APRIL FOOLS.

Ian White for Jay Bouwmeester - pffft. Give your head a shake!

My NHL 2013 Draft Blueprint - March 2013

By Michael Fabrig (@gotitotti)

Round-1 Targets

1. Elias Lindholm -- C -- 5'11" -- Brynas -- SEL -- skilled play-maker; had 11G, 19A; 30 points in 40 GP -- +1

2. Jonathan Drouin -- LW/C -- 5'11" -- Halifax Mooseheads -- QMJHL -- sleek offensive sharp-shooter; currently has 40G, 61A; 101 points in 46 GP -- +47

3. Artturi Lehkonen -- LW/RW -- 5'10" -- KalPa -- SM-liiga -- responsible goal-scorer that should have a real chance of being a top-liner in the NHL -- 14G, 16A; 30 points in 45 GP -- +12

4. Peter Cehlárik -- LW -- 6'2" -- Luleå --SEL -- Power Forward that can and will score goals on the top line -- 3G, 3A; 6 points in 8 GP -- +8

5. Hunter Shinkaruk -- LW/C -- 5'11" -- Medicine Hat Tigers -- WHL -- super-skilled offensive player that can thrive playing any forward position -- LW/C/RW -- 34G, 44A; 78 points in 61 GP -- -8

6. Max Domi -- C -- 5'10 -- London Knights -- OHL -- goal-scoring centre that has the speed to compliment the hands -- 39G, 45A; 84 points in 62 GP -- +32

7. Alexander Wennberg -- C/LW -- 6'1" -- Djurgården -- Allsvenskan -- a responsible, skilled, goal-scoring centre -- 14G, 18A; 32 points in 46 GP -- +10

8. Lucas Wallmark -- C -- 5'11" -- Karlskrona -- Allsvenskan -- play-making centre -- 5G, 5A; 10 points in 16 GP -- -5

9. Marko Dano -- C/RW -- 5'11" -- HC Slovan Bratislava -- scoring centre -- 3G, 4A; 7 points in 37 GP -- +4

10. Valentin Zykov -- RW -- 6'1" -- Baie-Comeau Drakkar -- QMJHL -- scoring forward -- 39G, 35A; 74 points in 65 GP -- +26

11. Madison Bowey -- D -- 6'1" -- Kelowna Rockets -- WHL -- two-way d-man -- 12G, 18A; 30 points in 66 GP -- +37

12. Anthony Mantha -- LW -- 6'3" -- Val-d'Or Foreurs -- QMJHL -- scoring power forward -- 48G, 39A; 84 points in 61 GP -- +23

13. Josh Morrissey -- D -- 6'0" -- Prince Albert Raiders -- WHL -- offensive d-man -- 15G, 29A; 44 points in 67 GP -- +10

14. Taylor Cammarata -- C/LW -- 5'7" -- Waterloo Black Hawks -- USHL -- scoring forward -- 32G, 44A; 76 points in 47 GP -- +30

15. Ryan Fitzgerald -- C/RW -- 6'2" -- Valley Jr. Warriors -- EJHL -- scoring power forward -- 14G, 16A; 30 points in 26 GP -- +23

Round-2 Targets

1. Adam Tambellini -- C -- 6'1" -- Surrey Eagles -- BCHL -- 14G, 12A; 26 points in 16 GP

2. Oliver Bjorkstrand -- RW -- 5'11" -- Portland Winterhawks -- WHL -- 29G, 31A; 60 points in 61 GP -- +39

3. Bogdan Yakimov -- C -- 6'4" -- Izhstal Izhevsk -- VHL -- 5G, 8A; 13 points in 16 GP -- +8

4. Sergey Tolchinsky -- RW -- 5'7" -- Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds -- OHL -- 26G, 25A; 51 points in 61 GP -- +9

