Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft

[jkutswings]

Until there's a second decent young center on this team, I'm hoping their first pick is a defenseman. Grow the blue line from a weakness to a strength, and having some decent PMDs back there should boost the offense more than adding another scoring winger. (At least until there's another playmaker up front, to really help a new sniper out.)

If there was a highly rated facilitator at center on the board, I could understand it. But I don't think that even a Svech or Zadina helps this roster enough that I'd want them over a Bouchard or a Dobson (assuming that on draft day, you think those defensemen are top-10 quality guys). I'd even consider sliding down 1-2 spots, if I landed at 2 or 3, and was confident I could still get my guy, while grabbing another 2nd or 3rd rounder.

I understand not wanting to pass on a guy if you think he's capable of being a 30 goal scorer, but with where this team is right now, I don't think it could take advantage of those skills as much as it could benefit from a potential anchor on the back end.

 

[RedWingzz]

Until there's a second decent young center on this team, I'm hoping their first pick is a defenseman. Grow the blue line from a weakness to a strength, and having some decent PMDs back there should boost the offense more than adding another scoring winger. (At least until there's another playmaker up front, to really help a new sniper out.)

If there was a highly rated facilitator at center on the board, I could understand it. But I don't think that even a Svech or Zadina helps this roster enough that I'd want them over a Bouchard or a Dobson (assuming that on draft day, you think those defensemen are top-10 quality guys). I'd even consider sliding down 1-2 spots, if I landed at 2 or 3, and was confident I could still get my guy, while grabbing another 2nd or 3rd rounder.

I understand not wanting to pass on a guy if you think he's capable of being a 30 goal scorer, but with where this team is right now, I don't think it could take advantage of those skills as much as it could benefit from a potential anchor on the back end.

I see what you are saying, but if Svech is available to us at 2/3 I highly doubt we pass on the opportunity to have the brothers Svechnikov in Detroit for the next 10 years.

 

[jkutswings]

I see what you are saying, but if Svech is available to us at 2/3 I highly doubt we pass on the opportunity to have the brothers Svechnikov in Detroit for the next 10 years.

Agreed, the Wings seem like they would be very interested in that (hypothetical) angle. I just see one or both of the next D taken then becoming great NHL players, and me wishing Detroit had gone that route instead.

 

[njx9]

I see what you are saying, but if Svech is available to us at 2/3 I highly doubt we pass on the opportunity to have the brothers Svechnikov in Detroit for the next 10 years.

If you pick a guy just to unite him with his brother, you've utterly failed at every conceivable level of drafting. Like Andrei for being whatever you think he is, but his brother playing here is immaterial.

Meh. I'm utterly uninterested in taking a winger for any reason. If you don't pick in the right spot for a D or C, trade down. Prime Ovechkin doesn't move this team in a measurable way, and we have a long demonstrated history of the front office's inability to draft Cs or Ds in front of us. But what do I know.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

In terms of top 10 I would take them in this order based on their upside, style of play and how they would compliment what we have in our organization.

1. Dahlin
2. Svech
3. Tkachuk
4. Wahlstrom
5. Boqvist
6. Zadina
7. Dobson
8. Hughes
9. Bouchard
10. Kotkaniemi

7-9 is super close to me. I typically prefer the better skaters but would be as happy with Bouchard as I would be with Dobson or Hughes. Boqvist is falling out of favor with some, but I still love the skill and mobility. Like others I expect to be drafting in the 6-11 range and expect most of the better forwards to be gone when we pick.

 

[Frk It]

I see what you are saying, but if Svech is available to us at 2/3 I highly doubt we pass on the opportunity to have the brothers Svechnikov in Detroit for the next 10 years.

Blah. If I take that kid it has nothing to do with what his last name is. He's an incredibly legitimate prospect.

 

[Frk It]

In terms of top 10 I would take them in this order based on their upside, style of play and how they would compliment what we have in our organization.

1. Dahlin
2. Svech
3. Tkachuk
4. Wahlstrom
5. Boqvist
6. Zadina
7. Dobson
8. Hughes
9. Bouchard
10. Kotkaniemi

7-9 is super close to me. I typically prefer the better skaters but would be as happy with Bouchard as I would be with Dobson or Hughes. Boqvist is falling out of favor with some, but I still love the skill and mobility. Like others I expect to be drafting in the 6-11 range and expect most of the better forwards to be gone when we pick.

