Prospect Info: 2013 Draft Part II: All Aboard the Nichushkin Train

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I'm sure JR's really confused right now as to why no one's talking about McDavid as the #1 overall pick.

He's all lined up to pick him at 5 right now. He's #1 on our board. JR will be told 2 minutes before our pick is due that he's not eligible until 2015, after which he'll panic and draft Cammarata, because smurf from a town called Plymouth.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I'm too lazy to do so, somebody look for me.

But Paradis was expected to be a late-second, early-third though, correct? Despite the massive bust he's turned out to be for all the teams that have acquired his "services", he wasn't projected to be a 5th-rounder.

IIRC, Paradis himself stated he wasn't expecting to hear his name called until the 3rd round at the earliest. I think after hearing a statement like that, JR went "Wait...what?"

 

[Joe McGrath]

I'm sure JR's really confused right now as to why no one's talking about McDavid as the #1 overall pick.

He's all lined up to pick him at 5 right now. He's #1 on our board. JR will be told 2 minutes before our pick is due that he's not eligible until 2015, after which he'll panic and draft Cammarata, because smurf from a town called Plymouth.

He will just take Hartman then.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

He will just take Hartman then.

Cammarata is 4 inches shorter than Hartman, that was my only thinking.

 

[nafrelio]

Oiler fan coming in peace. I've read through the last handful of draft-related pages and I see no talk of Tripp Tracy's comment on a recent Oiler radio program. FTR, I did noy hear the interview, but the tweet below was sent out on May 27th. What are the chances that your PBP guy has any knowledge about what the team is up to? Does anyone here agree that a dman is the top priority at the draft?

OilersNow
Tripp Tracy says getting a defenceman is the #1 draft priority for the Hurricanes.

 

[What the Faulk]

Sure it's a priority. Doesn't mean that's who they'll take #5 though.

 

[Guy]

Tripp, and everyone else, is aware that we need some defensive help. I'm assuming his response was poorly worded because I don't see anyway we don't go BPA at 5. If that's a defenseman (which it won't be with Jones off the board before that), great.

Reaching for best D available at 35 sounds a lot more likely.

 

[Jussijuice]

Or trading some extra pieces (McBain+) for a D at the draft.

I see little to zero chance the Canes take a D at 5 over one of Nichushkin, Barkov, or Drouin. I would be immensely disappointed if they did.

 

[DaveG]

Or trading some extra pieces (McBain+) for a D at the draft.

I see little to zero chance the Canes take a D at 5 over one of Nichushkin, Barkov, or Drouin. I would be immensely disappointed if they did.

Right, I'd see it MUCH more likely that we'll pawn off McBain + a pick at the draft for someone that can help in our top 4. Say Gio from Calgary or Coburn from Philly.

Could also be a statement that we're going BPA at #5, and then going defense heavy after that.

 

[salim919]

What are the chances that your PBP guy has any knowledge about what the team is up to? Does anyone here agree that a dman is the top priority at the draft?

OilersNow
Tripp Tracy says getting a defenceman is the #1 draft priority for the Hurricanes.

Check out how much we think about him.

Link

 

[rocky7]

Or trading some extra pieces (McBain+) for a D at the draft.

I see little to zero chance the Canes take a D at 5 over one of Nichushkin, Barkov, or Drouin. I would be immensely disappointed if they did.

as would i and as i have said, IMO jones is overhyped and overrated. defense is obviously a huge priority but not with this field of draftees.

 

[Ole Gil]

The draft has 7 rounds and trades. Taking a great player at 5 seems like it goes without saying. What's up for grabs is what else they are trying to do.

As much as people like bashing Tripp, he certainly has more access to real information than all of us combined. And I think the dedication of finding inside information (of highly varying importance) and relaying it to the fan base is something he is very dedicated to. It's why I've always liked him.

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Defense is and should be our highest priority, but it doesn't make sense to use our #5 on that. We need immediate help on the blue line and most defensemen take years to develop (unless you're the Bruins, apparently). Meanwhile, there are loads of good forwards in this year's draft and no excuse to not take one. I agree that our best bet is to grab the best defenseman available at #35, or we could use that pick to help bring in a guy who can give us 25 solid minutes on the back end on opening night. Besides, if we come up with a forward at #5 that can chip in 20 goals next season (a tall order for a rookie, but seems doable given the strength of this class), that gives us more room to move an established forward for an established defenseman.

 

[raynman]

How likely is it that JR keeps the #5 for bpa and then jumps up to try and snag one of the 2nd tier D? I guess I'm probably answering my own question but doesn't seem like he has the assets to pull that off. I too would be highly disappointed if he uses #5 on a Nurse or Zadorov.

