2021 NHL Draft

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think it’s a given that we are guaranteed one of those 4 players you bolded.

What could also happen is one or two of Sillinger, Wallstedt, and maybe Coronato could slide into the top ten and throw things off. Which means we could potentially have one of the top 8 fall to us (like Edvinsson).

[Fighting Banana Slug]

The Flames will get a great prospect. Given the uncertainty of draft lists, we might need to be prepared for a trade down (which I would be ok with), or an "off the board" pick (even though there is no board).

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

The Flames will get a great prospect. Given the uncertainty of draft lists, we might need to be prepared for a trade down (which I would be ok with), or an "off the board" pick (even though there is no board).

Last year's trade down was fun because they still got Zary and balanced out their pick deficit.

But I'm not sure there's enough value in the extra picks coming in to warrant a trade down. Unless they've dealt some of their other picks before hand on trades.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I think it’s a given that we are guaranteed one of those 4 players you bolded.

What could also happen is one or two of Sillinger, Wallstedt, and maybe Coronato could slide into the top ten and throw things off. Which means we could potentially have one of the top 8 fall to us (like Edvinsson).

Would be very happy to get one of those four players. All of them seem to have a high ceiling which is what I think the flames should definitely be shooting for with their pick. Even if they might be riskier picks who could bust. I hate to see skilled players overlooked in the first round for safe picks who are more likely 3rd line players. I think players like that are much easier to find through free agency/trade. Prioritize elite skills/ability with first round picks even if those players have some flaws or risks (size/defensive play). Would also love to add some speed to the team. Feels like that is a huge asset in today’s game.


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[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Last year's trade down was fun because they still got Zary and balanced out their pick deficit.

But I'm not sure there's enough value in the extra picks coming in to warrant a trade down. Unless they've dealt some of their other picks before hand on trades.

I don't disagree with you, but I just think their list (and other teams' lists) might be quite different from what has been posted. Perhaps they love Lambos or Cuelmans or whomever. Really tough to say what they do.

I for one would be ecstatic with any one of Sillinger, Lucius, Lysell, McTavish. Probably in that order.

[Sandman]

C/LW Andre Gasseau,6'4"203lbs (USDP): 42gp/12g/15a/27pts,39PIM, "Gasseau screams NHL Center in so many ways"-Steve Kournianos. Gasseau is defined as a two-way C with great skating ability for a guy his size. Well-developed 200-ft game-he's always in position, and has excellent defensive awareness.

Gasseau's skating comes with a long stride that develops power, nice acceleration, and good agility and edgework. He uses his size well-constantly engages in battles for pucks, and plays tough in front of his net. Protects and controls the puck well along the boards, and in tight spaces. He has a large wingspan, and his reach makes him difficult to get past-uses quality stick placement to pokecheck, steal the puck, and stick-lift. Uses his body to gain leverage to the net, and is very effective along the wall. Finishes his checks, when he sees fit to lay the body. Gasseau has strong puck control, which makes him effective in transition, and protects the puck well. On the PK, he looks confident, calm, and collected, and not at all out of place-knows how to position himself to take, away time and space, blocks shots, and takes away lanes. He's a very good passer, with consistent accuracy, and deploys a decent shot.

Gasseau is still very raw developmentally, and physically-he needs to fill out and get stronger. Offensive game has room to grow, as does his skating and his shot-which needs more power. He prefers to make less risky, shorter passes in the offensive zone, rather than trying to get the puck to high-danger consistently, as he seems to fear the risk of mistakes and turnovers. He could stand to be more physical, especially given his size, as he tends to rely on his stickwork to poke check pucks away. Though he has demonstrated the ability to make clean entries with control, he often prefers to dump and chase-again, not wanting to make a mistake and turnover the puck. He can, on occasion be pressured into giveaways, and forcing plays that aren't there. Gasseau will get plenty of time to develop in the next 4 years at Boston College-which, for the team that drafts him, is great news as BC has one of the best programs in the country. There's not much doubt that he will become a fine middle-6 forward in the NHL. 3rd rounder all day.

