Poll: Lets rank the Treliving/Burke 2014 draft

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

But if Bennett becomes a 1/2 centre as expected, we get 2 bottom 6 wingers. If macDonald doesn't pan out is it good?

Absolutely! A 1/2 C and 2 bottom 6 forwards is a GREAT draft.

Three players from a draft isn't average, it's excellent.

Even the teams that have been really successful in the draft in recent years only typically have 8 or 9 guys on the roster that they drafted. 10 or 11 would be very high.

4 or 5 internal draft picks isn't uncommon, and the Flames had only 1 (I think) at one point a couple years ago.

Getting 3 players in a draft is massive. And it could well be that the Flames got as many as 10 or more in the last 4 drafts!

[FlameZilla]

Considering the level of talent (or lack thereof according to some) this year, it looks like the Flames have had a great draft.

Sam Bennett immediately becomes the best prospect the Flames have had since... well... ever?!

Some people might think McDonald and Smith were picked a bit soon. I honestly think if those two were earmarked as the guys Treliving wanted out of the 2nd round then it is perfectly reasonable for them to be selected where they were. I guarantee there were teams that were disappointed when both those two had their names called by the Flames. Neither would have made it to the 3rd round.

The Bollig trade adds a proven winner. Bottom line plugger yes, but he can play a little bit and works hard. I'm hoping this trade also opens up a channel of communication between Calgary and Chicago. The Hawks are going to have to do some tinkering in the next couple of months to get their ideal lineup cap-compliant. A 3rd for Bollig is quite generous, so perhaps the Blackhawks will call Treliving if some decent talent like Jeremy Morin becomes available due to waiver eligibility.

Nice work Brad and Brian on your first draft together! Maybe a bit lucky for Bennett to fall to 4, but they still had to make the pick! A-

[wwkayaker]

I think the draft was great as we got one of the best players available. After Bennett, I don't know the players but isn't it always a crapshoot in the later picks? As for Bollig, I am happy because he brings some winning experience to the Flames.

[Fire]

Solid draft. Need to wait at least 5 years to rank it.

[neo45]

I think the draft just sucked. I mean, Washingston spent a 4th rounder on a guy who was already playing for their AHL team...

[Red John]

Originally Posted by New Era

My numbers were not based on the performance or potential of the player, but that of the GM. I thought we were rating that performance, not the player?

How can you rate the performance of the GM when it's directly tied to the players he drafts?

You weren't at the draft table. Don't know the Flames list. Couldn't listen in on the trade offers that were received and rejected. Don't know the scouts recommendations. Oblivious to all the scenarios that were probably presented and discussed at length.

You can be happy with the selections or not, but rating the GM is stupid.

[Mike F]

Bennett was a no brainer. You don't get credit for taking the last remaining of an obvious top 4.

After that.... I don't like taking a goalie in the second round, as they're the least likely to develop into a bona fide NHLer and have the longest development path. Having said that, I know nothing about any of the players taken or passed on....

So, I'd rate Treliving's performance as: Incomplete Information

[Red John]

Also that post was not directed at you specifically New Era. There are other well-known posters here that say they "scout" players but all it means is they watch highlight clips.

Some just go by the "consensus" ranking and if the player is ranked lower than they were drafted they say it's a bad pick.

Then there's others like Scott Cullen who don't watch games, they just pore over stat lines and box scores.

It's all stupid. Too many people just forget that this isn't like watching a game live or on TV and then giving your grades based on what you saw. These are prospects 99% of people have never ever watched play, let alone live.

[Enoch Root]

Love all these 'Bennett was a no-brainer' comments...

The Flames could have chosen someone else/. And many fans were whining about exactly that happening.

Bottom line is this: the Flames took Monahan last year and Bennett this year.

So can we stop with all the "Flames always go off the boards, have to be smarter than everyone else" garbage?

[CalgaryFan1988]

I like the first 2 picks right now, after that it's a crapshoot. I would have rathered McKeown, but after reading a lot on McDonald I'm a lot happier than I was initially.

[kn]

We potentially got the best forward and goaltender available and potentially added a Lucic player on RW with Smith. Hickey apparently has "world class skating" and is heading to Boston University to develop.

I'm not sure what's not to like...

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Red John

How can you rate the performance of the GM when it's directly tied to the players he drafts?

Pretty simple. The GM is the guy who manages the action going on and drives the bus, so to speak. I just look at it as did I like the pick at the given time? Looking at what was available and what was missing in our system did I like the pick at that time?

You weren't at the draft table.

Neither were you, so stfu about it already!

Don't know the Flames list. Couldn't listen in on the trade offers that were received and rejected. Don't know the scouts recommendations. Oblivious to all the scenarios that were probably presented and discussed at length.

That's right. But did I like the outcome? I don't know all of the decisions that went into engineering my car, wasn't privy to all the arguments over design and marketing, wasn't aware of decisions made at the dealership, but I sure like how it turned out, so I bought it.

You can be happy with the selections or not, but rating the GM is stupid.

No, having this argument with you is stupid. But I've got nothing else to do for the next hour, so....