 

[urho]

But seriously, I wonder what that does for his stock if a few of the other guys at the top test really well.

None of them participate in testing? Anyway, I really really like Barkov and think he might be even the best forward coming out of this draft. He's big, strong two way center with very high offensive potential. He combines stereotypes of hardworking, defensive Finnish forward and offensively gifted Russian. Isn't that a perfect combination?

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Maybe JR has a master plan to draft BPA at #5, but also trade back into the first to take Zadarov or Ristolainen or Nurse.

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

Anyone have guys on their radar for the 35th pick? I remember at the beginning of the year when I thought Horvat might be available in the second round lol

I don't know much about Mike McCarron but rumour is he's coming to London next year, would be nice to have a Carolina prospect I can actually watch on a consistent basis. Not sure if Carolina has ever drafted a Knight.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Anyone have guys on their radar for the 35th pick? I remember at the beginning of the year when I thought Horvat might be available in the second round lol

I don't know much about Mike McCarron but rumour is he's coming to London next year, would be nice to have a Carolina prospect I can actually watch on a consistent basis. Not sure if Carolina has ever drafted a Knight.

Only one I could find was Ryan Pottruff, 7th round (202 OA) in 2004

Dude seems pretty cool, cause he has this tattooed on his back

 

[Jussijuice]

Anyone have guys on their radar for the 35th pick? I remember at the beginning of the year when I thought Horvat might be available in the second round lol

I don't know much about Mike McCarron but rumour is he's coming to London next year, would be nice to have a Carolina prospect I can actually watch on a consistent basis. Not sure if Carolina has ever drafted a Knight.

Lots of D prospects with top-4 potential.

Ian McCoshen, Steve Stantini, Madison Bowey, Samuel Morin, Mirco Mueller, Robert Hagg, Chris Bigras, Dillon Heatherington, etc. There are more, good chance we score a solid future NHLer in the 3rd as well.

 

[Unsustainable]

Anyone have guys on their radar for the 35th pick? I remember at the beginning of the year when I thought Horvat might be available in the second round lol

I don't know much about Mike McCarron but rumour is he's coming to London next year, would be nice to have a Carolina prospect I can actually watch on a consistent basis. Not sure if Carolina has ever drafted a Knight.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/05/13/shea-theodore-2013-nhl-draft-player-profile-33/

This would be a good pick at 35.

 

[DaveG]

forwards:
JT Compher, Adam Erne (very outside chance), Michael McCarron, Marko Dano, Jacob de la Rose, Nic Petan

defense:
Robert Hagg, Shea Theodore, Ian McCoshen, Steve Santini, Jonathan Diaby, Micro Mueller, Madison Bowey... ton of good dmen there.

goalies:
Zach Fucale, Tristan Jarry, Eric Comrie (later two in consideration for 3rd round as well IMO)

 

[MD]

Just to add more fuel to the fire:

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 4h
Nichushkin says his KHL contract terminated. Wants to play in NHL next season.

If Tampa doesn't take him i seriously think we will.

 

[Jussijuice]

Gandler (Semin's and Nichushkin's agent) also confirmed that Nichushkin is a free agent and will play in the NHL next year. If he doesn't make it, however, he's going back to the KHL.

With the KHL contract issue out of the way, I'd love to have him on the Canes. I think he can make the team next year and his ceiling is possibly the highest in the Draft. I think he would enjoy playing with Semin as well.

 

[Jussijuice]

Drouin (edit: and MacKinnon) opt out of physical testing because of fatigue. Drouin says he will work out with individual teams later if they want (no word I've seen on MacKinnon).

Jones opts out on physical testing with medical exemption and days he will not work out privately with any team.

Jones may make sense for Colorado from a need and PR standpoint, but MacKinnon is the clear best pick IMO. If any other team was #1 I don't think it would even be a question. Won't shock me if Colorado ends up going with Mac.

 

[urho]

Jones may make sense for Colorado from a need and PR standpoint, but MacKinnon is the clear best pick IMO. If any other team was #1 I don't think it would even be a question. Won't shock me if Colorado ends up going with Mac.

I don't get it. What is the reasoning behind "MacKinnon is the clear best pick"-logic. Jones has been damn impressive when I've seen him and even Drouin can challenge MacKinnon if you ask me. Europeans are hard to compare with NA-prospects but you can also see that I think very highly of Barkov (and Lindholm too, btw).

It's a deep draft year and I don't see "a clear best pick".