Reinhart is very much like Nuge.

Bennett is extremely gritty. Mucks it up and will punch his grandma to win a battle. Compared to Doug Gilmour.
Draisaitl is bigger puck protector/play maker. Compared to Getzlaf.

I'd have Dal Colle 5th.
- Iggysbff

So based on what you are saying there, if going for a Forward, isn't Draisaitl exactly the kind of player the Oilers would want?

So based on what you are saying there, if going for a Forward, isn't Draisaitl exactly the kind of player the Oilers would want?
- dal_johnson

I think either would be good. Draisaitl also has a rep of being a bit lazy at times. Bennett is all heart. So who knows? I'm sure both will turn out very good. I get the feeling the Oilers are leaning towards Draisaitl.

Just awful news about the stabbings of the 5 U of C students....condolences to the families and all involved.

Hard to believe something like that can happen in our great city.

My heart is heavy today
- The-O-G

Yup. Sad. Been to BSD so many times and had great party's. Wonder what would possess a guy to do that?

Reinhart is very much like Nuge.

Bennett is extremely gritty. Mucks it up and will punch his grandma to win a battle. Compared to Doug Gilmour.
Draisaitl is bigger puck protector/play maker. Compared to Getzlaf.

I'd have Dal Colle 5th.
- Iggysbff

I think either would be good. Draisaitl also has a rep of being a bit lazy at times. Bennett is all heart. So who knows? I'm sure both will turn out very good.
- Iggysbff

I think all of the top 4 or 5 ranked guys will be very good players.

I also think that Draisaitl realized he had that rep after the World Juniors and it gave him a bit of a wake up call. He was dropping in rankings then, and his play at the world junior (getting kicked out of 2 games) left him in a bad position. So he busted his ass like he did in the second half of the season to overcome it and eliminate that thought about his game.

Yup. Sad. Been to BSD so many times and had great party's. Wonder what would possess a guy to do that?
- Iggysbff

Exactly....just pure craziness.

Hard to believe there is people out there that are capable of stuff like this.

I think either would be good. Draisaitl also has a rep of being a bit lazy at times. Bennett is all heart. So who knows? I'm sure both will turn out very good. I get the feeling the Oilers are leaning towards Draisaitl.
- Iggysbff

I actually think all of the top 5 from this draft will be good players.. Reihardt, Ekblad, Bennett, Dal Colle and Draisaitl. All of them look like pretty good players and will have nice careers. Then Ritchie, Perlini, Virtanen, Ehlers, Fleury are all a step below the top 5 but all have some nice potential as well.

I actually think all of the top 5 from this draft will be good players.. Reihardt, Ekblad, Bennett, Dal Colle and Draisaitl. All of them look like pretty good players and will have nice careers. Then Ritchie, Perlini, Virtanen, Ehlers, Fleury are all a step below the top 5 but all have some nice potential as well.
- ClarksonDavid

I agree....damn....I wish we were in the top 5.....oh wait.

I agree....damn....I wish we were in the top 5.....oh wait.
- The-O-G

Oh well, I'm hopeful Leafs pick a good prospect at 8. I hope one of Virtanen (45 goals in WHL is pretty impressive, fast as (frank)) or Ritchie ( Big female dog) maybe Ehlers.

Oh well, I'm hopeful Leafs pick a good prospect at 8. I hope one of Virtanen (45 goals in WHL is pretty impressive, fast as (frank)) or Ritchie ( Big female dog) maybe Ehlers.
- ClarksonDavid

Yup....I think you'll get a nice player at 8 too! I really want the Flames to get Fleury some how, I think he is really underrated.

Just awful news about the stabbings of the 5 U of C students....condolences to the families and all involved.

Hard to believe something like that can happen in our great city.

