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

[93LEAFS]

Good points, i didnt even think of the mandatory military. My thought process was just along the lines of we could use a big finisher. Most of our higher skilled guys are playmakers. I remember around December last year lots of Leafs fans were eyeing up Owen Tippett for the same reasons,

Willy and Matthews's offensive repertoire is actually quite balanced. Outside of Svechnikov, the best finisher in this year's draft is probably Filip Zadina. Right now he's projected to be a top 10 guy. He just got picked by Halifax in the import draft. No idea if he will report though.

I don't think we will have a problem getting goals long-term though. I'd love to get a high-end sniper but Matthews, Nylander, and Kadri are all pretty good goal scorers.

 

[Kiwi]

Probably just pure BPA at this point. Looking at our prospect pool and NHLers U-25 we have no glaring holes.

I don't think Levin ends up being a 1st rounder, and that is before we even get into the mandatory military stuff. I'd think if we are leaning one way, it would be to continue adding defensive depth, next years D-crop looks quite special.

Its really hard to predict how the draft will unfold a year away. Using Hockey Prospects list from last year's edition of the Black Book and listing the guys between 13-23 we would have been choosing between Hague, Yamamoto, Kostin, Morand, Popugaev, Samorukov, Vaakaninan, Ratcliffe, Davidsson, Reedy and Andersson. Of those guys, one moved into the top 10, and another two were drafted in that range. Most ended up going in the 2nd. Two ended up in the 3rd or later. A bunch ended up in the 2nd (Hague, Morand, Ratcliffe, and Davidsson).

From now until a bit after the WJC, I find it's best just to look around and see what is out there before getting to concrete in rankings. I highly doubt Dahlin or Svechnikov slip, but its a bit early to get fixated. I remember thinking in November that unless we got some lotto luck there was no chance we'd get Liljegren.

I wouldn't mind a decent center prospect
Although I'm not sure this draft is the one to provide it

I didn't think we were going to get a sniff of Liljegren so maybe we get Veleno
You never know

 

[Silver91]

Personally, I don't think we have any glaring weaknesses in our prospect pool/U25 players. I think we have the "luxury" of not needing to worry too much about what position we draft now. We have a ton of forwards who could become complimentary pieces to go with the big 3 + Kadri, and we have at least Dermott and Liljegren who look to be potential top 4 pieces. We don't have a true stud goalie prospect, but Woll and Scott are projects that could become NHL goalies, and I don't think you really want to take a goalie in the 1st, given the volatility of the position.

If I was to pick based on position, I'd say go with D, because you can't have too much of it, and there also looks to be an abundance of RHD who could be available where we project to pick. It's obviously a long way off, but that would be where I look today. That'll almost definitely change by next June, but we'll see.

 

[firstemperor]

Our prospect pool is ok depth-wise but we could use a higher-end C prospect with upside. Unfortunately, it is a very poor draft for C's.

 

[Mugzy97]

Outside of Svechnikov, the best finisher in this year's draft is probably Filip Zadina. Right now he's projected to be a top 10 guy. He just got picked by Halifax in the import draft. No idea if he will report though.

Craig Button quoted a tweet from Zadina that mentioned he was excited to be a part of the Mooseheads, so I'd say he is reporting.

 

[Hoverhand]

Our prospect pool is ok depth-wise but we could use a higher-end C prospect with upside. Unfortunately, it is a very poor draft for C's.

I think depth is our prospect pools biggest strength. Sparks, Scott, Woll, Kaskisuo in Goal, numerous wingers, and the Marlies are full with defencemen that could fight for a spot next year.
Its a bit bleak for centre but our future centre core has already graduated to the NHL.
Unless a rather appealing opportunity hits us, we probably shouldnt move up or down and just take the BPA.

 

[Hoverhand]

I really hope they go back to looking at overagers in the later rounds. Fortier, Timms, Hugg, Keating, Carson are all due for big years.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I'd assume a bunch of here people grew up listening to Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Hell, I flew to New York to see them live once because I was convinced all of them would never get across the boarder.

Yeah you'd think a guy like ODB would have a hard time leaving the U.S with the record he had. Never mind the rest of em.

 

[93LEAFS]

Yeah you'd think a guy like ODB would have a hard time leaving the U.S with the record he had. Never mind the rest of em.

This was post-ODB. For like 15 years Ghostface couldn't get across due to priors.

