What will New Jersey Devils' playoff ouster mean for Calgary Flames on draft day?
Article content
The Flames, meanwhile, landed a top-four defenceman in Kevin Bahl and created a roster spot for rising-star netminder Dustin Wolf. Bahl, 24, finished third on the team in average icetime during his first campaign in Calgary, while Wolf nearly willed his squad to a wild-card berth and is a shoo-in to be a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
Calgary's general manager, Craig Conroy, will now hope to cash in the Devils' first-round pick on a future difference-maker.
It's no secret that the Flames' scouting staff will be focused on centres, since that is a thin spot on the organizational depth chart. Among the pivot prospects who could be available in the range of No. 18 are Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds), Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds), Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires), Cullen Potter (Arizona State Sun Devils) and Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals).
The Flames also hold the Florida Panthers' first-round holler, which will likely slot somewhere in the 20s. That hinges on how far the Panthers advance as they try to defend their title.
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Edmonton Journal
5 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Flames take lightning-quick Potter with 32nd overall pick
Article content There's more to Potter's game than the quickness with which he darts around the NCAA ice for Arizona State. Of course there is. You don't play U.S. college hockey as a 17-year-old against opponents who might be six or seven years older than you just because you're fast. But they say you can't teach speed, and Potter's got it. The son of four-time U.S. Olympian Jenny Potter – who won a gold, two silvers and a bronze medal with the Americans – the newest member of the Flames might have the 'fastest skater' title locked up if the organization ever brings their Super Skills Competition back. 'I think my strongest asset is definitely my speed,' said Potter, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 183 lbs and is a leftie. 'Speed and skill and tenacity and compete are what I do best. 'I think the best players in the world have a lot of speed. Just looking at McDavid and MacKinnon and those guys, just being able to use my speed and hands at the same time is really important, and I think that's what the best players in the NHL do.'
Vancouver Sun
5 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Flames take lightning-quick Potter with 32nd overall pick
Any conversation about Cullen Potter is going to start with his speed. That's inevitable. Drafted by the Calgary Flames with the final pick of the first round, 32nd overall, Potter might just be faster than any other player whose name got called on Friday night. 'His speed is electric,' said Flames GM Craig Conroy. 'He's fast, quick, electric, he's got hockey sense.' There's more to Potter's game than the quickness with which he darts around the NCAA ice for Arizona State. Of course there is. You don't play U.S. college hockey as a 17-year-old against opponents who might be six or seven years older than you just because you're fast. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. But they say you can't teach speed, and Potter's got it. The son of four-time U.S. Olympian Jenny Potter – who won a gold, two silvers and a bronze medal with the Americans – the newest member of the Flames might have the 'fastest skater' title locked up if the organization ever brings their Super Skills Competition back. 'I think my strongest asset is definitely my speed,' said Potter, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 183 lbs and is a leftie. 'Speed and skill and tenacity and compete are what I do best. 'I think the best players in the world have a lot of speed. Just looking at McDavid and MacKinnon and those guys, just being able to use my speed and hands at the same time is really important, and I think that's what the best players in the NHL do.' Nobody is expecting Potter to be one of the best players in the world right away, but the early returns on his college career have been extremely encouraging. Despite being only 17-years-old for a good chunk of his freshman year at Arizona State – he turned 18 on January 10 – Potter netted 13 goals and added nine assists in 35 games. He also put up four goals and four assists while playing for the U.S. under-18 team. Conroy and the Flames scouting staff watched it all, and were thrilled about getting a player with his upside so late in the first round. 'When you look at him, you think 'Where is he going to be?' ' Conroy said about playing against older competition in the NCAA. 'It would be like stepping into the American League right away, you're playing against me. That's what I think is so impressive for him. To see him play with the U18s, I thought he was noticeable every shift and it was the speed that caught my attention.' Depending on where you look, Potter has been listed as either a centre or a winger, but it's clear that the Flames view his future as being in the middle. Combined with Cole Reschny, who was drafted at No. 18 overall earlier in the night, Friday's first-round should accomplish the much talked-about goal of adding young centres to a Flames prospect pool that was running on empty. 'I hope so,' Conroy said. 'Hopefully he plays centre all year. Both of these playing centre, we don't have a lot of centres. Luke Misa played centre, but there's not a lot of guys in our organization that played centre that we drafted. For me, you can always move him to wing but for me, right from the start I'd rather not put that in my mind. They're going to be centres.' That suits Potter just fine. 'I think I can play anywhere, but with my speed and skill I'm the best down the middle and can accomplish the most,' said Potter, who will return to Arizona State for another season next year. 'Just keep developing (in the) defensive zone and offensive zone and get stronger and everything like that, but I think I'm most effective down the middle.' Potter's family pedigree didn't go unremarked upon, either. Potter's dad has been a hockey coach for three decades in Minnesota and his mom, as mentioned earlier, is a trailblazer in the women's game. While having hockey in your blood isn't enough to get you to the NHL on its own, it certainly doesn't hurt. 'It's huge, just having a mom who has played hockey before and at a high level, too, it's great,' Potter said. 'Just being able to talk to her after games and learn a lot from her growing up, and also, my dad played hockey, too, so just having a family I can trust and rely on when things aren't going as great, they've been really influential in my life and they're who I look up to the most.' daustin@
Ottawa Citizen
5 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Flames take lightning-quick Potter with 32nd overall pick
Any conversation about Cullen Potter is going to start with his speed. That's inevitable. Article content Drafted by the Calgary Flames with the final pick of the first round, 32nd overall, Potter might just be faster than any other player whose name got called on Friday night. Article content 'His speed is electric,' said Flames GM Craig Conroy. 'He's fast, quick, electric, he's got hockey sense.' Article content Article content Article content Article content But they say you can't teach speed, and Potter's got it. Article content The son of four-time U.S. Olympian Jenny Potter – who won a gold, two silvers and a bronze medal with the Americans – the newest member of the Flames might have the 'fastest skater' title locked up if the organization ever brings their Super Skills Competition back. Article content 'I think my strongest asset is definitely my speed,' said Potter, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 183 lbs and is a leftie. 'Speed and skill and tenacity and compete are what I do best. Article content 'I think the best players in the world have a lot of speed. Just looking at McDavid and MacKinnon and those guys, just being able to use my speed and hands at the same time is really important, and I think that's what the best players in the NHL do.' Article content Article content Article content Nobody is expecting Potter to be one of the best players in the world right away, but the early returns on his college career have been extremely encouraging. Article content Despite being only 17-years-old for a good chunk of his freshman year at Arizona State – he turned 18 on January 10 – Potter netted 13 goals and added nine assists in 35 games. He also put up four goals and four assists while playing for the U.S. under-18 team. Article content Conroy and the Flames scouting staff watched it all, and were thrilled about getting a player with his upside so late in the first round. Article content 'When you look at him, you think 'Where is he going to be?' ' Conroy said about playing against older competition in the NCAA. 'It would be like stepping into the American League right away, you're playing against me. That's what I think is so impressive for him. To see him play with the U18s, I thought he was noticeable every shift and it was the speed that caught my attention.'
