The_People1

If I had a choice between Yakemchuk and Parekh, then I'm going with Yakemchuk.

I know I know, I was just saying though. He really has nothing else he can say because this team isn't bouncing back that quickly even if he tried to sign UFAs this summer.

Conroy can go big game hunting all he wants but the Flames are not attractive place to play at this stage of their rebuild. Feels like the entire hockey world knows we are realistically in the first year of a long rebuild no matter what Conroy says to the media.

1000% trade Sharangovich for the 18th overall. I also doubt he gets that much because he's 1-year away from UFA.

If Yakemchuk can pop in over 20G on the PP year after year, then does that forgive some average edge work? I've watched him live a couple of times and while I was never wowed by his skating, I never felt like it was holding him back. He's kind of a calm and steady presence. With the puck, I've seen him shake-n-bake at the point to move off shot blockers and then shoots and scores. Defensively, he tracks well and keeps tight coverage. He has a good stick and always pins players to the boards. It's not Elite edge work but I have to ask what is expected of his type? He's not TJ Brodie or Quinn Hughes at 6'-3" and 195 lbs. He probably wants to play closer to 220 lbs at the NHL level for his game to have success. His lateral is supposed to be limited at that size, no?

Jiricek over Yakemchuk? Why?

Yes given all that, how can Conroy even think about the DAL model? Blip once? Conroy thinks this is the Flames one blip? I mentioned the King's because they refused to dump Kopitar and Doughty to do a full rebuild. They hung onto the undying dream. LAK drafted pretty high 3 times and came out with Turcotte, Clarke, and Byfield. Oof, three mega misses. Then tried to trade and UFA their way to an accelerated retool to be competitive again. LAK is not close to being serious Cup contender.

Both DAL and LAK did the same models. Basically, they both leaned on older superstar players to bounce back from the basement quick. When it goes well, then you get DAL. When it goes average, then you get LAK. The King's are going in the wrong direction because Kopitar and Doughty are on their last legs. It's up to the next group to carry the torch but the gap is too big. PLD was the wrong guy to commit to. Kempe is good but not superstar. LAK also has no goalie. The Flames are going to try this model per Conroy's words. Yet, we don't have a Benn/Seguin or Kopitar/Doughty. This isn't going to end well.

Could we trade Huberdeau for Couturier? Couturier has six years remaining at $7.75-mil. NMC. Rumour is he changed agents to ask the Flyers for a trade. Would Couturier be willing to waive to come to Calgary?

For sure man. The hardest thing to do in hockey is not edges, hitting, boxing out in front of the net, etc. It's not even reading the play. The hardest thing to do in hockey is put the puck in the net. It's scoring. Of course, you can't score if you can't other things at the same time but to score like Parekh, it's another level. So that said, he's got the hardest part of hockey figured out. Now, let's work on the rest of hockey. If you want to call him one of the three most elite D in the draft, I get it. I just see a player who is so far behind on on the defensive side of the game that he's starting from way back compared to the other guys. Yakemchuk can also score with the best of them so he's got that figured out too. I get it if you think he's one of the three most elite D in the draft. We're talking Shea Weber and Chris Pronger level impact if it all works out for him. He could be the next Dion Phaneuf before Phaneuf went off the rails. I like Yakemchuk. Depending on who's available at #9, I don't mind if the Flames take him. I would take Buium and Dickinson before Yakemchuk but if both are gone, then sure pick Yakemchuk. I wouldn't be mad if we took Yakemchuk ahead of Silayev or Jiricek. Even if we took Yakemchuk ahead of Catton, Iginla, Helenius... his types are rare.

One of the worst I've ever seen. Krebs one year too late. Last year he still had hope. This year, he's a proven bust as far as I'm concerned. He's behind Zary at Center and behind a whole bunch more on LW. Flames don't have room for him. Rosen is interesting. LHS RW. Still has some promise but I don't think the Flames have a need here considering Coronato has comparable potential and need the ice time next season.

That would be a great trade. Husso is an upgrade to Vladar. That 15th overall pick could do some damage for us. I would love the NJD or BUF 10/11 picks because that's Tij territory... but something good could fall to 15th. Perhaps Yakemchuk or Jiricek is still there at 15. If not, then Greentree or Connelly... Hage, Sennecke, etc.

