GDT: 2017 NHL Entry Draft (Rds 2-7 Sat, Jun 24 7am PT/10am ET, NHL Net/Rogers Sportsnet)

[Fistfullofbeer]

The more I look at the draft the more impressed I am.

I was bummed after the Norris pick, still am to a point but there is a good chance that Norris proves us wrong. But even despite that, most of our picks have really high upside. Chekovich, Reedy, Chemelvski all have a chance to pan out as top-6 players. Chekovich and Chemelvski could even end up being top-line wingers if they hit their maximum potential. When was the last draft where we could say that. Norris is one of the safer picks (though he was 1st round) and also has a really good chance of becoming a #2C. Ferraro's skillset is that of a 2nd pairing PMD.

Only player I cannot find much about is McGrew.

 

[hohosaregood]

The more I look at the draft the more impressed I am.

I was bummed after the Norris pick, still am to a point but there is a good chance that Norris proves us wrong. But even despite that, most of our picks have really high upside. Chekovich, Reedy, Chemelvski all have a chance to pan out as top-6 players. Chekovich and Chemelvski could even end up being top-line wingers if they hit their maximum potential. When was the last draft where we could say that. Norris is one of the safer picks (though he was 1st round) and also has a really good chance of becoming a #2C. Ferraro's skillset is that of a 2nd pairing PMD.

Only player I cannot find much about is McGrew.

I think McGrew is an interesting gamble based on his described skillset but a gamble I would've preferred they took later in the draft.

 

[Alaskanice]

The more I look at the draft the more impressed I am.

I was bummed after the Norris pick, still am to a point but there is a good chance that Norris proves us wrong. But even despite that, most of our picks have really high upside. Chekovich, Reedy, Chemelvski all have a chance to pan out as top-6 players. Chekovich and Chemelvski could even end up being top-line wingers if they hit their maximum potential. When was the last draft where we could say that. Norris is one of the safer picks (though he was 1st round) and also has a really good chance of becoming a #2C. Ferraro's skillset is that of a 2nd pairing PMD.

Only player I cannot find much about is McGrew.

This is all well said and the biggest reason that I don't get upset even when I get attached to a player with my limited knowledge. My research afterwards has shown me that we drafted players with speed and skill, some things everyone clamors for and when we do, it's not good enough. Baffling.

 

[Limekiller]

Bleacherreport didn't think much of our draft, apparently. They did draft grades here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...results-team-by-team-grades-for-notable-picks

We got a C-, and Norris got a special mention:

Biggest Risk

Center Joshua Norris, San Jose Sharks

Norris will have a chance to improve his skills at the University of Michigan in 2017-18, and he has quite a bit of work to do.

He appears to be a decent skater, but he needs work on his puck-handling, playmaking ability, shooting and passing. That's a tall order, but he will be in a positive environment with the Wolverines.

Norris looks like a decent penalty-killer at this point, but the Sharks did not draft him because they like him as a specialty player. They need Norris to take several steps up before he can move to the NHL.

The LastWordOnSports people were more generous. Here's their grade and review (from here: http://lastwordonhockeyprospects.com/2017/06/25/2017-nhl-draft-grades-part-three/ ):

San Jose Sharks: B+

Picks: Josh Norris, Mario Ferraro, Scott Reedy, Jacob McGrew, Sasha Chmelevski, Ivan Chekhovich
Best Value: Chmelevski

In Josh Norris the Sharks got a hard working two-way centre who was one of the top players on the US NTDP. He also absolutely dominated at the NHL Draft Combine. Ferraro is a smooth skater who covers a ton of ice. He transitions quickly from offense to defense and vice-versa. Reedy was the number two centre behind Norris on the NTDP. He scored nearly as many points, and is a talented play maker.

We had Sasha Chmelevski rated as a late second rounder. The Sharks traded up in round six to get him. Thats a real steal. He is a smart centre with a lot of skill but needs to work on his defensive game. McGrew is an undersized offensive defencemen. Chekovich has an excellent shot. He finds soft spots in the defense and can fire home a shot when his teammates find him and get him the puck.

 

[CrypTic]

The more I look at the draft the more impressed I am.

I was bummed after the Norris pick, still am to a point but there is a good chance that Norris proves us wrong. But even despite that, most of our picks have really high upside. Chekovich, Reedy, Chemelvski all have a chance to pan out as top-6 players. Chekovich and Chemelvski could even end up being top-line wingers if they hit their maximum potential. When was the last draft where we could say that. Norris is one of the safer picks (though he was 1st round) and also has a really good chance of becoming a #2C. Ferraro's skillset is that of a 2nd pairing PMD.

Only player I cannot find much about is McGrew.

This sounds like the consensus here on draft day # 2: we did super well in the later rounds but not that well in the earlier rounds. Maybe Norris and Ferraro prove us wrong but otherwise our most promising draft picks are all from round 4 or later.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Bleacherreport didn't think much of our draft, apparently. They did draft grades here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...results-team-by-team-grades-for-notable-picks

We got a C-, and Norris got a special mention:


The LastWordOnSports people were more generous. Here's their grade and review (from here: http://lastwordonhockeyprospects.com/2017/06/25/2017-nhl-draft-grades-part-three/ ):

I agree with LastWordOnSports. Bleacher Report is giving too much focus on Norris because he was our 1st round pick. I would be ok if they graded Norris as C- but our overall grade should be close to A-/B+.