5. Patrik Bartosak -- G -- 6'1" -- Red Deer Rebels -- WHL -- 54 GP, 2.26 GAA, .935 SV%

6. Michael Brodzinski -- D -- 5'11" -- Muskegon Lumberjacks -- USHL -- 12G, 12A; 24 points in 49 GP -- +7

7. Juuse Saros -- G -- 5'10" -- HPK U20 -- Jr. A SM-liiga -- 37 GP, 1.86 GAA, .933 SV%

8. Anton Slepyshev -- LW -- 6'2" -- Salavat Yulaev Ufa -- KHL -- 4G, 2A; 6 points in 11 GP -- +3

9. Juuso Ikonen -- C/RW -- 5'9" -- Blues -- SM-liiga -- 13G, 13A; 26 points in 57 GP -- +1

10. Martin Reway -- LW -- 5'8" -- Gatineau Olympiques -- QMJHL -- 22G, 28A; 50 points in 47 GP -- -1

Round-3 Targets

1. Robin Press -- D -- 6'2" -- Södertälje -- Allsvenskan -- 2G, 2A; 4 points in 41 GP -- -2

2. Jesper Pettersson -- D -- 5'9" -- Linköping -- SEL -- 1G, 2A; 3 points in 14 GP -- +6

3. Gustav Possler -- LW/RW -- 5'11" -- MODO J20 -- SuperElit -- 13G, 16A; 29 points in 24 GP -- +8

4. Patrick McCarron -- D -- 6'3" -- St. Michael's Buzzers -- OJHL -- 9G, 49A; 58 points in 52 GP

5. Mac Weegar -- D -- 5'11" -- Halifax Mooseheads -- QMJHL -- 8G, 33A; 41 points in 59 GP -- +51

6. Shane Conacher -- RW -- 5'10" -- St. Michael's Buzzers -- OJHL -- 6G, 5A; 11 points in 6 GP

7. Nolan De Jong -- D -- 6'2" -- Victoria Grizzlies -- BCHL -- 5G, 19A; 24 points in 51 GP

8. Matt Buckles -- C -- 6'2" -- St. Michael's Buzzers -- OJHL -- 40G, 31A; 71 points in 50 GP

9. Charlie Graham -- G -- 6'0" -- Belleville Bulls -- OHL -- 24 GP, 2.62 GAA, .922 SV%

10. Troy Stecher -- D -- 5'9" -- Penticton Vees -- BCHL -- 8G, 39A; 47 points in 52 GP

Round-4 Targets

1. Mattias Nørstebø -- D -- 5'10" -- Brynas J20 -- SuperElit -- 5G, 9A; 14 points in 24 GP -- +8

2. Marcus Högberg -- G -- 6'3" -- Linköping J20 -- SuperElit -- 11 GP, 2.20 GAA, .914 SV%

3. Anton Cederholm -- D -- 6'2" -- Rögle J20 -- SuperElit -- 5G, 8A; 13 points in 36 GP -- +27

4. Amil Krupic -- D -- 6'2" -- Rögle J20 -- SuperElit -- 10G, 18A; 28 points in 41 GP -- +10

5. Fredrik Bergvik -- G -- 6'1" -- Frölunda J20 -- SuperElit -- 10 GP, 1.32 GAA, .948 SV%

6. Eric Locke -- C -- 5'9" -- Saginaw Spirit -- OHL -- 44G, 51A; 95 points in 65 GP -- +36

7. Ryan McKay -- G -- 6'0" -- Miami Univ. -- NCAA -- 17 GP, 1.17 GAA, .957 SV%

8. Gabe Guertler -- C -- 5'9" -- Fargo Force -- USHL -- 28G, 17A; 45 points in 51 GP -- +16

9. Sven Andrighetto -- RW -- 5'10" -- Rouyn-Noranda Huskies -- QMJHL -- 30G, 64A; 94 points in 50 GP -- +23

10. Leon Bristedt -- C -- 5'8" -- Linköping J20 -- SuperElit -- 6G, 8A; 14 points in 20 GP -- +7

Round-5 Targets

1. Mathias Israelsson -- G -- 5'10" -- Odense -- Denmark -- 7 GP, 2.27 GAA, .922 SV%

2. Luke Johnson -- C -- 5'11" -- Lincoln Stars -- USHL -- 15G, 24A; 39 points in 46 GP -- +14

3. Anthony Florentino -- D -- 6'1" -- U.S. National U17 Team -- USDP -- 0G, 2A; 2 points in 3 GP

4. Miro Aaltonen -- C -- 5'10" -- Blues -- SM-liiga -- 11G, 5A; 16 points in 32 GP -- -2

5. Maxime Gravel -- D -- 6'0" -- Rimouski Océanic -- QMJHL -- 4G, 16A; 20 points in 48 GP -- -2

Round-6 Targets

1. Marc McNulty -- D -- 6'5 -- Prince George Cougars -- 8G, 7A; 15 points in 48 GP -- -12

2. Viktor Arvidsson -- LW/RW -- 5'9" -- Skellefteå -- SEL -- 7G, 5A; 12 points in 49 GP

3. Quentin Shore -- C -- 6'0" -- Univ. of Denver -- NCAA -- 7G, 9A; 16 points in 35 GP

4. Tommy Stenqvist -- D -- 5'10" -- Timrå -- SEL -- 0G, 0A; 0 points in 0 GP

5. Axel Blomqvist -- RW -- 6'5" -- Lethbridge Hurricanes -- WHL -- 7G, 26A; 33 points in 59 GP -- -3

Round-7 Targets

1. Matthew Weis -- C -- 5'11" -- Green Bay Gamblers -- USHL -- 10G, 20A; 30 points in 46 GP -- -4

2. Myles Bell -- D/F -- 6'0" -- Kelowna Rockets -- WHL -- 37G, 52A; 89 points in 66 GP -- +41

3. Filip Sandberg -- C -- 5'9" -- HV71 -- SEL -- 1G, 1A; 2 points in 15 GP -- -3

4. Drake Caggiula -- C -- 5'10" -- Univ. of N. Dakota -- NCAA -- 6G, 8A; 14 points in 35 GP

5. Oskari Siiki -- LW -- 5'9" -- TPS U20 -- Jr.A SM-liiga -- 23G, 20A; 43 points in 44 GP -- +17

Thanks to Michael for his contributions. For any draft or prospect-related questions, follow him on twitter at @gotitotti. Follow Dome Ice Advantage at @domeiceadv.

Future Forecast: Flames in Five

As we inch closer to the trade deadline, we're soon to hit a crossroads for the Flames organization. Rather than basing these long term decisions on a small sample (like the success of the team over the next 10 games), it would help to look into what the future might actually look like. Just *how* desperate are the Flames to add young talent? How far are they from that cliff that forces them into NYI/CBJ territory? Can they save themselves from years of poor drafting, or have they done enough in recent years to salvage a promising future? Let's break it down to the *expected* roles of the Flames youngsters, in order to get a realistic feel for what the 2018 roster might look like.

FORWARDS (top-9)

Baertschi (LW)
Sven continues to adapt to the pro game in terms of physicality and consistency, but it's clear he has the tools to become a top left-winger. He has an NHL shot, while having the intelligence to protect the puck and set up teammates as well.

Ceiling: top-line LW
Floor: 2nd line LW
*Expected: top-line LW

Gaudreau (LW)
Gaudreau could be the most naturally skilled player in the organization. Of course, size will continue to be a challenge for him. Yet, as we've seen, Gaudreau has the ability to dominate older and stronger players. Provided he can continue to develop the smaller details of his game, Gaudreau's elite skill will land him a top-6 role in the NHL.

Ceiling: top-line LW
Floor: 2nd line LW
*Expected: 2nd line LW

Backlund (C)
Backlund continues to develop at a slow, albeit steady pace. The most impressive aspect of Backlund's game is his ability to play against high quality opposition. He generates scoring chances at a decent clip against top-sixers, yet his finish around the net lacks consistency. As long as he continues to build on his strong, two-way play and generate opportunities, he's a worthwhile young asset. Backlund isn't the sexy choice as a top-six centre, but he is slowly proving his worth as a young, versatile guy with offensive upside. For a team starved of this type of young player, re-signing Backlund to a multi-year deal at a reasonable cap hit would be a big boon for the next generation of Calgary Flames.

Ceiling: avg top-line C
Floor: above avg 2nd line C
*Expected: avg top-line C

Jankowski (C)
This prospect is still a long ways away from any of us knowing what he will become. For my money, Jankowski will fall somewhere between being a draft bust and "The next Joe Nieuwendyk" - (Flames mgmt). His strong two way ability and vision will push him into a top-6 role in 5 years, but a top-line C seems lofty at this stage.

Ceiling: #1 C
Floor: 2nd line C
*Expected: 2nd line C

Horak (C/W)
Like Backlund, Horak continues to progress slowly year-to-year, but has shown encouraging signs at the NHL level. His intelligence and awareness represent his greatest assets, while he has shown he can score in bunches in pro hockey. Safe to say many of us are pleasantly surprised at Horak's skill level 2 years into his career. Of course, he continues to work on consistency at the pro level, but that's not particularly concerning at 21 years old.

Ceiling: 2nd line C/W
Floor: 3rd line C/W
*Expected: 2nd line C/W

Arnold (C/W)
Playing alongside John Gaudreau at Boston College, Arnold doesn't get the same type of spotlight. Nevertheless, he's a big, solid, two-way C, and his offensive game continues to evolve. Early on, I heard a number of Ryan Kesler comparisons. Of course, it's unlikely that Arnold will have that type of impact at the NHL level, but from a style standpoint? It's not a bad comparison. Naturally a C, I do wonder if his skating will be an issue at the highest level. If so, perhaps transitioning Arnold to the wing would allow him to use his strength along the boards. He's an under appreciated prospect in the cupboard for CGY, and his size, strength and intelligence should see him transition to pro hockey sooner rather than later.

Ceiling: 2nd line C/W
Floor: 3rd line C/W
*Expected: 3rd line C/W

Ferland (W)
Michael Ferland's first stint in pro hockey from September to December was a disappointment. This had more to do with circumstances (lockout, roster logjam in Abby) rather than performance, however, and he's now back on track with the Saskatoon Blades. Ferland's upside is likely to be more of an energy role: a guy who can bang bodies and compliment skill players (a la Glencross). His hands and speed are impressive for a big guy, but his best asset is his ability to play a hard game.

Ceiling: 2nd line LW
Floor: 4th line LW
*Expected: 3rd line LW

Reinhart (C)
Max had a difficult start in Abbotsford as well, playing very limited minutes on a clogged Heat roster. Since mid-December he's turned it around, playing as a top-6 C and getting more ice time (5on5, PP). Reinhart's highest attribute would be his intelligence. He's not the biggest, strongest or most skilled prospect. However, he's shown that he can be a reliable pivot with his strong defensive play and the ability to chip in offensively. I don't expect he'll have the same offensive success in the NHL, but his playing style is very similar to Daymond Langkow -straight line skater, effective and smart. I expect Max to fit into the Flames bottom-6 very soon.

Ceiling: 2nd line C
Floor: 3rd line C
*Expected: 3rd line C

No one wants to read or write extensively about grit, so here are some expected 4th line possibilities down the road.

C: Jones, Olson, Deblouw
W: Aliu, Bouma, Bancks, Elson

Notable exclusion? Markus Granlund. Between his poor season, lack of size and the struggles of his older (superior) brother in the big leagues, he's a long shot. He may be a late bloomer and eventually make the show (Cervenka), but I don't expect he'll be Flames property by that point.

DEFENCE (top-4)

Brodie
T.J's efficient skating and puck skills have been a positive sign for Flames fans over the last few years. This season, however, he's shown he can perform in a top-4 capacity at the NHL level. At 21 years old, this is very encouraging. I do have my doubts about his ability to become a top-pairing guy, as he lacks that physical, shutdown element to his game.

Ceiling: top-2 D man
Floor: 3/4 D man
*Expected: 3/4 D man

Butler
Of course, it's hard to view Chris Butler as a prospect, but he has shown he can play a top-4 role at 25 years old. Butler wasn't a popular player last season, but was over his head in terms of the role he played. He's a perfectly capable 3/4 D man, and young enough that he could still be considered a future piece. I don't expect him to elevate his game to a top-pairing contributor, however.

Ceiling: 3/4 D man
Floor: 5/6 D man
*Expected: 3/4 D man

Expected bottom pairing D men:
Wotherspoon, Culkin, Kulak, Breen, Ramage, Sieloff

GOALTENDERS

I'm not doing this section because 1) I know nothing about the position, and 2) I know nothing about the goaltenders to be considered. Even Ramo, the Flames next starting goalie, is a complete mystery to me. He seems, like, sorta good though... Or something.

