If you could go back to the 2016 draft ...

[GreenLantern2814]

I take Matthews and Laine over Tkachuk every day of the week.

I take Tkachuk over everyone in between every day of the year.

[codynw]

At this point, with hindsight, Laine and Matthews are the only players I would pick over Tkachuk. Without hindsight, I'd have wanted Tkachuk 4th (Puljujarvi 3rd).

[Erick Estrada]

Tkachuk's been the 3rd best player out of that draft so hard to be disappointed considering the two forwards ahead of him are elite. I just hope he continues to work on his skating as it's the only thing that holds him back from being more dominant.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Tkachuk's been the 3rd best player out of that draft so hard to be disappointed considering the two forwards ahead of him are elite. I just hope he continues to work on his skating as it's the only thing that holds him back from being more dominant.

Loubardias, always prone to hyperbole, relayed a story before the draft wherein a scout told him Tkachuk has the best down low game of any prospect he had ever seen.

After watching him for a year and a half, I would say there aren't 20 people in the NHL who protect the puck better than Matthew Tkachuk. And he's still not even 20.

And you're right, he still skates like a newborn giraffe. Another season or two working with Dawn Braid and he'll be a Hart trophy candidate.

[Gaskal]

Ekblad is 6'4 216lbs and was draped over Matthew's back through the entire neutral zone and into the Panthers zone, and still couldn't prevent him from giving Backlund the EN. That assist was some kinda impressive.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by GGG

I think the better question is would the Flames have taken him third without the knowledge at the time.

Right now he is clearly third in the draft.

For who? For us yes, he's the perfect fit and added much needed offense. However, McAvoy and Sergachev would probably go ahead of Tkachuk for many teams.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But then if the Flames had had the opportunity to select Laine Tkachuk would be the missing piece on this team. In today’s NHL it is exceedingly difficult to fill in all the missing pieces.

Are you suggesting you may not take Laine over Tkachuk?

[Canada 02]

I'm curious what would have unfolded had Columbus taken JP?
Guessing the order from there would have been Tkachuk to Edmonton, Dubois to Vancouver. Then would Calgary have taken a defencemen?

If that had happened, wonder who was next on the list for Calgary?
With hindsight, would have taken Keller or Sergachev or McAvoy

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Are you suggesting you may not take Laine over Tkachuk?

Not at all. I certainly would take Laine over Tkachuk. My point was the insinuation that this selection would have resolved the Flames most glaring problem. While true, it also would have left open another gaping hole needing to be filled.

I think from time to time people forget how incredibly difficult it is to build a great team in today's NHL.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

I'm curious what would have unfolded had Columbus taken JP?
Guessing the order from there would have been Tkachuk to Edmonton, Dubois to Vancouver. Then would Calgary have taken a defencemen?

If that had happened, wonder who was next on the list for Calgary?
With hindsight, would have taken Keller or Sergachev or McAvoy

I think there is a good chance that the Oilers would have taken a defenseman.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

I'm curious what would have unfolded had Columbus taken JP?
Guessing the order from there would have been Tkachuk to Edmonton, Dubois to Vancouver. Then would Calgary have taken a defencemen?

If that had happened, wonder who was next on the list for Calgary?
With hindsight, would have taken Keller or Sergachev or McAvoy

Probably a coin flip between Sergachev (supposedly the defenseman they were interested in) and Tkachuk. It can't be understated just how much the Jackets helped out the Flames by picking PLD. I had a sick feeling they were going to take Juolevi had the picks go more by consensus.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Probably a coin flip between Sergachev (supposedly the defenseman they were interested in) and Tkachuk. It can't be understated just how much the Jackets helped out the Flames by picking PLD. I had a sick feeling they were going to take Juolevi had the picks go more by consensus.

Columbus still got a pretty good player at least, easily the 3rd best player out of the top 4 selections in that draft, much better than the guy selected at number 4.

[White Out 403]

Safe to say that Lottery balls and mismanagement from other teams left the Jets and Flames with some really great picks.

I doubt either club would want that draft redone in any way

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Not at all. I certainly would take Laine over Tkachuk. My point was the insinuation that this selection would have resolved the Flames most glaring problem. While true, it also would have left open another gaping hole needing to be filled.

I think from time to time people forget how incredibly difficult it is to build a great team in today's NHL.

Yep, sorry I read your post in a vacuum instead of the context of what you were responding to as I was skimming. Apologies.

[Tbull8]

Rumor is that the oilers were pretty high on Sergachev and likely would've taken him had Poolparty been gone. Then Dubois to Van and probably still Tkachuk to us

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Rumor is that the oilers were pretty high on Sergachev and likely would've taken him had Poolparty been gone. Then Dubois to Van and probably still Tkachuk to us

Yeah, I think if given the choice the Canucks likely would have taken Dubois the centreman over Tkachuk the winger. There was a good deal of talk from the Canucks leading into the 2016 draft about their needs on the back end and up the middle.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Safe to say that Lottery balls and mismanagement from other teams left the Jets and Flames with some really great picks.

I doubt either club would want that draft redone in any way

Not sure I quite follow, are you saying you’d take Laine over Matthews?

Because as much as it’s obvious that Laine should be selected ahead of Tkachuk, it’s even more obvious that Auston Matthews was the best talent in that draft.

[GoJetsGo]

[J79]

19 months later...
I'm interested to see if thoughts have changed.

Originally Posted by J79

... and the Flames would've had the 2nd overall pick:

A) Would you have picked Matthew Tkachuk over Patrik Laine (and Puljujarvi, Dubois, Juolevi) without the knowledge of today of what kind of player Tkachuk has become for us.

B) Would you have picked Matthew Tkachuk over Patrik Laine (and Puljujarvi, Dubois, Juolevi) with the knowledge of today of what kind of player Tkachuk has become for us.

C) Would the Flames have picked Matthew Tkachuk over Patrik Laine (and Puljujarvi, Dubois, Juolevi) without the knowledge of today of what kind of player Tkachuk has become for us.

D) Would the Flames have picked Matthew Tkachuk over Patrik Laine (and Puljujarvi, Dubois, Juolevi) with the knowledge of today of what kind of player Tkachuk has become for us.

[TheScorpion]

Tkachuk is clearly far superior to Laine in basically every way at the present moment. Doesn't change that Laine was the consensus #2 in 2016. But Tkachuk probably makes a good case to change that today.