Mid Season 2015 NHL Draft Discussion - Candidates at halfway point

[sniper81]

I think I'd rather have Zacha than Strome personally, but the idea is still enticing. Center depth with actual high end offensive talent would be a very nice thing to have going forward.

What do you like better about Zacha? I just love Stromes smarts at both ends of the ice, his skating isn't as high end and polished as Zachas but his vision is better. Honestly I would love either one and it looks like we have a chance haha.

 

[WilliamNylander]

I like Strome better too, reminds me of Joe Thornton a little bit.

Exactly what this team desperately needs. Strome-Kadri-Nylander-Gauthier gives us two big body centers and two smaller, skilled ones, its a good mix.

 

[Bullseye]

Gonna be a tough decision for them if they get into the top 4-7 range.

If they keep Kessel and company you gotta think strength at centre is the number one priority.

Their defense could be solved by some of the prospects coming from the Marlies so Centre seems best.

Strome
Marner
Zacha
Barzal

But I think Rantanen is intriguing in that range too.

 

[Sundinisagod]

Gonna be a tough decision for them if they get into the top 4-7 range.

If they keep Kessel and company you gotta think strength at centre is the number one priority.

Their defense could be solved by some of the prospects coming from the Marlies so Centre seems best.

Strome
Marner
Zacha
Barzal

But I think Rantanen is intriguing in that range too.

If we got as high as 4, I'd be praying that Hanifin drops down to us.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

If we got as high as 4, I'd be praying that Hanifin drops down to us.

We're a team in need of elite talent across the board. At 4, I'm with you on this, but it's a coin flip. I'll take any of Hanifin/Strome/Marner at that spot. One of those are likely to go at 3.

 

[Sundinisagod]

We're a team in need of elite talent across the board. At 4, I'm with you on this, but it's a coin flip. I'll take any of Hanifin/Strome/Marner at that spot. One of those are likely to go at 3.

Truer words have not been spoken.

 

[ToneBone03]

Acquire another 1st and 2 2nds. Grab:

Marner/Strome
Chabot
Beauvillier
Speers

A man can dream, can't he?

 

[Green Snow Storm]

Barzal should be back by this weekend. Excited to see him play. Wouldn't be shocked to see him shoot up the rankings.

 

[Celly Hard]

I think I'd rather have Zacha than Strome personally, but the idea is still enticing. Center depth with actual high end offensive talent would be a very nice thing to have going forward.

it's a coin toss between strome and Zacha for me personally. both will be amazing assets going forward. Personally I'd have strome/Zacha over marner. Barzal if we finish out of the top 8.

 

[WilliamNylander]

it's a coin toss between strome and Zacha for me personally. both will be amazing assets going forward. Personally I'd have strome/Zacha over marner. Barzal if we finish out of the top 8.

So many good centers in the top 10

Great year to be the leafs lol

 

[sniper81]

So many good centers in the top 10

Great year to be the leafs lol

Don't jinx them... They always find a way to disappoint us!

 

[Rare Jewel]

Wanted to post this around the WJC, But wanted to get more info on certain players plus time etc...

Anyway after CSS released there list yesterday, I did some final tweaking to mine and was left with this, Fire away!


1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Mitch Marner
5. Dylan Strome
6. Ivan Provorov
7. Matt Barzal
8. Zach Werenski
9. Mikko Rantanen
10. Oliver Kylington
11. Pavel Zacha
12. Lawson Crouse
13. Jeremey Roy
14. Jansen Harkins
15. Evegeni Svechnikov
16. Kyle Connor
17. Blake Speers
18. Jesper Lindgren
19. Flilip Chlapik
20. Daniel Sprong
21. Travis Konecny
22. Jakub Zboril
23. Rasmus Andersson
24. Colin White
25. Timo Meier
26. Brock Boeser
27. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
28. Denis Guryanov
29. Thomas Novak
30. Jordan Greenway

HM Europe: Joel Eriksson Ek, Roope Hintz, Jacob Larsson
HM North America: Nicolas Meloche, Jeremy Bracco, Dennis Yan

I'd like to make note it was one of the more difficult lists I've done just cause of the depth of the draft. I know there's some guys not listed who could be well worth a 1st round pick, But those are 36 names I've come up with at this time.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Hoping Nonis somehow gets another top 20 pick

 

[King Leaf]

Wanted to post this around the WJC, But wanted to get more info on certain players plus time etc...

