Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft

[hawkeerox]

Boqvist or Bouchard
Woo
Mcbain
Khovanov

Rebuild the defence in one draft right away then turn all attention to centres with skill starting with the Khovanov pick.

If the Wings get Bouchard they'll be happy.

 

[hawkeerox]

As for Merkley, I'd take him in the 3rd round, nothing above.

He may have the talent, but he doesn't have the head for the game as a defenseman.

Merkely's still a kid, and so he can learn the game as a defenseman. He's too good for waiting until third round.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

I'm not necessarily talking about a small move to jump up a few spots to get a specific player; my thought is to put yourself in position to select from a completely different level of prospect. If you got the chance to move up to the 15-20 pick range, where you might get lucky to get a player that might slip, like Bode Wilde or Ty Smith, or insert your favorite middle first prospect, and it would cost you both Ottawa's and our 2nd round pick, you wouldn't do that? This is completely hypothetical and subjective, but this particular scenario I used the draft pick valuation charts that have been developed for a rough idea of where the value would fall.

Considering that we need first line/first pairing talent, I'd rather have 3 picks in the top 30, two of which are top 20, over 4 picks in the top 40 with 2 of which coming between 35 and 40. To me, there is obviously a reason why players are ranked and drafted in a certain order; if there isn't a large talent/potential variance, every team should be trading back as much as possible.

For reference, look at the players drafted in the 2014 draft in the middle first versus the early second:
Mid-1st: Larkin, Milano, Tuch, Schmaltz, Fabbri, Kapanen
Early-2nd: Jayce Hawryluk, Ivan Barbashev, Dominik Masin, Marcus Pettersson

well sure if you can trade picks 33ish and 36ish for pick 15thish sure go ahead

though I just dont see that as plausible

you may need to give up picks 28, 33 and 36 to pull that off and maybe get a 3rd in return as well

to me thats more likely the cost and would simply not be worth it

as far as the 2014 draft goes, the best player outside of leon drasittil(sp) in the entire draft went 25th overall in my opinion

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

We have to take into account that other teams probably feel the same way we do: that trading 2 2nds for a mid first is a net value gain. They either might not want to trade or will simply ask for more.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Merkely's still a kid, and so he can learn the game as a defenseman. He's too good for waiting until third round.

DeAngelo
R. Murphy

IMO, this is his potential.

 

[hawkeerox]

Haha! Well said

 

[HisNoodliness]

What are your thoughts on the idea of moving up, and how far would you anticipate we could move up using what we have available?

I definitely like the idea of moving up depending on how draft day unfolds. With our own first, I just want us to take the BPA, but since the Vegas trade I've been hoping that we can do something like VGK 1st + OTT 2nd + 3rd to move up to 15 or so and grab someone like Ty Smith, Joe Veleno, Bode Wilde etc. that might last just a little longer than they should. With this crazy defensive depth someone is going to fall further than they should. The ideal draft scenario for me would be Boqvist + Smith if we could somehow pull that off. I don't even care if we go way off the board with every other pick in the draft if we do something like that. It would be incredible.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I definitely like the idea of moving up depending on how draft day unfolds. With our own first, I just want us to take the BPA, but since the Vegas trade I've been hoping that we can do something like VGK 1st + OTT 2nd + 3rd to move up to 15 or so and grab someone like Ty Smith, Joe Veleno, Bode Wilde etc. that might last just a little longer than they should. With this crazy defensive depth someone is going to fall further than they should. The ideal draft scenario for me would be Boqvist + Smith if we could somehow pull that off. I don't even care if we go way off the board with every other pick in the draft if we do something like that. It would be incredible.

I think moving up would be significantly more important if we went up getting lucky with the lottery, picking #2 or #3 and we end up picking Svechnikov or Zadina. I don't see how the organization would be comfortable with not getting one of the top defensemen in the draft: Dahlin, Boqvist, Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson, Smith, Wilde (no particular order). If we do land one of those defensemen early on, I'd be more content with not moving up although I would still do it if the price was right and the right player was on the board.

 

[jkutswings]

On a practical level, I don't see any of what I'm about to say ever happening.