[bucksmasher]

Guys like McDonald and Smith can make this draft a boom or a bust..........in 5 years we'll know

[Ashasx]

Bennett - 10/10 but like Monahan was an obvious pick.

McDonald - 5/10 didn't want a goalie in the 2nd round, but I'm glad we took him over Demko who is having double hip surgery.

Smith - 3/10 typical Burke pick. Might be Brian Boyle, more likely to be a fighter. Not somebody I'd take with an early pick.

Hickey - 5/10 just very frustrating not to pick Glover who is a big-bodied, right-shooting defenceman. Surprised to see a Burke-run team pass on a player like him.

Ollas-Mattsson - 7/10 from what I've read not a very good skater but not much else desirable to pick after him. I can respect that he was ranked in the 2nd round in some reports.

Carroll - 4/10 don't really understand this. Would have preferred going after some skill with somebody like Francis Perron or Spencer Watson since it's the 7th round.

Overall 7/10 because of Bennett. Seemed like the Flames tried to compensate for his lack of size with every other selection after him.


Just for fun these are the players I would have taken at these positions:

4th: C Sam Bennett

34th: RD Roland McKeown

54th: RD Jack Glover

64th: LW Anton Karlsson

175th: LD Ollas-Mattsson seems like a fine pick

184th: LW Francis Perron

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Bennett - 10/10 but like Monahan was an obvious pick.

McDonald - 5/10 didn't want a goalie in the 2nd round, but I'm glad we took him over Demko who is having double hip surgery.

Smith - 3/10 typical Burke pick. Might be Brian Boyle, more likely to be a fighter. Not somebody I'd take with an early pick.

Hickey - 5/10 just very frustrating not to pick Glover who is a big-bodied, right-shooting defenceman. Surprised to a Burke-run team pass on a player like him.

Ollas-Mattsson - 7/10 from what I've read not a very good skater but not much else desirable to pick after him. I can respect that he was ranked in the 2nd round in some reports.

Carroll - 4/10 don't really understand this. Would have preferred going after some skill with somebody like Francis Perron or Spencer Watson since it's the 7th round.

Overall 7/10 because of Bennett. Seemed like the Flames tried to compensate for his lack of size with every other pick.

The Hickey pick is evidence that this draft was not being run by Burke. Hickey, a very similar pick to T.J. Brodie, highlights to me the type of defenceman that Tod Button seems to favour. Great wheels, good offensive instincts & a good slap shot. Kulak & Culkin are similarly rated prospects. I think it's pretty obvious the type of defenceman that Button picks.

[Baxter Renegade]

I really like Bennett, McDonald and Mattson.

These three guys alone make the draft a huge success. The next few years are going to be pretty epic for us Flames fans.

[Caged Great]

My picks would've been

Bennett
McKeown
Glover
Hickey
Haydon
Mattsson
Wolff

and not acquired Bollig. One forward in Bennett, and 6 big D-men.

[nik-]

McKeown and Glover with those two picks would have been a pretty amazing draft.

[Ashasx]

Outside of the 1st round, one team that seems have have had an eerily similar draft to us is Montreal. This is somewhat comforting because I would consider the Canadiens to be one of the stronger drafting teams over the last few draft years.

[kirant]

Just snap reactions. I really liked the Coda Gordon pick at the time but it seems pretty bad in hindsight.

Bennett - 10/10. Not like he had many other options though.
McDonald - 7/10. I'd prefer Demko even with his bumps over the season. Really like the idea of taking big goalies. McDonald sounds a lot like Gillies in his aggressive positioning and it'll be nice having 3 chances at a starter for the future..
Smith - 5/10. Not really sure what to think about him yet. I've heard lots good and lots bad about Smith. His is big and big is good though and if it works he'll be a good player in the long run. He's trending in the right direction and has the sound of a 3rd line player. On the other hand, some claim his skill isn't great and looks easy to panic and force turnovers from. The stories of him being manhandled by Bennett appear to occur with other players as well. I'll wait to make a decision whether I like or dislike him though...he might need time to adjust to his size and to round out as a much complete "big" player.
Hickey - 4/10. I'll admit I had Glover marked in this spot. I haven't seen much come from AJHL in terms of drafting so I'll trust the scouting department until we get a better look at him.
Bollig acquisition - 5/10. About what I expected Bollig to go at...he'll probably a 3rd/4th tweener for the Flames for the next little while. If Gaudreau is an NHLer in that time I'd be comfortable with Bollig patrolling the ice for him as I can't imagine McGrattan will be used much past the 4th line.
Mattsson - 8/10. Really like the selection of a physical defender of his ilk this late. Not much offensive upside in my mind but I like the sounds of him so far.
Carroll - 3/10. I get the reasoning for drafting as oppose to signing him...but I'm not sold on him either. Would love to see an monster line of Carroll - Bennett - Smith, Kanzig - Ollas-Matson sometime. Another line brawl

Overall - 6/10. About average picking outside of Bennett though I like the Mattson pick.

Here's my personal draft preferences given what they had available at each position:

4th: C Sam Bennett
34th: G Thatcher Demko
54th: LD Jack Glover
64th: RW Alex Schoenborn or RD Ryan Mantha
175th: LD Adam Ollas-Mattsson
184th: G Edwin Minney