2014 NHL Entry Draft Part 1

[SquiddFX]

What's the consensus on Schmaltz?

 

[QuebecPride]

You're a MacInnis fan are you? I'm having a hard time really warming up to him. Lacks jam in his game, hands aren't great, inconsistent work ethic, not a smooth skater....he's raw. Certainly doesn't have his old man's shot either..11 goals and 26 points isn't great. He's 6-4 and never dropped the gloves, 14 PIM's.

He can also be lackadaisical on the defensive side as well. Perhaps in four or five years if he really develops he becomes a third liner in the NHL, but that would be his maximum upside I think.

Could it be an eventual worst 1st pick than 'say drafting a guy out of Stanstead College?

From what I've seen, he's certainly a long term project, but in my small amount of viewings I haven't as disappointed as you. Certainly not in my list for the first round, probably not even the 2nd round, but he's a guy I'll keep a close eye on. Timmins and the bloodlines!

As you said, raw describes him well, maybe gaining strength will help

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

I like Mangiapane as a 3rd or 4th round pick. Kid impresses me every time I see him. He's a couple inches taller and he's a top 50 pick. Started the season with 3 points in his first 15 games..he was a free agent signing. Now he's a vital part of Barrie's offence, and he has 16g and 34 pts in his last 33 games. Smart, good passing skills, decent skater, scoring skills.

I like him too but I'm not sold on his upside yet. Playoffs should clear up the picture.

 

[S Bah]

Rollie McKeown has been named defenceman of the month in the OHL, it seems his game is back on track, hard prognosticating these young kids especially the offensive Dmen. His skating being elite and offensive abilities are impressing some of the OHL people at the very least, speed being a significant part in the possession game.
The next stage for a rebuilding Habs team in the near future, McKeown might be worth the late 1st round pick, given a few yrs. of development. Partner him with a LD like Nikita Tryamkin, the Habs could have a viable 2nd pairing for the future.
Tinordi is LD but I assume he will be paired with Subban eventually, Beaulieu is showing good form also and a fast defence is a must for a contending playoff team. It appears that the Habs draft position in a weak draft will be late (25-30) so options are slim that any of the plum players will be available again this year.

Perhaps too much emphasis is put on having a playoff round or two, rather than the approach needed to building future strength, with quality picks similar to Ottawa in their endeavors to just make the last playoff spot and surprise all with their playoff game.

 

[PricerStopDaPuck]

Rollie McKeown has been named defenceman of the month in the OHL, it seems his game is back on track, hard prognosticating these young kids especially the offensive Dmen. His skating being elite and offensive abilities are impressing some of the OHL people at the very least, speed being a significant part in the possession game.
The next stage for a rebuilding Habs team in the near future, McKeown might be worth the late 1st round pick, given a few yrs. of development. Partner him with a LD like Nikita Tryamkin, the Habs could have a viable 2nd pairing for the future.
Tinordi is LD but I assume he will be paired with Subban eventually, Beaulieu is showing good form also and a fast defence is a must for a contending playoff team. It appears that the Habs draft position in a weak draft will be late (25-30) so options are slim that any of the plum players will be available again this year.

Perhaps too much emphasis is put on having a playoff round or two, rather than the approach needed to building future strength, with quality picks similar to Ottawa in their endeavors to just make the last playoff spot and surprise all with their playoff game.

The pick will most likely be between 18-24. We are 10 points back from picking 25th, that could change but that's a big gap

 

[HockeyAddict]

The pick will most likely be between 18-24. We are 10 points back from picking 25th, that could change but that's a big gap

I think even that is being optimistic... we are likely to pick b/w 12-18 the way the team has been playing over the last 10 games. The upside is that we could get lucky and draft one of:

- Hayden Fleury
- Nick Ritchie
- Brendan Perlini
- Nikolaj Ehlers

 

[Catz*]

Ivan barbashev is a beast!! If he's still on the board that would be my pick!

 

[Grant McCagg]

Could it be an eventual worst 1st pick than 'say drafting a guy out of Stanstead College?

From what I've seen, he's certainly a long term project, but in my small amount of viewings I haven't as disappointed as you. Certainly not in my list for the first round, probably not even the 2nd round, but he's a guy I'll keep a close eye on. Timmins and the bloodlines!

