2017 Draft Discussion - Part Deux

[Matias Maccete]

I like Hischier best. I'm pretty sure I like Vilardi second best. Then I have Makar, Necas, Heiskanen, and Glass in some order. I'm not sure which order, though. After that is Patrick in the 7th spot. That's my sort of top seven.

What about Tippett?

 

[rt]

What about Tippett?

He's tied with Liljegren and Pettersson and Mittelstadt for 8th/9th/10th/11th. Suzuki might be in there too. I've also got Thomas and Yamamoto up there. But I'd be more inclined to have Tippett closer to 11th than 8th, I think.

 

[Ebb]

I am certain he goes no later than 9th. I promise that much.

Dunno if it's gonna involve a trade, but I do suspect someone is going to take him before the #7 pick.

Where can we gamble some vCash on this?

I'm sure I'd lose, but it will definitely be an interesting draft (despite the lack of superstar prospects)

 

[ginner classic]

I don't think Makar will last until 7th. I also bet the Coyotes have him ranked in their top seven.

He will still be there at 7 unless Detroit moves up.

Patrick, Hischier, Vilardi and Heiskanen are mortal locks for top 6. Mittelstadt and Glass probably fill the other two slots with Liljegren a wildcard selection for Vancouver at 5.

Makar will be available at the Coyotes spot.

 

[Ebb]

He will still be there at 7 unless Detroit moves up.

Patrick, Hischier, Vilardi and Heiskanen are mortal locks for top 6. Mittelstadt and Glass probably fill the other two slots with Liljegren a wildcard selection for Vancouver at 5.

Makar will be available at the Coyotes spot.

so, something like the following...

NJ - Hischier or Patrick
PHI - Patrick or Hischier
DAL - Heiskanen or Vilardi
COL - Vilardi or Heiskanen
VAN - Liljegren
LV - Glass or Mittelstadt
AZ - Glass, Makar, Mittelstadt, ??​

If this is how it plays out, I'd go for Glass (if available). If he's not, I'd probably trade down a bit (not a big fan of Makar or Mittelstadt) and select Tolvanen or Suzuki.

 

[IPreferPi]

I'd be thrilled if Mittlestadt fell into our laps at 7. He's still my third ranked player this year.

 

[Heldig]

Draft report sounds very good:

Mittlestadt

 

[IPreferPi]

Reading multiple reports that Yamamoto measured in at 5'7.5" and 146 lbs at the Combine. Pretty sure that's going to drop him out of the 1st.

 

[hbk]

Reading multiple reports that Yamamoto measured in at 5'7.5" and 146 lbs at the Combine. Pretty sure that's going to drop him out of the 1st.

Keller is what 5'10"? I can't read Chayka like I could Maloney but all bets are off with our approach. We grabbed Daniel Briere in a similar type unhearalded draft class and it was an astute selection.

 

[IPreferPi]

Keller is what 5'8"? I can't read Chayka like I could Maloney but all bets are off with our approach.

Keller measured in at 5-10 164 lbs at his Combine. There's a difference.

 

[rt]

Cale Makar: 5-foot-11.25, 187.44 pounds

http://thehockeywriters.com/2017-nhl-combine-heights-weights/

 

[hbk]

Keller measured in at 5-10 164 lbs at his Combine. There's a difference.

Can't teach skill. I don't know how to read our scouting philosophy.

 

[rt]

Reading multiple reports that Yamamoto measured in at 5'7.5" and 146 lbs at the Combine. Pretty sure that's going to drop him out of the 1st.

Probably. May not last to our 2nd, though. He seems like the type to go in the first 2-3 picks of the 2nd.

 

[IPreferPi]

Jokiharju comes in 17 lbs bigger than expected at 187. That should improve his stock.

 

[IPreferPi]

Probably. May not last to our 2nd, though. He seems like the type to go in the first 2-3 picks of the 2nd.

I'd definitely still consider him at 35. But I think there's a good chance he drops to the late 2nd now similar to where Sprong ended up.

 

[PhoPhan]

I never really saw Yamamoto as a first rounder myself, but I think he's the sort of player who will benefit from having been in the spotlight for a while. He's been able to produce in the WHL for three straight years as one of the smallest players in the league.

 

[IPreferPi]

Can't teach skill. I don't know how to read our scouting philosophy.

Can't teach size, either. Especially when you're already one of the oldest prospects in this class.

That said, I still like Yamamoto a heck of a lot more than Rasmussen.

 

[rt]

Makar weighs as much or more than:
Heiskanen
Jokiharju
Necas
Hischier
PO Joseph
Glass
Morand
Yamamoto
Bowers
Heponiemi
Lind
Timmins
Matheos
Mismash
Lodnia
Norris
Poehling


And is within five pounds of:
Geekie
Brook
Anderson-Dolan
Tolvanen
Chytil
Safin

 

[IPreferPi]

Rasmussen is a monster. 6'5.5" 221 lbs already. Dark horse to go top five now with those measurables.

 

[Jakey53]

As I have mentioned before, I have hardly seen any of these players play, so I really enjoy everyone's input on the different players. Can't wait for the drafts and training camps.

 

[Mosby]

Don't generally like drafting goalies, especially early, but the idea of going for Jake Oettinger at 35 is growing on me. I think he'll be on the board at that pick.

 

[IPreferPi]

Don't generally like drafting goalies, especially early, but the idea of going for Jake Oettinger at 35 is growing on me. I think he'll be on the board at that pick.

I don't think Oettinger makes it past Dallas at 29.

This is a deep goalie class. Lukkonen, Petruzelli, DiPietro, Primeau, Skinner, Erikson Ek, and Scott all have pro starter potential and a lot of those names should still be around in the third.

 

[PhoPhan]

He's a good one, but that's still too early for a goalie. Remember, the risk with a goalie is not just that they're much harder to project and develop, but also that if everything does go right, they're probably not contributing in even a backup role until age 23 or 24. If your lottery ticket hits, you're probably only looking at a couple years as a starter before he becomes a UFA. With rare exceptions, you're almost definitely better off just grabbing someone that developed on another team's dime. Goalies rarely command a big return via trade, and that cost is usually worthwhile for a somewhat proven entity. Competent backup goalies are basically freely available at all times, and you can usually acquire a mediocre starter with some ease.

Basically, drafting a goalie in the first few rounds does not pay off unless you can find a real top flight guy who can start contributing early (Price or Luongo) or sticks around forever (Lundqvist or Rinne), or both.

I see the logic behind taking a flyer on someone in the 5th or later since players of any position drafted that late are unlikely to do anything, but I would argue that it makes sense to just not draft goalies at all. Divert the picks and scouting resources (evaluating goalies is so different from evaluating players anyway) and improve your own develop program by whatever marginal amount there, and then find other ways to stock the goalie pipeline. Undrafted CHLers, college free agents and European imports are all worthwhile routes for the pipeline, and as mentioned above, you can find a solid starter more easily through free agency and trades.

It's just so vastly different from other positions.

 

[IPreferPi]

Mittlestadt clocks in at 5"11.5" and 198 pounds at the Combine. And bombed the strength tests.

 

[TheLegend]

According to VGK's Twitter account this morning, McPhee has had offers of big contracts from several teams and admitted they will probably do some deals.