EXPECTED 2018 LINE-UP

Baertschi-Backlund-Empty
Gaudreau-Jankowski-Horak
Ferland-Reinhart-Arnold
Bouma-Deblouw-Aliu

Wildcard: Street

Empty-Empty
Butler-Brodie
Wotherspoon-Culkin
(Sieloff, Kulak)

REACTION
The expected line-up in 5 years is, not surprisingly, below average on the upper rotation of the depth chart (top line C, RW, D).

On a positive note, it's not as bleak as it's made out to be on the whole. More recently, the Flames have done well to stockpile depth and make hay with their 3rd-7th round picks e.g. Ferland, Gaudreau, Arnold, Reinhart, Bouma.

Of course, certain shortcomings can be addressed via free agency. However, as the Flames have learned over the last number of years, franchise players are seldom made available in the market. Here's what the team will need to *draft* or acquire in order to compete in 2018:

-More potential top-6 Cs (because putting all your eggs in the Jankowski/Backlund basket is terrifying).

-2 or 3 potential franchise Dmen (easy, right?)

CONCLUSION
Despite the drafting record over the last 10 years, the Flames are still in a position to save their own asses. Explain?

1) This is a bad season for the team, to the shock of no one. The schedule is only going to get more difficult, too.

2) It's the last year of Iginla's contract, in case you hadn't heard that from any of the Toronto-based networks.

3) This is a short season. Therefore more tolerable for fans/season ticket holders to tolerate a losing team. I'm okay with 20 games of bad hockey in order to watch a stellar first round of Flames drafting in June 2013.

4) Again, the season = short. Therefore more teams believe they're still in the race. That means a larger market to auction off your assets to. And, if you were to acquire a 1st round pick from Philly or New York, for example, who knows where those teams actually end up? They could be battling for a playoff spot in April and find themselves bottom-10 in the league by May. Reminder: that's great for the acquired first round pick.

5) This season has illustrated that "trade Iggy & Kipper" doesn't have to mean "rebuild." The team isn't considerably worse on the ice without either. If you can find a home for those two PLUS one additional top-6 fwd or top-4 D man, you could find yourself with 3 first round picks and another young piece or two. You still have a semi-competitive (ish) team on the ice, while inching closer to playoff contention next season.

6) This is "the best draft since '03." That *could* mean that a mid-to-late round pick (1st or otherwise) is more valuable than in past years. More acquiring teams + higher value draft picks = good for sellers.

7) There are enough decent players on this team to transition into a new era. Moving forward: Cammalleri, Backlund, Baertschi, Glencross, Hudler, Tanguay, Cervenka, Stempniak, Bouw, Gio, Butler, Brodie, Wideman, Ramo, McDonald. You don't have to love these guys, nor commit to all of them long-term. This group can help bridge that gap alongside a top 5-10 pick & some acquired young pieces. Doesn't a line of Tanguay-Barkov-Hudler sound intriguing? What about Glencross-Backlund-Baertschi? It's not perfect, but it can't be much worse. Admit defeat for this year and hit the refresh button (as OTT, MTL, NJ did). The Flames don't want to rebuild? That's fine, they don't need to burn it all down. But continue on the same path as the last 10 years, and a rebuild will surely smoke them in the face soon (EDM, CBJ, NYI).

As I see it: two weeks until Feaster & crew need to make decisions on their trade deadline status (leaving 1-2 weeks to work the phones). Between now and then, the Flames play LA twice, SJ, ANA, DET, NSH twice, DAL, STL & CHI. In terms of games in the "should win" department, the list is as follows:

Columbus.

By March 26, we should have a pretty good idea of what to expect at the deadline. By then, I hope we see the start of legitimate change. Any other direction would be considered "intellectually dishonest."

For another view on the Flames top prospects, here's Corey Pronman's take (Hockey Prospectus):

http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1364

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Feaster's Summer at the Batting Cage

It's official: the Calgary Flames are swinging for the fences.

For the first year and a half of Jay Feaster's tenure, there was a lot of treading water. To be expected I suppose, based on the contracts the organization was saddled with. Feaster kept the coaching staff in place (outside of the Hartsburg hiring), made low risk "insurance" signings (Morrison, Glencross, Hannan, etc) while placing full trust in the scouting staff's draft selections and challenging roster players to "fool him twice." Basically, Feaster played into the role of "I'm new around here."

Come January, the Flames saw themselves hopelessly chasing a playoff spot once again. A lack of leadership and 22 underachievers pushed Feaster to change his tune. Seemingly, his tune is all that would change.

Alongside his new partner in crime "Weis Weis baby," Feaster used the media to perpetuate a sense of urgency and pressure on his veteran line-up. When the team failed to live up to all the hype he had created, he swore things would change. While there haven't been any meaningful shifts in the core or blockbuster trades to this point, it appears he's changed his approach behind the wheel.

As of Winter 2012, Feaster is no longer choosing the safe, popular decisions for the sake of job security. The man finally has some conviction and swagger in the chair, something that could burn him in the not-so-distant future. Regardless of whether you agree with the decisions being made or not (I'm 50/50), you've gotta respect Jayfe's willingness to take risks. Here are some examples:

HARTLEY

The Bob Hartley hiring could be “safe” in that it’s a familiar face for JayFe. However, it’s not necessarily a new direction. You’re bringing in a hard-ass veteran coach to oversee complacent veterans. Where have we tried this before? Jarome and friends struggle with tough love (hard to argue otherwise by now). So, rather than seeking a young up-and-comer and being universally applauded, Feaster hires one of the most stubborn veteran coaches available. For a team that struggled offensively AND defensively last season (relying too heavily on their goaltender & aging offense), going all out and opting for a “puck pursuit, high tempo” team seems like setting these players up for failure, no? This team struggled with speed in the last regime, so how are they going to out-skate the opposition in a high tempo structure? If you answered Dennis Wideman, kindly get lost. I don’t dislike the Hartley hiring. The man could be classified as a winner, and I enjoy the style of play he’s preaching. Feaster said it best, though: “If the day comes where I have to fire Bob Hartley, we can help each other pack.” Yeah, maybe don’t dig your own hole just yet.

CERVENKA

The Roman Cervenka signing was a breath of fresh air for many of us. Turning to the KHL to add skill and patch holes in the roster? My Flames don’t do that! What a nice change. Signing Cervenka was a perfectly safe, one year trial. The risk came in letting Jokinen walk, while assuming a pivot that’s never played an NHL game can take his spot. I was in support of letting the Joker go, but the fact that Feaster had enough confidence in his overseas signing to opt out on a proven number two center, without any insurance policy? That’s bold, especially for a team starved up the middle. The organization is frustrated with Backlund and Stajan in their current roles. What happens if Cervenka doesn’t fit the mold? Does Blair Jones end up playing the role of second line center? Exaggerative of course, but I think you get where I’m headed with that. This would be classified as putting all of your eggs in one basket, something Pierre Gauthier, Brian Lawton and Doug MacLean did. So, um… good luck Jay.

JANKOWSKI

The Mark Jankowski selection isn’t something I wish to criticize. I have no idea what any of these players bring to the table, as I do not scout at any level. I do know, however, that there were safer selections to make (in terms of scrutiny and shorter term rewards). Feaster took a major risk in this selection. Not only by saying “no thanks” to Teuvo Tervainen, considered a slam dunk at 14 overall, but also in trading down. The Flames ran the risk of missing out on Tervainen AND Jankowski by dropping 7 spots. Furthermore, Feaster and Weisbrod take another step towards the cliff by suggesting Jankowski is the next Joe Nieuwendyk and will be the “best player from the draft ten years from now.” The pick has grown on me… but if I want to keep my job, I don’t do these things. Going off the board is one thing, making unruly predictions to the media is another. Had the Flames taken Tervainen, they would have been universally applauded. The Hockey News and TSN would say “great job at the draft, Flames” and all would be right in the world. Had Tervainen not panned out for the organization, everyone would say “tough luck Jay, my BS draft rankings had him there, too.” Whether the Flames like it or not, the casual fan (80% of them) looks to the media to tell them what to think of their favorite team. Now that Feaster has stepped out of the box three or four steps? For his sake, Jankowski better be the next Joe Nieuwendyk.

