2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[JeffreyLFC]

If the habs want to go with Veleno they are better off to trade the pick to Edmonton for RNH. Similar player and RNH is already established and can contribute now. I don't see the point to select Veleno unless we trade down and pick up assets.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Upside

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Upside

Which upside? 2nd line centerman?

Look at Huberdeau stats in the Q.. The guy was scoring 40+ goals and he can barely score 20 goals in the NHL. Veleno can barely score 20 goals in the Q and he is on his 3rd season. Some people forget that it is very hard to be a top center in the NHL. Nothing so far show me that Veleno upside is higher than a Ryan Nugent Hopkins or Jonathan Huberdeau actually everything from history is showing the opposite.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Bouchard is a RHD

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Which upside? 2nd line centerman?

Look at Huberdeau stats in the Q.. The guy was scoring 40+ goals and he can barely score 20 goals in the NHL. Veleno can barely score 20 goals in the Q and he is on his 3rd season. Some people forget that it is very hard to be a top center in the NHL. Nothing so far show me that Veleno upside is higher than a Ryan Nugent Hopkins or Jonathan Huberdeau actually everything from history is showing the opposite.

Veleno is 18 with a lot of development left. RNH is what he is. It's not as simple as just looking at stats.

 

[Mrb1p]

Watched Shafigullin's 3 point night against Stalnye Lisy.

He had a tough first period (so did most of his team), but he took over the game in the second half. Man, did he look good in the third. Fast, relentless and his skill/instinct combo's high end.

If I had to make a top 5 of Russian forwards, it'd be:

1. Svechnikov
2. Kravtsov
3. Denisenko
3. Shafigullin
5. Khovanov

I have a tie, for now, at no. 3. Reason is Denisenko's MHL subpar play (outplayed by Kovalenko) is offset by how good he looks in best on best and his birthday.

Khovanov I still have at no.5, but I'm waiting to see what kind of progress he's made since the 5 nations at the next U18.

6th would be a tie between Kovalenko and Iskhakov, with a slight egde for Kovalenko due to how well rounded he is and the amount of scoring chances he creates every shift.

Der-Arguchinstev should be somewhere in that Khovanov/Iskhakov group IMO. Love his skills overall.

Kurashev too, but he's only half russian.

 

[Fazkovsky]

I won’t lie I want svechnikov as much as dahlin

Hope we get 2nd overall at best

 

[crosbyshow]

Which upside? 2nd line centerman?

Look at Huberdeau stats in the Q.. The guy was scoring 40+ goals and he can barely score 20 goals in the NHL. Veleno can barely score 20 goals in the Q and he is on his 3rd season. Some people forget that it is very hard to be a top center in the NHL. Nothing so far show me that Veleno upside is higher than a Ryan Nugent Hopkins or Jonathan Huberdeau actually everything from history is showing the opposite.

What...did you ever watch Huberdeau...?? He is a lot better than RNH... He has 63 points so far this year. He is big and strong unlike RNH

RNH has a crazy contract...bring me Veleno at 18 at 850 000$ any time before him

 

[Andrei79]

Der-Arguchinstev should be somewhere in that Khovanov/Iskhakov group IMO. Love his skills overall.

Figured you'd point it out . Haven't viewed him nearly enough yet. Petes are next on my watch list though.

Kurashev too, but he's only half russian.

 

[The Great Weal]

23 points in the last 20 for Kurashev. Big fan. His team sucks.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

What...did you ever watch Huberdeau...?? He is a lot better than RNH... He has 63 points so far this year. He is big and strong unlike RNH

RNH has a crazy contract...bring me Veleno at 18 at 850 000$ any time before him

Yes Huberdeau is better than RNH. I don't disagree.

Back in 2011 both were highly touted more than Veleno and both were projected as 1st line center. Veleno if selected will require 2/3 years before he is in the NHL (if everything goes accordingly) and I don't see him outproducing the like of Nugent-Hopkins in the NHL.

Veleno could also entirely bust and become a similar player to Angelo Esposito.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I won’t lie I want svechnikov as much as dahlin

Hope we get 2nd overall at best

I personally have huge red flags with Svechnikov and not because he is Russian before somebody make that comment. I would like to see more intensity defensively and him to skate harder. He is so talented but he could be so much more. That being said he is a top goal scorer and has elite offensive upside.

 

[Andrei79]

23 points in the last 20 for Kurashev. Big fan. His team sucks.

Yeah I like him, too. big fan of his puck skills and smarts. Didn't include him for the same reasons I have Galchy as an american.

 

[The Great Weal]

Yeah I like him, too. big fan of his puck skills and smarts. Didn't include him for the same reasons I have Galchy as an american.

