On Wednesday, the Calgary Flames were cemented into the 12th overall position in the first round of the upcoming 2021 NHL Draft. In the wake of the draft lottery, some of our media pals have released mock drafts sketching out the first 15 picks of the draft.
Let’s compare a pair of mock drafts conducted by Craig Button at TSN and Sam Cosentino at Sportsnet!
Pick | Team | TSN | Sportsnet |
1 | Buffalo | D Owen Power | D Owen Power |
2 | Seattle | F Matthew Beniers | D Brandt Clarke |
3 | Anaheim | F Dylan Guenther | D Simon Edvinsson |
4 | New Jersey | D Brandt Clarke | D Luke Hughes |
5 | Columbus | D Simon Edvinsson | F Matthew Beniers |
6 | Detroit | G Jesper Wallstedt | F William Eklund |
7 | San Jose | F William Eklund | F Kent Johnson |
8 | Los Angeles | D Luke Hughes | F Dylan Guenther |
9 | Vancouver | F Kent Johnson | F Mason McTavish |
10 | Ottawa | F Mason McTavish | F Chaz Lucius |
11 | Chicago | F Matthew Coronato | F Fabian Lysell |
12 | Calgary | F Cole Sillinger | D Carson Lambos |
13 | Philadelphia | F Zachary L’Heureux | F Cole Sillinger |
14 | Dallas | F Brennan Othmann | F Aatu Raty |
15 | NY Rangers | F Chaz Lucius | F Fedor Svechkov |
Button and Cosentino are smart analysts who are well-connected and do their homework. So it’s probably notable that there’s basically a complete lack of consensus here after Owen Power at first overall. Welcome to the 2021 NHL Draft!
Sillinger and Lambos both feel like pretty Flamesy picks in the first round, though.
The son of longtime NHLer Mike Sillinger, Cole Sillinger is a 6’0″, 200 pound left shot centre who played with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers before heading to the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede for this season – it was unclear when the WHL would get going and he wanted to get games in. As a result, Sillinger played a lot of hockey over the past few seasons in different situations and under different coaches – Willie Desjardins in Medicine Hat and former Flames forward Marty Murray in Sioux Falls. He’s offensive-minded and boasts an excellent shot, but is also an effective two-way player.
Lambos only played 19 games this season – two with the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice and 17 with JYP in Finland at various levels, including two pro games – with his year ending early due to a lower body injury. But the 6’1″, 201 pound defender plays a smart two-way game and can contribute offensively and shut down the other team’s top players.
These are two players that the Flames have definitely had time to scout extensively in the WHL, as well as during international events. Based on how the Flames have drafted in recent years, neither seems like a big stretch and either could meet the team’s needs.
Which mock draft do you think is closest to how the first 15 picks will unfold in July? Which player do you hope the Flames select at 12th overall? Chime in via the comments!