Tkachuk's freshman season isn't a little concerning for you? I liked him at the WJC, but I'm a little wary otherwise.

Why do you like Dobson over Bouchard... skating?

 

[newfy]

If you pick a guy just to unite him with his brother, you've utterly failed at every conceivable level of drafting. Like Andrei for being whatever you think he is, but his brother playing here is immaterial.

Meh. I'm utterly uninterested in taking a winger for any reason. If you don't pick in the right spot for a D or C, trade down. Prime Ovechkin doesn't move this team in a measurable way, and we have a long demonstrated history of the front office's inability to draft Cs or Ds in front of us. But what do I know.

I dont think you know much if you dont think prime Ovechkin moves the wings in a measurable way lol.

No elite talent on the red wings but a guy who potted 50 goals 7 times and 65 in one of those seasons wouldnt move the wings in a measurable way? Why even rebuild then, obviously the wings are never going to be good again if adding the 2nd best player of the last decade couldnt help them?

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Blah. If I take that kid it has nothing to do with what his last name is. He's an incredibly legitimate prospect.

His production hasn't been ideal for sure. Yet every time I watch him at BU he is still generating lots of chances and making a bunch of plays. Maybe I just catch him on the right nights. If anything it has given me more appreciation for his skill and IQ. Zadina and Wahlstrrom probably have a bit more pure skill than him (and skate better), but I expect him to be the more impactful player at the NHL level. It might seem strange, but I kind of see him as also being the safest of that bunch due to play style.

Dobson over Bouchard is largely based on skating. Of that 7-9 group I think Bouchard is the best of that group once inside the offensive zone, but that the other two are better at retrieval and transition. At this point I really want defensemen who can get up in transition at the next level. Bouchard is hard for me to judge because he plays so many f***ing minutes. He probably looks a lot different if he wasn't required to manage his energy so much. I have no issues with any of those three.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Evgeny's problems seem to be in his head. If drafting his brother (who is an incredible player and should be drafted top 3 regardless) helps boost both of their morale and makes them more motivated, it is a relevant factor. Hockey players are people, too. Many factors beyond their skill and hockey IQ affect their play on the ice. The Sedins wouldn't be as good on different teams.

 

[njx9]

I dont think you know much if you dont think prime Ovechkin moves the wings in a measurable way lol.

No elite talent on the red wings but a guy who potted 50 goals 7 times and 65 in one of those seasons wouldnt move the wings in a measurable way? Why even rebuild then, obviously the wings are never going to be good again if adding the 2nd best player of the last decade couldnt help them?

Measurable, in my mind, is a team that actually contends for something other than a non-wild card berth and a first round out. I couldn't care less about simply 'making' the playoffs.

Further, your second paragraph was already answered - if we don't have a single C or D who can play at a top-line or top-pair level, all the wingers in the world won't do a thing.

The Sedins wouldn't be as good on different teams.

Except they'd both still be great players. Further, it's not like Evgeny needed a security blanket at Cape Breton.

 

[newfy]

Measurable, in my mind, is a team that actually contends for something other than a non-wild card berth and a first round out. I couldn't care less about simply 'making' the playoffs.

Further, your second paragraph was already answered - if we don't have a single C or D who can play at a top-line or top-pair level, all the wingers in the world won't do a thing.



Except they'd both still be great players. Further, it's not like Evgeny needed a security blanket at Cape Breton.

Thats the crazy thing about hockey, a team doesnt come together in one draft with one pick. You draft Ovechkin and add his talent and build around that. With an Ovechkin calibre winger you can trade a Mantha, Nyquist, AA for D help, use a couple more draft picks on D or centers to go along with Larkin. You dont pass up on an elite talent because you need talent at other positions. Detroit needs talent everywhere.

Youre making it sound like you would rather draft Evan Bouchard or Noah Dobson over an Ovechkin. That sounds ridiculous. I know Svechnikov isnt an Ovechkin breaking into the league, but hes one of the best winger prospects in years, if you pick second you pick him and its not really even a thought

 

[OldnotDeadWings]

As good as those consensus top four wingers are, and I wouldn’t be unhappy with any of them, I lean toward using the two first-round picks on defense and going into proverbial "high-upside" mode after that.

1: RD Dobson/RD Bouchard
1: LD Alexeyev/LD Tychonick
2: C Khovanov
2: LW Hallander
3: RD Reguly
3. F Iskhakov
3. C Florchuk

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

As good as those consensus top four wingers are, and I wouldn’t be unhappy with any of them, I lean toward using the two first-round picks on defense and going into proverbial "high-upside" mode after that.

