Day 1
Things couldn't have been going better for the Flames. In a sharp departure from normal draft tendencies, defenseman after defenseman was drafted in the top 10. Only 2--TWO--forwards. Just 2. Granted, they were Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk (related, the Habs had a GREAT draft). But Filip Forsberg, who was a consensus top 5 pick, went ELEVENTH!!
Anyway, with 10 selections finished, things were looking pretty good. Forsberg, Faksa, Teravainen, and Grigorenko were ALL still available. "Great!" we thought. "This is fantastic!"
Pick 11 came. Forsberg went.
Pick 12 arrived. Grigorenko's plummet ends at Buffalo.
Pick 13 passes. Faksa is gone.
And now, the Flames will take Teravainen.
Oh, wait... what's Feaster doing on the phone?
He traded the pick. To Buffalo, for the 21st and 42nd picks. There have been grumbles that they could have gotten more for the pick, and that's likely true... if only it hadn't been the Flames who placed the call. If you initiate contact, you're dealing from a position of weakness.
But, done is done. And now Buffalo takes Teravainen.
Oh, wait, Girgensons. Okay, we're still alive.
The next 3 picks pass without a hitch. Ceci? Didn't want a dman anyway. Wilson? Ha! Hertl? Good, but Teravainen's better. Apparently, Chicago liked him too. Teravainen goes 18th.
Okay, well, there's still Sebastian Collberg. And Olli Maatta. We can still come out okay.
A couple picks later, and they're still on the board. (Laughton. Ha!).
Feaster approaches the podium. And my head explodes.
Mark Jankowski C, Stanstead College; 21st overall
Now that I've had a chance to cool down (Could've had Teravainen.... *sniffle*) this isn't a terrible pick. Jankowski isn't a player I'm particularly familiar with, but he was on my radar... in the 2nd round, in case the Flames managed to acquire a 2nd round pick. But, Feaster, Weisbrod, Button, and Goulet apparently really REALLY liked him. I get the sense that, if they had stayed at 14th, they'd have taken him anyway. So, good thing they traded down, I guess. Imagine if they had gone up with Teravainen and Girgensons still on the board and taken this guy. Jankowski is bound for Providence College (NCAA) which is a good sign for a project. There have been mentions of him going to the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) first, though, which allows him to ease in to the great level of play that is NCAA hockey.
Pros: For such a universally panned pick, there is a lot to say in the pros section. The most obvious is that he's the youngest player in the draft (almost a full year younger than one Pontus Aberg). Very advanced for his age. He's big (well, tall--he carries less muscle than I do, having grown ~6.5 inches in the last year). He's got above-average hockey sense according to many scouts. He's got great hands and playmaking ability, a good shot, and excellent compete level. And he's also got a great personality. Seems like a great kid. He also scored 53 goals and 94 points in just 57 games. Granted in a weak league, but that's damn impressive.
Cons: Did you know there was a team called Stanstead College? In short, the guy was a man among boys. A wolf among chihuahuas. A tiger among squirrels. You get the idea. The level of competition he played against was... extremely low. Of course, that means his team mates were (relatively) lousy too (I don't mean to insult highschool players, but really--how many NHL players were drafted from this league? I think 0). I once described Zemgus Girgensons as "thin as a pencil" (granted, I was operating on dated listings and pictures/videos etc.). At least that guy was ripped like a UFC fighter. Jankowski looks like if someone stretched me out 8 inches taller without adding any (okay, much) muscle. And if I had shoulder-length helmet-hair. So yeah--he needs to "grow into" his frame. Better start eating, kid.
Comparisons: Weisbrod says Joe Nieuwendyk. I laugh, but what do I know? I'd have taken Collberg. And Nieuwendyk was drafted 27th overall (which, at the time, was the early 2nd round).
Random: His name makes me think of Trevor Letowski, which, in turn, makes me think of the Coyotes. I hope he becomes a better player than that. And with the Flames.
Grade: C. I didn't feel comfortable giving it an F, considering the upside he possesses. But at the same time, the bust factor is so significant that it makes me think that "C" is even a bit high. I might change that later.
Day 2
Day 2 was pretty disappointing. They took a goalie in the 3rd round (inexcusable) and took 3 dmen--none of whom have a RHS. Missed out on Nick Ebert (last overall) Dalton Thrower (taken in the late 2nd) Anton Slepyshev (not drafted!!!) and others (including Seth Griffith, 5th round)
Patrick Sieloff D, USNTDP; 42nd overall
Physical defenseman, similar to (but smaller than) 2011 2nd rounder Tyler Wotherspoon. Apparently hits everything that moves, and has okay mobility, but that's about all that can be said for him. Didn't put up many points, and had a ton of penalty minutes.
Grade: C+. Not really a fan, especially since Dalton Thrower went 9 spots down. Sieloff does have a may birthday though.
Jonathan Gillies G, Indiana; 75th overall
Big goalie. 3rd round. Scouting report reads like a description of Henrik Karlsson. Bound for the same NCAA team as Jankowski.
Grade: F. There's no excuse for taking a goalie this high.
Brett Kulak D, Vancouver; 105th overall
I actually like this pick. Kulak is a silky smooth defenseman with untapped offensive potential, and good all-around skill. He's a bit on the small side, though. His scouting report on The Hockey Writers is absolutely glowing, saying things like "Duncan Keith" and "ridiculous upside". I'm not sure I'd go that far, but he's alright, especially in the 4th round for a team that really has nothing at all on D. My comparison is Marc-Edouard Vlasic of the San Jose Sharks, though he has a long way to go to reach that lofty comparison.
Grade: A.
Ryan Culkin D, Quebec; 124th overall
Another OKAY pick. Culkin is a smart, no-frills defenseman. He's described as being fairly mobile, with good offensive instincts... on the powerplay. He doesn't contribute much offensively at even strength, though. Definitely a project. He's also, paradoxically, the biggest defender the Flames got in this draft.
Grade: C.
Coda Gordon LW, Swift Current; 165th overall
Many expected Gordon to go higher than this. He was ranked 2nd on the Broncos in points (with 53) and goals (with 30). He also boasted a +2 rating, which, on a poor team, isn't bad. He has a great shot, and a great physical game, but dreadful skating. Still, not bad for a 6th rounder.
Grade: B+.
Matt DeBlouw C, Muskegon; 186th overall
It's hard to get incensed about a 7th rounder, but this was the time to go far a home run! er, another home run. Nick Ebert and Anton Slepyshev were still on the board, and the Flames go for this guy for some reason. DeBlouw scored 33 points in 58 games, good for 3rd on his team (USHL). He was also a -18, though Muskegon appears to have been a terrible team.
Grade: F. Mostly because they should have taken Nick Ebert. Upside. RHS. Yeah. Didn't.
OVERALL GRADE: C
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