My 2017 Mock - ByoFlameThrower edition

[TheTechNoir]

If there are any obnoxious omissions it is either because:

1) I have not seen every draft-eligible player for 2017. Nor have I seen a fraction as much of any scout worth their salt, as I do not scout for a living. That said, this may include some highly ranked prospects, and if I haven't seen them (besides maybe a couple highlights at most) then I will not be mentioning or listing them period. IE: If I had never seen Nolan Patrick play, I would not be ranking him.

2) My opinion might just be wildly overrating or underrating some one, and I have seen them play... but don't think as highly of them as maybe I should.



I have only done two other mocks for 2017 and they were very incomplete:

From the last off-season:

#1 Patrick
#2 Vilardi
#3 Yamamoto
#4 Valimaki
#5 Hague

And from Mid-November:

1. Nolan Patrick
2. Gabe Vilardi
3. Vesalainen
4. Valimaki
5. Hague
6. Tippet
7. Kailer
8. Ivan Lodnia
9. Foote
10. Liljegren
11. Klim Kostin
12. Hischier (Funny that I had him this low, despite being biased in seeing him 20+ times live this season)


Present:
1. Nolan Patrick
2. Gabe Vilardi
3. Nico Hiscier
4. Juuso Valimaki
5. Klim Kostin
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Kris Veslainen
8. Miro Heiskainen
9. Michael Rasmussen
10. Cal Foote
11. Nic Hague
12. Maxime Comtois
13. Ryan Poehling
14. Tim Lilljegren
15. Elias Pettersson
16. Nikita Popugaev
17. Eeli Tolvanen
18. Owen Tippett
19. Urho Vaakanainen

Annnd that's where I am stopping.

Click to read more...

 

[Morry83]

Interesting list. Regardless of how myself or others may feel about your rankings, I think it's cool that they're different from the general consensus. It's why I don't understand the hate for Craig Button's lists. He sticks to his guns and isn't afraid to deviate from other expert's rankings.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Interesting list. Regardless of how myself or others may feel about your rankings, I think it's cool that they're different from the general consensus. It's why I don't understand the hate for Craig Button's lists. He sticks to his guns and isn't afraid to deviate from other expert's rankings.

Thanks. It's like some people get wrapped up in it and forget that scouting isn't a perfect science.

I mean, when was the last time the experts had a draft correct come redraft time? Oh yeah, never. So people should be more open minded. Example: in September of Drouin's draft year I had him as a top-5 OA. The experts had him as a 2nd rder. So that led to predictable reactions. Not to say that I am better than the experts, or that correct call on my part is the norm; just making a point.

Edit: Tolvanen is one I want to rank higher. But I have less confidence with him.

 

[Icebreakers]

Why do you have Vilardi over Hischier.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Why do you have Vilardi over Hischier.

My sample size is very off-balance, in that I have watched Hischier a lot more than Vilardi. I also haven't seen Vilardi live, which makes a big difference.

I'm sure there have been times when Vilardi has struggled, but in any of my viewing he has played really well. Hischier has games, or stretches within games that sow seeds of doubt in my head (consistency wise). I expect him to be great, but if I had to bet, based on what I have seen, I would expect Vilardi to have a better chance of reaching his potential. I also like the physical brand that Vilardi brings, I think if he improve upon some weaknesses (he seems to be consistently elevating) then he could end up being the better player.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Lol it is pretty amazing how far off I was. Tho tbf I was trying to do a personal ranking, not predict how the actual draft order would go or how the experts would see it.

Too wild that for the longest time EVERY ONE had Timmy as 2nd overall or at the very least top-3. Whereas I had him significantly lower.

And yet, he ultimately ended up going later than the latest I stated him as. I stuck with April 9th as my last ranking because work kept me too busy to follow more than the NHL and QMJHL closely.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Present:
1. Nolan Patrick
2. Gabe Vilardi
3. Nico Hiscier
4. Juuso Valimaki
5. Klim Kostin
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Kris Veslainen
8. Miro Heiskainen
9. Michael Rasmussen
10. Cal Foote
11. Nic Hague
12. Maxime Comtois
13. Ryan Poehling
14. Tim Lilljegren
15. Elias Pettersson
16. Nikita Popugaev
17. Eeli Tolvanen
18. Owen Tippett
19. Urho Vaakanainen

Lol
I was off by...
Patrick -1
Vilardi -9
Hischier +2
Valimaki +12
Kostin +26
Mittelstadt +2
Vesalainen +17
Heiskanen -5
Rasmussen so far only match
Foote +4
Hague +23
Comtois +38 ouch
Poehling +12
Timmy +3
Pettersson -10
Popugaev +82 .... loool. Ew.
Tolvanen +13
Tippett -8
Vaakanainen -1

Literally had 1 matching reality. And only 2 off by 1.

Seems I primarily took guys way higher than they actually got drafted. Partly to be expected since I didn't see/rank some of the guys who went ahead of them.