Who the Flames Will Pick

It is this time of year, the time I make a complete fool out of myself. It is time to pretend that I am a professional scout, and it's your time to laugh at me for making a fool out of myself.

This year, the Flames do not have the second or third rounder.  So I will just do the first rounder and a fourth rounder.

With the First round selection, I predict the Flames pick:

Klim Kostin 

A big, rugged, right winger who will eat people up in front
of the net.  He has adequate offensive skills and will put up points the dirty way.  Kostin makes very strong plays with no fear. He abandons all caution to the wind. He is a big power forward who just might pay off. Flames will have to patient with him.

With the fourth round, the Flames pick:

David Farrance

A highly skilled defencemen who can pass with the best of them.  Potential top four dman and a power play specialist.  Farrance is a rocket from the point, which will cause torment to most goalies.  He has a fairly accurate shot and is a pinpoint passer, which will help the Flames tremendously in the future.

Next picks, I am just listing them:

Fifth round, Brady Lyle D

Sixth round, Ryan Hughes C

Seventh round, Saku Vesterinen

This and that 

The Flames will no doubt look for a right winger and a puck-moving defencemen. Also, look for the Flames to be busy during the draft. The Flames may very well get additional picks.

The players that comes to mind are Nate Schnarr, a slick center with some skills and Aleksi Heponiemi, a small, talented forward who moves with the best of them. The Flames might very well step in and grab him.

The Flames might be looking for that top-six forward. I have not heard any names; they are keeping things close to the chest. They are getting tons of offers for Bennett. Not shopping, but listening to offers.

Here is Dearen's opinion on who the Calgary Flames are going to pick for number one:

Who will the Calgary Flames select at #16 in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft?

You mean the draft? Like the expansion draft? No? Oh...

I predict the Flames select Juuso Valimaki, the Captain of the U18 Finland team who is a solid two-way defenseman. Valimaki scored 19 goals for the Tri-City Americans this past season, yet when you watch him play you feel like he can produce much more. Juuso measures six feet tall with his weight hovering around 200 pounds at the age of 18. Juuso's strengths are his solid skating abilities and his intelligence in his own end. Flames assistant Craig Conroy was quoted as saying this is a "character" draft, and Juuso has plenty of character. Juuso Valmaki has been compared to the likes of Mattias Ekholm and Erik Johnson. At #16 the Calgary Flames are proud to select Juuso Valmaki.