[Sandman]

C/LW Hunter Strand,5'11"183lbs (Tri-City,USHL): 51gp/20g/29a/49pts,20PIM, selected 2nd overall in 2020, he's the top scorer on the team, and tied for 15th in the league. Another 200-ft C with some grit, and a whole lot of skill. Hunter plays with a very high motor-he's always in the thick of the play, and consistently contributes in all 3 zones. Great hockey-smarts, and a robust offensive game. Top-notch vision and IQ-he can find teammates with passes through traffic, and displays accurate passing to high-danger areas. He's also highly aware defensively, and good at suppressing chances against. Quality positioning, and he has no problem blocking shots. High IQ in all zones, and confident on the PK-he takes away time and space, and applies rigorous pressure to the opposition. Strand shows solid puck-control, and can make impressive moves in tight areas, and in traffic. Very strong on the boards, in corners, and behind the net, and is effective on the cycle.

Strand's skating is the big concern, but he is still able to keep up with the play, and is still able to create space for himself and cut through the neutral zone to achieve entries with control. He's said to have good acceleration and elusiveness to find the extra step to evade pressure. Still, most aspects of his mobility need work if he hopes to crack the NHL-right now, he has a rather short, choppy stride. Next year, he's committed to Notre Dame. Look for him in rounds 3-5.

[Sandman]

LW Carter Mazur,6'0"168lbs (Tri-City,USHL): 47gp/20g/24a/44pts,37PIM. Captain of the Storm, this two-way character forward was passed up in last year's draft. Smart, and efficient in all 3 zones, with high motor and intensity-plays the role of pest. Great skater, elusive and agile-he can weave through traffic an beat defenders. He can also change gears and direction very quickly, he's light on his feet and forces the D back. Effective in transition, he accelerates through the neutral zone, with control of the puck.

Nice scoring touch in front of the net on the PP, he keeps his feet moving, finds space, opens lanes, and creates opportunities. Also very effective on the PK-he works hard for pucks, and applies great pressure every shift. Blocks lanes with his body and stick. Owns a quick, accurate shot, but could use some work on accuracy. Mazur handles nd moves the puck well, and has flash in his game-he can find teammates through traffic with high-end passes. He plays a quality defensive game, hustles back to help defend-and he's hard on the backcheck. Identifies when needs to be aggressive, or conservative. Actively uses his stick to clog lanes, and take away space. Mazur is physical, and will lay the body to separate man from puck. He finishes checks, and is good along the boards and in the cycle. Competitive player all around.

As stated above, Mazur needs work on his shot accuracy. As is the case with most kids his age, he needs to get bigger and stronger. There are concerns about his offense at the next level. If He gets picked in this year's draft, it will be in the later rounds.

[Sandman]

LW Sean Tschigerl,6'0"181lbs (Calgary,WHL): 21gp/13g/8a/21pts, second in scoring for the Hitmen, tied for 13th in the league in goals-1st in goals for players under 18. It would seem that his game has come a long way from where it was last year, and even earlier this season. There was a perception in the past that Tschigerl was largely a perimeter player, not willing to battle in the greasy areas, and content to let his teammates do the dirty work to get him the puck. It now appears that scouts like his game more and more, as well as his effort and impact. He's taken on a more gung-ho, gritty, "buzzsaw" approach-plays an edgy game, and can lay the body. He shows tenacity on and off pucks, and plays a fearless, competitive, high-pressure game. Obviously, by looking at his stats, he's more of a scorer than playmaker, but he's impactful offensively in many ways, and has become a confident facilitator-he now opens space and time with regularity for himself and his teammates. Goes to the net, and finds soft spots in front, and puts himself in prime positions to receive.

