StevenToddIves
Registered User
1: how is a kid busting anywhere remotely similar to a franchise player retiring 3 years into his 15 year deal and leaving a franchise to rot? if Kovy is so admired in Russian hockey, many of the kids there probably have a bad perception of NJ. Could guarantee you they don’t want to be here (see rykov trade) teddy and Josef son just busted and they were late first rounders. See how those 2 situations are not anything alike? Cool. Waste of time.
2. Zacha has not done anything to prove he’s more than a 3C. That’s his role right now, it certainly doesn’t mean he’s good at it. He scored 5 goals this year and at times hurt more than he’s helped. He has done nothing to show he has potential to be anything more than a solid checking forward. I won’t argue you on McLeod because you’ve probably seen More of him than me.
3. Same thing, you’ve seen more than me.
4. Kandre is boom or bust (I think we agree here) so when a team has 1 mid first rounder and nothing else till mid 4th round, that probably isn’t the direction you want to head in.
I’m not sure if you took offense to my post or something but a lot of what you Just responded (specifically part 1) was a complete waste of space. Anyway I do like your scouting opinions.
1)I think it's safe to say that a Russian kid drafted in the first round by the New Jersey Devils will not be influenced in any way by the fact that Ilya Kovalchuk left his contract early nearly a decade before he's ready for the NHL. In Kravtsov's case, I'd think he'd be thrilled to join an up and coming franchise with the possibility of playing on a line with all-world talents like Hall and Hischier.
2)Agreed that Zacha has a lot to prove. But again, he's just 21. Best case scenario, he can still develop into a very good second line C. Worst case scenario, he can be a Radek Faksa-like 3C. And there's absolutely no reason to think McLeod won't be a 2C -- he's got all-world speed, good size, plays two ways, wins draws, competes, does not shy from physical play, has shown a penchant for raising his game in the CHL playoffs. The only question is whether his scoring skills will translate and enable him to become a 50-60 point NHL 2C, or whether he will be a very speedy and capable 3C with some offensive pop. It's also worth noting that McLeod can play RW, and there is the possibility of his being used there (a position of need in NJ) for the 2018-19 campaign.
3)I would not draft Merkley unless I had multiple early picks because of concerns expressed in virtually every write-up on him. But to compare Smith to Ryan Murphy is simply baseless. If he somehow falls to #17, picking Smith would in all likelihood be a no-brainer for the Devils. If they drafted a Bokk or Kaut over Smith, it would be seen as disastrous by most draft experts, myself included.
4)K'Andre Miller is by no means boom-or-bust. Merkley would fit that description, as would Rasmus Kupari. But with Miller, you don't know if he's going to be a third-pairing guy or a superstar or something in between. His size/strength/skating are all outstanding, he's just a tremendous athlete. He's a smart kid for certain, but he is still prone to certain mental errors, which many boosters attribute to the fact that he has only played the position of D for a few years. But his worst-case scenario is being a better version of Mirco Mueller -- another big and mobile kid, but one who lacks Miller's gumption and willingness to engage both physically and offensively. His best case scenario, however, is the entire NHL wondering for 15 years how he did not go in the top 5 of the 2018 draft.
Lastly, I'd like to reiterate that none of my arguments were meant to be personal or vitriolic. I just firmly believe that these kids should not have the book closed on them or be labeled due to a slower development curve or the nation that they were raised in. I think it's important to judge them all on their individual merits as hockey players.