2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread (Less then 24 Hours Edition)

[Schooner Guy]

Ah yes the brilliant scouts who are impervious to ranking big physical players far higher than they should be ranked.

Just a reminder that they had Crouse and Zacha ahead of Provorov, Werenski, Barzal, Rantanen and Connor in 2015 on Bob's list. Clearly masters of their craft.

The only similarity between Tkachuk and Crouse is that they are big and physical wingers. If you watched Tkachuk play in the WJC versus many of the world's best 19 year olds and couldn't recognize his skill set, I'm afraid you can't be helped. He would have lit up the CHL.

That's why they are never wrong I guess....
In fact why even have a discussion board. Drafting is obviously an exact science after all.....

You can discuss it all you want but Tkachuk is ranked anywhere between 3 and 5 in any reputable scouting guide and is #3 according to Bob McKenzie's poll of scouts. He's a consensus top 5 pick. If you think you know better than NHL scouts, I don't know if that's tipping the scale more on the side of ignorance or arrogance.

Tkachuk's skill level and hockey IQ are so underrated on this board. It's beyond silly.

 

[Mrb1p]

It's both of them except Miller is clearly the better athlete.

Wilde has the better tools and showed he can play smarter hockey in 16 17.

 

[Mrb1p]

Yep, everyone is so obsessed with centers no one notices the winger pool is empty. I guess just keep drafting and signing centers then turn them into wingers, lol.

A lot easier to do it than the opposite. Teams have been doing it forever, were doing the opposite.

 

[Saxon]

Kotkaniemi could be top-five pick at 2018 NHL Draft
Just noticed DGS beat me to it

 

[G0bias]

Some good pieces with video breakdown on Jesperi and Hughes by Mitch Brown.

Also did a Q&A on r/habs, talks more Kotkaniemi, Poehling and his targets after #3.

 

[Goldenhands]

That, more specifically his hockey sense, is probably the part of his game that's most up in the air. He's got all the tools in the world but he's prone to make some questionable plays.

yep he has some disconnected moments at times but thats not really a matter of hockey sense, thats more related to floating moments usually coming when the whole team is off, those arent costy mistakes and most of the times he repairs them easily with his top end athletic and skating tools, nothing that cant be worked on... you cant ask a kid who swapped position about 3 years ago to be always perfect and mistakes free but if you take a look at the big picture, thats a kid with huge potential, thats a 6'3 205 lbs moving presence with strong skating, mobility and physicality, who moves the puck very well and has great gap control, very good stick.. there is alot to like about this kid..

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

That, more specifically his hockey sense, is probably the part of his game that's most up in the air. He's got all the tools in the world but he's prone to make some questionable plays.

Whereas Sandin makes the right play.

Gone by No. 25.

 

[Goldenhands]

Wilde has the better tools and showed he can play smarter hockey in 16 17.

When will you realize that Wilde is a dumb player? so fundamentally flawed defensive its pathetic to see some nights, his gap control is awful, constantly has bad read of the play, bad passing lanes ect ect... thats exactly what a lack of hockey sense is about...

 

[Mrb1p]

When will you realize that Wilde is a dumb player? so fundamentally flawed defensive its pathetic to see some nights, his gap control is awful, constantly has bad read of the play, bad passing lanes ect ect... thats exactly what a lack of hockey sense is about...

Ive seen the exact same thing from Miller, cute.

Anyway, i dont give a craps ass about defensive play, i want to draft game breakers.

 

[Saxon]

The only similarity between Tkachuk and Crouse is that they are big and physical wingers. If you watched Tkachuk play in the WJC versus many of the world's best 19 year olds and couldn't recognize his skill set, I'm afraid you can't be helped. He would have lit up the CHL.



You can discuss it all you want but Tkachuk is ranked anywhere between 3 and 5 in any reputable scouting guide and is #3 according to Bob McKenzie's poll of scouts. He's a consensus top 5 pick. If you think you know better than NHL scouts, I don't know if that's tipping the scale more on the side of ignorance or arrogance.

Tkachuk's skill level and hockey IQ are so underrated on this board. It's beyond silly.

I'm such an ego maniac, that sometimes....I form my own opinions......

 

[Goldenhands]

Ive seen the exact same thing from Miller, cute.