 

[Warden of the North]

Personally, I don't think we have any glaring weaknesses in our prospect pool/U25 players. I think we have the "luxury" of not needing to worry too much about what position we draft now. We have a ton of forwards who could become complimentary pieces to go with the big 3 + Kadri, and we have at least Dermott and Liljegren who look to be potential top 4 pieces. We don't have a true stud goalie prospect, but Woll and Scott are projects that could become NHL goalies, and I don't think you really want to take a goalie in the 1st, given the volatility of the position.

If I was to pick based on position, I'd say go with D, because you can't have too much of it, and there also looks to be an abundance of RHD who could be available where we project to pick. It's obviously a long way off, but that would be where I look today. That'll almost definitely change by next June, but we'll see.

We're weak at C and G. Significantly.

 

[93LEAFS]

We're weak at C and G. Significantly.

Goalie were probably league average. We aren't Philly, but Woll with Scott is a decent pool of u-20 goalies. Not enough that there is an immediate need to allocate a high pick on one.

We aren't strong at center, but that is sort of offset by the fact we have a first line center who is 19, another likely high-quality center who is 21 and a good 1b/2a 26-year-old center who is locked up long-term at a discount price.

 

[MJ65]

I totally understand the concept of BPA but we really need to start acquiring "G" and the management is well aware of that and have acquired "G" prospects in last couple of drafts and they are still projects and we do not know if they are going to pan out or not - we are pretty good with wingers in our prospect pool and still need some centers and the defensman

 

[Mikeyg]

I totally understand the concept of BPA but we really need to start acquiring "G" and the management is well aware of that and have acquired "G" prospects in last couple of drafts and they are still projects and we do not know if they are going to pan out or not - we are pretty good with wingers in our prospect pool and still need some centers and the defensman

No need for that. Pay the price for an average starter when you need them and move on. Its okay to risk 4th/5th rd picks on them, but we don't need an organizational focus on drafting goalies. Only 1 can play.

 

[MJ65]

No need for that. Pay the price for an average starter when you need them and move on. Its okay to risk 4th/5th rd picks on them, but we don't need an organizational focus on drafting goalies. Only 1 can play.

You can keep on arguing but how long Leafs took to find Anderson? and how many goalies they audition before acquiring him? and the only reason he was traded was because Anaheim had 2 very reliable goaltenders (which to me is a luxury that other teams did not had)

Pay the price or pay that price few times?

 

[93LEAFS]

You can keep on arguing but how Leafs took to find Anderson? and how many goalies they audition before acquiring him?

Except we already have a pretty damn good goalie prospect in the system. Taking goalies in the 1st is a massive gamble and rarely worth it. There development paths tend to be way too rocky. Just look at how most teams starters were acquired. Here is how it broke down for the 16 teams that made the playoffs.

Montreal: Top 5 pick
NYR: 7th round pick
Ottawa: Traded for
Boston: Traded for but was a 1st rounder
Washington: 4th rounder
Toronto: Traded for
Pittsburgh: 3rd round pick
Columbus: Traded for, was a UDFA
Chicago: 2nd rounder
Nashville: 8th round (would be undrafted today)
Minnesota: Traded for former 1st rounder who bounced around and was waived once
St Louis: 2nd Round
Anaheim: 2nd round
Calgary: Traded for
Edmonton: Traded for was a UDFA
San Jose: Traded for, was a UDFA

Looking at this, we have just as many starting goalies who were undrafted free agents as we do of goalies picked in the 1st round. Another one of the drafted goalies, round doesn't exist anymore. Dubnyk was even on waivers at one point.

Compare this to how teams acquire their best center or defenders, it shows its probably best to allocate your high-end picks to those positions.

 

[MJ65]

Except we already have a pretty damn good goalie prospect in the system. Taking goalies in the 1st is a massive gamble and rarely worth it. There development paths tend to be way too rocky. Just look at how most teams starters were acquired. Here is how it broke down for the 16 teams that made the playoffs.

Montreal: Top 5 pick
NYR: 7th round pick
Ottawa: Traded for
Boston: Traded for but was a 1st rounder
Washington: 4th rounder
Toronto: Traded for (how many trades we made before acquiring Anderson?)
Pittsburgh: 3rd round pick
Columbus: Traded for, was a UDFA
Chicago: 2nd rounder
Nashville: 8th round (would be undrafted today)
Minnesota: Traded for former 1st rounder who bounced around and was waived once
St Louis: 2nd Round
Anaheim: 2nd round
Calgary: Traded for
Edmonton: Traded for was a UDFA
San Jose: Traded for, was a UDFA

Looking at this, we have just as many starting goalies who were undrafted free agents as we do of goalies picked in the 1st round. Another one of the drafted goalies, round doesn't exist anymore. Dubnyk was even on waivers at one point.

