93 replies to this topic

[jjgallow]

Currently, we're in position to get the 13th overall draft pick, which is the exact lucky position which landed us the steal of last year's draft (Sven Baertschi).

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=58415

Question: Can we do it again? How would you do it?


With the way the Flames are currently "playing", it is reasonable that we can assume a top-ten player will be made available to us (5-10). Which would you pick? What's your strategy?


My own take on this: Always draft BPA. Always...always...always. That's how we landed Baertschi. Sure, we needed a Centre. But, he was simply the highest-ranked player available, by standardized ranking system.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=67005

Sounds easy, but the Flames have not historically been very good at following this method.

My top pick: ALEX GALCHENYUK. It's an easy one this year, for me. And this time, maybe the "BPA" folks will get along with the "draft by need" folks. Because, he's a Centre. Despite being ranked neck and neck with Yakupov at one point, he is likely going to be available to us due to a knee injury. We will have a rare shot at the most talented Centre in the draft. All the talk will be about Grigorenko (ranked 2nd overall), but up until his injury, Glachenyuk was clearly the superior centre.

Galchenyuk is a high-risk move. There is a very likely chance that he never recovers from his injury, or never catches up in his hockey development (just as bad). But, he has the potential to be a superstar. More potential than anyone else who will be available to us. For myself, that's an easy decision.

[ConnorFutureGM]

Galchenyuk will likely be drafted in the top 10 unless teams are worried about the Russian factor. He was raised in the states but he was said the "have options". This refers to Russia pursuing him to play there.

[jjgallow]

Galchenyuk will likely be drafted in the top 10 unless teams are worried about the Russian factor. He was raised in the states but he was said the "have options". This refers to Russia pursuing him to play there.

I admire you for not having given up on the season yet..

[senor_incendiarse]

I admire you for not having given up on the season yet..

He's an Oiler fan, but reality is we likely wont be in the top ten, fact is we have a good enough lead on the teams in the bottom 10 that we should avoid it. So the only hope would be the lottery which is pretty low odds.

[Crzydrvr]

Galchenyuk will likely be drafted in the top 10 unless teams are worried about the Russian factor. He was raised in the states but he was said the "have options". This refers to Russia pursuing him to play there.

He's already committed to playing for the US internationally so I don't see any problems there.

The biggest thing to me is to see how he fares in the playoffs. Obviously he'll have to get a little leeway because he just came back from a major knee injury, but we know how good he is. What we should be looking for now is how willing he is to compete even when he maybe isn't at 100%.

I don't think we'll have to worry about his knee as much, if he's cleared to play then you have to assume that his knee is ready for games, especially given how careful they've been with it over the course of the season.

[jjgallow]

He's already committed to playing for the US internationally so I don't see any problems there.

The biggest thing to me is to see how he fares in the playoffs. Obviously he'll have to get a little leeway because he just came back from a major knee injury, but we know how good he is. What we should be looking for now is how willing he is to compete even when he maybe isn't at 100%.

I don't think we'll have to worry about his knee as much, if he's cleared to play then you have to assume that his knee is ready for games, especially given how careful they've been with it over the course of the season.

My guess is you'll see him continue to drop in the draft rankings for the reasons aforementioned above.

It's no small task to just instantly perform in the playoffs. There's conditioning, there's the fact that all your other team mates have a whole season of development over you. I'm really not expecting anything from him in these playoffs, but then I'm not really expecting him to go top ten.

My guess is that he will need another year in junior, whereas without the injury he'd be pushing to crack an NHL roster next year. So you give him his year of development in junior (or the AHL potentially), and hope that he catches up.

But, I don't see how he can meet expectations this year and that's frankly to the Flames advantage.

[JTech780]

I am really intrigued by Radek Faksa. It seems like he is a big strong center with good hockey sense. My first pick would be Galchenyuk for sure but I would like to see what Faksa's potential is.

[cross16]

I don't think Galenchyuk makes it out of the top 10 unless he totally bombs in the playoffs and if he does then it will really depend on how he checks out medically to see if he should even be drafted. I don't really think the Russian thing is going to scare teams it'l be how he responds to the surgically reparied knee.