I would consider Gaudreau coming back at $7-mil-per if CBJ would take Mangiapange off our hands... that type of thing. We give back Huberdeau at $7-mil-per and we absorb a cap dump (in this case Knight). Again, Huberdeau is still a $5-mil level player currently. If he goes back to FLA, he might return to $9-mil output.

Yuck! But that's exactly the type of deal i'm talking about. Both 7-years remaining at, $8.5-mil for PLD $10.5-mil for Huberdeau

I assume you mean would FLA acquire Huberdeau's contract? FLA is win-now... Huberdeau put up 100+ points with them recently... 80-ish on average. IF any team can get Huberdeau back on track, then it would be FLA. Sam Bennett is still there, etc. Huberdeau is getting paid $10.5-mil but putting up $5-mil worth of numbers... Spencer Knight is $3.5-mil dead cap space... Can both teams come together in the middle? Short answer, no. Nobody should... but so, Flames retain and modify that contract for FLA. Or better yet, what's the number you think FLA would do it? Flames retain $3-mil-per?? (better than a buyout right?)

Is there some kind of cap dump trade we can do with another team for Huberdeau? Both teams trade to help a struggling player have a change of scenery? If FLA loses Reinhart this summer, then can the Flames trade Huberdeau to FLA? Maybe for Spencer Knight who is stuffed in the minors and dealing with substance abuse or whatever it was he's dealing with? The Flames maybe retain $1-mil-per.

They also picked Heiskanen and passed on the future greatest Defenseman of all mother time. It may go down as the biggest missed draft opportunity in Dallas Stars franchise history. But ya, get lots of 1st and 2nd round picks and draft safe. Take the obvious pick and don't outsmart yourself.

Okay I take some of that back. I would re-word that to say the ownership group does both. However, losing up the draft ranks hurts the bottom line at the end of the day and ownership would not be willing to invest in consecutive losing seasons for very long. They try a bit more than what I was saying.

Parekh... based on highlights and limited viewing, his wrist shot is unreal. Will give Cole Eiserman a run for best wrist shot in this draft. He's a great skater with the puck and loves to jump up on the play. Defensively, he plays average X's and O's. No elite vision and makes average reads. Average awareness. He's very soft too. Only stick checks. He plays no-contact hockey. Below average intensity in the defensive zone. Gets tricked easily by criss crossing opponents. Loses assignments and coverage. Just stands around and watching the puck sometimes. Parekh is the most high risk high reward in the top 10 because he could put up Erik Karlsson type offense but also Erik Karlsson type defense... And if the offense doesn't translate to the NHL level, then you are left with an Erik Karlsson without the offense. Yakemchuk... I sort of agree with conundrum that he's nearly a year older than his draft class. He SHOULD dominate and in many ways, he does. But since he's a year older than most prospects, then perhaps his growth trajectory is lower. Yet, his game needs more growing. I think he's a Jacob Trouba comparable. They both bring the rough stuff, hits, fights, RHS RD, and aren't super slick skaters or anything. Both aren't high end shut down D but instead, some type of hybrid enforcer but does a bit of everything else at an above average level. Yakemchuk has a greater/smarter shot from the point and could be a PP mainstay at the NHL level. I think we're looking at a 2/3/4 D on the depth chart. Like Trouba, he's not Elite but he's going to be an excellent complement to a D core because of his rare combination of size and skill. I'm not sad if we pick him but it also depends who else is available.

Trues. Without a list, there is no context to Dickinson at #9. It all depends on who is available.

Well, on one hand, I know what you are saying because if Gaudreau and Tkachuk stayed for big money, then I don't feel that's enough firepower to truly win a Cup. On the other hand, we spent that money anyways to lock up Huberdeau, Kadri, and Weegar so the Flames dodged a bullet but stepped on a landmine instead.

I'm not worried about Iginla. I hope he gets taken before our pick so we don't have to deal with the controversy. I'm worried about, MTL - Silayev Utah - Buium OTT - Parekh SEA - Dickinson This means all the "top D" are gone. Catton, Iginla, and Eiserman are on the board for the Flames at 9. Do the Flames "reach" for Yakemchuk/Jiricek if we want D?

Oof... Ya. RHS C with size. But Honzek was a top 10 before he rekt his knees...

Never heard of Sennecke. Looks like ranked early-20s. Don't have a chance with the Canuck's 1st.