HUDLER

The Flames could have done worse than signing Jiri Hudler, and could have shelled out more dollars to do it. 4M x 4 is the going rate for any top-6 forward on July 1, so the Flames pulling out that much money for a skilled player shouldn’t phase anyone. It is, however, a substantial commitment to a guy that hasn’t proven he can take that next step, even alongside Zetterberg. To say you can expect 50 points from Jiri Hudler isn’t ridiculous, but it’s sure not a safe bet.

WIDEMAN

The Wideman deal is a head scratcher, no question. The fact that Feaster was willing to trade an asset (albeit insignificant) prior to July 1, and lock up a D man for huge dollars over 5 years? It gets you thinking “this player must be a significant piece of the core moving forward.” Yet, if you listen to the organization’s breakdown, he was the best right-handed powerplay quarterback in a weak class of free agents. Sounds like a glorified Anton Babchuk to me, on top of being a $27M investment in the power play. ON most accounts, you’d find that Wideman’s defensive contributions are shoddy. I’ll admit, I’m of the Brent Sutter mindset that solid defensive play puts you in favourable offensive situations. So, I shake my head at committing huge sums of money and term on a D man in order to improve your offense. Signing Carlo Colaiacovo for two years would have been quietly applauded, yet entirely safe. So is this stupid? We’ll see. Is it risky? Absolutely.

ANTI-REBUILD

I’m not one to advocate for a rebuild, but consider this: any GM that declares a rebuild instantly gets three more years of job security. “We’re going in a new direction. We are going younger.” Translation: this will suck, bare with me. Yet somehow it works. The Edmonton Oilers have been everyone’s favourite Canadian team since they decided to suck several years back. Why? It’s a pretty low pressure position. “They took the best player in the draft? This team rocks!” Every poor decision Tambo and crew make is met with a compliment sandwich:

1 - This is a young, exciting team to watch.

2 - Oh my god they just signed Cam Barker, traded Tom Gilbert and finished 14th.

3 - Yeah but Eberle, RNH and Hall are pretty fast hey?

Feaster has chosen the more difficult path. Sure, rebuilding can be tough on the fanbase, but for a GM? Solid career move. Feaster has, instead, advocated that he will continue to try things that haven’t worked, and completely skip a rebuild. If it fails, this team will be horrid for 10 straight years. If it succeeds, the team will achieve mediocre success for a couple years and Feaster will be gone before the winning actually starts. Whether you support it or not, he’s not taking the easy way out.

Tambellini even cracked a smile claiming they “didn’t want to draft first overall every year.” Shut up, you love it.

I maintain that I’m 50/50 on the decisions made this summer, but the level of “hope” and risk involved has caught my eye. It’s not necessarily a criticism – credit to Jay for sleeping on all of the “maybes” and “hopefullys.” The Flames hit the batting cage this summer, but the GM hasn’t opted for the bunt strategy. Feaster and friends continue to swing frantically. Will they hit a couple? Sure. But if batting average matters at all to the fellas signing the cheques, Feaster won’t be here long.

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A Look Back at the Draft - by Michael Fabrig

Well, it has been some time since the draft has come and gone. How do I feel? About the same as how I felt when I saw Feaster smile and trade-away pick number 14 - still disgusted. As much as Jankowski was a steal-of-a-pick at 21 (NOT) – going to be the best player in 10 years, according to Jay, there is no way I’d ever give-up my pick with a guy like Teuvo Terevainen available. No amount of picks could make-up for what a player of his caliber can do. Some people out there argue that there is a reason that Terevainen hadn’t been taken earlier – as true as that MIGHT be, I think it was solely on the fact that, based on team needs and the teams that were choosing from 1-17, a player of Terevainen’s mold wasn’t as HIGH a priority as getting a D-man, or, landing a BIG, lanky Centre (or Winger). Picks 1-4 were pretty easy to project – the teams had more than valid reason to take their guys. When you look at picks 5-10, you saw a plethora of D-man being selected – no surprise there. On a side-note – I was more than impressed with Martin Madden and the Anaheim Ducks. Lindholm seemed to really prove that teams, though they don’t claim to do so, in fact do, draft based on organizational need. Lindholm is a sleek, smart, crafty, and large specimen. The progression-factor is just off the charts. As much as fans laughed when Pierre McGuire called him a steal at 6, I couldn’t agree more. I would’ve loved to see the Penguins take Grigorenko at 8 – potentially replace Jordan Staal…and then some. The first round, as unpredictable as it was first projected to be, seemed to unfold accordingly.

According to my list and who I thought did the best, it’s no surprise that the Flames weren’t one of my favorite teams at the draft. I’m a fan of prospects and drafting…I’m not saying I know everything; I’m not saying that the Flames’ staff know nothing…what I am saying is that, based on what I know and what preferences and rankings I had, Calgary’s picks weren’t that great.

Here’s a list and some explanation of who I think did the best at the draft:

1. Anaheim Ducks

Note of players taken:

Hampus Lindholm – D – Pick #6
A super-skilled D-man, Lindholm just got better the longer he played for Rogle’s senior team. You look at the Ducks’ situation – not having much on the back-end and THEN trading Visnovsky and losing Justin Schultz (to free agency) – it’s easy to see that the team was looking to fill a void, for both the short and long term. A player of Lindholm’s mold, you’re bound to get a guy that can compliment Cam Fowler – both offensively and defensively. I think Lindholm has a higher ceiling defensively, for sure…offensively – definitely a possibility.

Nicolas Kerdiles – C/LW – Pick #36
An under-rated two-way forward that can score a ton, Kerdiles can play anywhere you need him to. I had Kerdiles ranked 18 on my list – I think he’ll be a top-6 pro with a scoring touch. Did I mention that I love the way he powers his way on the ice?

Fredrik Andersen – G – Pick #87
Though Andersen isn’t that young, he’s easily proven he’s the real-deal posting a 1.62 GAA, playing 39 games with Frolunda. After completion of the ’11-12 season, Andersen has finished playing his 4th year against men. So, being 22 and not being signed by Carolina, IMO, wouldn’t be enough justification not to take this 6’4” beast. As a third-round pick, Madden & Co. made a super-smart, low-risk move.

Kevin Roy - LW/C - Pick #97
A 5’10” LW/C that reminds me so much of Loui Eriksson, Kevin Roy was the next player selected by Madden. Though he was an over-age player, Roy destroyed the statistics – scoring 54 goals and 104 points in 59 games with Lincoln. Madden compares him to Jason Blake; either way, I think he will be able to contribute in the short-run – at Northeastern (NCAA) – and in the long run – playing in the NHL. The question: is this pick comparable to the one the Blue Jackets made in 2008, when they selected over-age eligible, Cam Atkinson?

Brian Cooper - D – Pick #127
A skilled D-man, Cooper is a smaller, offensive d-man that will put up the points…wherever he goes. He is a very smart d-man that has some real, raw talent. When I see his game, it reminds me of what you see with Mike Reilly (CBJ pick – 98th in 2011) – a player that uses his mind and his offensive skills to his advantage, thus, being a positive contributor – both offensively and defensively.

2. Montreal Canadiens

Notable players taken: Alex Galchenyuk, Sebastian Collberg, Dalton Thrower, Tim Bozon, and Charles Hudon.

3. Nashville Predators

Notable players taken: Pontus Aberg, Colton Sissons, Jimmy Vesey, Brendan Leipsic, Zach Stepan, Mikko Vainonen, Simon Fernholm, and Max Gortz.

4. Dallas Stars

Notable players taken: Radek Faksa, Ludvig Bystrom, Mike Winther, Esa Lindell, Gemel Smith, and Branden Troock.

5. Chicago Blackhawks

Notable players taken: Teuvo Terevainen, Dillon Fournier, Chris Calnan, Garret Ross, Travis Brown, and Vince Hinostroza.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins

Notable players taken: Derrick Pouliot, Olli Maatta, Theodor Blueger, Matt Murray, Matia Marcantuoni, Sean Maguire, and Anton Zlobin.

7. Columbus Blue Jackets

Notable players taken: Ryan Murray, Oscar Dansk, Joonas Korpisalo, Daniel Zaar, and Gianluca Curcuruto.

