Speculation: 2nd round. Who you want?

[The Great Weal]

For sure. It would take a really obvious player sliding for me to entertain giving up one of 35 or 38.

Definitely not trading both of them unless Kotkaniemi/Smith is available.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

The nice thing with our first two 2nds is they're high enough that we could potentially land 3 first round talents when all is said, if some GMs in the first go "safe" or reach for intangibles/size like we did with McCarron.

Alot of teams don't have 2nds and/or 3rds. So some GMs might feel more comfortable picking more "refined" players that require less projecting, than higher ceiling players that may have some question marks or simply lack exposure.

As for using some to trade up, it's an interesting option for s. For me it entirely depends on who slides in the first, otherwise I'd like to keep them as 25 to 45-ish are pretty interchangeable.

As long as we aren’t thinking we are getting a steal when the other scouts are smarter than us like Fucale and Collberg

 

[Miller Time]

Either 4 best skilled C's available...

Or 4x BPA

C approach would be a tacit acceptance of our long standing need & failure to draft top 6 C's and playing odds of landing the 2nd round C that comes out of the 18 draft

 

[G0bias]

As long as we aren’t thinking we are getting a steal when the other scouts are smarter than us like Fucale and Collberg

Fucale was always a dumb selection, the ratio of NHL-caliber goalies vs skaters drafted in the late rounds is significantly higher, enough to wait till much later in the draft.

And I don't mind missing on the likes of Collberg, because when they do hit you get players that are very hard to acquire otherwise. When they don't, they still have enough upside to hold some value, as we saw with the Vanek trade.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Topping



Do you think Woo goes in the 1st round? I would think he's easily a 2nd rounder.

I think he goes late 1st, probably to one of the Rangers picks. I've seen him ranked as high as 12. He could go anywhere really.

 

[The Great Weal]

Pretty positive that we trade at least one 2nd. I honestly wouldn't even bother trading our 2nds unless someone is stupidly falling. Prospect pool isn't good, might as well have as many chances to hit some good prospects as possible.

 

[Runner77]

Pretty positive that we trade at least one 2nd. I honestly wouldn't even bother trading our 2nds unless someone is stupidly falling. Prospect pool isn't good, might as well have as many chances to hit some good prospects as possible.

If we see that the pool we're drafting from is too redundant or we've missed out on too many players, why not trade the 2nd for a 2nd next year. Wouldn't be a bad option.

 

[The Great Weal]

If we see that the pool we're drafting from is too redundant or we've missed out on too many players, why not trade the 2nd for a 2nd next year. Wouldn't be a bad option.

If I had more faith in our drafting and development, I would agree with you.

 

[Runner77]

Always BPA for me, tough to have a ranking right now, but these are guys that I personally like a lot:

Johnny Tychonick: A strong skating puck rusher who can send pinpoint passes through traffic and then likes to join the rush and help out below the goal line in the offensive zone. Quick feet give him the ability to skate effectively east to west and impress in neutral zone. Good puck skills and good anticipation with the puck on his stick. In his own end, he is evasive and can lose forecheckers with one slick move to keep the puck alive and transitioning to offence.

Ty Dellandrea: Brings a perfect mix of skill and grit to the ice, Dellandrea has all the tools to be a pro in the very near future. Offensive instincts are off the charts, and he competes at a very high level, sacrificing his body to make a play. Great shot and he played on a really bad team.

Rasmus Sandin: A late comer to the OHL, but he has been an impact player to the Soo since his arrival and as a result has been a steady draft riser that played his way into the Top Prospects Game. Sandin moves the puck well and is smooth with the puck carrying it up ice. Sandin plays big minutes and consistently makes good decisions with the puck.

Jesse Ylonen: Ylonen is a strong skater. He has good speed and acceleration. He also has the agility to make quick cuts. This is coupled with good stickhandling skills makes him dangerous off the rush. While he works to protect the puck down low and does a decent job in the cycle game, he could be even better with added muscle mass. Ylonen has a good wrist shot and release, as well as strong passing skills and decent vision. He is a threat as both a goal scorer and playmaker.

