Who will the Flames select with their first pick? - Page 7 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Inglewood Jack · 03-04-2013, 11:45 AM

this just begs to be a poll of some sort. for the record, my vote is for C. everyone keeps saying BPA, but that's exactly what a centre should be even if his skill level is lower than an available winger or defenceman. unless we're talking a HOF quality defenceman, the centre will have more impact on the players around him in all situations. faceoffs, winger setup, gaining offensive zone, backcheck...so many responsibilities all over the ice that a really great C can have an effect on.

Flames Draft Watcher · 03-04-2013, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

There's something about Barkov that doesn't sit right with me.... not sure what it is.

LOL. Solid insight there. Nothing better than gut feelings based on not much.

StrykerSteve · 03-04-2013, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

LOL. Solid insight there. Nothing better than gut feelings based on not much.

Absolutely not trying to make any sort of comment on who they should or should not pick, just for some reason, what I've read on him, his season stats to date.... he doesn't seem like he belongs in the same class as some of the others.

/shrug

North East Goon · 03-04-2013, 11:52 AM

A potential Chris Pronger type D-man in Jones is too much to pass on. IMO.

dammage79 · 03-04-2013, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Absolutely not trying to make any sort of comment on who they should or should not pick, just for some reason, what I've read on him, his season stats to date.... he doesn't seem like he belongs in the same class as some of the others.

/shrug

From all Reports, has top line center playmaking ability. At worst a real good third line center with good size. I think the hit on him right now is his skating. He was pretty good in the faceoff circle IIRC in the WJC.

Another Finn who the Flames should look at in the later rounds is Miro Aaltonen. My opinion is based more on his one game at the WJC but he had some serious mojo going on and his team mates fed off of that (which the Flames could use a little more of). Would have liked to see him play the whole tournament but that ankle break was gross to watch.

FlamesAddiction · 03-04-2013, 11:58 AM

Out of curiousity, have there been any reputable sources that think Barkov or another high ranked player could actually go 1st overall (besides MacKinnon or Jones of course)?

North East Goon · 03-04-2013, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Out of curiousity, have there been and reputable sources that think Barkov or another high ranked player could actually go 1st overall (besides MacKinnon or Jones of course)?

Drouin is the only other name I have heard.

dammage79 · 03-04-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Out of curiousity, have there been and reputable sources that think Barkov or another high ranked player could actually go 1st overall (besides MacKinnon or Jones of course)?

Mmmm not so much Barkov but the have been reports that Drouin is making a real strong case to go first overall.

I also read yesterday that ISS has Nichushkin ranked at number two right now with Jones sitting number one. Not sure how accurate ISS is but I think they are one of the top two draft ranking teams look at.

Henry Fool · 03-04-2013, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Absolutely not trying to make any sort of comment on who they should or should not pick, just for some reason, what I've read on him, his season stats to date.... he doesn't seem like he belongs in the same class as some of the others.

/shrug

Barkov's stats are amazing. He turned 17 last fall and he carries his line on one of the best teams in the league. 47 points in 50 games (21 goals+26 assists), +19 (which is third best in the league), 19.33 average ice time. He's the youngest player ever to reach 40 points let alone get close to 50, and I'm not sure there have been many younger 20-goal scorers either.

I'll leave the comparisons to scouts and experts, but you must have some strange ideas about what you can expect from a teenager if you don't think those are impressive stats.

Henry Fool · 03-04-2013, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dammage79

From all Reports, has top line center playmaking ability. At worst a real good third line center with good size. I think the hit on him right now is his skating. He was pretty good in the faceoff circle IIRC in the WJC. [...].

I think he's a pretty safe bet to be a second line center, or at least as safe as any prospect can be. If the scouts feel that other forwards project to have higher offensive upside in a few years, that's one thing, but Barkov has tons of skill and is already very mature. He could even get his first taste of the NHL next season.

Great two-way center. Intelligent. Excellent vision in the offensive zone. But you can't expect explosive movement from a player of his type. He's more like a Mats Sundin or Joe Thornton type (which is not to suggest that he projects as high).

Not a fast skater but defintely not a bad skater either. You have to remember that he's quite a sturdy 17-year-old at 205 pounds (for example Seth Jones who is almost a year older weighs 208 pounds, according to TSN'n list today) and his leg strength will improve. One funny detail is that is his linemate Ville Nieminen has been acting as almost like a personal trainer to him. They trained together already during the summer.

dammage79 · 03-04-2013, 12:54 PM

Thanks for that. I wasn't really ready to give an in depth analysis of him but more of a quick glimpse.