My heart is heavy today
- The-O-G

Scary poop! Hate to hear when stuff like this happens

Yup....I think you'll get a nice player at 8 too! I really want the Flames to get Fleury some how, I think he is really underrated.
- The-O-G

Yeah ive never seen him play or anything but hes a big guy and put up not bad point totals for a dman and I thought he was considered more of a defensive guy? I don't know a lot about him. Lots of forwards at the top of this draft

Yeah ive never seen him play or anything but hes a big guy and put up not bad point totals for a dman and I thought he was considered more of a defensive guy? I don't know a lot about him. Lots of forwards at the top of this draft
- ClarksonDavid

I saw him at the Top Prospects game when he was in Calgary. Super poised, really good all around game. He can do a little bit of everything. Reminds me of Al McInnis (sans the huge clapper)

Yup....I think you'll get a nice player at 8 too! I really want the Flames to get Fleury some how, I think he is really underrated.
- The-O-G

Red Deer is a team I didnt see at all this year. Hear good things about Fluery and Bleackly.

And for every franchise dman found in the later rounds, there are hundreds of 2nd round d-men that you can't even name.

Guys like Doughty, Piertoangelo, or Suter, were all higher first rounders.

Even Nashville, who already has Weber and could follow your theory, took Seth Jones at number 4 last year.

If Ekblad is still there at 4th, then it likely means that Reinhart is gone. And for the Flames he is the only of the upper ranked guys that I might take over Ekblad. So at 4th I don't pass over Ekblad.

If we can grab another first then that is one thing. But by the time the 4th pick comes along that may not yet be an option.
- dal_johnson

Oh I agree, if Ekblad's there at 4th, and Reinhart/Bennett aren't we should take him. However, IF we pick 1st, I'd be very disappointed if we took Ekblad. Afterall, Jones was a slam dunk for Colorado to take 1st overall, yet they went with a more sure thing in Mackinnon. My point is that defensemen are a crapshoot, and I bet I can find 10 excellent dmen drafted outside of the top 15 that could be considered franchise cornerstones.

As for Nashville, they took who they felt was the best player available at the time, also they had just lost Suter.

Oh I agree, if Ekblad's there at 4th, and Reinhart/Bennett aren't we should take him. However, IF we pick 1st, I'd be very disappointed if we took Ekblad. Afterall, Jones was a slam dunk for Colorado to take 1st overall, yet they went with a more sure thing in Mackinnon. My point is that defensemen are a crapshoot, and I bet I can find 10 excellent dmen drafted outside of the top 15 that could be considered franchise cornerstones.

As for Nashville, they took who they felt was the best player available at the time, also they had just lost Suter.
- Saskabush

All the scouts say Jones is better than Ekblad. Yet last year 3 teams all in dire need of Dmen all let Jones go by for forwards....

Oh I agree, if Ekblad's there at 4th, and Reinhart/Bennett aren't we should take him. However, IF we pick 1st, I'd be very disappointed if we took Ekblad. Afterall, Jones was a slam dunk for Colorado to take 1st overall, yet they went with a more sure thing in Mackinnon. My point is that defensemen are a crapshoot, and I bet I can find 10 excellent dmen drafted outside of the top 15 that could be considered franchise cornerstones.

As for Nashville, they took who they felt was the best player available at the time, also they had just lost Suter.
- Saskabush

If the Flames win the lottery it should be Reinhart hands down.

Red Deer is a team I didnt see at all this year. Hear good things about Fluery and Bleackly.
- Iggysbff

Big fan of both myself. Fleury is well worth a top 10 pick, Bleackley is an excellent late 1st rounder.

Oh I agree, if Ekblad's there at 4th, and Reinhart/Bennett aren't we should take him. However, IF we pick 1st, I'd be very disappointed if we took Ekblad. Afterall, Jones was a slam dunk for Colorado to take 1st overall, yet they went with a more sure thing in Mackinnon. My point is that defensemen are a crapshoot, and I bet I can find 10 excellent dmen drafted outside of the top 15 that could be considered franchise cornerstones.

As for Nashville, they took who they felt was the best player available at the time, also they had just lost Suter.
- Saskabush

That's the thing. The same can be said for forwards. For every Erik Johnson (who is the example given as the first overall defensman bust), there is an Alexandre Daigle.