1: RD Dobson/RD Bouchard
1: LD Alexeyev/LD Tychonick
2: C Khovanov
2: LW Hallander
3: RD Reguly
3. F Iskhakov
3. C Florchuk

Not bad. Bouchard over Dobson

 

[OldnotDeadWings]

Not bad. Bouchard over Dobson

It’s a toss-up for me and I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Bouchard is so effective in the offensive zone. His reads are great, delivers really sharp on the money passes, finds soft spots and shooting lanes and gets plenty of quality shots on net. I haven’t seen as much of Dobson. Better in his own end, moves the puck really well and I think he has more room for physical development than Bouchard, which could make a difference in 2-3 years. I like them both more than Hughes as future big-minute guys, but he’s got special skills. It’s going to be really hard to screw up a pick in the top eight or nine.

 

[Chris 84]

it really all depends on who is available, doesn't it? win the lottery and the pick is Dahlin. fail to win the lottery and realistically we are looking at picking between 5th and 11th. if we pick at no5, then in all likelihood we take Boqvist (unless we prefer Bouchard or another d-man), or, should he be off the board already, we would have a choice of taking Tkachuk/Zadina or Bouchard/Dobson/Hughes/?Smith?

picking in the median 8th position, then i expect the top forwards are gone and the choice comes down to whichever d-men are left. likewise 11th tbh.

we are in a good position as far as moving up goes as well. if we really like someone slated to go mid-1st round (say mcisaac for the sake of argument), we have got our other 1st round pick as well as a couple of early 2nds to dangle in front of people. not saying this is likely or advisable, necessarily, just that it wouldn't surprise me to see the wings attempt to move up if they get a bee in their bonnets about a certain player.

i think the Svechnikov argument is irrelevant. he won't be available when we pick because he is a top, top prospect. and if he is available then we will almost certainly take him over any d-man not named Dahlin (because he is a top, top prospect - and not because of his brother)

 

[TCNorthstars]

it really all depends on who is available, doesn't it? win the lottery and the pick is Dahlin. fail to win the lottery and realistically we are looking at picking between 5th and 11th. if we pick at no5, then in all likelihood we take Boqvist (unless we prefer Bouchard or another d-man), or, should he be off the board already, we would have a choice of taking Tkachuk/Zadina or Bouchard/Dobson/Hughes/?Smith?

picking in the median 8th position, then i expect the top forwards are gone and the choice comes down to whichever d-men are left. likewise 11th tbh.

we are in a good position as far as moving up goes as well. if we really like someone slated to go mid-1st round (say mcisaac for the sake of argument), we have got our other 1st round pick as well as a couple of early 2nds to dangle in front of people. not saying this is likely or advisable, necessarily, just that it wouldn't surprise me to see the wings attempt to move up if they get a bee in their bonnets about a certain player.

i think the Svechnikov argument is irrelevant. he won't be available when we pick because he is a top, top prospect. and if he is available then we will almost certainly take him over any d-man not named Dahlin (because he is a top, top prospect - and not because of his brother)

The lottery is the first 3 picks, so we could still get Svechnikov.

 

[Chris 84]

The lottery is the first 3 picks, so we could still get Svechnikov.

ah yeah, true. forgot about that. well, i reckon we take Svechnikov if he's available at 2 or 3 and we're lucky enough to get that pick.

 

[Martinez]

As good as those consensus top four wingers are, and I wouldn’t be unhappy with any of them, I lean toward using the two first-round picks on defense and going into proverbial "high-upside" mode after that.

1: RD Dobson/RD Bouchard
1: LD Alexeyev/LD Tychonick
2: C Khovanov
2: LW Hallander
3: RD Reguly
3. F Iskhakov
3. C Florchuk

If I made a mock it would be pretty close to this, I’d take Hallander with the Vegas pick. Regula in the 3rd sounds great.

 

[OldnotDeadWings]

Yeah I really like Hallander, probably my favorite prospect of guys who aren't generally rated first-rounders. I prefer D with the Vegas pick but all those picks are potentially so close together it doesn't matter. Thanks for the reminder of how to spell Regula!

 

[Frk It]

Please use our second 1st on this kid.

 

[jkutswings]

Please use our second 1st on this kid.