Henry Fool · 03-04-2013, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dammage79

Thanks for that. I wasn't really ready to give an in depth analysis of him but more of a quick glimpse.

Well no one should take my views as an in depth analysis either, but I've seen him play here and there. As far as rankings go, I defer completely to the expert lists. I have no idea how anyone compares to anyone else.

Barkov has amazing potential, I don't remember anyone as impressive as him at his age, but still there's no guarantee that he's a point-per-game forward in the NHL in his prime and I don't know what the odds are for that to happen. Could just be a second line guy. Below that, and you'd have to consider his development quite disappointing. It must be easier to project guys like Drouin and McKinnon.

Beatle17 · 03-04-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Well no one should take my views as an in depth analysis either, but I've seen him play here and there. As far as rankings go, I defer completely to the expert lists. I have no idea how anyone compares to anyone else.

Barkov has amazing potential, I don't remember anyone as impressive as him at his age, but still there's no guarantee that he's a point-per-game forward in the NHL in his prime and I don't know what the odds are for that to happen. Could just be a second line guy. Below that, and you'd have to consider his development quite disappointing. It must be easier to project guys like Drouin and McKinnon.

Excellent input as a whole, but fans need to get off the bolded part. There were only 7 players in the NHL last year who were PPG. It's a lot tougher to reach than people realize (not questioning you, just using your post as an example).

FlamesAddiction · 03-04-2013, 01:20 PM

I just found this:

http://www.tsn.ca/chl/story/?id=407200

In October, Craig Button thought Barkov as 1st overall could be a possibility.

It's been speculated in the past that Craig Button sometimes gets scouting info from his brother, so maybe this also matches what the Flames think.

Henry Fool · 03-04-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beatle17

Excellent input as a whole, but fans need to get off the bolded part. There were only 7 players in the NHL last year who were PPG. It's a lot tougher to reach than people realize (not questioning you, just using your post as an example).

I don't disagree with you. I just used it as shorthand for a high scoring first line forward.

Muta · 03-04-2013, 01:35 PM

Barkov would be amazing to take in the first round with our pick.

Henry Fool · 03-04-2013, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muta

Barkov would be amazing to take in the first round with our pick.

Any of the top-5 guys would be great, but a top-5 pick is probably too much to hope for (pardon the expression), so from Flames' perspective this is pretty theoretical. Too many bad teams in the Eastern Conference. But it seems like there are a bunch of centers in the top-10.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious, but I don't think Barkov is necessarily a slam dunk either. His team plays a very structured game and it's possible that the style kind of plays to his strengths and that he'd be more exposed in the high-pace North American game, which might lead to a more difficult period of adjustment than you might expect. Be that as it may, the team that drafts him should transition him to NA as soon as possible.

But I don't know #### about prospects, to be honest.

moon · 03-04-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Any of the top-5 guys would be great, but a top-5 pick is probably too much to hope for (pardon the expression), so from Flames' perspective this is pretty theoretical. Too many bad teams in the Eastern Conference. But it seems like there are a bunch of centers in the top-10.

I think the West might actually be the trouble spot for finishing bottom 5 because Colombus is basically locked in there, the Oilers and Avs look awful again as well.

For the East I see Florida being okay with another bottom finish but I could see Washington, Buffalo and TB all making moves to try and get into the play-offs this year. Those 3 seem like the kind of teams that could make short sighted short term deals to boost them out of the bottom.

If the Flames decided to go the rebuild way and trade Iginla and Kipper it would appear the biggest obstacles would be Colombus, Edmonton, Colorado, Florida and NYI in my view for the bottom 5 spots.

PeteMoss · 03-04-2013, 02:06 PM

I got to see Monohan a bunch in his rookie year in the OHL and I think he will end up dropping when the draft comes (similar thing happened in his OHL draft year). He's not a great skater but he's really smart. I'm not sure he's a top line centre in the NHL, more of a high end number 2 - Daymond Langkow type guy. He's a very low risk pick though... can't see him being a bust.

I haven't seen him much this year and they completely gutted the team so he's pretty well a one man show.

Frank MetaMusil · 03-04-2013, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

this just begs to be a poll of some sort. for the record, my vote is for C. everyone keeps saying BPA, but that's exactly what a centre should be even if his skill level is lower than an available winger or defenceman. unless we're talking a HOF quality defenceman, the centre will have more impact on the players around him in all situations. faceoffs, winger setup, gaining offensive zone, backcheck...so many responsibilities all over the ice that a really great C can have an effect on.

"I can teach a player to check, I can't teach him to score goals." - Al Arbour

True goal scorers are hard to find. The Flames should try and find a player who can mesh with Gaudreau, but I have no idea who that is.