 

[Kensington]

It seems to me that the Sharks are targeting "safer" players in the 1st and 2nd round to ensure they get something out of the draft class. Then they're using their later round picks for the high-risk, high-reward players. It's not a terrible strategy, but eventually they're going to need to shoot for the stars in the first couple rounds.

 

[DG93]

It seems to me that the Sharks are targeting "safer" players in the 1st and 2nd round to ensure they get something out of the draft class. Then they're using their later round picks for the high-risk, high-reward players. It's not a terrible strategy, but eventually they're going to need to shoot for the stars in the first couple rounds.

That's exactly what they are doing, but the high-risk, high-reward players in the 1st round is where you can potentially land a top-line forward if everything goes well...that obviously gets harder the further down you go. While I am happy to see a bunch of great 4th-6th round picks, their odds of booming seem to be much lower than a boom or bust guy who was drafted in the 1st or 2nd round.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Four days later and I'm still in awe that we picked Josh ****ing Norris at 19th overall.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Four days later and I'm still in awe that we picked Josh ****ing Norris at 19th overall.

I prefer to think of him as future mini-Couture. It helps my sanity. Plus when he actually does fail (if), we can all take out our pitchforks and demand our mini-Couture savior.

 

[hohosaregood]

Four days later and I'm still in awe that we picked Josh ****ing Norris at 19th overall.

meeehhhhhhhh whatever. it's not like we draft as badly as the Red Wings or anything.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Four days later and I'm still in awe that we picked Josh ****ing Norris at 19th overall.

Forget about Norris and enjoy the other picks. That is what I am doing. I think there is a very good chance that we end up getting two top-6 F in this draft. Maybe even one of them as a top-line forward.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

meeehhhhhhhh whatever. it's not like we draft as badly as the Red Wings or anything.

And getting excited about 6th rounders is kind of weird.

 

[Celly4Celebrini]

I think McGrew is an interesting gamble based on his described skillset but a gamble I would've preferred they took later in the draft.

later than Round 6?

 

[hohosaregood]

later than Round 6?

he was a 6th? I thought he was a 5th rounder for some reason. Eh whatever gamble away after the 5th.

 

[themelkman]

Norris isnt bad, hes just not a #19

 

[hohosaregood]

The post draft rankings for the Sharks all really seem to be based on how that group rates Norris. Some kinda hate him and give the Sharks a C-, others kind of like Norris and give the Sharks a Bish grade.

 

[Barrie22]

Norris isnt bad, hes just not a #19

Yet every mock draft had him going like 2-5 spots later in the draft.

People here are acting like norris was ranked to go in the 3rd round or later in the draft. When most analysts had him ranked 23-25 range.

 

[CrypTic]

The post draft rankings for the Sharks all really seem to be based on how that group rates Norris. Some kinda hate him and give the Sharks a C-, others kind of like Norris and give the Sharks a Bish grade.

That and I think that some ppl weight the first round really heavily, the 2nd round fairly heavily, etc. whereas others tend to just give a bit of extra weight (if any) to the early rounds. That's going to affect how you rate Sharks drafting pretty much every year.

 

[hohosaregood]

I think I should be worried that there seems to be a lot of talk about how Reedy, Chmelevski, and Checkhovich are being considered some of the bigger steals in the draft. Basically means that they're gonna suck.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Yet every mock draft had him going like 2-5 spots later in the draft.

People here are acting like norris was ranked to go in the 3rd round or later in the draft. When most analysts had him ranked 23-25 range.

Except here's the thing: Norris was ranked near absolutely no one's first round until after he destroyed the combine.

Forget about Norris and enjoy the other picks. That is what I am doing. I think there is a very good chance that we end up getting two top-6 F in this draft. Maybe even one of them as a top-line forward.

That is extremely optimistic. I think it's more likely we get zero top-6 forwards than getting two, never mind a top line forward.

 

[hohosaregood]

Norris will be better than Meier but only cuz Meier will never score in the NHL. The Swiss are overrated

 

[KirbyDots]

Norris will be better than Meier but only cuz Meier will never score in the NHL. The Swiss are overrated

More like "Swiss miss" the net, am I right?

 

[hohosaregood]

More like "Swiss miss" the net, am I right?

And their goalies and defense have more holes than Swiss cheese. Mueller-Josi in front of Hiller would be so lulzy

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Except here's the thing: Norris was ranked near absolutely no one's first round until after he destroyed the combine.



That is extremely optimistic. I think it's more likely we get zero top-6 forwards than getting two, never mind a top line forward.

You can say that for pretty much any prospect we would have picked up maybe outside of the top-5. Giving up on the 18 year old kids is going to do nothing other than make you angry about something you have no control of. I would rather live in optimism than drown myself in pessimism.