cover more net, and the corners. He's composed, shakes off goals against, and resets well. Gaudreau will need some time to round out his game, considering he basically missed a year of prime development. 2nd/3rd round.

G Tristan Lennox,6'4"186lbs (Saginaw, OHL) 2019-20: 33gp/ 3.63GAA/ .876%. Hasn't played meaningful hockey this year. Known for his amazing puck-handling skills, he can often make breakout passes, and will leave the crease to stop pucks for teammates. Likes to challenge in the high blue paint. Quick, lateral movement, and rebound control. Great puck tracking, and see over most players. Seals off the posts and corners well. Good improvisational skills and athleticism when he needs to scramble. He once had a bad glove hand, but he's worked hard, and turned it into a strength. He needs to learn to be more square to the play, and improve his reactions. 3rd/4th round.

G Joe Vrbetic,6'6"181lbs (North Bay,OHL) 2019-20: 42gp/ 4.23GAA/ .881%. Another OHL player who hasn't played any hockey this year. Good positioning, and square to the puck. Covers a lot of net, and can make pad saves that would be out of reach for other goalies. Covers his five-hole well, and drags the back leg when going sideways to stop back-door chances. Good rebound control, but can lose focus and make second and third saves necessary. Quality, simple tape-to-tape passer, stops many a puck behind his net for his D. He's usually calm, and resets well after he's scored on. Tracks the puck well. Vrbetic, like Lennox, is more of a project-he still can be rattled by players in his crease, and interference in traffic that messes with his concentration. He has some heavy feet, making him a bit slow in his lateral movement, and he's slow getting up from the butterfly. 4th/5th round.

G Alexei Kolosov,6'1"187lbs (Dinamo Minsk, KHL): 9gp/ 2.69GAA/ .911%. Passed over in last year's draft, but he could be a sleeper. In 2019-20, he played 3 games in the WJC for Belarus, posting a 1.49GAA, and .930%. Great mobility, and positional awareness. His glove hand is on another level than his peers-he makes glove saves on point-blank one-timers. Contains the puck, and denies rebounds. Goes down and up extremely fast. He has put in a ton of work on his tracking, and it's paid off-he stays well ahead of the play, and is always ready to make his next save. Highly competitive, and doesn't give up on plays. He doesn't try to handle the puck too much, but he has shown that he's capable. Very advanced, very polished game. 4th-6th round.

G Ivan Zhigalov,6'3"165lbs (MHK Dynamo Moskva, MHL): 3gp/ 1.20GAA/ .939%. Last year, he put up 1.00GAA/ .944% in 2 games in the same league. This year, he also put up solid numbers in Belarus' second-tier league, with 8gp/ 2.58GAA/.920%, playing against men. Blocking butterfly style, but still quite athletic, and moves well laterally. Plays deep in his crease, reads the play well, and takes away the bottom of the net. 6th/7th round.

G Patrik Hamrla,6'3"194lbs (HC Karlovy Vary U20,CZE): 4gp/ 2.27GAA/ .916%. Played games this year as a 17 year old, playing against men (3.94GAA/ .881%). The top Czech league will be a great place for him to develop, as he's poised to have starting duties in the very near future. Plays a hybrid butterfly style relying on both technique, and incredible athleticism and reflexes. Good positioning, tracking, and competitiveness. Good at playing the puck, but can make mistakes under pressure. Another potential sleeper. 4th/5th round.

G Owen Bartoszkiewicz,6'2"194lbs (Wichita Falls,NAHL): 41gp/ 2.44GAA/ .917% in the same league that produced Hellebuyck. He played on an expansion team, so they played pretty loosely in front of him for a good chunk of the year, while the team worked through their growing pains, and learned the system-but by all accounts, Bart held them in there. Good athletic ability, and high compete. Prides himself on being a "money" goalie, making the huge saves when needed. Has a calm, cool demeanor. Needs a bit of work on his feet. 6th/7th round. I have to give a bit of a shout-out to Bart's fellow NAHL Goalie, Arseni Sergeyev (6'3, 192lbs), who played for Shreveport (20gp/ 2.17GAA/ .936%), who has a chance to be drafted in the 6th/7th round.

G Aku Koskenvuo,6'4"173lbs (HIFK U20); 13gp/ 2.92GAA/ .893%. Also played 6 games at the U-18s (4.23GAA/ .874%). Tracks the puck extremely well through traffic, and below the goal line. Reactionary, and very athletic. Moves very well laterally, and out beyond the top of his crease to challenge. Good blocker, and excellent reflexes-he covers the bottom of the net well. Goes up and down in the butterfly very quickly. He has long, quick limbs as well. His rebound control can be hit or miss-he can sometimes make it an adventure for his D. He keeps his glove hand too far out from his body, giving shooters a big space to look at below his arm. He also cheats a lot to his glove side, probably to compensate for his glove positioning-either way, easy problem to fix. Going to Harvard this fall, so he'll have time and plenty of coaching. Great potential here, IMO. 5th-7th round.

[keenan87]

Having a goalie named Gaudreau would be kind of cool.

[Heavy Jack]

Sandman, as the end of the season approaches with the finals and the NHL draft nears I have to say that you made these playoffs disappear a lot quicker and have made the fact that the Flames missed not seem so bad with all these write ups and the excitement it’s generated heading into the draft. I don’t think your effort here is lost on anyone and I think it’s already been mentioned how thankful we are at CP for the dedication you have shown. Cheers for all your time spent on this my friend it’s been great and has given me a greater insight on a draft year than I think I ever have had prior. Cheers!