As you said, raw describes him well, maybe gaining strength will help

I'm not disappointed by him- he is what I expected...a candidate for the 50-70 range in the draft.

S Bah was almost describing him as the second coming...;-) ..I had talked to NHL scouts about him in the summer after the Ivan Hlinka and they weren't looking at him as a top 30 guy

 

[NotProkofievian]

Hey Grant,

Thoughts on Adrian Kempe?

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

I read about Kempe and watched highlites so i cant really comment on his overral game but his main feature is his speed and he knows how to use it. he enters the zone at full speed so the defender back off and he does this in all the highlights i've seen of him, he has a good shot but love to pass the puck too. Pretty sure he's gonna be a winger in the NHL. He looks tall and big on the ice, a manchild.

 

[S Bah]

I'm not disappointed by him- he is what I expected...a candidate for the 50-70 range in the draft.

S Bah was almost describing him as the second coming...;-) ..I had talked to NHL scouts about him in the summer after the Ivan Hlinka and they weren't looking at him as a top 30 guy

The 2nd coming, not with a (25-30) pick in a weak draft. c'mon give a guy a break and I don't mean leg-breaking.

 

[Scoremore]

Wouldn't want to speak for Grant. But the bit I've seen of Adrian Kempe, it appears to me that he's a good passer who has a bit of playmaking ability. Not sure what kind of upside Ryan MacInnis has, but his size does make him somewhat appealing. Watching the Canadiens send out Brian Gionta, Daniel Briere, and Tomas Plekanec to allegedly "crash the net" in the final seconds of the game against Winnipeg today makes you wish for a centre with size, that's for sure.

Edit: My suggestion that MacInnis (or someone of his size) would be welcome on the Canadiens wasn't disagreement with Grant's player assessment. I enjoy and respect his scouting reports.

 

[PricerStopDaPuck]

I want Lemeiux or Watson in the 2nd. A great third round pick would be Tryamkin, watched the world juniors and he looked pretty good and he is huge.

 

[S Bah]

I think even that is being optimistic... we are likely to pick b/w 12-18 the way the team has been playing over the last 10 games. The upside is that we could get lucky and draft one of:

- Hayden Fleury
- Nick Ritchie
- Brendan Perlini
- Nikolaj Ehlers

Like others are saying the Habs are in the precarious position of being closer to picking 6th OV than they are of picking 27th-30th. So with eight players at the Olympics and most of them core group, I expect a serious drop-off in the Habs post- Olympics. That being the case it might be a possibility they pick in the top ten, barring winning the draft lottery (Edm. has that honor preserved) then at #6 any of the players you suggest will be available to them.

Along with McCann, Barbashev, Kapanen and Kempe, fans could ask for better but it would be a futile effort. If in fact, the Habs are blessed with a top ten pick, then they are capable of drafting a player that can be part of the core group. Alex Tuch has been a favorite of many here with good reason, besides having size he is a PWF with all the intangibles of a Max Pacioretty, along with a dash of nasty in his make-up.

After all nasty is the biggest single missing ingredient the Habs have been eluding for decades. For so many have forgotten the SC winning teams, always had a serious smattering of guys that could do the dirty deeds when necessary. A thought at the forefront of many fans here during these years of futility, when Hab players were beaten like rented mules, while the referees claimed blindness until they fought back.

The kid gloves are off and the boxing gloves are back on for all comers, let's get ready to rumble, hear that you sadsacks of crap in Boston, Toronto and Anaheim.

I guess that's a little premature, another 2-3 yrs before the Habs players of renown join forces and don't get pushed around anymore. So without further ado the Habs should load up with draft picks for 2014 and get some depth in this area that can score as well as they can swing em.

 

[Habsoil]

Most lists i see, have Goldobin listed from 15-30 and into the second round.
What's the problem with the kid?

He's currently ranked 3rd in Ohl scoring on a bad Sarnia team!
I know he's a late birth but there must be more to this!

 

[QuebecPride]

Most lists i see, have Goldobin listed from 15-30 and into the second round.
What's the problem with the kid?