Tschigerl's skating, edgework, and agility have improved from the simple, north-south skater he used to be. He has good form, and can accelerate or change direction with mobility, and separate on the rush. Uses deception in his movement and footwork to gain space, is very shifty in possession. Hard, heavy, accurate shot. He plays well without the puck, and wins battles-moves to danger areas, and makes himself an option. Uses his body to protect the puck well in tight situations. ST plays as though he has a bird's eye view of the ice-he has a high defensive awareness, and attention to detail. His back-pressure is immense, and he kills his opponents offensive flow with his quick, smart stick, and positioning. Forces turnovers defensively, and in transition, uses his speed and smarts to snuff breakouts, and has a high-battle level when defending.

Sean plays a pretty well-balanced, well-rounded game-there's not many holes, although it's questionable if he has enough high-end offensive potential to translate to the NHL. At worst, you'll be getting a dynamite energy player for your bottom-6, who can cycle down low, win battles, and compete everywhere. I read that he has a hitch in his shot mechanics that prevents him from getting the most out of it-so if he fixes it, he will be a really scary shooter. He's another player that will have to learn to stickhandle closer to his body more consistently-he can sometimes carry the puck too far out, leaving it vulnerable to poke-checks, turnovers, and over-handling. His skating has come a long way, but he'll need to continue building his speed and mobility. Decision-making is another area that has some room to improve. I'm thinking 3rd/4th round. His situation reminds me of Jake Virtanen a little bit.

[Sandman]

LHD Nolan Allan,6'2"194lbs (Prince Albert,WHL): 16gp/1g/1a/2pts,21PIM for the 14th place Raiders, and 2pts in 7 U-18 tournament games. I have to say that I didn't care much for the performances that came from U-18 Team Canada defenders Ethan del Mastro and Jack Matier (and there's advanced stats out there that paint a negative picture of most of the D on the team), who looked pretty slow and iffy with the puck on their sticks. I did, however, like Nolan Allan-he can skate, and move the puck. Nolan's defensive game is his bread and butter-he's a big defender, who's a killer in his own zone. Allan brings a defined, imposing presence to the backend, as he plays a stifling defensive game.

Allan is an excellent skater-he's athletic with a powerful stride, gets a lot out of his crossovers, is light on his feet, and has a good first few steps. Protects the crease, but stays in front of his opponents in order to simultaneously block shots. He's a killer on the cycle, and snuffs the opponents offense. Finds quick routes to the puck-carrier, leaving little time or space. Forces attackers to the wall, defends the rush with aggressiveness. Knows how and where to position himself-he's there to kill your breakout, there to force turnovers in the neutral zone, and he's there to stop you from setting up the cycle. He's physical, and ultra-competitive with edge. There's strength and power in his shots, and he has a good release, but he doesn't use this skill often enough.

Allan is not devoid of awareness, or ability in transition or in the offensive zone, it's just not the focus of his game. He's quite raw in that zone-he holds the line well, but doesn't venture too far from it. In breakouts, he looks to other players to carry or pass the puck. His puck-movement is very basic, but he's not a liability in possession. Not very creative with the puck, he looks to move it quickly, and cleanly. Working on showing more puck skills and better passing is a must, especially in breakouts. His defensive game shows great transferability, but modern-day defensemen have to have something going the other way. He needs to get stronger as well. Some say he'll go in the 2nd/3rd round.

[Sandman]

C/LW Viljami Marjala,6'0"179lbs (Quebec,QMJHL): 30gp/5g/22a/27pts, and added 5pts in 6 playoff games-third in scoring on the team, and second in the playoffs. Drafted 14th overall by Quebec in 2021. Last year, he was top-scorer for Finland's U17 team, ahead of such players as Koivunen, Huuhtanen, Salminen, and Kapanen. 3rd in scoring for Q rookies, which is quite impressive for a kid coming across the pond to play on smaller ice with a new team. Smart, unselfish, team-first player. Excellent offensive instincts, vision, and skill. Displays poise with the puck, and makes good decisions on the fly.

