Craig Button’s March Top 31 List (and my thoughts)

[Tryamkin]

Craig's List: Bouchard rocketing up draft board - Article - TSN

1 Rasmus Dahlin Frolunda (SHL) D
2 Brady Tkachuk Boston U (NCAA) LW
3 Andrei Svechnikov Barrie (OHL) RW
4 Filip Zadina Halifax (QMJHL) RW
5 Evan Bouchard London (OHL) D
6 Adam Boqvist Brynäs (SWE J20) D
7 Barrett Hayton S.S. Marie (OHL) C
8 Noah Dobson A-Bathurst (QMJHL) D
9 Oliver Wahlstrom USA NTDP (USHL) C
10 Jesperi Kotkaniemi Ässät (SM Liiga) C
11 Bode Wilde USA NTDP (USHL) D
12 Quinn Hughes Michigan (NCAA) D
13 Rasmus Kupari Kärpät (SM Liiga) C
14 Grigori Denisenko Yaroslavl (MHL) LW
15 Joel Farabee USA NTDP (USHL) LW
16 Serron Noel Oshawa (OHL) RW
17 Isac Lundestrom Luleå (SHL) C/LW
18 Rasmus Sandin S.S. Marie (OHL) D
19 Ty Smith Spokane (WHL) D
20 Akil Thomas Niagara (OHL) RW
21 Jacob Olofsson Timra (SWE-Als) C
22 Jack McBain Toronto (OJHL) C
23 Filip Hallander Timra (SWE-Als) C/LW
24 Jared McIsaac Halifax (QMJHL) D
25 Nicolas Beaudin Drummondville (QMJHL) D
26 Ryan Merkley Guelph (OHL) D
27 Joe Veleno Drummondville (QMJHL) C
28 Mattias Samuelsson USA NTDP (USHL) D
29 Albin Eriksson Skellefteå (SWE J20) LW
30 Ryan McLeod Mississuaga (OHL) C/LW
31 Benoît-Olivier Groulx Halifax (QMJHL) C

Here’s Craig’s monthly ranking, and I need to let loose some air on how I feel about this.

first thing; Tkachuk at 2 is laughably bad. Taking him over Svechnikov or Zadina would be one of the worst GM moves ever. Worse than than Juolevi over Serg and Tkachuk. It doesn’t make any sense, and it adds to my point that he buys into media pressure. He’s had Boqvist at 2 the entire year and literally hasn’t stopped praising him. Look at every one of his lists the entire year. Now he drops Boqvist to 6 when he realizes he’s been partially wrong the entire time. Hayton is a favourite player he’s always had. He’s even credited himself for his discovery so I’m not surprised he’s still in his top 10. I don’t even see Hayton as a top 3 center in the draft. Positionally, Wahlstrom is a winger. Still on Bode Wilde, even though he’s been quite bad. He’s always had a love for SSM players and it’s evident with the crazy high rankings of Sandin and Hayton as I mentioned earlier. I remember he had Frost and McCann high as well. He’s dropped Veleno due to bad performance but hasn’t raised him since he’s improved over the last month or two. Along the same path, he dropped Tkachuk when he had a bad few months. All of a sudden he moves Tkachuk back to the top right after a good WJC and a few alright games. That’s completely not a balanced way to measure prospects. You can’t do it for some and not others. Smith is too low, I cant believe he has Sandin above him considering Sandin is literally the same mold of defender as Smith, just worse. Of course he sticks with his love for Lundestrom, Hallander and Olofsson. He literally has Swede Fever. They play worse and he just continues to build them up. Again, Albin ******* Eriksson is in his first round.. why am I surprised. Apparently he needs to watch 4 games to measure players. Bokk and Kravtsov aren’t there of course. How has he NOT seen 4 VAXJO LAKERS GAMES to watch Bokk but he’s seen so many games on Lulea and Frolunda. Back to positions, Groulx is a winger. He was only a center in junior and he can’t play center anymore, he just isn’t that player. 2 Russians in the 1st round, yet 9 players with Swedish roots. He’s got McIssac and Noel high still, not factoring in that they’ve been playing worse and shouldn’t be in the 1st anymore.

That’s just my opinion. What do you guys think?

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[ProspectsFanatic]

^ Agree with your comments

Tkachuk at 2

Why does he keep Hayton that high? Nothing exceptional in his game.

For the Q, Nicolas Beaudin in front of Veleno is very bold to say the least.

All in all, I don't have much respect for Button lists. This list is particularly trash.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Button always has some players way too high and some players way too low

For the record: I could see spme teams taking Tkachuk over Svech and Zadina. Wouldn't be surprised to see Montreal take Tkachuk at two with the idea of playing him at C.

 

[AmericanDream]

Button is always different.

Some of his rankings are odd...Hayton is high, I love the kid but he is closer to 20 then 5. Wilde above Hughes? that is interesting as well. Wahlstrom rising everywhere but #9 here?? I dont get that at all.

As for Tkachuk at #2, well I think next to Dahlin he is the only lock to make it into the NHL next year. I am not agreeing with Button at #2, but I can see how that might favor in his rankings a bit as well as his projections are for long term best player and not how draft will work out. I think Tkachuk will be better than most of the kids on this list, he is a NHLer and will be a pain in the ass for a decade..just not as flashy as some of the others.

 

[canwincup]

If the Canucks took Tkachuk at two I would puke, I don’t know how anyone can have him that high

 

[pckstpr31]

Doesn't really provide any reasoning for Tkachuk at 2, and I just can't see why you'd take him over Svechnikov. Hayton in the top 10 stands out, as well as Hughes outside it. Also unless I missed it, he doesn't have Kravtsov on the list at all. Love Bouchard at 5 though. Button's lists are always a bit all over the place but they offer a different perspective at least.

edit: whoops didn't see his disclaimer on Kravtsov and Bokk

 

[rhinoshawarma]

I think Wahlstrom will go higher, and Hughes at 12 is mind blowing. Dont know why Hayton is that high

 

[hallonskal]

I'm a huge fan of Albin Eriksson but #29..? Wow!