Cole Fonstad: Fonstad is a very skilled playmaker who also possessed a good shot, potting 21 goals on the season on top of his 52 assists. Shoots right handed which seems to be hard to find in the NHL these days. A bit undersized at 5'10 but he is very quick and a great skater, maybe one of the best skating forwards in the draft. His hockey IQ and vision makes the players around him better.

Jake Wise: Top-end playmaker with superior vision and hockey sense who is the power play architect for Team USA’s under-18 team. Wise has excellent hand-eye coordination and razor sharp awareness, and he’ll rarely make a mistake when opponents giftwrap a scoring chance. He also possesses a highly-accurate shot that seems to give goalies a hard time.

Blake McLaughlin: He displays mature playmaking skills however, with a penchant for making deft passes that set up teammates well. He’s extremely elusive making him particularly dangerous on special teams, having nailed two shorthanded goals this year as well as five on the power play. And he’s shown some physical chops on defense, utilizing his quickness and somewhat surprising strength to effectively slow opponents.

Filip Hallander: Read: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/c-w-filip-hållander-timrå-ik-allsvenskan-2018-draft.2363149/

Bulat Shafigullin: Read: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...n-reaktor-nizhnekamsk-mhl-2018-draft.2390463/

Jonatan Berggren: A two-way highly skilled winger with a nonstop motor, Berggren’s speed and anticipation causes havoc for opposing defenders, but it’s the plays he makes after forcing turnovers that separate him from most players his age. His active stick and quick hands turn harmless dump-ins into quality chances, and his speed allows him to blow past defenders at the blue line. Playing and thinking at the same time is a rare combination for young players, but Berggren does both at high level.

Kyle Topping: Topping never fails to impress. The kid amazes me every game. He finished with 65 points in 66 games. Has a similar play style and similar developmental curve to his teammate Kole Lind. Not the biggest guy on the ice at 5'11 185 lbs. but I don't see him get out-muscled much. He plays physical which you must do if you want to survive in the WHL. Also a right handed shooter which is handy.

Alexander Alexeyev: Alexeyev has good vision and passing skills. He can start the play with a good pass out of his own end, as well as quarterback the play from the blue line. Strong skating ability, with good speed in both directions, as well as strong pivots allow him to play an effective two-way games. He also has a hard shot, but must find a way to get it through to the net, and keep it low for teammates to grab deflections and rebounds.

Cameron Hillis: Cameron Hillis is a skilled forward with soft hands and excellent hockey sense. He is an offensive catalyst every time he is on the ice. Crisp accurate passer who always finds a seam to thread the puck through. Although Hillis is a top notch playmaker he also uses his shot with regularity making him a double threat and hard to read on what he might do, shoot or pass. Utilizes great vision, shrewd awareness and outstanding anticipation to read the opposition and exploit their weakness. Propels to top speed smoothly using a wide, lowered skating base where he generates power through use of total leg range of motion. Defensive zone play is inconsistent and will need seasoning but shows a healthy compete tracking back to provide valuable back pressure. As a smaller skilled forward, Hillis recognizes that adding strength to his overall game will help him compete in smaller areas of the ice.

NONE OF THESE ARE MY WORDS. All credit goes to respective scouting websites I found and poster @Stive Morgan

There aren't many guys I am willing to move up for, so it depends.

For greater perspective:

• Johnny Tychonick: Defence, 6', 173 lbs., shoots left.
• Ty Dellandrea: Center, 6', 190 lbs., shoots right.
• Rasmus Sandin: Defence, 5'11, 183 lbs., shoots left.
• Jesse Ylonen: RW, 6', 167, 167 lbs., shoots right.
• Cole Fonstad: Center, 5'10, 157 lbs., shoots left.
• Jake Wise: Center, 5'10, 189 lbs., shoots left.
• Blake McLaughlin: LW, 6', 162 lbs., shoots left.
• Filip Hallander: Center, 5'11, 176 lbs., shoots left.
• Bulat Shafigullin: LW, 6'1, 163 lbs., shoots left.
• Jonatan Berggren: RW, 5'10, 181 lbs., shoots left.
• Kyle Topping: Center, 5'11, 185 lbs., shoots left.
• Alexander Alexeyev: Defence, 6'3, 200, shoots left.
• Cameron Hillis: Center, 5'10", 168, shoots right.

