Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Entry Draft Discussion: Final Countdown! Tomorrow is the big day!

[WTFMAN99]

I played with draftwired

1st round pick - Nils Lundkqvist RD
2nd round pick - Ivan Morozov C
3rd round pick - Cam Hillis C
4th round pick - Jonathan Gruden LW
5th round pick - Filip Kral LD
7th round pick - Luka Burzan C
7th round pick - Nathan Dunkley C

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Over the laat couple years, both German Rubtsov and Klim Kostin came over during their D+1 year.

I know other countries like Finland,Sweden,Germany etc will allow prospects over under certain circumstances but it just seems so few and far between to see Russians in the AHL right after being drafted(I know Kostin is Russian). They always seem to be under contract purposely beyond their draft year. Anyone know the contract status' of the Russians we may take? I'm not seeing contract info on them.

 

[Kiwi]

I played with draftwired

1st round pick - Nils Lundkqvist RD
2nd round pick - Ivan Morozov C
3rd round pick - Cam Hillis C
4th round pick - Jonathan Gruden LW
5th round pick - Filip Kral LD
7th round pick - Luka Burzan C
7th round pick - Nathan Dunkley C

I want Martin Pospisil at #118 instead of Jonathan Gruden

Any player that can rack up 253 penalty minutes in 49 games deserves to be drafted, I kind of like being hated to and he's a good start on that

 

[WTFMAN99]

I want Martin Pospisil at #118 instead of Jonathan Gruden

Any player that can rack up 253 penalty minutes in 49 games deserves to be drafted, I kind of like being hated to and he's a good start on that

I like Gruden's motor...kind of reminds of Zucker.

 

[Field of Dreams]

At 10:40 Dubas reaffirms positional need is of 0 relevance

 

[WTFMAN99]

At 10:40 Dubas reaffirms positional need is of 0 relevance

Yeah I had read that before on Twitter. Reality is, it's the most practical way of thinking.

 

[Field of Dreams]

My chel name draft list for the year

1) Blade Jenkins (F) - generational chel name

2) Aleksi Anttalainen (D) - his last name roughly translates to the anti-laine, which means he is earmarked to becoming a defensive stalwart

3) Logan Cash (F) - ca-ching ca-ching

4) Jackson Leppard (LW) - Sounds like an 80s porn star name. Very high floor pick.

5) Aatu Luusuaniemi (RW) - with Finns, the harder to pronounce, the better the hockey talent

 

[Kiwi]

I like Gruden's motor...kind of reminds of Zucker.

But does he have 253 penalty minutes in 49 games though?
That's all world

 

[Caesium]

This should be an interesting draft. My suspicion is that the Leafs won't be drafting 25th, they're either moving up or moving down.

Move up: Ty Smith
Move Down: Nicolas Beaudin

 

[Kiwi]

Did a mock draft using the black book and I could only draft players on our pick number or behind it so I couldn't reach

#25 Jonatan Berggren
#52 Filip Johansson
#83 Aiden McDonough
#118 Adam Samuelsson (it's just not a Leafs draft without one gigantic plug of a defenseman)
#209 Justin Bergeron
#211 Jacob Wassermann (late goalie pick)

 

[Mikeyg]

Berggren just feels like a dubas pick to ole mikeyg. Thats what we're about over here, we swing for the fences, the days of the shit goat picks are over boys. Also, I am now officially over the goat so f*** you big guy! You're a damn bust! bum...

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

Merkley or Woo. Leafs need to keep building that right side of the defense.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Merkley or Woo. Leafs need to keep building that right side of the defense.

At this point, I would be kind of surprised to see either in the first round. Merkley for sure does not deserve to be anywhere near it, and Woo has not had his stock rise as much as other guys. He'll be an amazing high 2nd round pick unless a team likes him in the late 1st, but I think there will be better options than him at 25.

Definitely one of the first guys I'd consider if we trade down though.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Merkley or Woo. Leafs need to keep building that right side of the defense.