Compare this to how teams acquire their best center or defenders, it shows its probably best to allocate your high-end picks to those positions.

Who said 1st round? why would you assume that, it's always better to develop your own prospects rather than going the trade way (at times these trades do backfire)

 

[Drew311]

Already four pages of 2018 draft talk only one week after the 2017 draft. Well done.

 

[93LEAFS]

Who said 1st round? why would you assume that, it's always better to develop your own prospects rather than going the trade way (at times these trades do backfire)

How many drafted goalies do you think teams go through? I'd say with our current pool we don't need to allocate picks higher than a 3rd towards goalies. I'm fine with adding one a year, but we really don't need to draft them highly. Most teams seem to get there goalies through late picks or trades. Highly drafted goalies take awhile and are quite risky.

I think people don't realize that Woll is a pretty high-end goalie prospect that is comparable to Oettinger and Carter Hart.

 

[TLeafsFan]

we're going to win the draft lottery

With the Canucks pick after they give us Tanev and their unprotected 1st for JVR or?

 

[Warden of the North]

Goalie were probably league average. We aren't Philly, but Woll with Scott is a decent pool of u-20 goalies. Not enough that there is an immediate need to allocate a high pick on one.

We aren't strong at center, but that is sort of offset by the fact we have a first line center who is 19, another likely high-quality center who is 21 and a good 1b/2a 26-year-old center who is locked up long-term at a discount price.

IMO I dont really put much stock in goalies until they hit the AHL at least. We were all very high on Bibeau not that long ago, as just a recent example.

You are of course correct about our C situation, however it is an alarming circumstance still. I dont want another situation like a few years ago when we forced to make the Peter Holland trade and move JvR to C because we didnt have any NHL quality centres available. Our C depth beyond what is on the NHL roster is very, very weak at this time. That Holland move hurt. A LOT (2x2nd, Jessie Blacker ~ former 2nd)

 

[BertCorbeau]

Goalie were probably league average. We aren't Philly, but Woll with Scott is a decent pool of u-20 goalies. Not enough that there is an immediate need to allocate a high pick on one.

We aren't strong at center, but that is sort of offset by the fact we have a first line center who is 19, another likely high-quality center who is 21 and a good 1b/2a 26-year-old center who is locked up long-term at a discount price.

IMO it's still not bad to look at drafting a potential Kadri replacement though in the first round.

Yes it's not urgent but after this season Kadri will have 4 years left. That would give a nice 4 years of development time for whomever they draft so that when Naz is a pending UFA, wanting a bigger deal, the Leafs have options coming through the minors to replace him. Particularly because the cap structure of the team will be a lot different and young quality players on ELC's will be invaluable.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Regarding goaltenders, I'd wait to see what happens with teams like Philly, Rangers and Washington. All three have terrific prospect depth, and chances are good that a good goaltending prospect will become available simply due to lack of development spots.

 

[Walshy7]

IMO I dont really put much stock in goalies until they hit the AHL at least. We were all very high on Bibeau not that long ago, as just a recent example.

You are of course correct about our C situation, however it is an alarming circumstance still. I dont want another situation like a few years ago when we forced to make the Peter Holland trade and move JvR to C because we didnt have any NHL quality centres available. Our C depth beyond what is on the NHL roster is very, very weak at this time. That Holland move hurt. A LOT (2x2nd, Jessie Blacker ~ former 2nd)

at that time we had 4 C's on the roster. We currently have 6:
Matthews
Kadri
Bozak
4C (we will sign one)
Nylander
Komarov

any team that loses 2 full time C's at the same time will be short uts just the way it is, if we lost Matthews and Kadri we cant cover that even if we had good C depth on the marlies

edit: jesse blacker should also show you how 2nds are a crapshoot, we really gave 1 2nd for holland

 

[Faltorvo]

Our prospect pool is ok depth-wise but we could use a higher-end C prospect with upside. Unfortunately, it is a very poor draft for C's.

don't rule out goat and brooks

if goat can cover 4th c

and brooks 3rd c (injury offensive filler)

then we are more then fine, given the ages of kadi/willi/matth

 

[Faltorvo]

at that time we had 4 C's on the roster. We currently have 6:
Matthews
Kadri
Bozak
4C (we will sign one)
Nylander
Komarov

any team that loses 2 full time C's at the same time will be short uts just the way it is, if we lost Matthews and Kadri we cant cover that even if we had good C depth on the marlies

edit: jesse blacker should also show you how 2nds are a crapshoot, we really gave 1 2nd for holland

what are you on about?

fehr
smith
goat