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DarkCanuck29 · 08-16-2021, 08:25 PM

Calgary GM @~~Mike Izzy~~ and former GM and current Head of Scouting When Required and Chicken Parm Relations @Steelhead77 put in the work this week, securing the future of the Calgary Dragon franchise and having one of the best draft weeks out of any team in the league

First off, no draft overview of the Calgary Dragons would be complete without mentioning the Draft Week trade they pulled off, snagging superstar forward Alexis Saint-Michel from New England in exchange for Kaspars Claude. In addition, the Dragons also received the 6th overall selection in this draft and a 2nd Round Pick in the S63 draft. ASM started Thursday out in Winnipeg before being traded to New England before being flipped over to Calgary. The electric winger led the SMJHL in scoring and is expected to spend one more season in the J to attempt to lead the Vancouver Whalers to that elusive Four-Star Cup victory. When asked about joining Calgary from Winnipeg ASM said, “It really does mean a lot to me to be part of the Dragons now. I loved my time with the Aurora, but Calgary is just that team.” A line that perfectly captures what it means to be a Calgary Dragon.

5th Overall - Grogu Mandosson – Centre – Anaheim Outlaws – 308 TPE @Muerto
An unconventional looking player, Grogu Mandosson was described on the draft broadcast as giving people nightmares when they think about hockey. Mandosson’s looks aren’t the only thing giving opponents nightmares, as his skill and tenacity make him a nightmare to match up against. In a post draft interview GM Mike Izzy said about Mandosson, “I couldn’t be happier with this pick! …Sure fire 2000tpe guy!”

Mandosson’s strength lies in his two way game. He is always in the right position and is very effective at separating the opposition from the puck. Once he gets the puck he knows what to do with it, putting up 22 points while averaging only 11 minutes of ice time on a good Anaheim team. The big key with Mandosson is his potential. He has a lot of room to grow and is trending in the right direction to reach the upper echelon of elite tier players. In ten seasons, this pick could end up looking like a steal.

@Steelhead77 said about Grogu, “This is a player we had ranked at the top of our board, his owner is veteran SHL member who's been around forever and has made numerous superstar players, not to mention is one of the most well-liked positive members on the site. He brings tons of experience and a great attitude to Calgary. His newest player Grogu Mandosson is off to a great start and looking like a sure fire superstar in the making. Word is he's motivated to reach 2ktpe and we couldn't be more excited to bring Grogu to Calgary. On a personal note I have always wanted to be on a team with Kez so I'm pretty stoked about this pick for the Dragons.”

Dark’s Draft Grade: A+

6th Overall - Darwin Koff – RW – Vancouver Whalers – 309 TPE @Lobbanet
Darwin Koff jumped up 33 places from his draft position in the SMJHL draft, showing the massive improvement he made over the course of the season, as well as his All-Star potential. GM Mike Izzy said, “We were super impressed in our talks with him…and we are thrilled to bring him in!!”

Koff is known for efficiency in everything he does. During his inaugural season with the very strong Whalers team, Koff put up 23 points while averaging only 9 minutes of ice time per game, which is a very impressive stat. He is a very balanced player, equally strong on both sides of the puck and he fits the hard working, tenacious mold of the typically Calgary player.

A very excited @Steelhead77 said about Koff, “A 1st gen player who really impressed us in scouting and showed a genuine interest in joining the Dragons on draft day. GM Mike Izzy spent a lot of time talking to him and identified Koff as a player we absolutely had to get and would be a great addition to our room and also have a big impact on the ice. We obviously had some good options at 6 but Koff stood out to us as someone who would be a great fit and I'm super excited we took him, I know he's going to become a big piece of the Dragons future.”

