Speculation: 2nd round. Who you want?

[Runner77]

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

Why would we? The org. is size-challenged as it is. Unless it's the one or two players who have through the roof upside. Within the same ranking tier, I'd really be surprised if the top ranked are constantly diminutives that barely tip the scale at 155 lbs.

 

[The Great Weal]

Why would we? The org. is size-challenged as it is. Unless it's the one or two players who have through the roof upside. Within the same ranking tier, I'd really be surprised if the top ranked are constantly diminutives that barely tip the scale at 155 lbs.

Rather than gambling on a tiny guy like Nordgren, I would rather gamble on a tiny guy like Dudas instead. Obviously we wouldn't be going after tiny players as a quality, but if we do, choose the ones that have upside.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Watching the playoff games last night made me K'Andre Tkurious.

 

[Runner77]

I didn't include Lundkvist because I would be pretty surprised if he makes it to our 2nd.

Since the Habs' first pick in the 2nd round is so close to an end of first round pick, wouldn't that be a prime spot for fallers? I wonder the likelihood of some GMs going off the charts and creating an opening.

Of course, an opening only matters if we're able to recognize that it's there.

 

[The Great Weal]

Since the Habs' first pick in the 2nd round is so close to an end of first round pick, wouldn't that be a prime spot for fallers? I wonder the likelihood of some GMs going off the charts and creating an opening.

Of course, an opening only matters if we're able to recognize that it's there.

It's because he has been rising all year, don't see why he would be there at our pick. I would be surprised.

 

[G0bias]

Of course if you have the choice between a similarly skilled player who's big enough that there's not the same level of concern he survives in the NHL, then you go with him. But often times, it's the smaller players that tend to fall through the cracks. ie; Debrincat, Girard.

You can always then trade some to balance it out with bigger players.

 

[BobbyShehan]

I think there's a good chance that Jake Wise will still be on the board for the first few picks in the 2nd. He's been closely watched since he was 14 and scouts have a tendency to overthink prospects. Bottom line is that he's a highly skilled C with great skating who struggled a bit last year, got injured and then came back as an offensive threat since January. He's not a physical force but he's solid on his skates and controls the puck at high speed. Might be the best pure center in this draft.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Since the Habs' first pick in the 2nd round is so close to an end of first round pick, wouldn't that be a prime spot for fallers? I wonder the likelihood of some GMs going off the charts and creating an opening.

Of course, an opening only matters if we're able to recognize that it's there.

He's easily the biggest riser this year. Quite recently many rankings either had him unranked, or ranked absurdly low. He hadn't played in an international tournament before this year's 5 nations. If we're being serious, that means a lot of people just didn't see him. With the U18 tournament coming up the cat will be out of the bag soon, if not already: McKeen's has him 27th, Hockeyprospect.com has him 19th. He was unranked in Bob's midterm, though, so maybe there's hope.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'll tell ya when I know who's available

 

[Vachon23]

Jake Wise !

 

[Darz]

I hope they are all the best available player at the time of the pick.

Allow Timmins and his staff to pick the players they want without interference. If that happens I predict in a couple/few years we will be very happy with the teams choices. I don't want to see the organization stress that we need to pick a bunch of centres or dmen, or whatever and reach on picks that down the road will not look good.

 

[Habs Icing]

Sandin? Doubt Bergevin and Timmins go for him, but... would definitely be an upgrade on Grindin

You can't have one without the other.

 

[Scriptor]

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

Same here. A clear top-10 still available around early 20s. However, that would have to be a two for one for me to move up: BPA and TEAM NEED.

Example: Quinn Hughes (ranked #9) still available as a LHD in the early 20s. MON might want to move up to land him before another team picks him up.

I'd even consider moving up for Wahlstrom (ranked #7) if he slides down enough. He's listed as a RW, but of all the wingers that have been misrepresented as also being Cs, I believe he has the most upside to play that position as well, more than a Tkachuk, for example.

 

[Scriptor]

I hope they are all the best available player at the time of the pick.

Allow Timmins and his staff to pick the players they want without interference. If that happens I predict in a couple/few years we will be very happy with the teams choices. I don't want to see the organization stress that we need to pick a bunch of centres or dmen, or whatever and reach on picks that down the road will not look good.

Agreed. Let them pick the best that are available. At even value, go for need and size above no need and no size. That doesn't mean to reach for a position of need with size that has little or less actual talent.

 

[Vachon23]

I like Jack Drury to

 

[G0bias]

I'll tell ya when I know who's available

This. Otherwise you're looking at an awfully long list of players, who some may or may not have gone in the first. And then there's fallers and reaches that screw everything up.

I have about 10 guys in my top30 list who agencies have ranked more often in the 2nd, sometimes third, then they have in the 1st.

 

[Video Coach]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I hope they swing for the fences with these 2nd rounders. We don't need guys that are surefire bottom 6 NHLers. We have a GM who is very good at acquiring bottom 6/bottom pair talent. We need to be picking guys who have top end potential. We need a huge win in the 2nd round, even if it's just one guy of the 4 who makes it thru. We need a Bergeron/Subban/Kucherov/Weber-level player with one of those picks.