I don't think I've ever seen a prospect list where more than half are below 6 ft. tall. And the weights on a lot of these players are light.

I understand where the league is trending and how it's all about hockey IQ, speed, talent. However, you still need an asset mix.

Good news is that there are at least 6 Centers in this list however, I have no idea how they rank against each other.

Also, do you see them all as targets no matter which 2nd round pick we're using? Or are some more appropriate for the early 2 2nd rounders vs. the late 2 2nd rounders?

For those needing a refresher, full draft list here: 2018 NHL Entry Draft Pending Transactions

In the 2nd round, Habs own the 4th, 7th, 25th and 28th.

Thanks in advance.

 

[The Great Weal]

For greater perspective:

• Johnny Tychonick: Defence, 6', 173 lbs., shoots left.
• Ty Dellandrea: Center, 6', 190 lbs., shoots right.
• Rasmus Sandin: Defence, 5'11, 183 lbs., shoots left.
• Jesse Ylonen: RW, 6', 167, 167 lbs., shoots right.
• Cole Fonstad: Center, 5'10, 157 lbs., shoots left.
• Jake Wise: Center, 5'10, 189 lbs., shoots left.
• Blake McLaughlin: LW, 6', 162 lbs., shoots left.
• Filip Hallander: Center, 5'11, 176 lbs., shoots left.
• Bulat Shafigullin: LW, 6'1, 163 lbs., shoots left.
• Jonatan Berggren: RW, 5'10, 181 lbs., shoots left.
• Kyle Topping: Center, 5'11, 185 lbs., shoots left.
• Alexander Alexeyev: Defence, 6'3, 200, shoots left.
• Cameron Hillis: Center, 5'10", 168, shoots right.

I don't think I've ever seen a prospect list where more than half are below 6 ft. tall. And the weights on a lot of these players are light.

I understand where the league is trending and how it's all about hockey IQ, speed, talent. However, you still need an asset mix.

Good news is that there are at least 6 Centers in this list however, I have no idea how they rank against each other.

Also, do you see them all as targets no matter which 2nd round pick we're using? Or are some more appropriate for the early 2 2nd rounders vs. the late 2 2nd rounders?

For those needing a refresher, full draft list here: 2018 NHL Entry Draft Pending Transactions

In the 2nd round, Habs own the 4th, 7th, 25th and 28th.

Thanks in advance.

People might disagree with my list, but I wan to gamble on these kinds of guys.

Wise
Dellandrea
Topping
Hillis

I am pretty sure the other guys play wing.

Only guys I would want with our later 2nds are Hillis, Topping, Fonstad and Mclaughlin. Happy with others for our better 2nds.

 

[Runner77]

People might disagree with my list, but I wan to gamble on these kinds of guys.

Wise
Dellandrea
Topping
Hillis

I am pretty sure the other guys play wing.

Only guys I would want with our later 2nds are Hillis, Topping, Fonstad and Mclaughlin. Happy with others for our better 2nds.

Are you saying the positions attributed to some of the players, are incorrect? I've used HockeyDB for most. The only one that wasn't ready available, was my favorite name on the list, Bulat -- I lifted it off a twitter video. He's listed simply as a "Forward" on a couple of sites.

 

[The Great Weal]

Are you saying the positions attributed to some of the players, are incorrect? I've used HockeyDB for most. The only one that wasn't ready available, was my favorite name on the list, Bulat -- I lifted it off a twitter video. He's listed simply as a "Forward" on a couple of sites.

Sometimes they are wrong. I'm not too sure to be honest.

 

[Runner77]

TGS: How about these guys that were named earlier in the thread, but who are not on your list:

Nils Lundkvist
Jack McBain
Nicolas Beaudin
Liam Foudy
Jakub Lauko
Niklas Nordgren

 

[Runner77]

Sometimes they are wrong. I'm not too sure to be honest.

I've heard of exaggerations in respect of vitals, like height and weight, but not position played or handedness.