I'm a best player available guy too regardless of position it doesn't matter to me unless you have two players who are in a dead heat, then pick the player you need more, but the board should be arragned to who you think is the best player. In the teens, I really like Girgenson, Cody Ceci, and Jacob Trouba. Ceci and Trouba could be gone by then, so Girgenson would be the best player left.

[jjgallow]

I am really intrigued by Radek Faksa. It seems like he is a big strong center with good hockey sense. My first pick would be Galchenyuk for sure but I would like to see what Faksa's potential is.

Good call...me too. Not that we have to draft a Centre, but again, he would likely be a BPA if he were available.

You're taking a totally different approach by picking him, and I think both approaches are equally valid. Faksa has shot up the rankings and shown rapid improvement. In September, he wasn't on anyone's radar. Galenchyuk is the opposite, he was on everone's radar and fell from grace.

The only players I worry about are the ones that remain stagnant in the rankings. You either want rapid development, or you want a player who is much better than your pick position but has fallen from grace for a reason that you can accept.

I'd be happy with either one, as they'd both likely be BPAs, and between the two of them, there is a decent chance that one will be available. I'd probably side with Galenchyuk, but I fully admit that there is a high risk with him.

[jjgallow]

I don't think Galenchyuk makes it out of the top 10 unless he totally bombs in the playoffs and if he does then it will really depend on how he checks out medically to see if he should even be drafted. I don't really think the Russian thing is going to scare teams it'l be how he responds to the surgically reparied knee.

I'm a best player available guy too regardless of position it doesn't matter to me unless you have two players who are in a dead heat, then pick the player you need more, but the board should be arragned to who you think is the best player. In the teens, I really like Girgenson, Cody Ceci, and Jacob Trouba. Ceci and Trouba could be gone by then, so Girgenson would be the best player left.

Well...he regular season debut wasn't exactly impressive...I guess we'll see. If he does drop down to us, and his knee checks out...then I think you have to pull the trigger and accept the risk. We'll find out soon.

Girgensons and Trouba are really interesting...so hard to judge players from the USHL. The competition level there seems to be getting better every year. Have you seen them play?

Cody Ceci, IMHO, looks amazing. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

[C_worthy]

I saw one scouting list recently that had him down to 16th. (Don't remember where, but if I find it I'll post it).

Bottom line - and I think this is all that people are saying - is that, if Galchenyuk does a Couturier and is still available (and there's a chance) - then the Flames have to grab him.

I would be all for going for the high end talent / higher risk type pick this year (if a Galchenyuk-type player fell on their laps)

In fact, if Galchenyuk were even to slide down to around 7 or 8, the Flames should look to trade up and grab him.

[returnofthejets]

I find it more likely that a projected top 10 defenceman will perhaps fall back to the mid teens if that's where the Flames end up picking. If there were a few more higher end forwards then perhaps Galchenyuk slips back but I see a team drafting in top 10 selecting him.

Go with BPA. Although there is a major need for a center, there's pretty much needs everywhere.

[jjgallow]

In fact, if Galchenyuk were even to slide down to around 7 or 8, the Flames should look to trade up and grab him.

Yeah, I would go this far too. Or just generally, any opportunity they get to trade up, or add picks, I would welcome.

[conundrumed]

I don't think Galenchyuk makes it out of the top 10 unless he totally bombs in the playoffs and if he does then it will really depend on how he checks out medically to see if he should even be drafted. I don't really think the Russian thing is going to scare teams it'l be how he responds to the surgically reparied knee.

This is the nuts and bolts of it.

Galchenyuk CAN bomb in the playoffs, and I think it's 1/2 expected. He suited up for 2 games total all year.
If he actually has a great playoffs, he's gotta climb fast and furious within top 5.
As a Sting fan even, I can't expect this guy to be back without missing a beat, it takes time, maybe longer than they last in the playoffs I'm thinking.
Sarnia had a full roster for the 1st time AAALLLll year to open with a loss.
But Yakupov isn't 100% nor is Galchenyuk as he builds himself back into it.
Yakupov was rumoured to be concussed from a hit only last week, but he played last night, not sure what's up.
If Yakupov wasn't concussed, and watching the hit, I'd have a huge "?" in a bubble hanging over my head.
That would make him as tough as anyone imo.

