2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[StatisticsAddict99]

Future back end(2020?)

Morrissey Trouba

26m​

Niku Woo

19m​

Samberg/Kulikov Myers​

14m​

With a Forward group containing Laine, Sheifele, Ehlers, Connor, Vesalainen(I hope he works to his potential), Roslovic and probably Little and Wheeler.

The future is bright.

 

[Hammer Slammer]

That's odd pretty sure his dad said that was why he was named Jett in an interview on the Warriors site.

Either way, I feel it's destiny.

 

[JetsFan815]

Kotkaniemi is not in Mckenzie's top 20. He's had one hell of a start to his Liiga season and can challenge for top-3 if he can keep this up.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Kotkaniemi is not in Mckenzie's top 20. He's had one hell of a start to his Liiga season and can challenge for top-3 if he can keep this up.

Yup, a while ago I said he's got the best stats from a Finn Center since Barkov and I got chewed out for saying it on the HFB Draft Threads.. hope he can maintain it so I get that sense of being right.

 

[Daximus]

Kotkaniemi is not in Mckenzie's top 20. He's had one hell of a start to his Liiga season and can challenge for top-3 if he can keep this up.

There are so many potential challengers for that 3rd spot. This is such a deep draft. Wish we had two 1sts but that will not and shouldn't happen.

 

[JetsFan815]

There are so many potential challengers for that 3rd spot. This is such a deep draft. Wish we had two 1sts but that will not and shouldn't happen.

I would love to have an extra pick this year. I now wish that the Ladd pick would have been deffered a couple of years, we could have avoided the Stanley pick and potentially gotten a very good asset at the end of next season, I can already see a guy like Boqvist or Merkeley dropping into the teens

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

There are so many potential challengers for that 3rd spot. This is such a deep draft. Wish we had two 1sts but that will not and shouldn't happen.

I would love to have an extra pick this year. I now wish that the Ladd pick would have been deffered a couple of years, we could have avoided the Stanley pick and potentially gotten a very good asset at the end of next season, I can already see a guy like Boqvist or Merkeley dropping into the teens

I think 2018 will be the best draft since I wasn't born(and I'm not to sure what happened then either).

You have multiple Prospects screaming Elite in many different ways.

Here's a list of guys I can name off the top of my head who I think have Wlite potential.

Dahlin
Svech
Veleno
Tkachuk
Kotkaniemi
Kupari
Merkley
Boqvist
Zadina
Hughes
Skarek
Wahlstrom
McBain
Farabee
Wilde
McIsaac

That's a really long list... And it's just off the top of my head.

 

[Heldig]

Is it too much to ask to make the playoffs, win a playoff game (or 5...) AND still end up with a top 10 pick?

 

[Aavco Cup]

Is it too much to ask to make the playoffs, win a playoff game (or 5...) AND still end up with a top 10 pick?

Perhaps this is the year the Jets part with an asset(s) to move up in the frist round? Probably won't happen until draft day tho as I expect them to be in the playoff mix at the TD.

 

[Aavco Cup]

Some good stuff about the evolution of prospect stats analysis with lots of Garret mentions in this article

https://canucksarmy.com/2017/09/18/...totals/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Aavco Cup]

Pronman watched at the US prospects game. These are the first 2 on his standout list. Both D. Heard of Hughes but not the other guy. Thoughts?

Jordan Harris, D, Kimball Union Academy – High School: Harris wasn’t a guy I knew a ton about heading into this game, but he immediately put himself on my NHL radar. He’s small at 5-foot-10, but a fantastic skater with the instincts to get up into the attack at the right time and make skilled plays.

Quinn Hughes, D, Michigan – Big 10: I don’t think this was Hughes’ best game, and that’s saying something, because he was still very good with just a few hiccups here and there. His skating is elite, and he can take over a shift with his feet and his top-end offensive skills. He’s one of my favorite prospects outside the NHL and someone I think has star potential.

Rest of article here

https://theathletic.com//107975/2017/09/22/pronman-standouts-from-the-all-american-prospects-game/

 

[Daximus]

My current top 16.

