There wasn't the top end prospect in 2012 but in the first round only a couple of players haven't played in the NHL and over half have become regulars, so it was a pretty good draft in my eyes.
A lot of solid guys for sure, but not a lot of high end flashy skill.
There are a few guys that are good, Da Chief's list is pretty good, but there isn't really a second tier beyond that.
Only about 8-10 guys that are noteworthy and the rest at this point are your typical mid/late 1st rounders. That can of course change over the course of the season, but it's not great as it stands right now. Last year there were about 18-22 guys that were interesting in some capacity at this point. Two of those guys fell off (Sprong and Kylington). There isn't the quantity of good as there was the last couple years. Mind you the past three drafts were some of the strongest since 2000. I would only consider trading our 1st if it was 15 or later with emphasis on later. With the Flames start, there's pretty much no way I'd deal it.
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Last edited by Caged Great; 10-31-2015 at 07:29 PM.
The other Finn, Patrik Laine, is a pretty good option for the Flames too. Similar size to Puljujarvi and also a right-shot winger. Not as a good skater as Puljujarvi, but his offensive ceiling might be higher. Red line pegs Puljujarvi as the better 2-way player though.
I would love to snag the top pick in the draft. Matthews can be the top line winger the team needs going forward or another great option at centre.
If the Flamea landed the Matthews pick perhaps the Coyotes would be so desperate to get the kid the Flames could get Strome+ the Yotes 1st which is likely top 10
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Fair enough, but the 6-foot-3, 230-pound (that's his height and weight from the Steelheads' website) defenceman remains exceptionally interesting.
He showed up to Hockey Canada's Under-18 camp this past summer weighing 248 pounds. He did not earn a spot on Canada's roster for the Ivan Hlinka tourney, virtually unheard of for a seemingly high-end prospect. But he's also one of the most powerful and gifted skaters ever seen in any draft year.
On any given night, when NHL scouts show up to see elite Top 10 draft talent on the Steelheads (Michael McLeod and Alex Nylander), Day alternately wows them and terrifies them, often on the same shift.
Here's a sampling of the scouts' comments:
"NHL size, NHL skater, NHL passer, NHL shooter, limited hockey sense," one said.
"He skates so well, passes the puck like a pro, he has so much poise, there is a lot to like," said another scout. "There's also lot not to like. Is he in shape? Probably not. Does he lack urgency in his game? Yes. I'd really like to put this kid under the microscope to see what makes him tick. He's only 17 years old."
"Incredible tools," a third scout said. "He can make the game look easy and then makes it incredibly difficult. Horrible body language when not used the way he wants to be. Does he love the game? Lots of questions but he has NHL assets galore."
It's far too early to say when Day will be drafted. Some scouts have already said they wouldn't take him at all – too many red flags – but a flash poll of scouts puts Day's early-season consensus in the 20 to 40 range. That is, gifted enough to be a first-round pick but far from being a lock to go in the top 30.
Never liked players who had all the world in their hands and never capitalized on it. Sean Day having those things said about him are concerning for what would be a top 5 pick if he actually invested in himself.
Kind of like Alex Semin, you just know he could be the best player in hockey if he invested in himself. Ugh. Hope Day turns it around.
Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi? Any one of them would be amazing to pick up. Tyler Benson is on my radar too.
Perhaps there is a story behind his issues much like olly kylington. Maybe it is just him being a lazy overhyped young player. I think he has a lot of potential just from the sounds of him. Haven't seen him in action though. Unfortunately hockey iq and reading the game is huge for a dman. I'd definitely take a flier on him in the late first round. But that's probably why I'm not a gm.
From the way it seems he just isn't passionate about hockey. How could you be granted exceptional status to play in the ohl early and then have a silly attitude, be in bad condition and show poor body language.
I could see him being one of those players who retires early due to losing interest in the game. At 17 he should be fully up for hockey and dying to prove himself. Maybe a case of too much too soon?
Sounds like he could be a player if he gets his head figured out, hits the gym and develops a better understanding of the game.
Those Finns look amazing. The Tkachuk kid sounds like what we need. And then there's Matthews. Looking like a good top end already and I'm sure it'll sound even better coming up to the draft. I guess if we suck this year there'll be a silver lining.
^^^ Interesting that ISS has Max Jones ranked a whole lot higher than almost anyone else. I think Button has him in the 20's and ISS has him at 3. He's certainly going to be an interesting guy to keep an eye on.
Those 2 Americans that joined the London Knights are polar opposites. Max Jones is scoring some goals but has only 4 assists in in 13 games and Matt Tkachuck has 19 assists in 15 games but doesnt score many goals.