Anyway after CSS released there list yesterday, I did some final tweaking to mine and was left with this, Fire away!


1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Mitch Marner
5. Dylan Strome
6. Ivan Provorov
7. Matt Barzal
8. Zach Werenski
9. Mikko Rantanen
10. Oliver Kylington
11. Pavel Zacha
12. Lawson Crouse
13. Jeremey Roy
14. Jansen Harkins
15. Evegeni Svechnikov
16. Kyle Connor
17. Blake Speers
18. Jesper Lindgren
19. Flilip Chlapik
20. Daniel Sprong
21. Travis Konecny
22. Jakub Zboril
23. Rasmus Andersson
24. Colin White
25. Timo Meier
26. Brock Boeser
27. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
28. Denis Guryanov
29. Thomas Novak
30. Jordan Greenway

HM Europe: Joel Eriksson Ek, Roope Hintz, Jacob Larsson
HM North America: Nicolas Meloche, Jeremy Bracco, Dennis Yan

I'd like to make note it was one of the more difficult lists I've done just cause of the depth of the draft. I know there's some guys not listed who could be well worth a 1st round pick, But those are 36 names I've come up with at this time.

I'm not an expert at drafting by any means, I usually just look at the players that are expected to be within the Leafs range so for this year I've been looking at the top 12. And you've included all the players I would have in the Top 12 essentially. I'm not as high on Provorov, I'd probably put Kylington and Zacha higher on the list. But I also am biased toward ordering as to who I think the best player for the Leafs would be.

My Top 12:

1. McDavid
2. Eichel
3. Hanifin
4. Strome
5. Marner
6. Werenski
7. Kylington
8. Zacha
9. Barzal
10. Provorov
11. Crouse
12. Rantanen

 

[Jes5ant]

Roope Hintz is an intriguing center from Finland. He's 6 foot 2, 183 pounds, has 9 points in 16 games in Liiga play so far, and he's a plus 7.

He's a well rounded prospect, plays a good defensive game. It's not perfect but it's what you like to see from a prospect his age. He's got a weak shot, but his offensive instincts are top notch and his playmaking is strong. He's great at finding passing lanes.

He threw an enormous hit in the WJC that caught my attention.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

Wanted to post this around the WJC, But wanted to get more info on certain players plus time etc...

Anyway after CSS released there list yesterday, I did some final tweaking to mine and was left with this, Fire away!


1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Mitch Marner
5. Dylan Strome
6. Ivan Provorov
7. Matt Barzal
8. Zach Werenski
9. Mikko Rantanen
10. Oliver Kylington
11. Pavel Zacha
12. Lawson Crouse
13. Jeremey Roy
14. Jansen Harkins
15. Evegeni Svechnikov
16. Kyle Connor
17. Blake Speers
18. Jesper Lindgren
19. Flilip Chlapik
20. Daniel Sprong
21. Travis Konecny
22. Jakub Zboril
23. Rasmus Andersson
24. Colin White
25. Timo Meier
26. Brock Boeser
27. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
28. Denis Guryanov
29. Thomas Novak
30. Jordan Greenway

HM Europe: Joel Eriksson Ek, Roope Hintz, Jacob Larsson
HM North America: Nicolas Meloche, Jeremy Bracco, Dennis Yan

I'd like to make note it was one of the more difficult lists I've done just cause of the depth of the draft. I know there's some guys not listed who could be well worth a 1st round pick, But those are 36 names I've come up with at this time.

Love Provorov that high. I know others here have been touting him for a while (VOR). He's an absolute stud dman.

 

[Budsfan]

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Draft Rankings – January, 2015

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/uncategorized/mckeens-2015-nhl-draft-rankings-january-2015/

If the World Juniors serve as any indication, the next NHL draft could turn out to be a very special affair.

The pinnacle event for world junior hockey has historically been a tournament dominated by 19-year-old’s, however this year’s event saw numerous underage players make substantial impacts.

The U-20 World Juniors had been billed as the ‘Mac vs Jack’ showdown with a pair of ‘generational’ talents in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel battling for supremacy on the world stage – and ultimately for the first-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

 

[timlap]

In an otherwise discouraging season, one thing I am optimistic about is the draft.

I'm not worried about where we end up picking because there are so many good prospects and I don't find it hard to believe that #12 will turn out better than #5 (not thinking of specific players, but just the draft positions). And for once I don't have an allegiance to any particular player- though the more I look at it, the more I might begin to have some favourites.

