GDT: 2018 NHL Draft

[Hansen]

Dahlin would be the real treat but I think one of Merkley/McIsaac/Boqvist is a more realistic target considering our lottery luck.

Next year will be huge for McIsaac to prove that he's more than a Yann Sauve.

Ty Smith could have a big year too.

Up front, David Levin has been a very interesting story. Only started skating and playing ice hockey at 12 after moving over from Israel, where he played ball hockey. Ridiculously skilled, skating has been coming along in leaps and bounds.
Alexander Khovanov has some hype going. Joe Veleno seems like a feisty high skill player, was an exceptional status player, but I suspect he falls unless he ups improves his production significantly next season.

Going to be a very exciting year to watch with all of these defence prospects, so much harder to predict who will succeed down the line.

 

[lawrence]

Dahlin would be the real treat but I think one of Merkley/McIsaac/Boqvist is a more realistic target considering our lottery luck.

Next year will be huge for McIsaac to prove that he's more than a Yann Sauve.

Ty Smith could have a big year too.

Up front, David Levin has been a very interesting story. Only started skating and playing ice hockey at 12 after moving over from Israel, where he played ball hockey. Ridiculously skilled, skating has been coming along in leaps and bounds.
Alexander Khovanov has some hype going. Joe Veleno seems like a feisty high skill player, was an exceptional status player, but I suspect he falls unless he ups improves his production significantly next season.

Going to be a very exciting year to watch with all of these defence prospects, so much harder to predict who will succeed down the line.

Not going to think of number 1 anymore but I be very happy with Merkley/McIsaac/Boqvist.

Next year will be huge for McIsaac to prove that he's more than a Yann Sauve.

Don't recall them playing similar game. Sauve was a Phaneuf type style dman, (supposedly) McIsaac is a Lidstrom style dman from what I heard.

Watched Brady Tkachuck, not too overly impressed as a top 5 prospect.

Never got the top 5 in him. I've seen a few 2018 scouting lists now, all but one had him in the top 5, the rest was not even in the top 10.

 

[Icebreakers]

It's just the Tkachuk genes. Matthew wasn't all that impressive either. Dude just knows how to get into the dirty areas at the right time.

 

[Hansen]

Not going to think of number 1 anymore but I be very happy with Merkley/McIsaac/Boqvist.



Don't recall them playing similar game. Sauve was a Phaneuf type style dman, (supposedly) McIsaac is a Lidstrom style dman from what I heard.




Never got the top 5 in him. I've seen a few 2018 scouting lists now, all but one had him in the top 5, the rest was not even in the top 10.

My concern is McIsaac being a type who became fully developed physically ahead of everyone else. He's definitely smart but next year is when he has the chance to prove that he can fight for that very high spot.

 

[thelittlecoon]

Merkley is easily a top 5 talent and if we aren't picking 1 or 2 and have the chance to take him, I hope we do it. Unless there is a big riser in the draft as there usually is.

 

[thelittlecoon]

Hockeyprospect.com just uploaded their early 2018 draft rankings: https://www.hockeyprospect.com/2018-nhl-draft-rankings-hockeyprospect-coms-early-top-31/

Lots of surprises. Veleno at 17 and Merkley at 22 to name a few.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Hockeyprospect.com just uploaded their early 2018 draft rankings: https://www.hockeyprospect.com/2018-nhl-draft-rankings-hockeyprospect-coms-early-top-31/

Lots of surprises. Veleno at 17 and Merkley at 22 to name a few.

Joel Farabee LW U.S. National U17 Team USDP 5'11" 148

Good lord.

 

[NoShowWilly]

lots of defensemen next season.

 

[Knight53]

Adam Boqvist.

 

[Jack Burton]

It's still early but it's looking like their's some serious european talent up for grabs @ this year's draft. Should also be a big year for the US development program.

Man I hope the hockey gods are good to us and we actually end up with a little lotto luck for once.

So far I'm with Zombo and #fallin4dahlin...defencemen like him don't come around too often and the only way to get them is usually through the draft.

 

[racerjoe]

It's still early but it's looking like their's some serious european talent up for grabs @ this year's draft. Should also be a big year for the US development program.

Man I hope the hockey gods are good to us and we actually end up with a little lotto luck for once.

