Flames’ draft intrigue grows with Tij Iginla’s surge in rankings
CALGARY — Bringing in the most famous No. 9 in franchise history wasn’t enough to improve the Calgary Flames’ chances in Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery.
Despite having Lucky Lanny McDonald by his side for the televised draw, general manager Craig Conroy will select ninth at next month’s entry draft, as all 16 teams that took part remained in the same draft spot they were originally slated at.
And while nothing changed there, something that happened over the weekend may have significantly altered how the Flames’ first top-10 draft pick in eight years will play out at the Vegas Sphere.
Capping off a momentous second half of the season by scoring Canada’s gold medal-winning goal at the U18 World Championship in Finland, Tij Iginla may have played his way out of reach of the organization his father became a Hall of Famer with.
Entering the tourney ranked just inside the top-10 by many draft experts, his three points in the final gave Jarome’s son six goals and six assists in seven games against many of the world’s best 18-year-olds.
Coupled with a season that saw him score 47 regular-season goals with the Kelowna Rockets (and nine more in 11 playoff games), the 17-year-old winger may now have moved well ahead of where the Flames pick.
Sportsnet draft expert Jason Bukala had Iginla ranked tenth on his draft list before the tourney, but moved him to fifth after watching him play live at the Worlds.
What matters more is how each team drafting ahead of Calgary pieces together its list, which won’t be revealed until the draft starts June 28.
In some ways it might be best if the Flames are no longer in Tij Territory, as it takes some of the pressure off of Conroy, who watched the young man grow up.
If Iginla is off the board by the team he steps to the podium, the ongoing debate over whether the Flames should select him is moot.
That said, with the six-foot, 185-pound winger bolstering his stock so much of late, the Flames may be left with no choice but to take him if he does happen to last until Calgary picks.
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Conroy says Jarome hasn’t read any of the team’s draft reports on his son, nor has he discussed the possibility of selecting Tij, which would put huge pressure on the youngster he might not feel elsewhere.
Then again, he could remain in close proximity to his father, as Jarome is expected to augment his role as team advisor this fall.
Conroy has no choice but to read off the script that suggests that after his scouting staff spends the next seven weeks debating the merits of every player on their list, he will simply pick the best player available on it, regardless of last name.
Despite the fact the organization’s two biggest needs are at centre ice and the blue line, there’s a good chance the Flames will land a highly-touted defenceman at ninth.
The top-10 is chock full of them, including KHL stud Anton Silayev, London Knight Sam Dickinson and Calgary Hitmen star Carter Yakemchuk, who the Flames would be extremely familiar with.
The Flames will also select late in the first round with the first rounder acquired from Vancouver in the Elias Lindholm trade.
The Flames have two picks in each of the first four rounds, heaping a ton of pressure on the scouting staff to get this right and accelerate the club’s retool.
They know they won’t be selecting Hobey Baker winner Macklin Celebrini, slated to go first-overall to the San Jose Sharks, who won the draft lottery for the first time.
Chicago and Anaheim will follow.
With just a five per cent chance of winning the lottery, the Flames knew they likely wouldn’t be selecting first.
But they know with certainty they’ll land an impact player at ninth.
Whether his last name is familiar to Flames fans will continue to shape the narrative until that pick is made.
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