Bottom line, I think whoever we get, even if we pick in the teens, will be at least similar in quality to our recent high selections- Nylander, Reilly and Kadri. That's a pretty good piece to get.

 

[InShannyWeTrust]

My top 15... Ive seen Travis Konecky a couple of times and hes a game changer, would love to walk away in this draft with a Strome/Konecky package

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Dylan Strome
5.Lawson Crouse
6.Mitch Marner
7. Zach Werenski
8. Mikko Rantanen
9. Pavel Zacha
10.Oliver Kylington
11.Matt Barzal
12.Ivan Provorov
13.Nick Merkley
14.Travis Konecny
15.Kyle Connor

 

[LaPlante94]

Wanted to post this around the WJC, But wanted to get more info on certain players plus time etc...

Anyway after CSS released there list yesterday, I did some final tweaking to mine and was left with this, Fire away!


1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Mitch Marner
5. Dylan Strome
6. Ivan Provorov
7. Matt Barzal
8. Zach Werenski
9. Mikko Rantanen
10. Oliver Kylington
11. Pavel Zacha
12. Lawson Crouse
13. Jeremey Roy
14. Jansen Harkins
15. Evegeni Svechnikov
16. Kyle Connor
17. Blake Speers
18. Jesper Lindgren
19. Flilip Chlapik
20. Daniel Sprong
21. Travis Konecny
22. Jakub Zboril
23. Rasmus Andersson
24. Colin White
25. Timo Meier
26. Brock Boeser
27. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
28. Denis Guryanov
29. Thomas Novak
30. Jordan Greenway

HM Europe: Joel Eriksson Ek, Roope Hintz, Jacob Larsson
HM North America: Nicolas Meloche, Jeremy Bracco, Dennis Yan

I'd like to make note it was one of the more difficult lists I've done just cause of the depth of the draft. I know there's some guys not listed who could be well worth a 1st round pick, But those are 36 names I've come up with at this time.

I have yet to see the CSS list, so I was just wondering if they had Konecny as low as you have him? He'll most likely drop because of his size and possibly the concussion he suffered this season might scare some teams off. If we could get a late 1st round pick to get him that would be amazing. Seen him play a few times and he plays a lot bigger than what he's listed at. Not afraid to go to the net and battle with the bigger guys and he'll battle in the corners. He reminds me so much of Gallagher minus the mouth.

 

[McMatthews]

1) Connor McDavid, C, Erie (OHL)
2) Jack Eichel, C, Boston University (NCAA)
3) Noah Hanifin, D, Boston College (NCAA)
4) Dylan Strome, C, Erie (OHL)
5) Mitch Marner, RW/C, London (OHL)
6) Mikko Rantanen, C/RW, TPS Turku (SM Liiga)
7) Mathew Barzal, C, Seattle (WHL)
8) Ivan Provorov, D, Brandon (WHL)
9) Oliver Kylington, D, AIK (Allsvenskan)
10) Zach Werenski, D, Michigan (NCAA)
11) Pavel Zacha, C, Sarnia (OHL)
12) Nick Merkley, C/RW, Kelowna (WHL)
13) Yevgeni Svechnikov, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
14) Lawson Crouse, LW, Kingston (OHL)
15) Jeremy Roy, D, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Really like what I see of Provorov. The kid is a stud, and his game should translate really well to the next level.

Hanifin, Werenski, and Provorov, will all be good NHL'ers in the future. Any of which would be great pieces for our back end.

 

[Sundinisagod]

Really like what I see of Provorov. The kid is a stud, and his game should translate really well to the next level.

Hanifin, Werenski, and Provorov, will all be good NHL'ers in the future. Any of which would be great pieces for our back end.

J Roy and Kylington should at least be in the mix too...that's 5 really good D all with good 2-way potential, who should be drafted in the top 15.

 

[BIitz]

@RJ

I'm assuming you just forgot Merkley, it would be a pretty glaring omission otherwise.

I also find the lack of Debrusk love around here a little shocking. I'm under the impression most people don't watch SC though. Kid has been rising on every WHL ranking and is the highest draft eligible goal scorer (25 goals) in the WHL.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Hoping Nonis somehow gets another top 20 pick

That's what i'm hoping too! Say we land a pick at 18. If Werenski Slips past top ten I say we try our very best to move up and draft him. Roy is also someone I'd love to move up to draft. One top flight center and high potential defenseman? Sign me up. Then again Chabot is pretty enticing too so staying put wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.