Marjala has soft hands, and shines in the playmaking department-uses elite deception to open space. Doesn't hold on to the puck for too long-relies on quick passes to avoid turnovers. Marjala shows decent finish, and shoots the puck well with a hard, accurate shot. He's a crafty player around the goal, and in-tight. His numbers would pop a lot more if he was to shoot in Quebec at the same rate he did with Karpat last year-it's puzzling to me, as he was more of a dual-threat over there. Very cerebral-he thinks and excecutes simultaneously, with safe, smart outcomes, always two steps ahead. He does many positive things that don't show up on the scoresheet. Skates well, with strong balance due to his low center of gravity-great edges and agility for tight areas. He's a rover on the PP, and runs the play from the half-wall-dissects defenses with his reads.

Viljami is reliable defensively, has great hockey-sense and understands his responsibilities. Hyper aware of where everyone is on the sheet, and competes hard for the puck. Exhibits good positioning, and plays bigger than his 179lbs-uses his body quite well. Wins battles, and prevents chances-he doesn't need to hit everything in sight. He backchecks hard and smart-he's often the first forward back in his own zone. Battles hard along the wall, and the dirty areas. Moving forward, Marjala needs a bit of work on his skating-he's fast, doesn't yet possess elite, or breakaway speed. He also of course, needs to shoot more. This is a player that will be good in any team's middle-6, but we'll see what his numbers look like this upcoming season before judging. 3rd/4th round.

[Sandman]

LHD Nikolai Makarov,6'4"234lbs (Krasniya Armiya Moskva,MHL): 40gp/0g/5a/5pts,43PIM, plus 1a in 7 games at the U-18s. I didn't know much about this player, but the word was that he could skate, so I watched some video, and I was indeed surprised to see how well he can move at that size! Makarov keeps it simple, guards the crease well, moves the puck up to his forwards, and patrols the wall. Holds the blueline, but doesn't try to do too much offensively. Guys his size who can skate AND move the puck are rare-if he continues to develop, he could be a great find. "Makarov is a large defenseman capable of making dangerous plays offensively. His gap control is good and he uses his reach to his advantage."-EPRinkside. 3rd-5th round?

C/W Pavel Tyutnev,5'10"185lbs (Loko Yaroslavl,MHL): 25gp/8g/11a/19pts,18PIM, with 10gp/4g/3a/7pts in the playoffs. Also had stops in the VHL, and KHL. Passed over in last year's draft, to the surprise of many. Bullet of a shot, lightning quick release, and accurate. Great vision, and can find teammates through traffic with ease. Strong lower body, and low center of gravity-makes him hard to knock off the puck. He's a great skater who can back defenses up on the forecheck, or force opponents to make mistakes under the pressure. Battles hard in the greasy areas, and won't back down, despite his size. Transitions quickly, and cleanly, and with control. Consistent in all 3 zones, plays with energy and pace, and is always a threat. "Think of any offensive tool, and Tyutnev has it." I'm guessing 4th/5th round.

C Oskar Jellvik,5'11"179lbs (Djurgardens J20): 13gp/6g/6a/12pts, and also had a stop in the SHL-which is very impressive. Swift skater, always involved in the offensive zone. Fantastic puck skills, and puck protection, and is dangerous even with an opponent checking him. Great puckhandler-challenges defenders with his moves, and cuts through traffic with or without the puck. Dangerous around the net, finds the soft spots in coverage, asset on the PP. Good, hard passer, and shooter. Works hard to get the puck, battles in tough areas. Active, smart stick. Needs to improve defensive game. 5th/6th round.

RHD Jonathan Myrenberg,6'2"190lbs (Linkoping J20): 15gp/3g/5a/8pts,10PIM, playing on the top-pairing, Saw time in the third-tier men's league, the HockeyEttan, with 9gp/0g/6a/6pts, and 4pts in 6 playoff games. All-around, strong skating D. Skates well, great edgework, moves very well in transition. Makes a good first-pass. Confident on the PP, finds opportunities. He reads the play well in all zones, stays calm under pressure, and makes it difficult for opponents to start their attack. Intercepts opposing players at the blueline, and will lay the body when needed. Good carrier and passer in transition-can exit and enter with control, and has a quality breakout pass. Needs to work on his consistency, as he will show both good and bad in the same game. This is the kind of player you hope to get in the mid-to-late rounds-I would say 4th-6th round.