8. Edmonton Oilers

Notable players taken: Nail Yakupov, Joey Laleggia, Jujhar Khaira, Daniil Zharkov, and Mitch Moroz.

9. St. Louis Blues

Notable players taken: Jordon Schmaltz, Sam Kurker, Mackenzie MacEachern, Nick Walters, Francois Tremblay, and Petteri Lindbohm.

10. New York Rangers

Notable players taken – all 4 taken by Gordie Clark: Brady Skjei, Cristoval Nieves, Calle Andersson, and Thomas Spelling.

Time will tell how these prospects will turn-out. I’m quite surprised that Lundberg, Vatrano, Djuse, and Slepyshev didn’t get selected. But hey, it’s not like they can’t get taken next year.

My Flames thoughts: Since his tenure in 1997, Tod Button hasn’t had much success as the Director of Amateur Scouting. Jay Feaster came in and brought-aboard John Weisbrod…a guy who was a pro scout for the Bruins…yes, scouting college free agents. My question: how many players on the Bruins’ roster were college free agents? There's my point – this team doesn’t want to get rid of people that need to go; the people that are coming in aren’t making strong enough cases of what their skills are and how it will make a positive contribution to the issues the team has and wants to fix - drafting. Sometimes, personnel don’t work with an organization…if that’s the case, they need to be relieved. If you look at a lot of the Flames’ brain trust, you’ll see that most of their staff is the old guard that have been around the last 15 years (and then some). I wonder if that has positive correlation to why they are and continue to be a mediocre-at-best team…hmm. Feaster laughs at rebuild; made claims that he was against trading draft picks, yet, has already traded 2 IMPORTANT second round picks within the last year (2012 2nd to Buffalo; 2013 2nd to Montreal). He’s saying what he needs to please the public – “we need to get better…and will do…” His actions don’t reconcile with his words – he states the obvious and then makes moves he justifies by saying – “Write it down. We’ll make playoffs.”

Allan Markin and Murray Edwards, the team owners, are the real ones to blame. Just because the organization is a top-10 revenue-generating team, they are satisfied (with the hockey operations). Owners that really care about their organization would do their due diligence…based on performance management, make decisions. Last time I checked, Ken King, the President of both Hockey and Business operations (By the way – what other team in the league has 1 representative for both sides of the business? None) was given a promotion after the team failed to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year. The same guy that wanted to fight those fans that suggested for a re-build. I believe, as much as people hate me for saying, that as long as you have owners like Markin and Edwards, guys like Ken King will never lose their job. If he doesn’t lose his job, he gets to stick around and make ill-advised moves like hiring a non-hockey guy, Jay Feaster. Todd Button will continue to make picks like taking Greg Nemisz in the first-round and comparing him to Jeff Carter. Because, according to Tod Button, it takes years of experience to get a ‘proper’ read on high school players for accurate projections – and that’s why the Jankowski pick was the "right one."

When you look at all the facts and what is needed for succession management, there’s no way you can break-down and understand the string of poor moves made by this organization; you can’t justify many of their moves being made on the basis of a hockey nor a business decision.

There is an Old Boys Club in Calgary…Ken must be doing something else real-good to save his job, and it’s definitely not making hockey decisions. It’s fair to say that the Flames are just a mediocre team. Though they always spend up to the cap, they always just have an ok team. Just imagine – how much worse would the Flames be if they didn’t have deep pockets? I wonder how bad of a job their brain trust would do if they had expected higher turnovers – had to depend more on drafting and brining- in new, home grown players. That's a scary concept. I love how this team, every year, complains that they never have a no.1 center and the right backup goalie. And then every year, in the beginning, they make public announcements that they have filled that void, that goalie X will now play 15-30 games giving Kiprusoff some time off…and then every year, by game 55, you know that Kipper is exhausted and there isn’t a good enough goalie to give him the support.

Looking at this year, again, the same apparent issues seem to be the case. Like they’ve done in the past, the Flames have tried to get cheap fillers to try and cover that hole at center. As much progression as Irving has had (according to the club) – the last time I checked, he lost his job to free agent Danny Taylor in Abbottsford. Irving only played 7 games in the NHL in the 2011-2012 campaign. Posting a 3.19 GAA, there aren't strong enough statistics to be assured that he is the future goalie of the team. At 24, the time is ticking.

If it was my decision, Martin Madden would be my hockey guy. In just the last 4 drafts with the Ducks, Madden has added a plethora of hot prospects (2009 – Peter Holland, Kyle Palmieri, Igor Bobkov, and Sami Vatanen; 2010 – Cam Fowler, Emerson Etem, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Chris Wagner; 2011 – Rikard Rakell, John Gibson, William Karlsson, and Max Friberg). I’ve liked what he’s done more in the 4 years than what Button has done in the last 15.

You may ask the question: Is he a Flames fan? I’m from Calgary and loved the product the Flames had in the 80’s. It seemed apparent that the club, back then, had a model that stressed high skill and superior drafting (which I feel is what’s needed AT LEAST to be successful in the league one day). When you see a cheesy model that is being facilitated by deep pockets and know what money and knowledge in the field can ACTUALLY bring you, cheering for this model isn't easy to justify.

Huge thanks to Michael for his insight. Follow him on twitter at @gotitotti and Dome Ice Advantage at @WiswellMRU

Draft Squaretable Discussion

Twas the night before draft weekend. Our new contributor, Dave Cameron, chimes in with me on what he'd like to see the Flames do this weekend in Pittsburgh. 


Realistically, who is the one guy you're pulling for at #14? 
GW: Hard to say. The most sensible move would be to key in on a D man, but I am so easily drawn by skilled forwards. If, for whatever reason, Grigorenko were to drop, I wouldn't hesitate to take that risk. You'd get a top-3 talent in the middle of the first round. More realistically, I would go for Derrick Pouliot. I see him as more skilled than some of the names on forward in that range (Faksa, Gaunce). Watching a handful of Portland games this year, I was very impressed with his creativity and puck skills - something the Flames could surely use.


DC: I'm pulling for Zemgus Girgensons. Looking at many of the first rounders, Girgensons is described as a fierce two way player, his NHL comparable would be Rod Brind' Amour. The guy is a force in the weight room, but his two way game is undoubtedly present. Winning key draws, tough along the wall, and would be a great addition. Girgensons is the type of player Darryl always "said" he wanted to draft, but they didn't pan out (see Kris Chucko). Girgensons is a surefire two-way NHL player for the future.


Should the Flames move an asset to trade up?
GW: I definitely wouldn't. I think one guy out of the top-10 will fall to the Flames at 14. In most drafts, I'd be all over trading up. This time around, there doesn't seem to be as much certainty as to how it will play out from pick 1-20. So, I'd prefer the Flames ride it out and see who falls in their lap.


DC: Yes, but only if it involves maintaining youth. Unfortunately, I believe the Flames will not be able to move an asset to trade up, The integral pieces of this team going forward are what interest other teams, not the David Moss and Anton Babchuks. Maintaining Baertschi, Brodie, Giordano among others is key. I believe it is more important to make the proper choice at 14, and as Feaster has said, stick to the list of taking the best player available.


Should they add another pick in trading down?
GW: This is something I think they will (and should) do. Potentially finding a way to select twice (1 F, 1D?) in the top-40 would be ideal. Easier said than done, though.


DC: No. There are some intriguing names in that first round, prospects with a high ceiling. Although a drop exists outside of the top 2 (people will argue the drop occurs after the top 4 or 5), these are still quality prospects. As an organization, it's better to take a chance on a first rounder, rather than two seconds, as the possibility of that player actually making your roster and an impact some day is significantly better.


What roster player would you like to see dealt at the draft?
GW: I think the Flames are in a tough spot here. They've made it clear Kipper and Iggy will be sticking around. Looking at the rest of the roster, you'd be selling low. I would look to deal Jokinen's rights, potentially for a mid-round pick. I would hold off on the salary dumps until after July 1, when teams become more desperate to add pieces. To comment on the speculation, I would NOT look to deal Bouwmeester or Backlund, simply because they are more valuable to the team than the market.