 

[AppsSyl]

I am honestly beginning to think he doesn't even watch them outside of the major international tourneys. Like the OP said, Tkachuk at #2 is crazy, Veleno at #27 is crazier, K'Andre Miller at #56 is also nuts, and to me the craziest is NO Nils Lundkvist in the TOP 90. Not sure how anyone can defend this list. It is atrocious and makes it difficult to take anything he puts out seriously.

 

[Iceman]

Wasn't Boqvist his "out of the box" sort of pick at #2 last time? Now he drops him to #6 and puts Tkachuk at #2? What's going on Button? Do you need clicks that bad?

 

[JimboA]

2 Russians in the 1st round, yet 9 players with Swedish roots.

I agree that he has some Swedes too high (especially Sandin and Eriksson) and that the list is a bit Swede-heavy, but why would you include Wahlstrom and Samuelsson to make that argument?

 

[kp61c]

it must have been really painful for him to drop Boqvist to the sixth spot. thank god he has a new shiny toy to play with.

 

[David Suzuki]

Button always has some players way too high and some players way too low

For the record: I could see spme teams taking Tkachuk over Svech and Zadina. Wouldn't be surprised to see Montreal take Tkachuk at two with the idea of playing him at C.

I really can't see it. Timmins has a good record in the first round I can't see him reaching. He will take BPA unless there's interference ofc.

 

[Tryamkin]

I agree that he has some Swedes too high (especially Sandin and Eriksson) and that the list is a bit Swede-heavy, but why would you include Wahlstrom and Samuelsson to make that argument?

I just feel he’s very biased against Russians. There’s many Russians you can argue deserve a top 31 spot.

 

[Kiwi]

I am honestly beginning to think he doesn't even watch them outside of the major international tourneys. Like the OP said, Tkachuk at #2 is crazy, Veleno at #27 is crazier, K'Andre Miller at #56 is also nuts, and to me the craziest is NO Nils Lundkvist in the TOP 90. Not sure how anyone can defend this list. It is atrocious and makes it difficult to take anything he puts out seriously.

I'd be happy taking Miller with the Leafs first if it's mid 20's

 

[Gargyn]

I always like his lists. I like Tkachuk, guy brings a lot more than just offence. Great all around player. No problem with that at all. My problem is no Bokk and more alarming is no Kravtsov who I have in the top 20.

 

[AmericanDream]

If the Canucks took Tkachuk at two I would puke, I don’t know how anyone can have him that high

yep, I heard the same thing from you guys in 2016 - if you took Matthew Tkachuk at #5, there would be projectile vomiting due to all his secondary assists - how did that work out for you guys??

 

[AmericanDream]

I agree that he has some Swedes too high (especially Sandin and Eriksson) and that the list is a bit Swede-heavy, but why would you include Wahlstrom and Samuelsson to make that argument?

lol, I have no idea...if you want to be specific, there are 31 players here with Asian/African roots as well!!!!

 

[AmericanDream]

plus he lists at #9:

The rest of the top 10 includes dynamic Brynas IF defenceman Adam Boqvist (No. 6), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds two-way centre Barrett Hayton (No. 7), Acadie-Bathurst Titan right-shot defenceman Noah Dobson (No. 8) and USA Hockey National Team Development Program centre Oliver Wahlstrom at No. 9.

ummm, Mr. Button, he ain't no centre!!!

 

[Icebreakers]

yep, I heard the same thing from you guys in 2016 - if you took Matthew Tkachuk at #5, there would be projectile vomiting due to all his secondary assists - how did that work out for you guys??

Matthew was the consensus #5 pick at the time. Canucks just went off the board and wiffed. Its not really comparable this year. Brady has done absolutely nothing to put himself above Svechnikov or Zadina.

 

[ijuka]

At least Kotkaniemi is above Kupari(though Kupari still is much too high).

Wasn't Boqvist his "out of the box" sort of pick at #2 last time? Now he drops him to #6 and puts Tkachuk at #2? What's going on Button? Do you need clicks that bad?

Guy's got a couple of truly bizarre calls every draft list. And the way he swaps the positions around doesn't even make any sense. A player could have improved while another player could have become worse, yet the opposite could be reflected on his draft lists. It's like rather than basing them on what's happening, they're just based around him "changing his mind". There's next to no method to these lists. They're among the very worst in the business, but unfortunately get quite a bit of press.

 

[tfong]

wow Vitaly isn't on ths top 30 now?

 

[canwincup]

yep, I heard the same thing from you guys in 2016 - if you took Matthew Tkachuk at #5, there would be projectile vomiting due to all his secondary assists - how did that work out for you guys??

Lol go look at the Canucks board, fans wanted PLD or Tkachuk. Nice try though

 

[AmericanDream]

Matthew was the consensus #5 pick at the time. Canucks just went off the board and wiffed. Its not really comparable this year. Brady has done absolutely nothing to put himself above Svechnikov or Zadina.

I am not saying he has/hasn't. The kid has been ranked in the top 5-6 consistently by every scouting service all year - I would hardly vomit if my team got this kid. Is #2 a stretch? probably, but again, need to use context..Button isn't projecting the draft, just who he thinks will be the best pro players, and I agree with him that Tkachuk is going to be a far better pro player than NCAA player, and better player than the vast majority of names in this first round.

 

[Tryamkin]

lol, I have no idea...if you want to be specific, there are 31 players here with Asian/African roots as well!!!!

that’s not the same thing.