RHD Vasili Shumilov,5'11"179lbs (Tolpar Ufa, MHL): 47gp/5g/16a/21pts,16PIM, playing behind 4 older players-he doesn't turn 18 until August, and he's still growing. Reads the ice very well-knows when to block the shot, or move so as not to screen the goalie. Doesn't give up his defensive responsibilities to score points, will stay back on the breakout with his D partner to cover if the play comes back the other way. Great skater, with fantastic edgework, which makes him good against the rush, and adept at closing gaps. Great positioning in all zones, and knows the right moment to pinch, or join the rush. I believe his offensive numbers would be much higher if not for his age, positon on his team, and unwillingness to take risks that might compromise his defense. Shumilov needs to get stronger, and more physical. He also has to improve his puck control, and get stronger on his stick. Tons of potential as an offensive defenseman here. 4th-7th rounds.

C/W Avery Hayes,5'10"165lbs (HK Levice, Slovakia2): 14gp/3g/6a/9pts, as a young man in a men's league, playing low minutes, he was 7th for players under 19 in p/gp. In 2019-20, he played for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL, scoring an impressive 29 points in 42 games-numbers that indicate to me the possibility that he would've had big numbers this year if the OHL was playing. Solid in all 3 zones, and a very accurate passer. Quick hands and feet, good shooter. Reads the play well, and goes to the battle areas, and the net-front. He's a smooth puckhandler, and an energy player. Made huge strides in his game this year. He needs to further upgrade his skating, and get stronger. His defensive game needs some improvements as well. 5th-7th rounds.

[Freeway]

Tschigerl is underrated. Good player.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Tschigerl is underrated. Good player.

If we took Tschigerl, we could call him Chigurh.

[Nelson]

Craig Button has Cole Sillinger to the Flames in his latest mock, always interesting because of the Button connection. Also, Sillinger just strikes me as the kind of player Brad Treliving drafts.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Nelson

Craig Button has Cole Sillinger to the Flames in his latest mock, always interesting because of the Button connection. Also, Sillinger just strikes me as the kind of player Brad Treliving drafts.

I really don't want another player that needs to work on his skating :/

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

I really don't want another player that needs to work on his skating :/

From Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who ranks Sillinger 10th:

Sillinger’s got a wow factor to his game that few prospects in this draft class have (outside of Johnson). He has been sensational with the Stampede in the USHL, using his slick hands and one-on-one to get to the home plate area, and his shot to finish. Sillinger, who is a dual citizen through his dad (former NHLer Mike Sillinger), has also made the decision to stay in Sioux Falls until the season is over, instead of returning to Medicine Hat for the start of the WHL season (which would have required he quarantine for 14 days). His ability to score from mid-to-long range with his wrister and one-timer, create for himself, and then open up his vision when he’s marked closely to play pucks to his linemates makes him a ton of fun to watch. He also already looks like a pro in terms of his frame, which helps him stay on pucks and win 50-50 pucks along the wall. Though he’s not a burner as a skater, he looks quicker this season than he did a year ago, strengthening the likelihood that his top-six skill will translate.

That was encouraging for me to read.

[Nelson]

Based on Bingo's rankings, I'm thinking we want one of Lysell or Sillinger unless someone falls.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Nelson

Craig Button has Cole Sillinger to the Flames in his latest mock, always interesting because of the Button connection. Also, Sillinger just strikes me as the kind of player Brad Treliving drafts.

To clarify - it's the same pick he had for the Flames post lottery. He's just updated his mocks to include the remaining picks that are now set.

[Monahammer]

Sillinger would be a big pickup. IMO he's a top 5 pick without COVID.