But hypothetically, let's introduce some juicy speculation, and say that Carolina wins the Dahlin sweepstakes, despite their low odds (currently 3.3%, according to Tankathon). And they already have good defensemen coming out of their ears.

If they even considered trading down just ONE slot to #2, what ransom would it take, in a draft where it's clearly Dahlin before everybody else, to let whatever team lands at #2 to move up one spot?

Would it be as simple as 1st + another pick(s)? Or would they have enough leverage to also ask for a player (assuming said team in the 2 slot has a player of interest to the team at #1)?

I don't ever see the lottery winner giving up Dahlin for any price, if they have to then move down several draft slots. But I wonder if there could be a scenario for dropping just from 1 to 2, if several things lined up, or if he's such a great prospect, that there's just no way it would happen, even with the right teams at 1 and 2 overall.

 

[RedWingzz]

What about Kravtsov with the Vegas pick? I keep changing my mind about who I want with that pick. I definitely want a forward there, unless we win a lottery pick and land Svech/Zadina.

6th: Evan Bouchard
~25th: Vitaly Kravtsov
35th: Jack McBain
37th: Alex Alexeyev
68th: Allan McShane

I'd be pumped with something like this. I just hope we don't go off the board, or pass on skill for stay at home D, or character players.

 

[TheMule93]

It would probably take a young <24 already elite center for them to consider it imo. They wouldn't want a winger because they're about to draft svech or zadina.

So they'd want a Mackinnon, Matthews, barkov, eichel, etc

That sets them up with an elite center and possible winger.

The only team picking in that range (#2-3 overall) with such a piece would be Buffalo. For them to do it, they'd really have to be confident in mittelstadt turning into a 1C. I just don't see them doing it though, I feel like buffalo would much rather keep eichel and draft one of the other dmen.

I think most likely Carolina takes Dahlin and trades one of their current dmen

 

[Hen Kolland]

It would probably take a young p>

So they'd want a Mackinnon, Matthews, barkov, eichel, etc

That sets them up with an elite center and possible winger.

The only team picking in that range (#2-3 overall) with such a piece would be Buffalo. For them to do it, they'd really have to be confident in mittelstadt turning into a 1C. I just don't see them doing it though, I feel like buffalo would much rather keep eichel and draft one of the other dmen.

I think most likely Carolina takes Dahlin and trades one of their current dmen

I would second this thought. The only thing I could see as a possibility would be something along the lines of #1OA from Carolina for Draisaitl and the Oilers first from Edmonton. There would definitely be balancing that needs to be done, because where the EDM pick falls has a substantial impact on the value of the package.

That would be the only scenario I could ever see this trade playing out because Edmonton still has McDavid, and they are the only team that has a player that would be "expendable" and holds the current and long term value needed to make Carolina interested. Florida can't give up on Barkov, Toronto can't give up on Matthews, Colorado can't give up on MacKinnon. Those players are now established #1 centers, and by far and away are better than anything else their team has. Dahlin, while promising and likely great, hasn't proven anything in the NHL for a team to give up their only #1 center caliber player.

Even then I don't think it's the smartest move for Carolina. Whoever picks first has zero reason to give up Dahlin unless it is an ungodly overpayment, and as it was mentioned, Carolina specifically has a lot of really good defensemen already. If they don't get that overpayment, then they would draft Dahlin and trade someone like Hanifin for the forward they decide they want, they instantly become a legitimate landing spot for someone who wants to win, and then offer a max contract to Tavares, with a completely rebuilt foundation.

 

[TheMule93]

Good point, I forgot about drai

 

[waltdetroit]

But hypothetically, let's introduce some juicy speculation, and say that Carolina wins the Dahlin sweepstakes, despite their low odds (currently 3.3%, according to Tankathon). And they already have good defensemen coming out of their ears.

If they even considered trading down just ONE slot to #2, what ransom would it take, in a draft where it's clearly Dahlin before everybody else, to let whatever team lands at #2 to move up one spot?