More info on Ty Dellandrea:

Ty Dellandrea

https://thehockeywriters.com/ohl-sunday-seven-underrated-first-rounder/

And this one is from the recent Prospects Game, and includes notes on Svechnikov, Zadina, Veleno, Bouchard, Dobson, and Smith as well:

The Draft Analyst | 2018 CHL Top Prospects Game: Player Notes

 

[njx9]

Thats the crazy thing about hockey, a team doesnt come together in one draft with one pick. You draft Ovechkin and add his talent and build around that. With an Ovechkin calibre winger you can trade a Mantha, Nyquist, AA for D help, use a couple more draft picks on D or centers to go along with Larkin. You dont pass up on an elite talent because you need talent at other positions. Detroit needs talent everywhere.

Mantha, Nyquist and AA aren't going to get top pairing D men or 1Cs. They just aren't. You have to draft those players, or hope that they actually take your call in the unlikely event they become FAs (unlike Stamkos). No doubt it's a team sport, but at some point you have to realize the relative positional value is very, very different, and understand that you have to use premium picks on premium positions.

I didn't think very highly of PLD two years ago, but I totally get taking the guy you think can be a 1C over a pretty good winger.

Youre making it sound like you would rather draft Evan Bouchard or Noah Dobson over an Ovechkin. That sounds ridiculous. I know Svechnikov isnt an Ovechkin breaking into the league, but hes one of the best winger prospects in years, if you pick second you pick him and its not really even a thought

I mean, if I think Bouchard or Dobson are 1Cs or 1Ds respectively, I absolutely take them first. In the worst case, a top pairing D gets you massive trade value, where an elite winger gets you... Adam Larsson?

I dunno. I've spent a lot of time ringing this bell, but I just think that when:
1) you're really good at drafting wingers outside of the first
2) wingers have very little trade value, league-wide
3) you're absolutely awful at drafting Cs and Ds
4) you can't trade for a C/D and the FAs won't even take your calls
it should sort of clarify your draft strategy. If Svechnikov is really the 2nd best player, trade down. Surely someone wants him enough to give you even more value.

It just reminds me so much of drafting a bunch of WRs in the first round in the NFL draft, if I can cross my sports for a minute.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Mantha, Nyquist and AA aren't going to get top pairing D men or 1Cs. They just aren't. You have to draft those players, or hope that they actually take your call in the unlikely event they become FAs (unlike Stamkos). No doubt it's a team sport, but at some point you have to realize the relative positional value is very, very different, and understand that you have to use premium picks on premium positions.

I didn't think very highly of PLD two years ago, but I totally get taking the guy you think can be a 1C over a pretty good winger.



I mean, if I think Bouchard or Dobson are 1Cs or 1Ds respectively, I absolutely take them first. In the worst case, a top pairing D gets you massive trade value, where an elite winger gets you... Adam Larsson?

I dunno. I've spent a lot of time ringing this bell, but I just think that when:
1) you're really good at drafting wingers outside of the first
2) wingers have very little trade value, league-wide
3) you're absolutely awful at drafting Cs and Ds
4) you can't trade for a C/D and the FAs won't even take your calls
it should sort of clarify your draft strategy. If Svechnikov is really the 2nd best player, trade down. Surely someone wants him enough to give you even more value.

It just reminds me so much of drafting a bunch of WRs in the first round in the NFL draft, if I can cross my sports for a minute.

Yes, we are reasonably good at drafting wingers outside of the first round. The wingers we are finding are not, however, elite wingers. There is still a huge difference between very good and elite. This board frequently miscasts good for elite and gets upset when good doesn't perform as elite. Most days I agree with your thinking. Yes, if we want a number one defensemen, we need to go out and draft a number one defensemen. I am, however, willing to break from this convention when presented with the opportunity to acquire an elite winger. This team will not be rebuilt overnight.

The more important question is do you think Bouchard or Dobson are 1Ds?

 

[jkutswings]

The more important question is do you think Bouchard or Dobson are 1Ds?

It's so tough to split those hairs this early, but my instincts tell me (in terms of tier of talent, not necessarily style):

Dahlin will be like a Scott Niedermayer but with more flash, Boqvist and Bouchard can be a very good top pairing guy, like a Kronwall or Rafalski, and Dobson ends up settling in as a great #3, having all the tools to eat steady minutes, but not quite that extra gear for the really big moments of NHL top pair duty.

But who knows. It's just fun to talk draft.