So far I'm with Zombo and #fallin4dahlin...defencemen like him don't come around too often and the only way to get them is usually through the draft.

I would love that, but I am not going to set myself up for that type of disappointment. I have already started looking at guys who will be 3-8 ish. Lots of talent though.

 

[duplo]

Lot of promising D outside Dahlin this year between Hughes, Merkley, and Boqvist. Gonna hopefully be set up nicely at this year's draft.

 

[y2kcanucks]

I still say BPA, whether it's a D or forward. If we walked out of this draft with Svechnikov or Veleno I'd be thrilled.

 

[MissionCanucksFan]

Next years draft is looking good. All I want from this next season is to see bo, Brock , stecher develop, take steps. I'm more excited to follow petterson and dahlen over seas than anything else really.

Also Brady tkachuk is apparently nastier than Mathew...

In a lot of ways, I'm hoping we select a guy like Tkachuk and here's why....

In a few years when everyone has a D corps full of smaller skilled D, we are going to have a bunch of bigger, A-holes that can skate, forecheck and flatten smaller guys.
I'm not talking about assembling a team of Hordichuks and Sestito, knuckle draggers, but guys like...
Tkachuk, Gadjovich, Virtanen on 3 separate lines could cause a lot of havoc for smaller D when they take a good pounding.

Barring that theory, I hope we sell off as much as we can to amass a few 1st rnd picks at the TDL.
Tanev, Edler, whoever....

 

[Knight53]

It's imperative we at the minimum have 2 first round picks for the 2018 entry draft. Benning better be off his ass trying to acquire more picks.

Should have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds.

Some impressive forwards if we draft around 4-8. Tkachuk, Kotkaniemi, Zadina. Jakub Lauko looks impressive at the Hlinka.

Not too fond on Veleno.

D-men like Merkey and McIssac have looked disappointing so far specifically their defensive play. Woo looks pretty solid but does he have the offensive upside? Needs to have a big year.

Boqvist and Hughes look like high-quality offensive d-men.

 

[Trelane]

Because we only like Meat and potato Benning players now. Subban and Cassels can be shipped off for a 3rd each.

Not sure there is a parallel universe where either returns a 3rd. Always felt if Benning could recoup the 4th Mikey used on Subban it would have been done already. Silly GMs wanting defensive competence from D prospects...


Thinking we'll finish higher than most would have us. Easily better than Vegas, Arizona and Colorado, plus some others will falter as they always do. So no real early pick unless the lottery intervenes but that doesn't happen to us. Strongly suspect we use the 1st on D. Ok, I guess, if good chunk of forward prospects take the next step.

 

[Josepho]

I have no clue how we're easily better than a team that already finished above us that added a Top Line Center and Top Pairing defenceman.

 

[racerjoe]

I have no clue how we're easily better than a team that already finished above is that added a Top Line Center and Top Pairing defenceman.

Cause Sutter AND Guds will be healthy all season!

 

[docbenton]

Boqvist looked terrific at Hlinka, not only fast with dazzling skills but also incredibly smart. Definitely on my wish list after Dahlin. If we want a PP defenseman we can get a good one this year, just hope we pick the right one...

 

[rypper]

Call me crazy but I think we should avoid drafting a defenseman out of the Q, no matter how highly ranked he might be.

 

[Knight53]

 

[lawrence]

Call me crazy but I think we should avoid drafting a defenseman out of the Q, no matter how highly ranked he might be.

I understand your concern, (no quality dman from the Q since Kris Letang 2005). but the QMJHL's cold streak of not generating quality dmans was bound to come to an end. McIsaac sounds extremely impressive from the fans that seen him play.

 

[Trelane]

I have no clue how we're easily better than a team that already finished above us that added a Top Line Center and Top Pairing defenceman.

More than offset by loss of good starting goalie and head coach. Tippet's system, in particular, hid a multitude of sins.

They finished above only because our late season tanking is something else. Not to be viewed as being indicative of bottom 3 roster quality.

 

[Zombotron]

arizona didn't know what hit 'em

 

[Canadian Canuck]

We need to aquire another 1st or too this season we just have to it will go a long way in the rebuild.
Edler- Can get us a mid-late 1st
Tanev- Can get us a top 15 1st (really should pull the trigger especially if it's too 10.
If Gagner/Sutter/Granlund Anyone else can get a 1st you pull the trigger.