Anyway, i dont give a craps ass about defensive play, i want to draft game breakers.

look at Miller's advanced stats, he is so much better at defending than Wilde, thats nights and days... if you cant defend well, you better have some unreal puckmoving skills and be a PP beast cause you wont last long in the NHL, as simple as that...

 

[Mrb1p]

look at Miller's advanced stats, he is so much better at defending than Wilde, thats nights and days... if you cant defend well, you better have some unreal puckmoving skills and be a PP beast cause you wont last long in the NHL, as simple as that...

Exactly, which Wilde has. Plus as ive stated 263627 times already, ive seen Wilde play sound defensively.

 

[Andrei79]

I have Miller over Lundkvist Alexeyeev and Sandin...

Yeah I know .

I warmed up to him at the end of the year. I really liked him at the U18, especially. Improved leaps and bounds from the start of the year.

 

[G0bias]

If there's anyone in this class who's the closest to a Hagelin/Byron clone, it's Foudy.

Anytime you can get a 20-15 middle-six winger with insane speed and compete levels out of a 2nd, that's good value.

 

[Goldenhands]

Exactly, which Wilde has. Plus as ive stated 263627 times already, ive seen Wilde play sound defensively.

How do you explain his ridiculously slim offensive production despite the fact he played on a completely stacked first PP unit for the large part of the season until his coach realizes York was much smarter and better at driving at PP? Wilde isnt the offensive dynamo you pretent him to be, he has some good tools such as his shot and sometimes he will rush the puck up ice but the toolbox and IQ is just not there... Also, while his shot is powerful, it gets blocked all the times, just like he couldnt figure players in his shooting lane..

 

[Goldenhands]

Yeah I know .

I warmed up to him at the end of the year. I really liked him at the U18, especially. Improved leaps and bounds from the start of the year.

I think Lundkvist has more offensive upside but I thought his passing was a bit off at times for an undersized defenseman last U18...

 

[Mrb1p]

How do you explain his ridiculously slim offensive production despite the fact he played on a completely stacked first PP unit for the large part of the season until his coach realizes York was much smarter and better at driving at PP? Wilde isnt the offensive dynamo you pretent him to be, he has some good tools such as his shot and sometimes he will rush the puck up ice but the toolbox and IQ is just not there... Also, while his shot is powerful, it gets blocked all the times, just like he couldnt figure players in his shooting lane..

I dont know, how would you explain Millers even worse production?

 

[bleuetbio]

If there's anyone in this class who's the closest to a Hagelin/Byron clone, it's Foudy.

Anytime you can get a 20-15 middle-six winger with insane speed and compete levels out of a 2nd, that's good value.

Call me a fool but I expect Foudy doing what Cliff Pu has done before.

 

[WeThreeKings]

So not only did Grant quote himself as a second hand scout source but he used the Netherlands flag for Russia lmao

 

[Andrei79]

I think Lundkvist has more offensive upside but I thought his passing was a bit off at times for an undersized defenseman last U18...

He started the tourney pretty slow. Didn't recognize him from the 5 nations, but I liked how he finished. That, and I just cant get over that he earned a regular spot in the SHL at his age. That's no small feet.

I think he gains some height and a lot of weight. He's a July birthday (july 27th actuallu), too. He has so much room for growth and his style is taylor made for this NHL.

 

[Mrb1p]

If there's anyone in this class who's the closest to a Hagelin/Byron clone, it's Foudy.

Anytime you can get a 20-15 middle-six winger with insane speed and compete levels out of a 2nd, that's good value.

Foudys gonna be a NHL player on athleticism alone I think. Just have a hard time seeing him produce 20 goals. Maybe in a career year on a great team with more ENGs than two Maxs combined?

 

[The Great Weal]

I'm honestly stoked to get Kotkaniemi. We can finally have a crazy deep center core for the next decade once we suck again next year.

 

[Habs76]

I'm honestly stoked to get Kotkaniemi. We can finally have a crazy deep center core for the next decade once we suck again next year.

We're gonna need more than two years of suckage.

 

[Goldenhands]

I dont know, how would you explain Millers even worse production?

by no PP ice time at all maybe? only 12 pts away from your offensive dynamo despite no... PP... time...at all.

 

[Weber Fan]

If we take Kotkaniemi, who do u think will be Sens pick?