DC: Que the Matt Stajan responses, but not from me: I have a Stajan jersey. He picked up his game down the stretch last season, and his market value sucks. All the talk about Bouwmeester being traded brings up mixed emotions. Is his contract bloated? Yes. Does he act uninterested in interviews, thus affecting the perception of him? Yes. Do the Flames have anyone that can play shutdown minutes half the game? No. J-Bo is an important part of this team, and should only be dealt in a deal that comes with an immediate (potential) replacement for him and those minutes.


Out of the guys under contract, one might suggest Glencross would be a candidate to be traded. Even though he had a great season after signing his new contract, I still have doubts as to whether or not he can continue to produce at that clip.


Either way, not dying to get rid of anyone on the immediate roster, but hoping that a philosophy shift with youth will bring this group out of mediocrity.

Follow Dave on twitter @dcam94, Dome Ice Advantage @WiswellMRU

Michael Fabrig's Mock Draft

Here is a mock draft from Michael, projecting which player each team will take in the first round. Thanks again to Michael for his contributions this week. Follow him on twitter @gotitotti. Follow Dome Ice Advantage @WiswellMRU.

1. Edmonton Oilers – Nail Yakupov – RW – 5’11” – 31G, 38A; 69 points in 42 GP – Sarnia Sting – OHL

2. Columbus Blue Jackets – Alex Galchenyuk – C – 6’1” – 31G, 52A; 83 points in 68 GP (’10-11) – Sarnia Sting – OHL

3. Montreal Canadiens – Mikhail Grigorenko – C – 6’3” – 40G, 45A; 85 points in 59 GP – Quebec Remparts – QMJHL

4. New York Islanders – Ryan Murray – D – 6’1” – 9G, 22A; 31 points in 46 GP – Everett Silvertips – WHL 

5. Toronto Maple Leafs – Filip Forsberg – LW – 6’2” – 8G, 9A; 17 points in 43 GP – Leksand – Allsvenskan

6. Anaheim Ducks – Griffin Reinhart – D – 6’3” – 12G, 24A; 36 points in 58 GP – Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL

7. Minnesota Wild – Morgan Rielly – D – 6’0” – 3G, 15A; 18 points in 18 GP – Moose Jaw Warriors – WHL   

8. Carolina Hurricanes – Cody Ceci – D – 6’1” – 17G, 43A; 60 points in 64 GP – Ottawa 67’s – OHL

9. Winnipeg Jets – Matt Dumba – D – 5’11” – 20G, 37A; 57 points in 69 GP – Red Deer Rebels – WHL

10. Tampa Bay Lightning – Jacob Trouba – D – 6’2” – 4G, 14A; 18 points in 22 GP – USNTDP Juniors – USHL

11. Washington Capitals – Olli Maatta – D – 6’1” – 5G, 27A; 32 points in 58 GP – London Knights – OHL

12. Buffalo Sabres – Hampus Lindholm– D – 6’2” – 1G, 3A; 4 points in 20 GP – Rogle – Allsvenskan

13. Dallas Stars – Radek Faksa – C – 6’3” – 29G, 38A; 67 points in 62 GP – Kitchener Rangers – OHL

14. Calgary Flames – Teuvo Teravainen– RW – 5’11” – 11G, 7A; 18 points in 40 GP  – Jokerit – SM-liiga

15. Ottawa Senators – Derrick Pouliot – D –  5’11” – 11G, 48A; 59 points in 72 GP – Portland Winter Hawks – WHL

16. Washington Capitals – Zemgus Girgensons – C – 6’2” – 24G, 31A; 55 points in 49 GP – Dubuque Fighting Saints – USHL

17. San Jose Sharks – Slater Koekkoek– D – 6’2” – 5G, 13A; 18 points in 26 GP – Peterborough Petes – OHL

18. Chicago Blackhawks – Andrei Vasilevski – G – 6’3” – 27 GP, 2.23 GAA, .931 SV % – Tolpar UFA – MHL

19. Tampa Bay Lightning – Matt Finn – D – 6’0” – 10G, 37A; 47 points in 61 GP – Guelph Storm – OHL

20. Philadelphia Flyers – Tomas Hertl – C – 6’2” – 12G, 13A; 25 points in 38 GP – HC Slavia Praha – Czech

21. Buffalo Sabres – Brady Skjei – D – 6’2” – 3G, 9A; 12 points in 24 GP – USNTDP – USHL

22. Pittsburgh Penguins – Malcolm Subban – G – 6’0” – 39 GP, 2.50 GAA, .923 SV% –  Belleville Bulls – OHL

23. Florida Panthers – Ludvig Bystrom– D – 6’0” – 0G, 1A; 1 point in 20 GP – MODO – Elitserien

24. Boston Bruins – Michael Matheson– D – 6’2” – 11G, 16A; 27 points in 53 GP – Dubuque Fighting Saints – USHL

25. St. Louis Blues – Brendan Gaunce – C – 6’2” – 28G, 40A; 68 points in 68 GP – Belleville Bulls – OHL

26. Vancouver Canucks – Oscar Dansk– G – 6’2” – 28 GP, 2.82 GAA, .910 SV% – Brynas J20 – SuperElit 

27. Phoenix Coyotes – Henrik Samuelsson – RW – 6’2” – 7G, 16A; 23 points in 28 GP – Edmonton Oil Kings – WHL

28. New York Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe – C – 6’1” – 11G, 15A; 26 points in 40 GP – Univ. of Michigan – NCAA

29. New Jersey Devils – Mark Jankowski – C – 6’2” – 53G, 40A; 93 points in 57 GP – Stanstead College – CAHS

30. Los Angeles Kings – Nicolas Kerdiles – C – 6’1 – 4G, 9A; 13 points in 18 GP – USNTDP Juniors – USHL

Rounds 6 & 7 Rankings - by Michael Fabrig

Round 6 (151-180)

151. Koblasa, Petr - RW - 15G, 7A; 22 points in 38 GP - HC Karlovy Vary U20 - Czech U20

152. Nelson, Logan - C - 23G, 39A; 62 points in 71 GP - Victoria Royals - WHL

153. Blandisi, Joseph - LW - 17G, 14A; 31 points in 68 GP - Owen Sound Attack - OHL

154. Marcantuoni, Matia - LW - 9G, 5A; 14 points in 25GP - Kitchener Rangers - OHL

155. Bartosak, Patrik - G - 25 GP, 2.74, .915 SV% - Red Deer Rebels - WHL

156. Fejes, Hunter - LW - 38G, 40A; 78 points in 55 GP - Shattuck St. Mary's Midget Prep - USHS

157. Rupert, Ryan - C - 17G, 31A; 48 points in 63 GP - London Knights - OHL

158. Farley, Austin - LW - 28G, 31A; 59 points in 51 GP - Fargo Force - USHL

159. Curcuruto, Gianluca - D - 3G, 13A; 16 points in 63 GP - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds - OHL

160. Carrick, Trevor - D - 6G, 13A; 19 points in 68 GP - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors - OHL

161. Collier, Brendan - LW - 6G, 11A; 17 points in 8 GP - Malden Catholic High - USHS

162. Quenneville, Peter - RW - 31G, 50A; 81 points in 53 GP - Sherwood Park Crusaders - AJHL

163. Corbett, Cody - D - 6G, 20A; 26 points in 54 GP - Edmonton Oil Kings - WHL

164. Montgomery, Jake - 20G, 38A; 58 points in 39 GP - Shattuck St. Mary's Midget Prep - USHS

165. Andersson, Sebastian - G - 12 GP, 1.72, .937 S% - Timrå J20 - SuperElit

166. Bradley, Cody - LW - 7G, 4A; 11 points in 16 GP - Dubuque Fighting Saints - USHL

167. Culkin, Ryan - D - 6G, 19A; 25 points in 60 GP - Québec Remparts - QMJHL

170. Hodges, Steven - C - 21G, 25A; 46 points in 72 GP - Victoria Royals - WHL

171. Bayreuther, Gavin - D - 14G, 20A; 34 points in 29 GP - Holderness School - USHS

172. Fernholm, Simon - D - 3G, 12A; 15 points in 47 GP - Huddinge IK J20 - SuperElit

173. DeBlouw, Matt - C - 11G, 22A; 33 points in 58 GP - Muskegon Lumberjacks - USHL

174. Willcox, Reece - D - 5G, 18A; 23 points in 52 GP - Merritt Centennials - BCHL

175. Arzamastsev, Zakhar - D - 0G, 6A; 6 points in 10 GP - Kuznetskie Medvedi - MHL

176. Karterud, Jørgen - RW - 9G, 13A; 22 points in 13 GP - Vålerenga - Norway

177. Hjärpe, Björn - LW - 14G, 24A; 38 points in 46 GP - Södertälje J20 - SuperElit

178. Nielsen, Jonatan - D - 5G, 4A; 9 points in 38 GP - Linköping J20 - SuperElit

179. McKay, Ryan - G - 35GP, 2.18, .920 SV% - Greenbay Gamblers - USHL

180. Kurker, Sam - RW - Stats unavailable

Round 7 (181-210)

