CALGARY – Craig Conroy completely understands why there’s so much buzz surrounding the possibility the Calgary Flames could draft Tij Iginla.
“Oh ya, I get it,” said the Flames GM.
“I mean Jarome is, no disrespect to anyone else, the greatest player in franchise history, and his son is going to be drafted this year.
“I understand why people talk about it.
“In the end, we’re picking ninth and every year you never know who is prioritizing what, who wants what player, and who will be there at your pick.”
Opinions amongst draft prognosticators vary greatly on the 17-year-old forward, whose 47 goals in 64 games with Kelowna have positioned him to go anywhere from third to 16th in mock drafts.
His six goals and 12 points in seven games at the U18 world championship, which included the gold-medal-winning tally, only served to bolster his stock, which has been rising steadily all season.
The question is not whether he’ll be drafted ahead of where his dad went in 1995 (11th), but whether he lands on the team his father is a special advisor for.
For what it’s worth, the Montreal Canadiens (who pick fifth overall) and the Utah Hockey Club (who pick sixth) both reportedly had dinner with Tij at the combine.
They’re intrigued.
Who wouldn’t be?
Jarome told Sportsnet last week he’d be fine if the Flames picked him, but made it clear he’s excused himself from scouting staff discussions involving his six-foot, 185-pound son.
Conroy said he and Iginla have discussed the situation at length, though.
“For sure, you have to talk about those things,” said Conroy, who also gets to pick 28th on Friday (thanks to the Elias Lindholm trade).
“I know where everybody stands, and everybody’s feelings on it, and I feel comfortable going to the draft with that knowledge, for sure.”
If available, Flames fans are certainly hoping the Hall of Famer’s son is taken by the Flames. Jersey sales would instantly be off the charts.
But Conroy knows popularity and marketability can’t factor into the decision, as he has had to treat Iginla like every other top prospect in the draft while piecing together his list.
“That’s all we can do,” he said.
“We have to do our job, as normal and put him on the list where we feel he belongs.
“That’s been the goal from the start.
“Names aside, for anybody.”
In a top-heavy draft, the Flames will land a talented teen.
Asked if he’s worried about the backlash if he returns from Vegas without Iginla, Conroy shrugged.
“Everyone is going to have an opinion,” said Conroy, who knows that none of the nine draft picks he’s slated to make will draw as much scrutiny as his first one Friday.
“We pick ninth and I would love for someone to tell me how this draft is going to unfold because it could go a number of ways.”
DRAFT PICKS
POTENTIAL ROUND 1 OPTIONS
No matter what the Flames’ interest in Iginla might be, it’s highly unlikely the Flames would be drawn into trading up to land him ahead of no. 9.
After all, there are so many good options, especially at the back end where the Flames have identified a need to get better.
Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary Hitmen.
The Flames have watched the highly-skilled blueliner develop at the Saddledome, where the six-foot-three, 190-pound sniper broke a Hitmen record by scoring 30 goals, making him just the third blue liner in the last 30 years to score 30 in the WHL.
Zeev Buium, LHD, U of Denver
Exploding onto the college scene with 10 goals and 50 points in 42 games as a freshman, the former Shattuck St. Mary’s product is part of a group of six defensive studs who sit snugly in the top-ten rankings.
Sam Dickinson, LHD, London Knights
The heavy-shooting blueliner not only had a point per game with the OHL champs, but has the sort of size the Flames dream of at the back end, at six-foot-three, 203 pounds.
Berkly Catton, C Spokane Chiefs
The Flames need help up the middle, but despite being sublimely skilled, one wonders if they see fit to draft a five-foot-11, 174-pound centre in a Western Conference that still puts a premium on size. His 54 goals and 116 points in 68 games speak to his IQ and offensive upside.
LAST YEAR’S FIRST PICK
Injuries continue to hamper the development of Samuel Honzek, who the Flames picked 16th overall last year.
Honzek only played 33 games for the Vancouver Giants this season, scoring ten goals and adding 21 assists as team captain.
Given he’s played less than 45 games each of the last two seasons, the 19-year-old is not being counted on to make a push at training camp this year.
The six-foot-four, 180-pound Slovakian centre had three goals and four points in 5 games at the World Juniors, but following a disappointing first-round exit with the Giants, he made one playoff appearance for the Wranglers.
Expect him to play a couple years in the minors before making a permanent jump.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION
The Flames will get their man.
Despite endless speculation Iginla is likely to get snapped up before the Flames pick, we’re going against the odds to suggest he’s still available, making for an emotional draft moment Flames fans have been hoping for the last few months.