Edited Mar. 25 at 12:18 p.m.
Quoting: Ledge_And_Dairy
You have a very outdated mindset if you think small players with high skill still have trouble succeeding in the NHL. Kane pioneered it, Gaudreau, Kucerov, and Panarin proved he wasn't an exception. Now these guys are getting drafted in the top 10 all the time. Look at Marner, Keller, Hughes, Zegras, Raymond, Rossi, Johnson, Eklund, Cooley, Savoie, Smith, Michkov. Hell even Bedard is tiny. I look at Catton and see a Logan Cooley 2.0 in the making, he's so fast and has phenomenal edge work, he's just going to dance around people once he makes it.
Again I think Yakemchuk is a good prospect, I just wouldn't choose him over Iginla.
Most of those guys (Rossi, Johnson, Eklund, Cooley, Savoie, Michkov, etc) aren't proven yet. Many of the rest are soft or have major flaws (Zegras who at 6' 185lbs isn't small either). Kucherov is proven but he's bigger than most of the others you named and wasn't a 1st round pick, he was a late 2nd. gaudreau was 4th round pick and is incredibly soft. Bedard is an exceptional player and while a bit short he isn't tiny or a lightweight. Raymond (same height as Catton but nearly 20 lbs heavier) is another who really isn't that small. Panarin is a little on the light side but he's not short.
I'd only take Catton if both Iginla and Yakemchuk are already gone. I'm not sure I'd take Yakemchuk over Iginla either but I might if he's still available when the Flames pick. Most draft rankings have Yakemchuk ranked higher.