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

[WTFMAN99]

Draft junkies!

Looking at our first, and 2 2nds, who are some players I could look at around our picks? Ideally of the C/D variety.

 

[Kiwi]

Who are some of the goalies of note in this draft or guys I can try to look into?

Jacob Skarek
Oliver Rodrigue
Lukas Dostal
Jacob Ingram
Alexis Gravel

 

[Kiwi]

Draft junkies!

Looking at our first, and 2 2nds, who are some players I could look at around our picks? Ideally of the C/D variety.

If we don't trade them first

 

[WTFMAN99]

If we don't trade them first

Always a possibility.

 

[Walshy7]

Always a possibility.

one of those 3 picks is gone for sure at the deadline. Likely a 2nd maybe the 1st. Last year lou (I think it was lou) said something to the effect of if a team has worked hard to get into a playoff spot you need to show them you believe and trade for an upgrade, extreme paraphrasing cant remember direct quote.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Jacob Skarek
Oliver Rodrigue
Lukas Dostal
Jacob Ingram
Alexis Gravel

Thanks

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Who are some of the goalies of note in this draft or guys I can try to look into?

Jakub Skarek is the only one who intrigues me at this point.

 

[93LEAFS]

Draft junkies!

Looking at our first, and 2 2nds, who are some players I could look at around our picks? Ideally of the C/D variety.

Really hard to tell this early, the draft hasn't really broken into tiers that far down yet. Calen Addison could be an intriguing pick similar to Samuel Girard.

Center wise, guys like Hayton, McBain, and Groulx could be around with our pick. No idea if they can stick at center in the pros though. This draft is really deep wing and defense wise. We probably won't be picking high-enough for the lack of centers to be evident for us. At the moment though, I find it hard to tell what the consensus is outside the top 8 or 10 or so. It generally takes until later on for that group to start breaking off into tiers.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Really hard to tell this early, the draft hasn't really broken into tiers that far down yet. Calen Addison could be an intriguing pick similar to Samuel Girard.

Center wise, guys like Hayton, McBain, and Groulx could be around with our pick. No idea if they can stick at center in the pros though. This draft is really deep wing and defense wise. We probably won't be picking high-enough for the lack of centers to be evident for us. At the moment though, I find it hard to tell what the consensus is outside the top 8 or 10 or so. It generally takes until later on for that group to start breaking off into tiers.

Thought I might be a bit early to the party this year. I haven't had time to really follow the draft the prospects the last couple of years.

 

[93LEAFS]

Thought I might be a bit early to the party this year. I haven't had time to really follow the draft the prospects the last couple of years.

Yeah, it's much easier when you expect to be bad on who you want to focus on (McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, Marner, etc). Drafting in the 20's it is really hard to tell until way later in the year. Just using last year as an example, at this point I was excited about guys like Pettersson and Suzuki if we made the playoffs, and thought the only way to get Liljegren would be to be top 10. Last year was one of the most volatile drafts in recent memory, so I don't expect it to get as crazy. But, if guys like Veleno and Tkachuk continue to struggle, they could go from top 10 picks to guys in our range. Although, I'd be much more excited for Tkachuk than Veleno.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Yeah, it's much easier when you expect to be bad on who you want to focus on (McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, Marner, etc). Drafting in the 20's it is really hard to tell until way later in the year. Just using last year as an example, at this point I was excited about guys like Pettersson and Suzuki if we made the playoffs, and thought the only way to get Liljegren would be to be top 10. Last year was one of the most volatile drafts in recent memory, so I don't expect it to get as crazy. But, if guys like Veleno and Tkachuk continue to struggle, they could go from top 10 picks to guys in our range. Although, I'd be much more excited for Tkachuk than Veleno.

I'd be super psyched for either lol. Centres are centres and we need them in the organization.

 

[93LEAFS]

I'd be super psyched for either lol. Centres are centres and we need them in the organization.

