Prospect Info: [Official]: 2016 Draft Thread

[King In The North]

So the majority seems to favour a top forward, what do you think our solution will be finding a 2nd pairing defenseman? Not sure how successful a long term Gio-Engelland pairing will be.

Gio-Brodie
???-Hamilton

 

[Kahvi]

I really hope Flames get Laine. Liiga's playoff goal scoring record in one season is 12 I think, and Laine now has 9 goals.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

So the majority seems to favour a top forward, what do you think our solution will be finding a 2nd pairing defenseman? Not sure how successful a long term Gio-Engelland pairing will be.

Gio-Brodie
???-Hamilton

One of Rasmus Andersson, Brandon Hickey, Oliver Kylington, or Brett Kulak should develop into a top 4 D.

 

[Kahvi]

1+2 for Laine so far tonight. I have to settle to stat watching but his playoff numbers are really impressive for a rookie. 9+5 in 16 games.

 

[tfong]

Not sure we get Laine

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Not sure we get Laine

<---- ABEPlease

Stands for "Anyone but Edmonton, Please"

 

[Kahvi]

I don't know what I'm gonna do if Laine ends up in Edmonton

 

[tfong]

I don't know what I'm gonna do if Laine ends up in Edmonton

Same thing as when they got McDavid? lol.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I don't know what I'm gonna do if Laine ends up in Edmonton

The salary cap is going to doom the Oilers shortly. It's going to be funny to watch Connor McDavid get offersheeted for 13 million and go play somewhere else.

 

[Kahvi]

I'm a Flames fan and a Finnish homer. How can I root for Laine if he plays for Edmonton?

 

[The Gnome]

So the majority seems to favour a top forward, what do you think our solution will be finding a 2nd pairing defenseman? Not sure how successful a long term Gio-Engelland pairing will be.

Gio-Brodie
???-Hamilton

As stated already we have that coming in our pipeline I believe. Andersson is looking more and more like a legit top 4 guy (I know he hasn't played in the show yet), he has all the tools.

Jokkipaka is a solid stop gap for now, and he still has room to grow.

I feel like our Defense is fine moving forward. We just need to dump Smid and Wideman. If Engelland has to go for cap reasons I get it. But I like him and think he's a great fit as a bottom pairing guy.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

So the majority seems to favour a top forward, what do you think our solution will be finding a 2nd pairing defenseman? Not sure how successful a long term Gio-Engelland pairing will be.

Gio-Brodie
???-Hamilton

Short term, doesn't matter if we draft Chychrun, Juolevi, Sergachyev, Fabbro, or Bean. None of these players will be fast-tracked to our #4D spot, they will all be expected to pay their dues in Junior and the minors. Don't even expect to "slot" our first rounder in any time soon. Longer term, we have a lot of players with #4 upside, it's just a matter of seeing which one (or more) sticks and adapts to the speed and skill at this level. It could be Wotherspoon as a Paul Martin type. It could be Hickey as Hamonic type. It could be Kylington as a Keith type. It could be Kulak as a Vlasic type. It could be Culkin as a Vlasic type. It could be Andersson as a Doughty type. It could be Ollas-Mattsson as a Hjalmarsson type. It could be Sieloff as a Despres type. Or maybe it's just Jokipakka getting better and taking a step forward in his development under Hartley's guidance as Russell, Brodie, Giordano did before him. A LOT of our prospects have top 4 upside it's just a matter of seeing who fits and adapts and who falls behind and doesn't.

Look at all our prospects at D, what do they all have in common? They're all awesome first passers, most of them can skate very well (maybe not AOM but he's huge), they can think the game in every zone and they've shown a solid progression (with the exception of Culkin, but injuries may be to blame as he was probably our second best D on the farm just a year ago). None of them are braindead Shultz types. The only prospect we've drafted that has no top 4 upside would be Keegan Kanzig, he is pretty much horrible.

I prefer the dart-throwing approach for Dmen, whereas forwards are easier to predict therefore a better investment in the first round.

 

[Qubax]

Yah I completely expect one of Hickey, Wotherspoon, Kylington, Olaf Mattson, or Kulak to have legit Top 4 - 19-21 minutes a night ability in them.

I think we need to remember that Gio, Brodie and Hamilton are going to be fine logging 24-27 mins a night for the next several years (a decade plus for Bro/Ham).

The #4 on that pairing can be the best of the Lefthanded D in the system, all of which are 18/19 - 24 years old. They are getting old enough and experienced enough to do the job with Hamilton.

And for part or all of next year if Jokipaks can hold them off with strong play then we are just stronger for this.

I wouldn't draft a Dman with the first 2 rounds of picks unless there was an obvious faller (Bean to the 2nd round).

Try and add the scoring wingers that Klimchuk and Poirer are looking like they probably won't be.

 

[Body Checker]

Tkachuk, nylander, Dubois, Jost or McLeod - at least one of these guys will be available to Calgary so that's exciting

 

[JPeeper]

So the majority seems to favour a top forward, what do you think our solution will be finding a 2nd pairing defenseman? Not sure how successful a long term Gio-Engelland pairing will be.