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Zadina
4. Tkachuk
5. Hughes
6. Smith
7. McBain
8. Wahlstrom
9. Kotkaniemi
10. Merkley
11. Veleno
12. Wilde
13. Woo
14. Kupari
15. Groulx
16. Thomas

Edit: Added top 16.

Veleno is the most noticeable drop. Needs to step his game up to remain in the top 10. Thomas clawing his way up the rankings. Haven't had any viewings of Boqvist yet once I do he will be ranked accordingly

 

[ps241]

My current top 16.

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Zadina
4. Tkachuk
5. Hughes
6. Smith
7. McBain
8. Wahlstrom
9. Kotkaniemi
10. Merkley
11. Veleno
12. Wilde
13. Woo
14. Kupari
15. Groulx
16. Thomas

Edit: Added top 16.

Veleno is the most noticeable drop. Needs to step his game up to remain in the top 10. Thomas clawing his way up the rankings. Haven't had any viewings of Boqvist yet once I do he will be ranked accordingly

Warriors seem to be playing well, how is Jett Woo doing Dax? I would not be surprised at all if that is who the Jets draft.

 

[Daximus]

Warriors seem to be playing well, how is Jett Woo doing Dax? I would not be surprised at all if that is who the Jets draft.

He's been looking really good. Huge reason for Moose Jaw's early success. He doesn't have the wow factor that a lot of the other D in this draft like Dahlin, Hughes, Merkley or Smith do. He's not going to go end to end on big rushes and deke the entire team out. He just plays smart poised a simple hockey. He's incredible at puck retrieval and evading forecheckers and always makes the smart simple pass to turn the puck up ice. He doesn't like to rush so he can sometimes force passes if things aren't getting opened up but that was before he they moved Sosunov up as his partner. Who is another reason for the Warriors success. http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=324561
A massive 6'8 Russian dman who skates like wind. Also plays a calm game on the backend but loves to jump in the rush and rush the puck himself. Against the game they played Kootenay he had two breakaways, one leading to a goal. On the one he missed the net he managed to get on his horse and be the first one back to stick check the puck off the forwards stick to break up a 2 on 0.

The two of them make for a formidable top pairing for the Warriors. Woo surprisingly is the more physical of the two. The kid is built like a tank. Apparently he's at 210 now and 6'0.5
Hard to say if he goes high in this draft with all the defencemen with wow factor available. But if he continues to put up points and the play the physical shutdown and transition style he is developing someone could very well fall in love with him. He's at worst a mid 1st rounder at this point I'd say. I don't like saying guys have low bust potential but outside of Dahlin I feel like he might have the lowest floor of all the dmen in this draft.

 

[Hammer Slammer]

I watched Woo play in late September, guy logged 32 minutes or so! He'd go off on a line change and he magically appeared back on the ice 20 seconds later I swear.

 

[nobody important]

My current top 16.

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Zadina
4. Tkachuk
5. Hughes
6. Smith
7. McBain
8. Wahlstrom
9. Kotkaniemi
10. Merkley
11. Veleno
12. Wilde
13. Woo
14. Kupari
15. Groulx
16. Thomas

Edit: Added top 16.

Veleno is the most noticeable drop. Needs to step his game up to remain in the top 10. Thomas clawing his way up the rankings. Haven't had any viewings of Boqvist yet once I do he will be ranked accordingly

Certainly a lot to look forward to there should we... ahem, not win as often as we're all currently hoping for.

 

[Daximus]

I watched Woo play in late September, guy logged 32 minutes or so! He'd go off on a line change and he magically appeared back on the ice 20 seconds later I swear.

He's definitely a minute muncher. I'd compare him to a more physical version of Vlasic.

 

[Daximus]

Certainly a lot to look forward to there should we... ahem, not win as often as we're all currently hoping for.

I think we could win the Cup and still have a shot at drafting a very good player.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Veleno is the most noticeable drop. Needs to step his game up to remain in the top 10. Thomas clawing his way up the rankings. Haven't had any viewings of Boqvist yet once I do he will be ranked accordingly

Veleno dropping to us would be so perfect.

Scheif
Veleno
Roslovic
Lowry

That's one hell of a center core if you ask me

 

[Daximus]

Veleno dropping to us would be so perfect.