I don't watch these guys enough to know who that might be but I hope this is our philosophy. Often top-end talent drops because of issues like skating, "attitude", size, etc. These things can be overcome. We need 2-3 future core players from this draft.

 

[Runner77]

I'll tell ya when I know who's available

Hey W3K, was hoping to read you on the list of players that The Great Schlemko provided. How many of those are on your list of 2nd rounders we should be targeting?

 

[Blame the referee]

Give me

Wise
Sandin
Alexeyev
Berggren

 

[yianik]

Not everyone here is following the draft with enough scrutiny to know which players the Habs should be favoring in the 2nd round.

Rather than just provide lists, can you please indicate next to your selections why you believe the Habs should go for any given player.

Also, as part of your drafting strategy, state whether your selections are BPAs or need-based.

Finally, should they try to move up to the first round by using a combo of any of their four 2nd rounders?

But do chip in with the negatives, 2nd rounders usually for a reason.

 

[Laurentide]

Well, since we're probably going to take "Attitude" with our first rounder, I'd like to see us target "Ka-RACT-ter" and "Rispeck" with our 2 second rounders.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Hey W3K, was hoping to read you on the list of players that The Great Schlemko provided. How many of those are on your list of 2nd rounders we should be targeting?

I'll cherry pick some players, with my own rankings next to them, based on who could maybe be available in the late 1st/2nd

16. Filip Hallander LW Allsvenskan
17. Jacob Olofsson C Allsvenskan
18. Rasmus Sandin D OHL
19. Alexander Alexeyev D WHL
20. Nils Lundkvist D SHL
21. Bulat Shaffigullin F KHL
28. Ruslan Iskhakov F MHL
29. Jonathan Berggren C/RW SHL
30. Ty Dellandrea C OHL
31. Blake McLaughlin C USHL
32. Johnny Tychonick D BCHL
34. Jett Woo D WHL
36. Alexander Khovanov C QMJHL
37. Dominik Bokk RW SEL
38. Philipp Kurashev C QMJHL
39. Cole Fonstad C WHL
40. Cameron Hillis C OHL
41. Ivan Morozov C MHL
42. Danila Zhuravlyov D MHL
43. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev C OHL
44. Jake Wise C USHL
45. Calen Addison D WHL
47. Jacob Ragnarsson D Allsvenskan
48. Jesse Ylonen RW FEL
49. Liam Foudy C OHL
50. Jacob Bernard-Docker D BCHL
51. Stanislav Demin D BCHL
52. Albin Eriksson LW SHL
53. Jan Jenik F Cze
54. Milos Roman C WHL
55. Axel Andersson D SuperElit
56. Niklas Nordgren RW FEL
57. David Gustafsson C SHL
58. Matej Pekar C USHL
59. Jack Drury C USHL
60. Tyler Madden C USHL
61. Eric Florchuk C WHL
62. Alexander Steeves RW/C USHL

The rest are pretty much 3rd round grades.

 

[The Great Weal]

I'll cherry pick some players, with my own rankings next to them, based on who could maybe be available in the late 1st/2nd

16. Filip Hallander LW Allsvenskan
17. Jacob Olofsson C Allsvenskan
18. Rasmus Sandin D OHL
19. Alexander Alexeyev D WHL
20. Nils Lundkvist D SHL
21. Bulat Shaffigullin F KHL
28. Ruslan Iskhakov F MHL
29. Jonathan Berggren C/RW SHL
30. Ty Dellandrea C OHL
31. Blake McLaughlin C USHL
32. Johnny Tychonick D BCHL
34. Jett Woo D WHL
36. Alexander Khovanov C QMJHL
37. Dominik Bokk RW SEL
38. Philipp Kurashev C QMJHL
39. Cole Fonstad C WHL
40. Cameron Hillis C OHL
41. Ivan Morozov C MHL
42. Danila Zhuravlyov D MHL
43. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev C OHL
44. Jake Wise C USHL
45. Calen Addison D WHL
47. Jacob Ragnarsson D Allsvenskan
48. Jesse Ylonen RW FEL
49. Liam Foudy C OHL
50. Jacob Bernard-Docker D BCHL
51. Stanislav Demin D BCHL
52. Albin Eriksson LW SHL
53. Jan Jenik F Cze
54. Milos Roman C WHL
55. Axel Andersson D SuperElit
56. Niklas Nordgren RW FEL
57. David Gustafsson C SHL
58. Matej Pekar C USHL
59. Jack Drury C USHL
60. Tyler Madden C USHL
61. Eric Florchuk C WHL
62. Alexander Steeves RW/C USHL

The rest are pretty much 3rd round grades.

We absolutely have to gamble on Steeves. Very good production.

 

[WeThreeKings]

We absolutely have to gamble on Steeves. Very good production.

They should be fans of him. He plays a heavy game and has a very good shot. He's definitely the new breed of Power Forward.

 

[The Great Weal]

They should be fans of him. He plays a heavy game and has a very good shot. He's definitely the new breed of Power Forward.

I think he will be there in the 4th. Hopefully we snag him and Dudas with our early ones.