Flames will just draft Tij tyvm

Mailloux also wouldn't be out best d prospect. We have Poirier who is currently better, and Brzustewicz who could end up better.

They are just doing their due diligence like every other team.

Already have a lot of wingers no?

Yes but only 1 with legitimate 1st line potential. Also he has played center.

If still available Calgary should draft Catton

They've also met Catton and Iginla twice too. Same could be said for almost every NHL scouting team that are probably meeting them too. So it really doesn't mean much.


and a Romanov type deal would be sending a young Habs D with NHL experience (so Guhle, Xhekaj, Struble, Maybe Barron since he's played over 80 NHL games) for a different positional need, to make room for another, younger, D that hasn't played in the NHL yet (Mailloux, Reinbacher, Hutson, etc.)
Habs moved Romanov because they were fully confident Guhle (who hadn't played an NHL game yet) was NHL ready. The trade was the literal definition of "selling high" too. Getting the 13th overall pick for Romanov and being able to flip it for Dach was nothing short of highway robbery.



EDIT: Apparently they met Iginla 4 times, not 2

Hell nah. We’ll likely finish around sixth, no way we trade that pick. We desperately need C’S and maybe all besides Celebrini will be there. Lindstrom, Helenius, Catton, and Iginla all play center and will likely be there. We could even pick as high as 5th. There’s also no way Demidov goes lower than 3rd.

Hate to break this to you but Poirier isn't better than Millioux. Millioux is younger and having a better offensive rookie season than Poirier had in the AHL, all while being bigger, meaner and just as good defensively. Also plays the right side which is becoming a premium position since there seems to be less RHD than LHD every year.

Lindstrom doesn’t get past 3-4

Poirier is 1 year older and their rookie years are nearly identical production wise. Poirier's defensive game has also come a long way since juniors, and if he hadn't had that major injury he would very possibly be leading all defensemen in points this season. Right now he is still reacclimating to playing again after surgery and 4.5 months off.

I understand the value of being a RD vs a LD but that is irrelevant to the OP's post. He said Mailloux would be the Flames best defense prospect by FAR, which is fundamentally wrong.

Okay so it's not "by far" but he would be your best defensive prospect, until they likely select one in this up coming draft of course

Top 3 will almost certainly be Celebrini, Demidov, and Levshunov. All 3 will be gone by 4th at the latest. Unless Chicago wins the lotto I don't think Levshunov makes it past them. Anaheim probably doesn't pick him at all, Columbus might take Lindstrom at 4 but probably not at 2, Chicago might take him at 4 but certainly not at 2, Arizona probably opts for Silayev at 5. So there is absolutely a scenario where Lindstrom falls to 6. The hypothetical for that would be
1. San Jose/Columbus - Celebrini
2. San Jose/Columbus - Demidov
3. Chicago - Levshunov
4. Anaheim - Dickinson
5. Arizona - Silayev
6. Montreal - Lindstrom
7. Ottawa - Parekh/Yackemchuk
8. Calgary - Catton/Iginla

That's still debatable, as Poirier was a monster to start the season and could absolutely be one next season again. Mailloux is a good prospect no doubt but he certainly wouldn't be by far the Flames best, and even the Flames best is debatable.

Again Calgary still has Brzustewicz, who just nearly put up 100 points in the OHL

Demidov might not go as high because of the Russian factor.

1- Celebrini (SJ) - Consensus
2 -Lindstrom (CHI) - Great Consolation prize
3- Levshunov (ANA) - Best Dmen + Verbeek guy
4- Demidov(CBJ) - Best BPA. Get one of the most talented
5- Dickinson (ARI) - Sanderson Comp. Top5 assured imo
6- Ignila (MTL) - He has everything.
7- Parekh (OTT) - They would be more than happy.
8- Silayev (CGY) - Premium Dmen Falls. Him or Catton

Tij Iginla is a complete player (he does everything) and might be the most NHL ready player in the draft. 8th might be too late for Calgary to get him but if Yakemchuk is still around he'd be a great choice too.

Assuming the top 5 on batman's list are already gone Silayev would be tempting too but I'd pass on Catton and Parekh if any of Iginla, Yakemchuk or Silayev was still around. In fact if it was up to me and I had the 6th OA I'd probably taking Tij with it unless Cayden Lindstrom or one of the higher ranked defensemen was still available.

Demidov won't fall, none of the teams in the top 5 are making the playoffs in the next 2-3 years. The only reason Michkov fell last year was because he wasn't clearly better than Carlsson or Fantilli. Montreal then drafted more for need and Arizona picked someone unexpected by everyone.

Lindstrom is a good prospect but he's not even the 2nd most skilled center in the draft, that's Catton by a mile. If you are going to make an argument for someone besides Levshunov or Demidov going #2 it's him. Lindstrom is simply just big. Chicago will pick the best player available and that's a toss up between Demidov and Levshunov. Also Lindstrom's injury is just as much of a deterrent as the Russian factor.

The Habs are apparently interested in Iginla but I would still be shocked if they chose him over Catton or Lindstrom.

One can hope 🤞

There was no doubt last year that Michkov was the second best player in the draft class. If he was ready to come to NA this year, ANA would’ve taken him 100% (unless he decided he didn’t like it there like he did with ARI).

He is probably the 2nd best player from that draft but the difference is like the 2015 draft, comparing Eichel to Marner or Kaprizov. Carlsson and Fantilli being centers caries a lot of value on its own. Not to mention there were questions on Michkov's defensive game

I think Michkov is going to have a REALLY hard time under Torts

That's been said before and been false before

Lecavalier and Torts hated eachother but they sucked it up and won a cup