Flames Take Mason McDonald at 34th Overall

The Calgary Flames kicked off Day Two of the 2014 NHL Draft with their 34th overall selection, taking goalie Mason McDonald.

McDonald split last year between the Acadie-Bathhurst Titan and the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL, and he’s the first goalie taken in the 2014 Draft. He went 8-15-3 with a 3.55 GAA and a .900 save percentage. Granted, neither of his teams are Q giants quite yet He’s 6’4″ and 186 pounds, and a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia – very close to where Joey MacDonald is from in Pictou, Nova Scotia! He’s a later birthday, turning 18 just this past April, so he has two years of QMJHL eligibility left. And then a potential over-age year.

McDonald was really good at the Top Prospects Game, in a format that really doesn’t invite great performances from goalies, giving up a single goal in the shooting gallery. He was Team MVP for the bronze medal-winning U18 Team Canada team. He also was at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament as a back-up. Scouting reports say he’s a good butterfly goalie with potential.

A little early for a goalie, especially with the potential volatility in that position. I expected them to take one later on. But hey, now they have another long-term goalie prospect in the pipeline. Hockey Prospects had him rated 31st overall, Future Considerations had him 33rd, and Central Scouting had him as the 2nd-best North American goalie.