The Calgary Flames had a busy and productive draft day, selecting nine players and also acquiring goaltender Brian Elliott for their original 2nd-round pick.
Here’s a closer look at the nine newest members of the Flames organization.
Matthew Tkachuk
Image: NHL
Drafted: 1st round (6th overall)
Position: LW
Size: 6’1″, 195 pounds
Stats: 57 GP, 30 G, 77 A, 107 P
The Flames were fortunate to have Matt Tkachuk fall to them at #6, as he was a consensus top-5 pick heading into the draft.
The left-handed winger put up 107 points in 57 games with the OHL’s London Knights this past season, and finished second in playoff scoring with 40 points in 18 games en route to the Memorial Cup championship.
The gritty power forward is said to specialize in playing from the top of the face-off circles down to the goal line, doing good work along the boards and in forechecking.
He spent a lot of time playing with two very talented players in Christian Dvorak and Mitchell Marner, and some fear his numbers are inflated because of them
It’s possible Tkachuk could make the Flames next season, though it seems more likely they’ll send him down for one more season in Junior.
Either way, Tkachuk immediately jumps to the top of the Flames prospect pool, and will be a foundational piece for the future.
Tyler Parsons
Drafted: 2nd round (64th overall)
Position: G
Size: 6’1″, 185 pounds
Stats: 49 GP, 2.33 GAA, .921 SV%
The Flames may have traded for Elliott, but that didn’t stop them from adding another prospect goalie to the pipelines.
Often overshadowed by the strong team in front of him, Tyler Parsons had a great year with the London Knights playing with Tkachuk.
Despite the offensive firepower from the Knights, Parsons was a key factor in the team’s Memorial Cup win, posting a 1.78 GAA and .944 SV% in four Memorial Cup games.
Dillon Dube
Drafted: 2nd round (66th overall)
Position: C
Size: 5’10”, 180 pounds
Stats: 65 GP, 26 G, 40 A, 65 P
Two picks after Parsons, the Flames chose left-handed centreman Dillon Dube. The two-way forward was a point-per-game this season in the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets, his second season in the league.
Dube is said to be adept at creating space for his wingers in the offensive zone, and though only 5’11”, he uses what size he does have quite effectively. He projects as a middle-six forward.
Adam Fox
Drafted: 3rd round (66th overall)
Position: D
Size: 5’10”, 185 pounds
Stats: 25 GP, 5 G, 17A, 22 P
With their 3rd-round selection the Flames drafted defenceman Adam Fox. Playing with the U.S. U-18 National Team, Fox was nearly a point-per-game while also posting a healthy +12 rating.
Though undersized for a defenceman, Fox has shown a lot of upside to one day be an NHL player. He’s committed to Harvard in the NCAA for next season, where he should stay for at least a few years to develop against bigger and stronger competition.
Linus Lindstrom
Drafted: 4th round (96th overall)
Position: C
Size: 5’11”, 165 pounds
Stats: 40 GP, 14 G, 30 A, 44 P (SuperElit)
A fourth-round pick by the Flames, Lindstrom spent most of his season playing in the SuperElit junior league in Sweden, where he posted over a point-per-game.
In just four games of pro hockey in the SHL, Lindstrom managed one goal. He will likely spend next year playing a full season in the SHL against men.
Mitchell Mattson
Drafted: 5th round (126th overall)
Position: C
Size: 6’4″, 190 pounds
Stats: 21 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 P
A 5th-round pick of the Flames, Mattson took a step back last season in the USHL. After putting up seven points in 13 games with the Bloomington Thunder in 2014-15, Mattson only had two points in 21 games this season.
Against weaker competition in the USHS, Mattson had 46 points in 25 games, also a step back from his previous season of 48.
Mattson is committed for the University of North Dakota in the NCAA next season.
Eetu Tuulola
Drafted: 6th round (156th overall)
Position: RW
Size: 6’3″, 225 pounds
Stats: 10 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 P
Tuulola got his first taste of pro Finnish hockey when he played ten games with HPK Hameenlinna, producing a single assist. He will continue to play pro hockey in Finland next season.
Matthew Phillips
Drafted: 6th round (166th overall)
Position: C
Size: 5’7″, 150 pounds
Stats: 72 GP, 37 G, 39 A, 76 P
A Calgary native, Phillips put up over a point-per-game with the Victoria Royals in the WHL this season. At 5’7″, he was likely passed up on due to his size, not his skill.
Phillips was the fourth-leading scorer among Royals players, and first among those draft eligible.
After seeing how well the Johnny Gaudreau pick turned out for the Flames, it makes sense that they’re targeting small but skilled players late in the draft.
Stepan Falkovsky
Drafted: 7th round (186th overall)
Position: D
Size: 6’7″, 225 pounds
Stats: 58 GP, 9 G, 23 A, 32 P
An entire foot taller than Phillips, Falkovsky is a towering defenceman that played with the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL. He also played at the WJC for Belarus, scoring a goal and an assist in six games.
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