TSN: McKenzie :If Habs take a center it's no longer an off the board pick

[Binary Code]

Zadina is BPA i don't give a f*** if he's a winger. NEVER DRAFT FOR NEEDS.

And to be honest our whole roster sucks so we need players at every position.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Zadina is BPA i don't give a **** if he's a winger. NEVER DRAFT FOR NEEDS.

How you know he is BPA?

He has flaws and he is clearly not on top of many teams list.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Total overthinking at this point. Zadina should be the pick - but I guess it won't at this point.

Zadina is not the undisputed BPA at 3rd. He is the popular 3rd pick which means nothing. Puljujarvi was the popular 3rd pick in the 2016 draft. It's not over thinking, it's drafting a center that we need and you don't acquire potential #1C centers unless you draft them. Kotkaniemi is a peaking late and it should not be ignored. This is not a stretch, he is a legit top 5 prospect in this draft. Forget about the Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb rankings. The rankings today is what counts.

 

[The Great Weal]

So Bob doesn't know what he is talking about by saying that Kotkaniemi wouldn't be a reach because good hockey ranking like Bob had him at 10 before he killed the u18. Mkay.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Zadina is BPA i don't give a **** if he's a winger. NEVER DRAFT FOR NEEDS.

And to be honest our whole roster sucks so we need players at every position.

Except Zadina is not the undisputed BPA at 3rd. That's what your missing here. He is the popular 3rd guy cause it was like that most of the year. The rankings from the first half don't measure up to the rankings that are coming out lately.

 

[Habs Halifax]

So Bob doesn't know what he is talking about by saying that Kotkaniemi wouldn't be a reach because good hockey ranking like Bob had him at 10 before he killed the u18. Mkay.

Popularity is confused with BPA.

 

[Binary Code]

How you know he is BPA?

Mark my words, Zadina will be an elite 1st line winger. (à la Kane)

Not taking anything from Kotkaniemi, he'll be a good #1 C but won't have the same impact imo.

 

[Jabba11]

Kotkaniemi is not BPA. Kotkaniemi is not comparable to PLD. PLD was already on the map right in the middle of the season. And that year, PLD for me was the better prospect over Puljujaarvi. It's not about need vs BPA. I followed PLD in Cape Breton ever since he came into the Q. Kotkaniemi is a late riser. Meaning he's not BPA. CSS, ISS, etc aren't putting him as a top 5. Rankings we see right now is basically flavor of the week. Zadina did poorly at the combine, suddenly, media start writing about Kotkaniemi and how Montreal needs a center and should go for him. Ever since that wave, Kotkaniemi is more and more discussed. We hear less about Tkachuk, Hughes, Zadina, etc.

BPA = best player down the road. Do I see Kotkaniemi being amongst the top 10 centers in the league in the future? No. But I can see Noah Dobson becoming one of the leagues best top 10 defenceman. I read things like how Kotkaniemi is similar to Barkov..really? Come on. Let's not kid ourselves here! Barkov was highly touted 1-2 years before his draft. Mix of size, hockey IQ, hands, puck protection, etc. He's everything in a franchise center. Now, it's like we are hoping to convince ourselves that Kotkaniemi is the savior.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Mark my words, Zadina will be an elite 1st line winger. (à la Kane)

Not taking anything from Kotkaniemi, he'll be a good #1 C but won't have the same impact imo.

I don't see the Kane comparison but ok..

I will play your game... Mark my word Kotkaniemi will be a top line center that every team envy ala Kopitar and Barkov.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Mark my words, Zadina will be an elite 1st line winger. (à la Kane)

Not taking anything from Kotkaniemi, he'll be a good #1 C but won't have the same impact imo.

Nope... Zadina does not drive puck possession like Kane. Zadina is a sure bet to score 30 goals though and have a bit of play making ability in tight space. However, he can't play center and Kotkaniemi can also score 30 goals while he can play center.

 

[Censored Toad]

What is BPA....??

 

[Habs Halifax]

Kotkaniemi is not BPA. Kotkaniemi is not comparable to PLD. PLD was already on the map right in the middle of the season. And that year, PLD for me was the better prospect over Puljujaarvi. It's not about need vs BPA. I followed PLD in Cape Breton ever since he came into the Q. Kotkaniemi is a late riser. Meaning he's not BPA. CSS, ISS, etc aren't putting him as a top 5. Rankings we see right now is basically flavor of the week. Zadina did poorly at the combine, suddenly, media start writing about Kotkaniemi and how Montreal needs a center and should go for him. Ever since that wave, Kotkaniemi is more and more discussed. We hear less about Tkachuk, Hughes, Zadina, etc.

BPA = best player down the road. Do I see Kotkaniemi being amongst the top 10 centers in the league in the future? No. But I can see Noah Dobson becoming one of the leagues best top 10 defenceman. I read things like how Kotkaniemi is similar to Barkov..really? Come on. Let's not kid ourselves here! Barkov was highly touted 1-2 years before his draft. Mix of size, hockey IQ, hands, puck protection, etc. He's everything in a franchise center. Now, it's like we are hoping to convince ourselves that Kotkaniemi is the savior.

Kotkaniemi was on the map in the middle of the season as well. PLD might of been ranked higher than 15th ish (+/-) but he was not a sure top 10 or top 15 pick from what I remember. Both peaked towards the end.

Well, the scouts Bob was referring too made the connection of Kotkaniemi to Barkov. So who is kidding who?