Tkachuk's a winger, and most likely stays as such. I'd be fine with Veleno where we pick now, but I'm not a big fan. He gives me Michael McLeod vibes. I'm fully in the BPA, hard enough to hit on picks on the 20's without putting restrictions on what you want to take. While we have promising wingers, the only lock to be an NHLer at this point is Kapanen. While, I think Grundstrum, and Korshkov are promising, they aren't sure things. Depending on what we do with Nylander, we may have our entire top 9 centers long-term. Nylander probably has a significantly better shot to be an impact center than anyone we are going to take in the 20's.

 

[The Podium]

I really like E. Bouchard. So much so that if we still have 2 picks in the 2nd come draft day, Im trading one to move into the 12-15 range. He literally has everything you want in an elite D.

Smarts
Skating
Size
Vision

His only knock would be his shot, doesnt have that booming shot similar to Rielly. But in todays NHL it isnt that effective anyway.

 

[Johny Drama]

I really like E. Bouchard. So much so that if we still have 2 picks in the 2nd come draft day, Im trading one to move into the 12-15 range. He literally has everything you want in an elite D.

Smarts
Skating
Size
Vision

His only knock would be his shot, doesnt have that booming shot similar to Rielly. But in todays NHL it isnt that effective anyway.

Reilly has a booming shot?

I'm a fan of Bouchard also, but you think he goes in the 12-15 range?
Most mock drafts I've seen have him going after 15.

 

[The Podium]

Reilly has a booming shot?

I'm a fan of Bouchard also, but you think he goes in the 12-15 range?
Most mock drafts I've seen have him going after 15.

Similar to Rielly in that the both dont. I also think E. Bouchard will be a raiser by the time of the draft. If not in the mocks than on the draft floor.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Similar to Rielly in that the both dont. I also think E. Bouchard will be a raiser by the time of the draft. If not in the mocks than on the draft floor.

I think there are a lot of times when you go over a player's attributes and then what they've produced and then you wonder "how did they go that late?"

McAvoy was one. I thought Valimaki was that player in this past draft. I wanted him more than Liljegren but didn't think he was an option...was snagged right before our pick.

 

[93LEAFS]

I think there are a lot of times when you go over a player's attributes and then what they've produced and then you wonder "how did they go that late?"

McAvoy was one. I thought Valimaki was that player in this past draft. I wanted him more than Liljegren but didn't think he was an option...was snagged right before our pick.

I was never that sold on Valimaki, like Bouchard, I question his 4-way mobility and how that transfers to the next level. I'd be fine with Bouchard, but he's not a player I am particularly excited about. McAvoy is a much better skater than the other 2.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I was never that sold on Valimaki, like Bouchard, I question his 4-way mobility and how that transfers to the next level. I'd be fine with Bouchard, but he's not a player I am particularly excited about. McAvoy is a much better skater than the other 2.

I have to get into things a bit more

Most mocks I saw showed Bouchard going from 13-26 range, huge variances early in the season.

 

[firstemperor]

I was never that sold on Valimaki, like Bouchard, I question his 4-way mobility and how that transfers to the next level. I'd be fine with Bouchard, but he's not a player I am particularly excited about. McAvoy is a much better skater than the other 2.

How do you feel about K'Andre Miller and Bode Wilde? K'Andre is particularly a guy I've been following (not actually watching, through social media), looks like his stock is rising steadily by the day.

I'm probably not following prospects closely as I have in years past (due to the success of the big club) but I've been unimpressed by all of the CHL guys I watched this year (particularly MacIssac and Bouchard who I liked a lot to start the year). That said, my expectations have always been high (i.e. I can't think of an OHL D I legitimately was high on in the last few years save Sergachev).

 

[93LEAFS]

How do you feel about K'Andre Miller and Bode Wilde? K'Andre is particularly a guy I've been following (not actually watching, through social media), looks like his stock is rising steadily by the day.