Dark’s Draft Grade: A+

18th Overall - Duncan Mackenzie – RW – Kelowna Knight – 296 TPE @DarkCanuck29
Duncan Mackenzie is an example of a player whose intangibles bring him well up the draft list of teams compared to the initial Mocks. Known for being truculent and downright mean on the ice, he is a large, friendly presence in the locker room that coaches and GMs love. There were several teams considering Mackenzie towards the end of the first round. As GM Mike Izzy put it, “At pick 18 we actually tried to trade up for Duncan Mackenzie. Another strong forward who blew us away with his personable nature and his excitement to be a Dragon with us!”

Mackenzie plays a throwback Power Forward style game, not often seen today. He is balanced on both sides of the puck and always looks to make the opposition pay for space on the ice. His 94 hits for Kelowna put him 5th on the team and second for rookies show his willingness and desire to lay the body on all. Despite this, he plays a clean game, only gaining 18 PIM across the season. Look for him next season parked in front of the net, making things difficult for the opposition defence.

Mackenzie is another pick with “steal” written all over it. His is a consistent presence in the gym and his hockey skills appear to be steadily growing. While he may never be the top player in the league, Mackenzie is the kind of guy who can help push the rest of the guys over the top on and off the ice.

About Mackenzie, @Steelhead77 said, “Another 1st gen who we connected with in scouting and impressed the heck out of us. I personally had a chance to get to know him a bit and as a former GM of 35 seasons sometimes you just get a feeling someone is a must draft for your organization. Mackenzie gave me that impression and I knew we had to get him. We sweated it out until pick 18 and then celebrated when he was still on the board. He's has all the intangeables to become a star in the league and have a huge impact in Calgary.”

Dark’s Draft Grade: A

38th Overall - Sam Stone – RW – St Louis Scarecrows – 274 TPE @TML99
Shocking is the only word that comes to mind when seeing Sam Stone still available at 38th overall. The St Louis Scarecrow was a 9th overall pick in the previous season’s SMJHL draft and he continues to project well.

He struggled slightly in his rookie season with St Louis, putting up only 16 points and finding the penalty box slightly more times than he would like. Even with that being said, the tantalizing potential that made him a Top 10 pick in the J draft is still there and it is likely that fans around the league will strongly and loudly lament their teams passing on him on message boards and social media in a few seasons time.

His shot is lethal and his ability to read the ice is very strong for a player at his stage of his career. His improvement towards the end of the season shows his dedication to his craft. Calgary are very lucky that he was still available.

About the venerable Sam Stone @Steelhead77 said, “A veteran SHL member who we've had on Calgary in the past with one of his previous players, we were thrilled he was still available late in the 2nd round. Izzy wasted no time calling his name and I'm very happy he did. TML was always a good part of the room and fits our team dynamic very well, he's even excited we still use the site locker room discussion thread! I think Sam Stone has sleeper pick written all over him and he's in a great low pressure situation to succeed in Calgary. He has the experience and talent to become a star and I know some teams will regret passing on him in the draft.”

Dark’s Draft Grade: A

Calgary wasted no time integrating the new Dragons into the team, holding a practice session on Sunday. The Baby Dragons did not look out of place, with head coach Wally putting them through their paces and assessing where things stood at this point in the offseason. Grogu Mandosson and Esa Parmborg teamed up to score the first goal in the scrimmage portion of the practice, bringing hope for a very bright future for this squad.

Calgary is not a better team today than they were at the start of the week, instead choosing to focus on the future. The addition of Alexis Saint-Michel was a massive deal for this team and snagging Darwin Koff, Duncan Mackenzie, and Sam Stone where they did was efficient. As GM Mike Izzy put it, “This to me is a home run and I’m super stoked to bring them in!” This was truly an A+ draft week that will set Calgary up for several runs at the championship in the years to come.

Winnipeg Aurora Aurora

Steelhead77 · 08-16-2021, 08:44 PM

Another great article!! You were a STEAL at 18!!

Love this group of dragons draft picks! Let's GO!!

Dragons

---> ParmBorg Highlights <---

#1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer
- First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History -
- First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups -
Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34
Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45

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