You can keep stocking up on defenders all you want but I'm sure not using a 1st on Merkley or drafting based on need that early in the draft. Merkley is a tire fire of a prospect. The kid should be grateful he's taken in the first two rounds at this point. He needs a wakeup call and maybe being taken 75th overall or so will do it for him. He seems like he'd be nothing but trouble for whoever picks him. That doesn't even address the issues with his actual play, that's the scary part.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

You can keep stocking up on defenders all you want but I'm sure not using a 1st on Merkley or drafting based on need that early in the draft. Merkley is a tire fire of a prospect. The kid should be grateful he's taken in the first two rounds at this point. He needs a wakeup call and maybe being taken 75th overall or so will do it for him. He seems like he'd be nothing but trouble for whoever picks him. That doesn't even address the issues with his actual play, that's the scary part.

He’s so talented, but I’m not sure he will ever put it together. Agreed even if he didn’t have any issues with his attitude his play in his own end is more often than not a tire fire. I likely would even avoid using the 52nd on him at this point.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Did a mock draft using the black book and I could only draft players on our pick number or behind it so I couldn't reach

#25 Jonatan Berggren
#52 Filip Johansson
#83 Aiden McDonough
#118 Adam Samuelsson (it's just not a Leafs draft without one gigantic plug of a defenseman)
#209 Justin Bergeron
#211 Jacob Wassermann (late goalie pick)

I would reach a bit at #118 for Michael Callahan.

 

[7even]

I want Martin Pospisil at #118 instead of Jonathan Gruden

Any player that can rack up 253 penalty minutes in 49 games deserves to be drafted, I kind of like being hated to and he's a good start on that

That's over 5 minutes per game. I'm legitimately impressed.

 

[Fogelhund]

Merkley or Woo. Leafs need to keep building that right side of the defense.

Early in the year, I would have been all over picking Woo as well. Then the concussion issues, and after he put up 11 points in 40 games, being PPG before that. You wonder, is that a temp issue, or permanent.

 

[Judas Tavares]

In all the draft guides, Calen Addison really intrigues me until the last paragraph. Usually defence = bad.

 

[SprDaVE]

In all the draft guides, Calen Addison really intrigues me until the last paragraph. Usually defence = bad.

Most prospects around our pick will have something bad. If his defensive game needs work, it's not something I'm overly concerned about.

I'd be a lot more concerned about a prospect with bad/average feet and/or lacking in skill.

 

[Morgs]

My preferences for #25:

1. Ty Smith
2. Vitali Kravtsov
3. Joeseph Veleno
4. Calen Addison
5. Gregori Densenko
6. Isac Lundestrom
7. Jonatan Berggren
8. Ryan Merkley
9. K'Andre Miller
10. Martin Kaut

 

[SprDaVE]

I played with draftwired

1st round pick - Nils Lundkqvist RD
2nd round pick - Ivan Morozov C
3rd round pick - Cam Hillis C
4th round pick - Jonathan Gruden LW
5th round pick - Filip Kral LD
7th round pick - Luka Burzan C
7th round pick - Nathan Dunkley C

Dunkley in the 7th round would be fantastic value.

 

[93LEAFS]

That's over 5 minutes per game. I'm legitimately impressed.

Those are 80's numbers.

 

[Walshy7]

That's over 5 minutes per game. I'm legitimately impressed.

wow that's pretty crazy, not sure id want him he'd be too much of a risk. I get that its a late pick, and a lot of people love fights but id rather a player with a higher offensive ceiling if a forward.

A: he takes far too many minors and leaves his team shorthanded far too often
B: if its fights he will inevitably hit but concussions

 

[mammothCacti]

My realistic Top 5 by position possibilities for #25: (excluding goalies)

Centers:
1. Joseph Veleno (Would not hesitate)
2. Rasmus Kupari (Would not hesitate)
3. Jake Wise
4. Akil Thomas
5. Jack Drury

Wingers:
1. Vitaly Kravtsov (Instant take)
2. Martin Kaut (Would not hesitate)
3. Jonatan Berggren
4. Dominik Bokk
5. Grigori Denisenko
These 5 wingers (along with guys that have no chance of dropping) are essentially the only wingers I would draft.

D-men (Ignoring the main top 5 projected dmen):
1. Ty Smith (Instant take- my hopeful)
2. Nils Lundkvist
3. One of the USDP dmen (Wilde, Miller, Samuelsson)
4. Calen Addison
5. Alexander Alexeyev

Essentially what this tells me is that I would definitely go for a dmen in this draft as I hadn't even included two great options in Ryan Merkley and Rasmus Sandin. So many options.