 

[The Great Weal]

I've heard of exaggerations in respect of vitals, like height and weight, but not position played or handedness.

They do make mistakes. Tkachuk is listed as C/LW even though he is a winger.

 

[The Great Weal]

TGS: How about these guys that were named earlier in the thread, but who are not on your list:

Nils Lundkvist
Jack McBain
Nicolas Beaudin
Liam Foudy
Jakub Lauko
Niklas Nordgren

I didn't include Lundkvist because I would be pretty surprised if he makes it to our 2nd. Not too high on Lauko nor Nordgren. Others are fine for me for the later 2nds.

 

[Runner77]

They do make mistakes. Tkachuk is listed as C/LW even though he is a winger.

Whose ranking list do we trust for this stuff?

 

[Runner77]

I didn't include Lundkvist because I would be pretty surprised if he makes it to our 2nd. Not too high on Lauko nor Nordgren. Others are fine for me for the later 2nds.

Don't you love it how much latitude there could be from one poster to another or one expert vs. another the farther we get away from the first round?

There is so much risk involved and yet some teams manage to make calculated moves that pay off. Such a delicate balancing act, dealing with players so young. I wish we had better talent evaluators for that reason alone -- drafting mistakes often lead to expensive trades and player signings down the line. It's critical to have the best decision-making possible, which worries me unless someone new and with a proven track record is added to the drafting contingent -- which is not likely this year.

If the Bouchard rumors are true, wouldn't he be like Toronto's Hunter but instead of the OHL, Bouchard would be an asset for the Q?

Talk about the Q, I heard Leroux name some names from the Q that could be available for the Habs and which he claims would be appropriate where the Habs are selecting in the 2nd round. Any idea who they might be?

 

[NotProkofievian]

Errbody. I want them all.

But more seriously, you just have to make your list and whoever falls, falls. I think NHL draft teams can do better, since they likely know what the other teams lists roughly look like. Or they probably do for specific prospects.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

They do make mistakes. Tkachuk is listed as C/LW even though he is a winger.

They can see the future after we draft him and make him a centre whether he likes it or not

And whether he's good at it or not too

If we don't take a 'smaller' D in the 1st Beaudin might be a good gamble with one of our late 2nds, have seen him ranked early 3rd in some mocks tho

 

[The Great Weal]

Whose ranking list do we trust for this stuff?

Not too sure, I just go about what I read. I'd like to know as well.

Any idea who they might be?

Dobson for sure

 

[The Great Weal]

Errbody. I want them all.

But more seriously, you just have to make your list and whoever falls, falls. I think NHL draft teams can do better, since they likely know what the other teams lists roughly look like. Or they probably do for specific prospects.

NHL draft teams can try to do better than me. Key word is try.

 

[G0bias]

If the Bouchard rumors are true, wouldn't he be like Toronto's Hunter but instead of the OHL, Bouchard would be an asset for the Q?

Could be, seems like he's got a good mind for the game and been around the Q to know enough. But I don't know much else about him. Perhaps @Whitesnake could fill us in here?

Talk about the Q, I heard Leroux name some names from the Q that could be available for the Habs and which he claims would be appropriate where the Habs are selecting in the 2nd round. Any idea who they might be?

Nicolas Beaudin, depending on who's left on the board could be an option with our later 2nd. High IQ PMD on the smaller side, skating could be better but has the ability to dictate the play. I like him. Has been doing well in the playoffs. Plays for Ducharme in Drummondville.

Other name he might've mentioned, Xavier Bernard, big stay at home defenseman with some decent tools. More of a 3rd rounder.

 

[NotProkofievian]

TGS: How about these guys that were named earlier in the thread, but who are not on your list:

Nils Lundkvist
Jack McBain
Nicolas Beaudin
Liam Foudy
Jakub Lauko
Niklas Nordgren

Lundkvist is trade up territory for me.

Niklas Nordgren is extremely tiny, and not a terribly great skater. ND for me.

 

[The Great Weal]

Lundkvist is trade up territory for me.

Niklas Nordgren is extremely tiny, and not a terribly great skater. ND for me.

If we want a tiny guy, go for Dudas. He is actually good.