Calgary Flames Should Pass On Matthews If They Draft First

Should the Calgary Flames end up in a position of winning this year’s Draft Lottery, which player is the best choice for the organisation?

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It’s an interesting question; and with the Calgary Flames currently sitting in the lower third of the ladder, it’s a possibility that they will be one of the teams in contention for that first draft pick.

The Central Scouting Bureau has rated Auston Matthews as the bonafide number one pick for most of the year, given his high level of play in a men’s professional league in Switzerland.

Beyond that, there’s a few other names being floated to go high, namely the likes of Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrick Laine and second-generation talents such as Matthew Tkachuk and Alex Nylander.

Looking at the current pieces that the Calgary Flames have amassed; it begs the question whether the team need to have another strong center.

Sean Monahan leads the line right now and has developed a decent chemistry with his equally young line-mate, Johnny Gaudreau. Likewise, Sam Bennett is starting to shine and show why he was picked up when the Calgary Flames drafted fourth overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Would there be room for Auston Matthews in the Calgary Flames organisation?

You don’t really want to move Monahan or Bennett to a wing now that they’re succeeding as centers, and as much as it’d be great to have such a level of depth, you don’t want Matthews, Bennett or Monahan taking the ice on a Calgary Flames third line trio.

So, should they get the chance to draft first overall; I feel it’s be wiser for the Calgary Flames to seek a deal for the draft pick.

Matthews is a piece that could offer some decent value at the trade table and the first pick really needn’t be used on one of the talented wingers available as a trade return would surely be higher value.

Of the teams that would likely try to acquire the prospective first-line center, you’d assume that Buffalo, Arizona, Toronto or Philadelphia would likely show some interest.

The goal for the Calgary Flames would have to be a strong goaltender and a second-line winger to take the pick; whether any of these teams have pieces that’d appeal, that are in the same sort of age bracket as the likes of Gaudreau, Monahan, Brodie and Hamilton is another question altogether.

Toronto don’t really have any high-value wingers that’d suit the Calgary Flames salary cap; James van Riemsdyk is the closest match. Likewise, goaltending-wise, James Reimer would be the only one to consider and he needs a new deal right now.

Arizona could offer plenty defensively, maybe even Oliver Ekman-Larsson; as suggested by Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal when suggesting a similar trade should the Oilers draft first again. However, Ekman-Larsson whilst he would look great in Calgary Flames colours isn’t really the piece they need – defensively the Flames have quite a strong unit in place already.

Philadelphia or Buffalo are both seeking first-line centers but I’m unsure there’s strong enough returns that the Calgary Flames would even be interested.

Either way, should the team have the chance to draft first overall it could prove an interesting challenge for the Calgary Flames management team in deciding what to do.

Next: Are The Flames A Match For Jonathan Drouin?

What do you think? Would Auston Matthews still be worth bringing to the Calgary Flames should they get the chance? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.