 

[Habs Halifax]

What is BPA....??

Best Popular Available. That is Zadina. Similar to Puljujarvi in 2016. I think Zadina ends up better than Puljujarvi but they are not necessary the best available at 3rd.

 

[Jabba11]

Nope... Zadina does not drive puck possession like Kane. Zadina is a sure bet to score 30 goals though and have a bit of play making ability in tight space. However, he can't play center and Kotkaniemi can also score 30 goals while he can play center.

What makes you so sure that Kotkaniemi can score 30 goals? Season after season after season compared to Zadina? Just wondering.

 

[WeThreeKings]

BPA for me is Boqvist.

So, there you have it. BPA is completely in line with one teams or person rankings.

Zadina is no more BPA then McLeod was when we took Sergachev.

 

[Habs]

McKenzie has no logic here. Zadina is the consensus 3rd. There's no debate to be had.

Not really. Zadina and Tkachuk are flipped on every other list.

 

[Habsddicted]

Mark my words, Zadina will be an elite 1st line winger. (à la Kane)

Not taking anything from Kotkaniemi, he'll be a good #1 C but won't have the same impact imo.

To me, Zadina is much more similar to a player like Kovalev or Tarasenko in the way that he likes holding on to the puck and using his shot. He's got a wicked shot and can control the puck pretty well.

 

[Edgy]

Zadina is BPA i don't give a **** if he's a winger. NEVER DRAFT FOR NEEDS.

And to be honest our whole roster sucks so we need players at every position.

That's the worst thing you can do, not draft for needs. Keep drafting BPA and you'll end up like Edmonton.
You ALWAYS draft the BPA for the position you NEED. If the player you need isn't ranked as high as your pick, you use that as an opportunity to get more picks/assets by trading down with a team that's wants/needs the player available at your pick. Anything else is bad asset management.

 

[WeThreeKings]

To me, Zadina is much more similar to a player like Kovalev or Tarasenko in the way that he likes holding on to the puck and using his shot. He's got a wicked shot and can control the puck pretty well.

Both those guys dominated on their skills and being tanks. Zadina is more Anaheim Bobby Ryan than anything.

 

[Censored Toad]

Best Popular Available. That is Zadina. Similar to Puljujarvi in 2016. I think Zadina ends up better than Puljujarvi but they are not necessary the best available at 3rd.

Thank you for the explanation

 

[Habs Halifax]

What makes you so sure that Kotkaniemi can score 30 goals? Season after season after season compared to Zadina? Just wondering.

1st of all, I know Zadina very well and I am a fan. I have a full season pass to Mooseheads games. I think the kid is one of those types that has a hunger to score. He will not pass in shooting opportunities. He does a lot of things very well but his skating is not as good as Hischier. Some say Zadina is NHL ready. I don't think he is. I think he could survive but I think he plays with the Mooseheads one more year.

As fas as Kotkaniemi. I have not watched him live but I believe in the hype and trends lately. I spend a lot of time watching videos and I love his goal scoring ability. Youtube him, he knows how to pick corners and he is 8/9 months younger vs Zadina. Some say Kotkaniemi might turn into a winger. Well, that is possible but the kid can score and make plays and he is a legit top 5 prospect at this stage.

I really don't think there is a definite BPA at 3rd. But I do think it comes down to Zadina, Kotkaniemi, and Dobson. Popularity of Zadina all year has people thinking he is BPA but he is not. He is certainly in the mix for sure and the safer pick though

 

[Jabba11]

Kotkaniemi was on the map in the middle of the season as well. PLD might of been ranked higher than 15th ish (+/-) but he was not a sure top 10 or top 15 pick from what I remember. Both peaked towards the end.

Well, the scouts Bob was referring too made the connection of Kotkaniemi to Barkov. So who is kidding who?

PLD was 7th NA skater mid season. Than jumped to #1 NA skater in April. That's not 10-15th ish. "Not sure top 10-15?" 7th to 1st is pretty sure top 10-15 pick for you. Even more top 5 pick.

How Dubois rose to the top of NHL Central Scouting's final rankings - Sportsnet.ca

Kotkaniemi is not PLD status in this draft. That's the only thing I'm telling you. I'm not arguing they are similar or not in terms of style, etc. But PLD was rightfully picked where he was supposed to be picked top 3-4. He was #1 NA skater. Period. Again, Puljujaarvi was the flavor of the week back then because of his international play etc. But PLD had the right to be picked before him. And those two were both rankeed in the top 5 of NA and Euro skaters.

Jesperi is really out of nowhere late late in the year that his name has been brought up more and more. And also because we have nothing to discuss about so the media knows it's a good thing to bring him up. I have no problem picking him at 7-9 range but not 3. That's only my opinion. Everybody is entitled to theirs. Just like how so many people say that they like Tkachuk but not at 3rd overall.

 

[Adriatic]

Both those guys dominated on their skills and being tanks. Zadina is more Anaheim Bobby Ryan than anything.

I don't see the Bobby Ryan in him at all, seems like a different player to me.

 

[Habs]

Best Popular Available. That is Zadina. Similar to Puljujarvi in 2016. I think Zadina ends up better than Puljujarvi but they are not necessary the best available at 3rd.

Best Player Available, not best Popular..

 

[Price is Wright]

I'll predict they take Hughes at #3 and trade a couple 2nd rounders to move into the 25-31 spot in the first round to draft a centre.