In this scenario, if was GM of Carolina, I'd still take Dahlin & trade some other D

 

[Frk It]

#1 pick is not getting traded, you can just stop. Neither is #2.

 

[Marky9er]

#1 pick is not getting traded, you can just stop. Neither is #2.

I'd trade #2 for #3 if the plus was substantial and I value Svechnikov/Zadina equally.

But your right, the lottery picks are not getting traded.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

This is an unusual draft for me. I haven't really zeroed in on one player that I must have in that first round. The closest I have is Bouchard, but I would be really happy with about several other players in that position. Dobson, Hughes, Smith, or even a winger, like maybe Tkachuk or Wahlstrom.

I'm still a little hesitant, though, because Detroit drafting usually doesn't deliver those fan favorite picks in the first round. Even with so many good players around, which makes the chance of drafting a "wrong" guy lower than ever, I'm still worried. Barrett Hayton at 6 or 7? You never know with these guys.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

This is an unusual draft for me. I haven't really zeroed in on one player that I must have in that first round. The closest I have is Bouchard, but I would be really happy with about several other players in that position. Dobson, Hughes, Smith, or even a winger, like maybe Tkachuk or Wahlstrom.

I'm still a little hesitant, though, because Detroit drafting usually doesn't deliver those fan favorite picks in the first round. Even with so many good players around, which makes the chance of drafting a "wrong" guy lower than ever, I'm still worried. Barrett Hayton at 6 or 7? You never know with these guys.

I didn't want Rasmussen last year. I wanted Necas.

I'm worried that Wright can't identify high end talent.

If the Wings pick a reach at their pick, I'll be livid. Hayton is a reach.

 

[Btele]

I didn't want Rasmussen last year. I wanted Necas.

I'm worried that Wright can't identify high end talent.

If the Wings pick a reach at their pick, I'll be livid. Hayton is a reach.

I am not worried whether Wright can identify high end talent.
I am worried about their priority.
They might prefer the size and the character over the talent.

 

[Frk It]

This is an unusual draft for me. I haven't really zeroed in on one player that I must have in that first round. The closest I have is Bouchard, but I would be really happy with about several other players in that position. Dobson, Hughes, Smith, or even a winger, like maybe Tkachuk or Wahlstrom.

I'm still a little hesitant, though, because Detroit drafting usually doesn't deliver those fan favorite picks in the first round. Even with so many good players around, which makes the chance of drafting a "wrong" guy lower than ever, I'm still worried. Barrett Hayton at 6 or 7? You never know with these guys.

Hayton’s not even really ranked in anyone’s top 10 though. I doubt we make a reach like that.

I like honestly everyone who is ranked as the consensus top 10 right now. If I had to narrow it down I’d say maybe Dobson and Wahlstrom would be my favorites after the top 3 guys. But I really like the group of defenseman and wingers projected to go 3-10.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I am not worried whether Wright can identify high end talent.
I am worried about their priority.
They might prefer the size and the character over the talent.

I agree. He might not be able to draft high end talent.

If he values size, over other skills, then that's a problem for Detroits prospects pool.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I'm still a little hesitant, though, because Detroit drafting usually doesn't deliver those fan favorite picks in the first round. Even with so many good players around, which makes the chance of drafting a "wrong" guy lower than ever, I'm still worried. Barrett Hayton at 6 or 7? You never know with these guys.

I really do think they go defensemen or maybe wing if they draft high enough. I think they took a sure-fire center last year so that they could take a defensemen this year. I don't see them reaching for Hayton, Veleno or Kupari. This just isn't a good class for centers.

Whether you like him or not, Ras wasn't much of a reach at where he was taken last year.

 

[jkutswings]

Whether you like him or not, Ras wasn't much of a reach at where he was taken last year.

But if he doesn't pan out nearly as well as the next few picks off the board, it's still a bad call. (And that's what I'm expecting.)

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

I am not worried whether Wright can identify high end talent.
I am worried about their priority.
They might prefer the size and the character over the talent.

That would demonstrate an inability to identify talent

 

[jkutswings]

That would demonstrate an inability to identify talent

Or that he has a very different priority list of what attributes are important. But either way, it's a concern.