He's currently ranked 3rd in Ohl scoring on a bad Sarnia team!
I know he's a late birth but there must be more to this!

People who watch the OHL more than me could give you a better answer. But Goldobin has some holes in his game, notably defensive play. I've read that he lacks consistency in his on ice effort compared to other players from the draft too, although I haven't noticed any drop in effort displayed in my few viewings of him.

 

[S Bah]

You're a MacInnis fan are you? I'm having a hard time really warming up to him. Lacks jam in his game, hands aren't great, inconsistent work ethic, not a smooth skater....he's raw. Certainly doesn't have his old man's shot either..11 goals and 26 points isn't great. He's 6-4 and never dropped the gloves, 14 PIM's.

He can also be lackadaisical on the defensive side as well. Perhaps in four or five years if he really develops he becomes a third liner in the NHL, but that would be his maximum upside I think.

Just a gut feeling, another USNTDP kid playing in the CHL trying to find his niche. His old linemates are expecting big things from him, from what I've read and heard. I never count on just stats, especially when kids have growing pains to deal with also everything takes time to catch up and he's still growing.

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

Yea Goldobin can take some nights off but he got better at that and he's producing a ton on his own on a **** team. Involvement, he won't hit you but he'll fish the puck off your stick a lot. Top 5 offensive package. Cons are the usual suspects: Russian/not a giant/weak defensive game. I see a very talented 2W.

 

[S Bah]

Yea Goldobin can take some nights off but he got better at that and he's producing a ton on his own on a **** team. Involvement, he won't hit you but he'll fish the puck off your stick a lot. Top 5 offensive package. Cons are the usual suspects: Russian/not a giant/weak defensive game. I see a very talented 2W.

Goldobin could be a player in the Datsyuk level, IF he had the work ethic of Plekanec and the tenacity of Gallagher. Just like another twenty kids in this Entry Draft, that's the problem isn't it, picking the kid that has that character and passion for the game. The very things some fans despise our team for, when drafting prospects with character, I read this constantly from fans posting about their team.

Anyhow, I'm grateful our GM & Crew are doing things the right way, Alex Tuch could be just the huckleberry they are after, hopefully or one very similar!

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Do you guys think Donato is going to be available for our second? I see him getting take really early by a team who loves his game.

 

[FF de Mars]

I want to trade up to draft Kapanen. Any chance he falls out of the top 10 ?

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I want to trade up to draft Kapanen. Any chance he falls out of the top 10 ?

pretty unlikely he even goes top-10, probably in the 10-15 range

 

[S Bah]

My feeling is the Habs are still very much in need of more depth, players that combine character, passion, strength, size, skating and scoring talents. In this draft their are a few players available with many of these qualities, it's time for our team's strength to show through, player evaluation being the forte of Bergevin, Dudley, Timmins and Crew.

Alex Tuch seems to be along those lines, but I'm no scout that's for sure, that's why I'd like to see Bergevin get a couple more low round picks. The prospects are always there it's a matter of finding the diamond in the rough and helping polish them into clear cut gems. De la Rose, Lehkonen, Fucale, Crisp, Andrighetto and McCarron were all late picks 25th or later, and they are starting to shine brightly.

A few more like them and the Habs depth of quality players will be the envy of many teams, once again IMHO.

 

[Bacchus1]

I'm pretty sure that the Habs will fall in the rankings this year, and that trades will be made with our FAs, so I could envision us picking in 7-12 range. Looking forward to another good draft, and a rebus year.

 

[S Bah]

I'm pretty sure that the Habs will fall in the rankings this year, and that trades will be made with our FAs, so I could envision us picking in 7-12 range. Looking forward to another good draft, and a rebus year.

Galchenyuk will be back with a vengeance after the Olympics, and that may keep the Habs in the fight for a wildcard playoff berth. I'm actually hoping the Habs can see the value in gaining draft picks over a chance to play one round in the playoffs. The Bulldogs and the Habs will be ready for a playoff run next season though, that's when players like Eller, Gallagher, Galchenyuk, Beaulieu & Tinordi should get playoff experience.

All of them will be playing their 3rd or 4th years of pro hockey by then, the experience won't be overwhelming or hurt their confidence. This season is too early for them and will do more harm than good IMHO.