181. De Jersey, Paul - RW - 41G, 57A; 98 points in 59 GP - Prince George Spruce Kings - BCHL

182. Gunnarsson, Daniel - D - 3G, 4A; 7 points in 46 GP - Luleå - Elitserien

183. Kamaev, Denis - LW - 21G, 34A; 55 points in 67 GP - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies - QMJHL

184. Volek, Dominik - RW - 14G, 18A; 32 points in 70 GP - Regina Pats - WHL

185. Nilsson, Jacob - LW - 4G, 11A; 15 points in 30 GP - Tingsryd J20 - SuperElit

186. Kerfoot, Alex - C - 25G, 44A; 69 points in 51 GP - Coquitlam Express - BCHL

187. Smith, Colin - C - 35G, 50A; 85 points in 72 GP - Kamloops Blazers - WHL

188. Brown, Connor - RW - 25G, 28A; 53 points in 68 GP - Erie Otters - OHL

189. Gustavsson, Victor - LW - 0G, 2A; 2 points in 2 GP - Huddinge IK - SWE-1

190. Magee, Brandon - C - 23G, 24A; 47 points in 65 GP - Victoria Royals - WHL

191. Clarke, Michael - RW - 15G, 21A; 36 points in 68 GP - Windsor Spitfires - OHL

192. Beauvillier, Francis - C - 23G, 11A; 34 points in 67 GP - Rimouski Oceanic - QMJHL

193. Richardson, Evan - C - 19G, 36A; 55 points in 48 GP - Powell River Kings - BCHL

194. Chyzyk, Bryn - LW - 28G, 21A; 49 points in 57 GP - Fargo Force - USHL

195. Rasmusson, Jens - C - 6G, 1A; 7 points in 6 GP - Södertälje J18 - J18 Allsvenskan

196. Stoick, Gavin - D - 2G, 4A; 6 points in 32 GP - USNTDP Juniors - USHL

197. McKee, Mike - D - 2G, 17A; 19 points in 59 GP - Lincoln Stars - USHL

198. Dotchin, Jake - D - 3G, 16A; 19 points in 64 GP - Owen Sound Attack - OHL

199. Leslie, Zack - D - 2G, 15A; 17 points in 65 GP - Guelph Storm - OHL

200. Moroz, Mitchell - RW - 16G, 9A; 25 points in 66 GP - Edmonton Oil Kings - WHL

201. Pelech, Adam - D - 2G, 18A; 20 points in 44 GP - Erie Otters - OHL

202. Uldall, Bjørn - D - 9G, 9A; 18 points in 30 GP - Herning II - Denmark2

203. Khatsei, Arseni - LW - 10G, 5A; 15 points in 36 GP - MHC Spartak - MHL

204. Björklund, Gustav - C/RW - 9G, 5A; 14 points in 13GP - Södertälje SK - SuperElit

205. Janmark Nylén, Mattias - C/LW - 23G, 38A; 61 points in 40 GP - AIK J20 - SuperElit

206. Nanne, Lou - LW - 7G, 13A; 20 points in 20 GP - Team Southwest - USHS

207. Johnson, Adam - LW - 9G, 8A; 17 points in 21 GP - Hibbing-Chisholm High - USHS

208. Nättinen, Topi - C - 15G, 28A; 43 points in 40 GP - JYP U20 - Jr. A SM-liiga

209. Thomson, Ben - LW - 11G, 30A; 41 points in 67 GP - Kitchener Rangers - OHL

210. Nykopp, Thomas - LW - 13G, 15A; 28 points in 46 GP - Tri-City Storm - USHL

Follow Michael on twitter @gotitotti, follow Dome Ice Advantage @WiswellMRU

Round 4 & 5 Rankings - by Michael Fabrig

ROUND 4 (91-120)

91. Korpisalo, Joonas - G - 28 GP, 2.04, .920 SV% - Jokerit U20 - Jr. A SM-liiga

92. Caggiula, Drake - C - 10G, 24A; 34 points in 25 GP - Stouffville Spirit - OJHL

93. Hudon, Charles - LW/C - 25G, 41A; 66 points in 59 GP - Chicoutimi Saguenéens - QMJHL

94. Bohman, Marcus - D - 10G, 20A; 30 points in 40 GP - MODO J20 - SuperElit

95. Ikonen, Henri - C - 17G, 28A; 45 points in 37 GP - KalPa U20 - Jr. A SM-liiga

96. Locke, Eric - C - 13G, 14A; 27 points in 31 GP - Saginaw Spirit - OHL

97. Nieves, Cristoval - C/LW - 2G, 8A; 10 points in 13 GP - Indiana Ice - USHL

98. Smith, Gemel - C - 21G, 39A; 60 points in 68 GP - Owen Sound Attack - OHL

99. Athanasiou, Andreas - C - 22G, 15A; 37 points in 63 GP - London Knights - OHL

100. Graham, Jesse - D - 4G, 39A; 43 points in 67 GP - Niagara IceDogs - OHL

101. Gusev, Nikita - LW - 30G, 40A; 76 points in 34 GP - CSKA-Krasnaja Armija Moskva - MHL

102. Bussières, Raphaël - LW - 21G, 23A; 44 points in 56 GP - Baie-Comeau Drakkar - QMJHL

103. Shore, Quentin - C - 8G, 2A; 10 points in 24 GP - USNTDP Juniors - USHL

104. Stolarz, Anthony - G - 50 GP, 2.84, .920 SV% - Corpus Christi IceRays - NAHL

105. Griffith, Seth - C - 45G, 40A; 85 points in 68 GP - London Knights - OHL

106. Franson, Cain - C - 27G, 31A; 58 points in 70 GP - Vancouver Giants - WHL

107. Sandberg, Filip - C 14G, 20A; 34 points in 43 GP - HV71 J20 - SuperElit

108. Nilsson, Ludvig - C/LW - 16G, 16A; 32 points in 47 GP - Timrå J20 - SuperElit

109. Cooper, Brian - D - 6G, 18A; 24 points in 55 GP - Fargo Force - USHL

110. Blujus, Dylan - D - 7G, 27A; 34 points in 66 GP - Brampton Battalion - OHL

111. Stepan, Zach - C - 22G, 43A; 65 points in 50 GP - Shattuck St. Mary's Midget Prep - USHS

112. Pearson, Tanner - 37G, 54A; 91 points in 60 GP - Barrie Colts - OHL

113. Holland, Rhett - D - 3G, 7A; 10 points in 47 GP - Okotoks Oilers - AJHL

114. Kilnar, Ales - RW - 28G, 23A; 51 points in 39 GP - HC Vitkovice U20 - Czech U20

115. Brown, Travis - D - 7G, 24A; 31 points in 66 GP - Moose Jaw Warriors - WHL

116. Blugers, Teodors - C - 24G, 64A; 88 points in 51GP - Shattuck St. Mary's Midget Prep - USHS

117. Lauridsen, Kristoffer - C - 21G, 12A; 33 points in 25 GP - Herning II - Denmark2

118. Michaelson, A.J. - C - 6G, 14A; 20 points in 53 GP - Waterloo Black Hawks - USHL

119. Ullberg, Richard - G - 23 GP, 2.36, .901 SV% - SaiPa - SM-liiga

120. Djoos, Christian - D - 3G, 21A; 24 points in 40 GP - Brynäs J20 - SuperElit

ROUND 5 (121-150)

121. Osnovin, Vyacheslav - C - 7G, 18A; 25 points in 45 GP - Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk - MHL

122. Andrighetto, Sven - LW/RW - 36G, 38A; 74 points in 62 GP - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies - QMJHL