I definitely took him too high in the mock, but he should go in the 2nd for sure.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

I personally have huge red flags with Svechnikov and not because he is Russian before somebody make that comment. I would like to see more intensity defensively and him to skate harder. He is so talented but he could be so much more. That being said he is a top goal scorer and has elite offensive upside.

Out of curiosity, what is your top 10-15 at this point?

 

[The Great Weal]

 

[Flyingpucks]

His late first & early 2nds are pretty good. Eriksson, Berggren, Gustafsson & Weise in particular have been late 2nds/early 3rds in previous mocks. They've shot up big time.

He has Justin Almeida as a mid-second. I got him in the 7th round in the mock draft.

 

[Flyingpucks]

Was able to watch most Moose Jaw Warriors games this season. Almeida was ranked 125th in central scoutings NA skaters mid term list. He was traded to Moosejaw from the PG cougars @ the whl trade deadline last year. This was his first full season with the warriors from what I inderstand. He absolutely took off this year and from looking at few stat lines is propably one of if not the top scoring 1999 born players in the CHL yet to be affialted with a pro club. Most mock drafts have him pegged in the 6th or 7th round which I thought was low. Props to the kid for getting mentioned in second round conversation. He was basically Moose jaws number 1 centre with Howden in and out of the line up for world juniors and injuries and a big reason moose jaw is ranked 2nd in the country according to the Chl top rankings.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Yes Huberdeau is better than RNH. I don't disagree.

Back in 2011 both were highly touted more than Veleno and both were projected as 1st line center. Veleno if selected will require 2/3 years before he is in the NHL (if everything goes accordingly) and I don't see him outproducing the like of Nugent-Hopkins in the NHL.

Veleno could also entirely bust and become a similar player to Angelo Esposito.

So at his worst he would be just as good as any Centre we have on the team right now is what you're saying so anything above that is gravy

 

[Adam Michaels]

As of this moment, if the lottery odds are respected, the Habs will select 6th Overall.

Then they have:
Round 2: #37. #39 (CHI), #55 (WSH), #57 (TOR)
Round 3: #68
Round 4: #100 (EDM), #120 (WPG)
Round 5: #130, #144 (LA)*

*If LA make the playoffs, then Pick #144 becomes Pick #99 in the 4th Round.

But of course, this could all change depending how Habs and the other teams they have picks from do from here to the end of the season.

 

[montreal25m]

As of this moment, if the lottery odds are respected, the Habs will select 6th Overall.

Then they have:
Round 2: #37. #39 (CHI), #55 (WSH), #57 (TOR)
Round 3: #68
Round 4: #100 (EDM), #120 (WPG)
Round 5: #130, #144 (LA)*

*If LA make the playoffs, then Pick #144 becomes Pick #99 in the 4th Round.

But of course, this could all change depending how Habs and the other teams they have picks from do from here to the end of the season.

That Dale Weise trade keeps on getting better.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Out of curiosity, what is your top 10-15 at this point?

1. Dahlin
2. Wahlstrom
3. Svechnikov
4. Zadina
5. Dobson
6. Hughes
7. Smith
8. Boqvist
9. Kotkaniemi
10. Bouchard
11. Veleno
12. Tkachuk
13. Olofsson
14. McIssac
15. Farabee

I value center/goal scorers/defenseman as they are very hard to find.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

1. Dahlin
2. Wahlstrom
3. Svechnikov
4. Zadina
5. Dobson
6. Hughes
7. Smith
8. Boqvist
9. Kotkaniemi
10. Bouchard
11. Veleno
12. Tkachuk
13. Olofsson
14. McIssac
15. Farabee

I value center/goal scorers/defenseman as they are very hard to find.

Only thing I differently in my 15 names is Olofsson and McIssac out and Hayton and Lundestrom in. Order we disagree on but everyone has their opinion.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I think that's the consensus top 12 at this point, at least for us. You have the big 10 (the 4 wingers and 6 D), plus the top 2 centers in Veleno and Kotkaniemi.

Can't wait for the lottery. Once we know where our pick is, our strategy will become much clearer. At the moment, I'm leaning towards taking the top D on our board with our pick (Hughes?) and then trying to trade for one of Veleno/Kotkaniemi.

 

[Vachon23]

Which upside? 2nd line centerman?

Look at Huberdeau stats in the Q.. The guy was scoring 40+ goals and he can barely score 20 goals in the NHL. Veleno can barely score 20 goals in the Q and he is on his 3rd season. Some people forget that it is very hard to be a top center in the NHL. Nothing so far show me that Veleno upside is higher than a Ryan Nugent Hopkins or Jonathan Huberdeau actually everything from history is showing the opposite.

I take Huberdeau any day in my team and if the Panthers offer my Huberdeau vs the 6th pick overall I take this offer right now