Gio-Brodie
???-Hamilton

We have 4-5 prospects who could become a #4 d-man easily, if not higher (Andersson has top pairing potential) so I wouldn't worry about that. As nice as it would be to have 4 legit top 4 d-man, I'd rather have more than 3/6 top 6 forwards, thus drafting a high end forward this draft is more a priority.

Frolik, Backlund and Colborne as a 2nd line with Bennett as a wildcard isn't winning you a Championship.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

We have 4-5 prospects who could become a #4 d-man easily, if not higher (Andersson has top pairing potential) so I wouldn't worry about that. As nice as it would be to have 4 legit top 4 d-man, I'd rather have more than 3/6 top 6 forwards, thus drafting a high end forward this draft is more a priority.

Frolik, Backlund and Colborne as a 2nd line with Bennett as a wildcard isn't winning you a Championship.

Lets slow down the hype train just a bit there.

 

[Calgareee]

We have 4-5 prospects who could become a #4 d-man easily, if not higher (Andersson has top pairing potential) so I wouldn't worry about that. As nice as it would be to have 4 legit top 4 d-man, I'd rather have more than 3/6 top 6 forwards, thus drafting a high end forward this draft is more a priority.

Frolik, Backlund and Colborne as a 2nd line with Bennett as a wildcard isn't winning you a Championship.

Colbourne-Backlund-Frolik is a perfect third line IMO. Good size, puck protection, two way play. A fourth line of Ferland-Staj
an/Grant-Hathaway with energy, physical play and good forechecking.

We just need to figure out the second (scoring line) and finish off our first line. So essentially we need three top 6 forwards. Whether those are filled internally over the next few years(Shinkaruk, Poirier, Jankowski, Bennet, Mangiapaine (calgarys breadman), this years first), through free agency, or trades will be interesting. I'm hoping we don't go shopping for any big name UFA's for a couple years and stick to trades for younger guys if anything.

 

[Lunatik]

Colbourne-Backlund-Frolik is a perfect third line IMO. Good size, puck protection, two way play. A fourth line of Ferland-Staj
an/Grant-Hathaway with energy, physical play and good forechecking.

We just need to figure out the second (scoring line) and finish off our first line. So essentially we need three top 6 forwards. Whether those are filled internally over the next few years(Shinkaruk, Poirier, Jankowski, Bennet, Mangiapaine (calgarys breadman), this years first), through free agency, or trades will be interesting. I'm hoping we don't go shopping for any big name UFA's for a couple years and stick to trades for younger guys if anything.

No team will ever have 3 0.5 point per game players on their 3rd line

I really think people are expecting too much from our forwards. I always hear about how these guys aren't 2nd liners, but the fact is they are, it's just better to have 1 player who produces more than they do on the 2nd line.

 

[BigRangy]

Anybody see Brinson Pasichnuk play? I was looking at Eliteprospects notables and his stat line was very interesting 20 goals 65 points 161 PIM in 52 games did I mention he's a d-man?

Coming back to this from a month ago, I watched some Pasichnuk videos on youtube, and it really seems like he could be a player. Great hands for a d-man, and a cannon of a slapper. I don't think he is actually 6'0" though, he looks way shorter than his brother who is listed at 6'3". One of their measurements is definitely off.

Looking at his stats, there hasn't been a draft eligible d-man in the AJHL with this good of a season in a looooong time. For reference, Flames prospect darling Brandon Hickey had just 22 points in 49 games in his draft year. Pasichnuk has triple the production.

No reason for this guy not to go in the top 90. I just wish there was more video available of him.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I've been pumping Logan Browns tires for a while now. Button tweeted today he expects him to be picked in the top 8.

Could seriously see the Flames going for this guy at 6 or 7.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Yeah I could see the Flames drafting someone like Brown for sure if they pick 7th or 8th. Damn the top 15 or so in this draft is pretty stacked, lots of potential topline players and top 3 dman.

 

[herashak]

Getting another top 6 forward is the priority this draft. I'm not worried about finding someone to round out the top 4, i'm confident the flames have a couple top 4 Dmen in the pipeline.

 

[Volica]

Getting another top 6 forward is the priority this draft. I'm not worried about finding someone to round out the top 4, i'm confident the flames have a couple top 4 Dmen in the pipeline.

I think that's what Calgary will get.
The top 3 are straight forward; all three of them will slot directly into the opening day lineup in a top 6 position right away

I think Tkachuk and Nylander are our guys. Here's hoping we don't fall farther than 5th OA.

I sincerely doubt Calgary picks up a Dman with their pick; that'd actually be an incredibly dumb move. You're top 3 is set for the next 4-5 years, I imagine your top pair of Dougie and Brodie will be set in the next two; your best non-goalie prospects are Dmen.. and you have guys banging on the door already. It'd be a luxury, and not a need. A need is another top talent up-front; without having to pay someone like Lucic or Okposo +6 million to do it.

Unless Dallas pick turns out to be a first and someone like Fabbro or something slips; that's all I'd do with Dmen in the first round.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Logan Brown has two goals 11 minutes in against Canada in the bronze medal game. Every time I see him he gets better.

Keller looks good too. Him and Brown are killing Canada.

 

[Lunatik]

Logan Brown has two goals 11 minutes in against Canada in the bronze medal game. Every time I see him he gets better.

Keller looks good too. Him and Brown are killing Canada.

Logan Brown will be drafted by Carolina.