123. Czarnik, Austin - C - 10G, 27A; 37 points in 40 GP - Miami Uni. (OH) - NCAA

124. Görtz, Max - RW - 2G, 3A; 5 points in 18 GP - Färjestad - Elitserien

125. Jevpalovs, Nikita - RW - 8G, 13A; 21 points in 58 GP - HK Riga - MHL

126. Duane, Kevin - 29G, 24A; 53 points in 29 GP - Brunswick Prep - USHS

127. Wilson, Tom - RW - 9G, 18A; 27 points in 49 GP - Plymouth Whalers - OHL

128. Barber, Riley - RW/C - 5G, 6A; 11 points in 24 GP - USNTDP Juniors - USHL

129. Nemec, Eric - LW - 17G, 17A; 34 points in 34 GP - HC Vitkovice U20 - Czech U20

130. Kukan, Dean - D - 5G, 16A; 21 points in 42 GP - Luleå J20 - SuperElit

131. Besse, Grant - LW - 40G, 35A; 75 points in 25 GP - Benilde-St. Margaret's High - USHS

132. Plutnar, Michal - D - 4G, 9A; 13 points in 62 GP - Tri-City Americans - WHL

133. Rupert, Matt - 12G, 23A; 35 points in 48 GP - London Knights - OHL

134. Walters, Nick - D - 6G, 12A; 18 points in 62 GP - Everett Silvertips - WHL

135. Mermis, Dakota - 5G, 22A; 27 points in 60 GP - Green Bay Gamblers - USHL

136. Beran, Matej - C - 22G, 39A; 61 points in 68 GP - Prince Edward Island Rocket - QMJHL

137. Stephenson, Chandler - C - 22G, 20A; 42 points in 55 GP - Regina Pats - WHL

138. Iafrate, Max - D - 6G, 10A; 16 points in 62 GP - Kitchener Rangers - OHL

139. Opperman, Grant - LW/RW - RW - 13G, 26A; 39 points in 21GP - Team Northwest - USHS

140. Rotolo, Michael - G - 22 GP, 2.15, .922 SV% - Green Bay Gamblers - USHL

141. Lipsbergs, Roberts - C - 14G, 14A; 28 points in 58 GP - HK Riga - MHL

142. Axman, Joakim - LW - 26G, 6A; 32 points in 22 GP - Valbo HC - SWE-2

143. Basso, Alex - D - 9G, 27A, 36 points in 44 GP - Sarnia Sting - OHL

144. Parisi, Thomas - D - 12G, 19A; 31 points in 37 GP - New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs - EJHL

145. Bischoff, Jake - D - 4G, 7A; 11 points in 21 GP - Team North - USHS

146. Fröberg, Linus - C - 17G, 35A; 52 points in 43 GP - Färjestad J20 - SuperElit

147. Vasilyev, Valeri - D - 1G, 1A; 2 points in 18 GP - MHC Spartak - MHL

148. Fox, Dane - C - 10G, 12A; 22 points in 28 GP - Erie Otters - OHL

149. Krutikov, Yevgeni - RW - 13G, 16A; 29 points in 53 GP - MHC Spartak - MHL

150. Karlsson, Erik - C/LW - 14G, 19A; 33 points in 47 GP - Frölunda J20 - SuperElit

Common Sense Prevails at the Draft

Drafting based on need or position is ridiculous. If any GM in the league is advocating for this strategy, they are wasting the efforts and money committed for over 8 months of scouting each year.

First off, in order to address team needs, there is a focus on short-term organizational weaknesses. Yet, the draft typically brings NHL calibre players to the big leagues in 2-5 years. So, if an NHL team were to draft based on need, they wouldn't actually fill the void that's lacking in the line-up. Therefore, they've used bias to settle for a player, when in fact they won't even solve the immediate issues on their hockey team.

Secondly, you must draft the most skilled player available because ANY other attribute can be readily found on the free agent market and by way of acquisition. So, to every hockey reporter in the country: why must you ask management teams if they are drafting the best player available? Even if they aren't, what answer will you get every time? It sure won't be this:

"This guy we ranked 10th is a world class player and our scouts spent 70 combined hours scouting him. However, he plays LW and we could use a C, so we went with the guy we ranked 17th."

In terms of prioritizing player characteristics, NHL calibre role players with character and work ethic can be easy to acquire in other ways. So it's not necessary to draft high "character" players. Plain and simple: you have to draft your own skill. Skill is not usually made available in the market, and these assets can be traded to address team needs down the road. Far as I can see, Matt Pelech, Krys Chucko and John Negrin had plenty of "character."

Outside of severe personality issues, you have to be willing to take risks on smaller players, or those with deficiencies that can be taught. If the development of these players takes longer, so be it, but you must ensure the players groomed in the system have the potential to become impact players in the big leagues.

In the later rounds, I'm all for taking "flyers" on players. Don't shy away from more risky picks with higher upside. Rather than picking sure-fire NHLers based on size and character, there should be a willingness to draft "project" players in the 3-7th rounds. These selections may have a reduced chance of making the NHL in the short term, but could become high impact players further down the road. Feaster's scouting staff took a step in this direction last summer, drafting 5'6 130 pound winger John Gaudreau in the 4th round. In his freshman season with Boston College, Gaudreau scored 44 pts in 44 games, one point less than teammate (and current NHLer) Chris Kreider, while helping lead Boston College to a championship.

Here's a Rinknet report I filed on Brendan Leipsic, a smaller draft eligible player that the Flames could target:

Scouting report: Brendan Leipsic (Centre, Portland Winterhawks)

5'9 175 lbs. Birthdate: 5-19-1994

NHL comparable (style): Kris Versteeg

Skating: A
Shooting: B+
Puck Control: A-
Physicality: B
Play away from puck: B
Hockey sense: B+

Overall rating: B+

GP: 65
Goals: 28
Assists: 30
Points: 58
PIM: 82
(+/-): +16

Comments: Leipsic's offensive skills are impressive. In particular, he's able to use his speed and surprising strength to drive the opposition crazy. Brendan's willingness to battle is a major asset, especially for a smaller player. He doesn't shy away from the physical side of the game. His hands in tight are impressive, as he can ready himself for a shot very quickly in traffic. He is crafty with the puck on his stick.

There are areas that could use some work. He has a tendency to "run around," throwing his body at everything and chasing the puck carrier. He would be better served to angle players off and use his stick more frequently, so he won't be caught out of position. Also, he's prone to long shifts, so his play drops off in the last 10-15 seconds before he heads to the bench.

Having said that, his weaknesses are easy to teach, and could simply turn around with age and maturity. The Winterhawks' loss of Bartschi and Rattie for next season will elevate Leipsic's ice-time and he will be relied on more heavily as a leader. This should be great for his development. Presumably, he's ranked lower because of his size. In Leipsic, I'd expect to be getting a future top-9 forward. If he can add some weight and take a step forward next season, his NHL upside could be even higher than that.

The skill is there, he just needs to work on the finer details of the game. If he's still available, I'd recommend the Flames take a hard look at Leipsic in the 3rd round.

Development

To me, the most important factor in any organization is player development. No matter what round a player is drafted in, he isn't going to become a quality NHL player without proper mentorship and development. I think this is becoming more and more apparent. The reality is, there are very subtle differences between teenagers on the draft floor. Whether he's selected at 14th overall or 114th overall, you won't have success with the player if he isn't brought along in the right environment. The best example of first class development is the Detroit Red Wings. Many of their stars are former late draft picks (5-7th rounds) and have become superstars in the league in recent years. Clearly, this is more about development than the kid's original drafting position.

The Red Wings gradual, patient approach puts confidence in young players. They are introduced to new challenges slowly, and Red Wing prospects are "over cooked" in the AHL before getting called up. This allows them to mature slowly and build offensive confidence as a pro, rather than being "thrown to the wolves." The Wings don't have a better chance than any other team of drafting a top player, but young players certainly benefit from developing in that system long-term.

Here's the Coles notes version:

1. Draft ONLY by skill
2. Take gambles in the later rounds
3. Put more emphasis on development. In turn, you'll become less dependent on projecting the careers of hockey players in their teens.

Should be a fun week!

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