[Canada 02]

12. Calgary Flames: Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL

If both goalies go before Calgary, the Flames have a chance to dictate how the rest of the first round goes. Lucius, Matthew Coronato and Fedor Svechkov are names I’ve heard mentioned with Calgary’s pick. Lucius’ stock dipped slightly in the eyes of teams over the season when he was healthy, but he’s right at the top of next grouping and should go right around this area

does this imply the Flames are interested in the goalies?
I would love for Wallstedt to be available at 12. A franchise goalie to mentor under Markstrom

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

does this imply the Flames are interested in the goalies?
I would love for Wallstedt to be available at 12. A franchise goalie to mentor under Markstrom

I took it as if both goalies go a skater or two might drop to when the Flames pick and it's wide open from there.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

does this imply the Flames are interested in the goalies?
I would love for Wallstedt to be available at 12. A franchise goalie to mentor under Markstrom

Isn't that what Wolf is for?


Drafting a goalie in the 1st round seems so ... bleh. Of the 14 goalies taken in the 1st round since 2000 you've got three full question marks: Askarov, Knight, & Oettinger; two partial question marks in Samsonov & Campbell; three absolute home-runs: Vasilevsky, Price, & Fleury; two 'meh' picks with Lehtonen & DiPietro; three 'bleh' picks in Montoya, Bernier, & Leclaire; and the absolute wet fart that was Chet Pickard.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by driveway

Isn't that what Wolf is for?


Drafting a goalie in the 1st round seems so ... bleh. Of the 14 goalies taken in the 1st round since 2000 you've got three full question marks: Askarov, Knight, & Oettinger; two partial question marks in Samsonov & Campbell; three absolute home-runs: Vasilevsky, Price, & Fleury; two 'meh' picks with Lehtonen & DiPietro; three 'bleh' picks in Montoya, Bernier, & Leclaire; and the absolute wet fart that was Chet Pickard.

I don't actually think the record of 1st round goalies is that bad. Definitely not since 2010 or so. Subban is another bust though. And I would consider Tuukka Rask (26th) a homerun.

My main hesitation is the Flames drafting and development record with 1st round goalies.
In the past 30 years (since 1991), the Flames have drafted and developed a total of zero starting goaltenders. About 20 goalies have been drafted in that time.
The four goalies drafted in the top 34 have played a total of 14 games. Almost all Leland Irving (26th). Evan Lindsay (32nd = 0), Mason McDonald (34th = 0), Brent Krahn (9th = 1).

There's just a little too much risk for where the Flames are at. Since Wolf is a great prospect, there's no need to take that kind of risk. Not unless it's a huge value pick.

[ForeverFlameFan]

The goal is to have Wallstedt picked in the top 10. He is highly regarded on a few of the draft lists out there.

Assuming Reinhart is moved to LA or Vancouver, I think Buffalo would be selecting Wallstedt as that pick. That gives Calgary better odds at drafting a faller.

I don't want us to pick Wallstedt, but if it happens then so be it. It's a good problem to have two great goalie prospects in the system and just let the dominos fall. One could be moved later at better value than where we picked. Of course, history shows that Calgary and many other teams don't have success when picking a goalie in the first round. I'd rather we went for a forward or a defenseman.

[howard_the_duck]

Wolf is a wildcard at best, IMO. Such little track record in the modern NHL with small goaltenders. I'm skeptical he will be an NHL starting goaltender, but hope to be wrong.

I don't know that I'm keen on Wallstedt or taking a goalie in the first round, but if the Flames went that direction I would understand. It is far from an organizational strength, and if we've seen anything in these playoffs, having a franchise goaltender can mask a lot of deficiencies.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

Sandman, as the end of the season approaches with the finals and the NHL draft nears I have to say that you made these playoffs disappear a lot quicker and have made the fact that the Flames missed not seem so bad with all these write ups and the excitement it’s generated heading into the draft. I don’t think your effort here is lost on anyone and I think it’s already been mentioned how thankful we are at CP for the dedication you have shown. Cheers for all your time spent on this my friend it’s been great and has given me a greater insight on a draft year than I think I ever have had prior. Cheers!

Thank you so much, you are too kind. I was wondering if I had worn out my welcome! Lol.

[Sandman]

On the subject of drafting Wallstedt-I would love to have the feeling of having a blue-chip goalie marinating in our system for once, like the Stars had in Oettinger, Panthers have in Knight, Rangers had in Shesterkin, etc. Plus, we’re building up a huge Contingent of Swedes in the city, so Wallstedt would feel right at home! I love Wolfie, but he’s got a lot to prove.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Wolf is a wildcard at best, IMO. Such little track record in the modern NHL with small goaltenders. I'm skeptical he will be an NHL starting goaltender, but hope to be wrong.

I don't know that I'm keen on Wallstedt or taking a goalie in the first round, but if the Flames went that direction I would understand. It is far from an organizational strength, and if we've seen anything in these playoffs, having a franchise goaltender can mask a lot of deficiencies.

I am not buying big is better despite what some think in regards to goaltending. Wolf is 6 feet tall, so was Roy. Hasek was one inch taller.

[Freeway]

Originally Posted by Sandman

On the subject of drafting Wallstedt-I would love to have the feeling of having a blue-chip goalie marinating in our system for once, like the Stars had in Oettinger, Panthers have in Knight, Rangers had in Shesterkin, etc. Plus, we’re building up a huge Contingent of Swedes in the city, so Wallstedt would feel right at home! I love Wolfie, but he’s got a lot to prove.

The list of goaltenders with Wolf's WHL/U20 resume over the last 20 years is extremely short.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Freeway

The list of goaltenders with Wolf's WHL/U20 resume over the last 20 years is extremely short.

So is Wolf.