[lord_stanley_chaser]

My rankings (obviously we don't know who will fall)
1) Yakupov - Always take BPA
2) Grigorenko
3) Galchenyuk
4) Murray
5) Girgensons
6) Rielly
7) Forsberg
8) Reinhart
9) Frk
10) Dumba
11) Trouba
12) Faska
13) Ceci
14) Maatta
15) Matheson

After 15 I see a huge drop in skill, so I pray we don't trade down. Obviously most of the people at the top of my list will be gone, but in the event they aren't I thought they should be added. I feel we might get lucky and pick up Faska, or really luck out and grab a solid D-man like Dumba.

[jjgallow]

It's a shame Dumba and Trouba are both right-hand shots.

Would have been great to see a "Dumba-Trouba" defence pairing...

[Lucid]

After 15 I see a huge drop in skill, so I pray we don't trade down. Obviously most of the people at the top of my list will be gone, but in the event they aren't I thought they should be added. I feel we might get lucky and pick up Faska, or really luck out and grab a solid D-man like Dumba.

I'm a huge Dumba fan but that could be because i'm from Red Deer.
I would be looking to pick him up from the draft if we could over the forwards right now.

[Crzydrvr]

I saw one scouting list recently that had him down to 16th. (Don't remember where, but if I find it I'll post it).

Bottom line - and I think this is all that people are saying - is that, if Galchenyuk does a Couturier and is still available (and there's a chance) - then the Flames have to grab him.

I would be all for going for the high end talent / higher risk type pick this year (if a Galchenyuk-type player fell on their laps)

In fact, if Galchenyuk were even to slide down to around 7 or 8, the Flames should look to trade up and grab him.

This. If he starts dropping past that number 5 threshold, you have to go for it. This year's draft doesn't excite anyone. If you get a chance to get a skilled potential number 1 center, you have to go for it. It'd be a good way to change the culture of losing that we seem to have going around here.

Maybe you're thinking ISS? Cause they have him at 16 for their March rankings.

After 15 I see a huge drop in skill, so I pray we don't trade down. Obviously most of the people at the top of my list will be gone, but in the event they aren't I thought they should be added. I feel we might get lucky and pick up Faska, or really luck out and grab a solid D-man like Dumba.

I doubt Dumba falls past 6, and where we're picking we won't get a chance to see him.

***********

The biggest thing is that we need to continue to inject skilled young players into our lineup. I think what we have now is a "veteran-heavy" mindset. You need some enthusiasm for the game, and for veterans that's a lot harder to come by. I think we all saw how the team played with Bear in the lineup, if we could add another player who brings that youthful game we could be all right in the long haul.

And no, the guys we have now don't count. They've already been indoctrinated into that veteran mindset. The kids who will come up with Bear, that's who will be leading the charge, and we need more, maybe not top end guys, but more youngsters who share the same mindset around Sven, just so the locker room is more balanced.

[lord_stanley_chaser]

I doubt Dumba falls past 6, and where we're picking we won't get a chance to see him.

I highly doubt he falls much further than top 5 or 6 as well, but one can hope. Ideally, I'd like to see us take a forward, but if we have a shot at a high profile d-man then we take BPA. I'd love for Frk to fall to us, Galchenyuk is a pipe dream. However, if he does fall to us I'd be thrilled. He would be a great prospect to pick up.

The top 15 is full of d-men though, so I can see us snagging one of them. I can also see us drafting around 11, as we have a tough schedule coming up. I honestly think that we might be passes by a few more teams, moving us up in the draft. I also hope Jay can make a move to move us up in the draft, something we need to do.

[Keyro]

I highly doubt he falls much further than top 5 or 6 as well, but one can hope. Ideally, I'd like to see us take a forward, but if we have a shot at a high profile d-man then we take BPA. I'd love for Frk to fall to us, Galchenyuk is a pipe dream. However, if he does fall to us I'd be thrilled. He would be a great prospect to pick up.
The top 15 is full of d-men though, so I can see us snagging one of them. I can also see us drafting around 11, as we have a tough schedule coming up. I honestly think that we might be passes by a few more teams, moving us up in the draft. I also hope Jay can make a move to move us up in the draft, something we need to do.

If we had a second round pick I bet we could pick up Frk there. If I'm not mistaken there has been alot of questions about his work ethic and fitness