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

[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.

[Love]

(answering for Laine)

A) No chance in hell

B) Still no, but the gap has been closed

C) No

D) No

[SeanCharles]

Laine has a shot that only comes around every so often. He's this generations Ovechkin. It would be hard to pass that up especially considering he is 6'5" and shoots right. He is also a player known for hitting hard and playing gritty.

I love Tkachuk but Matthews and Laine were the top 2 players and it may be early but they should stay as the top 2 from that draft.

Tkachuk may end up being the 3rd best player and that is supposedly where the Flames had him ranked. If he could improve his skating he could be a top player in the league, I have no doubt about that.

I think the answer is you take Laine every time at 2 no matter who you are and/or if you already know the trajectories for their first couple years in the league.

I love Tkachuk as a Flame though so I'm in no way disappointed with how things turned out. If anything I'm happy as hell because I really didn't think we'd end up with one of the top 5 ranked forwards, let alone Tkachuk who is a beauty.

Thanks again Vancouver!

[Yrebmi]

nm

[KootenayFlamesFan]

A big, right handed sniper. No way the fans or the organization pass on that then or now. Of course today the gap is much closer than it was at the draft, but you still take Laine, especially for a team short on right handed snipers.

[devo22]

I absolutely love Chucky and will be thankful to Dim Jim forever, but there's no way I would have wanted them to pick him over Laine. I remember all those trade rumours ahead of the draft and actually wanted the Flames to trade up ... a right handed winger with a great shot was exactly what they needed. So also "no" to C and D, Laine would have been a perfect fit and even though Tkachuk has been awesome: you don't pass on a 35/30 winger.

[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.

[Vinny01]

Matthews, Laine, Tkachuk is the reorder of that draft. As much as I love Tkachuk Laine is the better player and missing piece on this team

[Robbob]

Laine every time. Twice today because it's Sunday.

[tvp2003]

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.

This. Laine at 2 was (and still is) a no-brainer.

The much more compelling question is what happens at 3. I don't think the Flames take Dubois or Juolevi. That leaves JP, Tkachuk, or trading down.

[Table 5]

I remember being pretty pissed that the Oilers lucked into picking Puljujarvi. If the Flames had been at 3, I would’ve expected them to pick him or Dubois.

[Gaskal]

No question Laine, even though Matthew's a phenomenal player currently. A big RH sniper on a team that can be starved for offense at times, particularly on the powerplay.

[jlh2640]

I said all along even that day he should have went 3rd to Columbus. But I will gladly take him as I was happy that day. Laine and Matthews are even better but do not add some of the things that Matt does.

[oldschoolcalgary]

love Chucky... but the answer has to be 4 no's to the four questions.

Laine has the potential to be a 50 + scorer... very tough to turn down

now that said, in 3-5 years? who knows... there's a chance that Tkachuk's game continues to evolve and he fills out and adds another 15 pounds of muscle, while Laine remains one dimensional.

however based on the question, i think the answer is Laine

[rohara66]

Laine was virtually invisible yesterday prior to overtime. Had to check in the second period if he was even playing.

[Bingo]

I was at my wife's family reunion missing the draft while playing volleyball in a dusty field.

My son yells "Dad, the Jackets took Dubios!" and I was more than choked that the Oilers lucked their way to JP, I didn't even look at my phone for the next three hours.

Then over dinner my son again "Dad, the Flames got Tkachuk!" and I was shocked.

Great outcome.

Dubois is coming on, but Tkachuk is more than a player on the ice, he's a future captain, and a guy that sets the tone.

So happy Vancouver messed this up.

[FlamesFanTrev]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I was at my wife's family reunion missing the draft while playing volleyball in a dusty field.

My son yells "Dad, the Jackets took Dubios!" and I was more than choked that the Oilers lucked their way to JP, I didn't even look at my phone for the next three hours.

Then over dinner my son again "Dad, the Flames got Tkachuk!" and I was shocked.

Great outcome.

Dubois is coming on, but Tkachuk is more than a player on the ice, he's a future captain, and a guy that sets the tone.

So happy Vancouver messed this up.

Yup exactly right. Matthews and Laine are great goal scorers, and were absolutely drafted in the right spot. But Matty was exactly what this team needed. Comming off a year when many flames fans were asking tough questions about grit and heart, Matty came out and took his job on this team. He brought an pest element that we haven't seen in Calgary since Fluery, and drags his team into the game. Backland and Frolik are great players, but if you think they would have been a top tier line last year with anyone other then Tkchuck, your seriously selling him short. Draft day couldn't have gone better for the flames. I don't think thier draft selection counter even dropped a full minute when Matty was found to be still on the board. I visualized Treliving mashing the Tkchuck button right after Vancouver's draft pick, and causing a system lag that accounts for the 45 second time gap for the selection.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I was at my wife's family reunion missing the draft while playing volleyball in a dusty field.

My son yells "Dad, the Jackets took Dubios!" and I was more than choked that the Oilers lucked their way to JP, I didn't even look at my phone for the next three hours.

Then over dinner my son again "Dad, the Flames got Tkachuk!" and I was shocked.

Great outcome.

Dubois is coming on, but Tkachuk is more than a player on the ice, he's a future captain, and a guy that sets the tone.

So happy Vancouver messed this up.

I see him as future captain also. I know many posters want Backlund signed long term, but for me, the most important player going forward getting long term is Tkachuk. I want 8 years for this kid. We have needed this kind of "pest player" with skill for way to long. I remember in the "country club days" i wanted a pest so badly on the team that i thought Sean Avery should be traded for. Every team running for a cup needs a player like Tkachuk.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Matthews, Laine, Tkachuk is the reorder of that draft. As much as I love Tkachuk Laine is the better player and missing piece on this team

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.

[neo45]

Thankful every day that our two biggest rivals passed on him


May those two GM’s stay forever