It is a ratio thing. On a team there are twice the forwards as there is defensemen. And even then the top of the team is the top 6 forwards and usually the top 2 defensemen, making it 3 to 1. They are easier to come by and always seems to be more in the draft. But when there is a defenseman there then take him. I promise you that Ottawa wishes they had taken Pronger over Daigle, that San Jose wishes they had taken Neidermayer over Falloon.

It's an older example, but Luc Robitaille was taken in the 9th round of his draft. So should they hold off on forwards until the last round because that's where he was picked? Can always find a franchise player in the later rounds.

At this stage in the Flames rebuild, they need to take what is deemed as the best player available. It is too early in the rebuild to start gambling with trading down, or the hopes that they will find a franchise defenseman like Weber in the second round. To me if Ekblad is available at 4th (and assuming Reinhart is gone, and I'm not necessarily saying if they get 1st overall) then Ekblad will be the best player available and should be picked. That is over Bennett, Dal Colle, and Draisaitl. And at this stage in the rebuild they Flames can afford to be patient with developing a defenseman.

If the Flames win the lottery it should be Reinhart hands down.
- The-O-G

Bennett.

All the scouts say Jones is better than Ekblad. Yet last year 3 teams all in dire need of Dmen all let Jones go by for forwards....
- Iggysbff

Exactly, but at 4th overall Ekblad might not be a bad choice. My rankings for the flames go like this

Reinhart
Bennett
Dal Colle
Ekblad

Draistaitl (if we get bumped to 5th)

That's the thing. The same can be said for forwards. For every Erik Johnson (who is the example given as the first overall defensman bust), there is an Alexandre Daigle.

It is a ratio thing. On a team there are twice the forwards as there is defensemen. And even then the top of the team is the top 6 forwards and usually the top 2 defensemen, making it 3 to 1. They are easier to come by and always seems to be more in the draft. But when there is a defenseman there then take him. I promise you that Ottawa wishes they had taken Pronger over Daigle, that San Jose wishes they had taken Neidermayer over Falloon.

It's an older example, but Luc Robitaille was taken in the 9th round of his draft. So should they hold off on forwards until the last round because that's where he was picked? Can always find a franchise player in the later rounds.

At this stage in the Flames rebuild, they need to take what is deemed as the best player available. It is too early in the rebuild to start gambling with trading down, or the hopes that they will find a franchise defenseman like Weber in the second round. To me if Ekblad is available at 4th (and assuming Reinhart is gone, and I'm not necessarily saying if they get 1st overall) then Ekblad will be the best player available and should be picked. That is over Bennett, Dal Colle, and Draisaitl. And at this stage in the rebuild they Flames can afford to be patient with developing a defenseman.
- dal_johnson

Oh for sure, there are busts for both forwards and dmen. But I think it's easier for scouts to project a forwards ceiling, over a dmans. There is so much that a defensemen has to learn that take years to master, and it's hard to know what kids will master the skills. Where as it's pretty easy to tell if a kids got a sick shot, nose for the net, good vision etc, which is what you look for in a forward.

Ok, so TSNs article on the lottery says that whoever is drawn gets to draft 1st overall. That's wrong right? I thought they only moved up a maximum of 4 spots? (I think they are adjusting the rules for next year though).

Exactly, but at 4th overall Ekblad might not be a bad choice. My rankings for the flames go like this

Reinhart
Bennett
Dal Colle
Ekblad

Draistaitl (if we get bumped to 5th)
- Saskabush

Yet if the Oilers end up taking a Bennett/Draisaitl over Ekblad? All we'll hear is "har har Oilers so stoopid...draft another forward....derp...."

Ok, so TSNs article on the lottery says that whoever is drawn gets to draft 1st overall. That's wrong right? I thought they only moved up a maximum of 4 spots? (I think they are adjusting the rules for next year though).
- Saskabush

Nope new rules. Whoever wins gets 1st. Everyone else dropped one spot.

Edit: Thats why the odds have changed. When you could only move 4 spots the top 5 only had a chance at first. Effectively giving the 30th spot a 48% chance at 1st. Now with all teams eligible the odds for the 30th place team are dropped to 25%