Scheif
Veleno
Roslovic
Lowry

That's one hell of a center core if you ask me

Absolutely! The thing about this draft that is interesting is the lack of an elite center and with teams always putting a premium on centers it's likely that guys like Veleno, McBain, Kotkaniemi, Kupari, Thomas and Groulx may go higher then they normally would. Tkachuk and Whalstrom look like they will be playing wing all season and probably long term. Zhabreyev is posting good numbers in Russian juniors but he's 5'7 and unlikely to be a center if he can even make it to the NHL. Kurashev has been playing some center in Quebec and looks pretty solid there. Barret Hayton is an interesting guy and could go high, getting a lot of love from his Hlinka. Ryan McLeod is just a worse version of his brother, all skating and no IQ. Milos Roman is an interesting name to watch for with the Van Giants, I'll be seeing him live on Saturday. Allan McShane is a pretty solid playmaker, will have to get more viewings of him though. Khovanov could have put up a good case in the Veleno, McBain, two Finns, Thomas and Groulx tier but he is sick and will miss most of the season so we won't get a good bead on him until later and he will likely take some time to find his game. All in all if Veleno can't find that extra offensive gear on a team loaded with talent then it's going to be tough for him to go high but teams may get desperate and take him high anyways. The talent is there he just needs to start producing.

 

[Daximus]

It's not 2018 draft.. further down the line 2020 draft but I have to plug this kid for everyone to keep an eye on.. he could be something special.

Quinton Byfield, 6'3, 190 pound, 15 year old left shot Center. One of the youngest 2020 draft eligible prospects out there. Playing in Eastern Ontario's minor midget league. The kid is destroying the league after just captaining York to a championship in the Wendy Dufton Memorial Ontario AAA tournament. He's got 31 points, 19 goals in 8 games so far this year. Many think he has pretty much cemented himself to go 1st overall in next year 2018 OHL Draft. We really haven't had a kid this big, this young, destroy an Ontario minor midget circuit like this before. Since well... Lindros who basically just skipped right over and went into Junior B systems until he got into the OHL.

He is currently on pace for 140 points - 85 goals, 54 assists. Which would put him 3rd all time in points in a season in the ETAMMHL behind only Steven Stamkos (197 points) and Brenden Gaunce (148 points)
The major difference? Stamkos did it in 66 games and Gaunce did it in 86 games. Byfield could do it in 36 as the league has drastically reduced it's total games played in a season from 73 when Stammer played and 86 when Gaunce played to just the 36 they play today. His goal pace will put him 2nd in single season behind only Stamkos.

Keep an eye out for this kid. Not many guys built like this with this kind of speed and skill that don't make it far. 2020 draft is shaping up to be a doozy between this kid, Lafreniere and Peterson.




Warning: this video has some swears. Mods please remove if not allowed.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I linked this to 2020 prospects thread a couple of days ago but Jeff Marek said many people are calling him the best minor midget prospect since McD

 

[Daximus]

I linked this to 2020 prospects thread a couple of days ago but Jeff Marek said many people are calling him the best minor midget prospect since McD

I honestly don't doubt it. Kid is a complete package player. Speed, size, shot, physicality. From those who watch him play they say he is on a completely different level than his peers right now. He is probably the closest thing to Lindros since Lindros. Don't think he is quite on that level yet but the potential is high with this kid.

Dylan Peterson is another to keep an eye on http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=342192 another big bodied center already committed to BU. Essentially we have a franchise level scoring winger in Lafreniere from Quebec, a franchise level huge scoring center from Ontario in Byfield, a franchise level big playmaking American center in Peterson, a franchise level speedy scoring Swedish winger in Holtz, a super speedy highly skilled small scoring winger in Finland with Simontaival, an elite level smaller speedy playmaker in the Czech U20 in Raska, a small highly skilled Austrian born center playing in Swiss leagues in Rossi and a slew of kids in Western Canada that look really good. 2020 is going to be a huuge draft.

 

[Aavco Cup]

 

[Rheged]

Dub was the only one lagging behind.. I wonder if they're showing +/- for all situations as well now.