I'm probably not following prospects closely as I have in years past (due to the success of the big club) but I've been unimpressed by all of the CHL guys I watched this year (particularly MacIssac and Bouchard who I liked a lot to start the year). That said, my expectations have always been high (i.e. I can't think of an OHL D I legitimately was high on in the last few years save Sergachev).

Love Bode Wilde's tools, not sure if he's smart enough to be elite. But, as with any pick in the 20's, I'll take that risk. In the lotto, he scares me, and that is where he will probably go.

I love K'Andre Millers upside, but if we are talking USNTDP defenders, I want Mattias Samuelsson. He's not as sexy a pick for a future number 1 as the other 2, but I love his solid all-around game, and think he can be a great 2/3. I'd also love Jet Woo for similar reasons. Now, I previously would have suggested Dobson, but I think he's moving way above us. I'm indifferent to McIsaac, I'm not a fan of his defensive IQ. He's probably better in that regard than Wilde, but also lacks the same wow tools.

I agree with you on the OHL crop. I don't like anyone in that league where they are currently projected to go outside of Svechnikov.

 

[Kiwi]

Love Bode Wilde's tools, not sure if he's smart enough to be elite. But, as with any pick in the 20's, I'll take that risk. In the lotto, he scares me, and that is where he will probably go.

I love K'Andre Millers upside, but if we are talking USNTDP defenders, I want Mattias Samuelsson. He's not as sexy a pick for a future number 1 as the other 2, but I love his solid all-around game, and think he can be a great 2/3. I'd also love Jet Woo for similar reasons. Now, I previously would have suggested Dobson, but I think he's moving way above us. I'm indifferent to McIsaac, I'm not a fan of his defensive IQ. He's probably better in that regard than Wilde, but also lacks the same wow tools.

I agree with you on the OHL crop. I don't like anyone in that league where they are currently projected to go outside of Svechnikov.

I see you didn't mention Addison, not keen on him?

 

[93LEAFS]

I see you didn't mention Addison, not keen on him?

I'm fine with him in the 20's. But, I'm still skeptical of 5'9 defenders who don't compete like crazy and are lack-luster defensively.

 

[Kiwi]

I'm fine with him in the 20's. But, I'm still skeptical of 5'9 defenders who don't compete like crazy and are lack-luster defensively.

Teams seem to be more willing to pick undersized guys with high end offensive skill sets, though we seem to like our boys on the bigger side

I see X Bouchard has dropped a bit, is he worth a 2nd round pick? And what do you think of Alexeyev?

 

[93LEAFS]

Teams seem to be more willing to pick undersized guys with high end offensive skill sets, though we seem to like our boys on the bigger side

I see X Bouchard has dropped a bit, is he worth a 2nd round pick? And what do you think of Alexeyev?

I haven't seen enough of Alexeyev this year. I'm indifferent to him at the moment. I'd be fine with X Bouchard in the 2nd.

Addison has a good a skill set but I'm not sure he has enough "wow" to make it as a 5'9 offensive D. Most of the smaller D who make it have a lot of competing in them. Were picking in the 20's right now, so its hard to get too focused on guys in early December. So, in general, I'm keeping my mind open and not fixating on any players yet. I'll discard guys if there is something I really dislike (Merkley for example or last year Vesalainen), but even then, they have a bunch of time to redeem themselves.

 

[Kiwi]

I haven't seen enough of Alexeyev this year. I'm indifferent to him at the moment. I'd be fine with X Bouchard in the 2nd.

Addison has a good a skill set but I'm not sure he has enough "wow" to make it as a 5'9 offensive D. Most of the smaller D who make it have a lot of competing in them. Were picking in the 20's right now, so its hard to get too focused on guys in early December. So, in general, I'm keeping my mind open and not fixating on any players yet. I'll discard guys if there is something I really dislike (Merkley for example or last year Vesalainen), but even then, they have a bunch of time to redeem themselves.

I like to pick a couple of guys to follow that could be in our pick range every couple of months to get an idea about the type guy we might end up with in the first round, I'm following Olofsson and Dobson at the moment