NHL 1st Overall slogan

[teravaineSAROS]

Quinton Byfield - C - Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Lucas Raymond - RW - Frölunda (SHL/SWE-J20)
Alexander Holtz - RW/LW - Djurgården (SHL/SWE-J20)
Anton Lundell - C/LW - HIFK (Liiga/Jr. A SM-Liiga)

If you ever want to tank in today's lottery system this is the year!

You can fall to #5 and get a prospect that's top 3 in most other drafts

 

[BiolaRunner]

I can't tell if your username is about Getz passing to no one, or the Ducks going from having Getz to having no one. Both work.

His name used to Getz2Perry. He changed it once Perry was bought out

 

[TheTwelfth]

That is always the hardest part about comparing CHL players to Euro's. The Euro kids are usually going to be further along in their development due to playing tougher competition. The CHL kids can close the gap by the time they turn 20/21. Then there are the Lafreniere types who could close the gap by their rookie season in the NHL. It's what makes drafting so interesting. Teams sleep on players from both sides because sometimes Eruos look better because they do well in Euro pro leagues and sometimes CHLers look better because they produce well against younger competition.

Rarely, if ever, does this work in Euro prospects' favor. The top NA prospects play in junior/college leagues which allows them to put up insane point totals, which is what catches a lot of people's attention, while European top-prospects will be brought up from the junior leagues to the pros, where their numbers are much more moderate.

As an example, Ian Tulloch found that point production in the Swedish junior league translated about as well to NHL success as point production in any Canadian junior league, however, the best Swedish junior players rarely play in this league in their draft year so you never see a player enter the draft with 1.8 ppg in their previous season, as you see with Lafreniere.

Overall, this bias is natural. The NHL teams are based in North America, they have more scouts in North America, the media and their general managers can more easily go and see the North American prospects play on a regular basis. It may be strange to remember now, but in the weeks leading up to the 2013 draft when rumors were coming out, people were quite shocked that Barkov would go ahead of both Drouin (who had torn up the QMJHL) and Jones (who was rated number 1 NA skater going into the draft). Fans were furious over Benning selecting Pettersson over Veleno in 2017, only because 10 scouts Bob McKenzie had polled ranked the Canadian they had seen more higher up.

 

[Daximus]

Rarely, if ever, does this work in Euro prospects' favor. The top NA prospects play in junior/college leagues which allows them to put up insane point totals, which is what catches a lot of people's attention, while European top-prospects will be brought up from the junior leagues to the pros, where their numbers are much more moderate.

As an example, Ian Tulloch found that point production in the Swedish junior league translated about as well to NHL success as point production in any Canadian junior league, however, the best Swedish junior players rarely play in this league in their draft year so you never see a player enter the draft with 1.8 ppg in their previous season, as you see with Lafreniere.

Overall, this bias is natural. The NHL teams are based in North America, they have more scouts in North America, the media and their general managers can more easily go and see the North American prospects play on a regular basis. It may be strange to remember now, but in the weeks leading up to the 2013 draft when rumors were coming out, people were quite shocked that Barkov would go ahead of both Drouin (who had torn up the QMJHL) and Jones (who was rated number 1 NA skater going into the draft). Fans were furious over Benning selecting Pettersson over Veleno in 2017, only because 10 scouts Bob McKenzie had polled ranked the Canadian they had seen more higher up.

It tends to not favour kids who are late bloomers more so. Take Scheifele for instance. Zib was considered the much better prospect because he put up points in the SHL over Scheif who scored moderately in the OHL. Now you wont find many who would take Zib over Scheifele.

What also works I'm euros favour is international play where many euros get a much better shot at playing for their country at high level tournaments like the WJC where they can get the highest level of exposure over Canadians who have to be on an elite tier to even be in consideration to tryout.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Don’t think we need a “tank for X player” this year though. The top 5 seems kinda even, but I guess Alexis will get the most exposure and media hype around him to be considered 1OV during the season, nothing weird with that.

 

[ijuka]

It never favors European players, though, what a ridiculous narrative. It's always the North American players at an advantage, for one reason or another, and the European player doesn't need to just be slightly more impressive, but clearly better to rank above them.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

It never favors European players, though, what a ridiculous narrative. It's always the North American players at an advantage, for one reason or another, and the European player doesn't need to just be slightly more impressive, but clearly better to rank above them.

Is that so weird though, when the league and 95% ish of its audience are based in NA?

It would be the same if the NHL was based in Sweden/Finland but the other way around - Swedish and Finnish media would focus on their market, and if a “too polite, weird, bacon n syrup-eating” Canadian went ahead of the “local, meatball eating/sauna bathing homeboy”, from Sweden or Finland, the people would need some serious evidence to swallow their pride, at least the general public I think.
Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case though

 

[Daximus]

Is that so weird though, when the league and 95% ish of its audience are based in NA?

It would be the same if the NHL was based in Sweden/Finland but the other way around - Swedish and Finnish media would focus on their market, and if a “too polite, weird, bacon n syrup-eating” Canadian went ahead of the “local, meatball eating/sauna bathing homeboy”, from Sweden or Finland, the people would need some serious evidence to swallow their pride, at least the general public I think.
Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case though

It comes down to track record as well. Canada has been producing elite talent since the beginning of the sport so I think in a subconscious way there tends to be a favourable look and expectation for Canadian players to be better. But when international players come over to Canada they can definitely get a higher ranking based on what you said. Locality plays a major role. Hischier ikely doesnt touch first overall if he isnt playing with Halifax.

 

[Star Ocean]

It never favors European players, though, what a ridiculous narrative. It's always the North American players at an advantage, for one reason or another, and the European player doesn't need to just be slightly more impressive, but clearly better to rank above them.

Been plenty of 1st overall euros lately. Just no finnish ones

 

[Kunta Kinte]

I really dont get why people say that. Sam Constantino, for example, is already flagging Holtz and Raymond as challengers for number 1 overall. Both of them play in the two clubs that met in the SHL playoffs finals last year, so if they make their pro rosters it means they will have beaten out some pretty skilled players for roster spots.

I think people are definitely sleeping on the European's in this draft. Lafreniere - while being a great prospect - is not seen as a McDavid/Crosby or even Matthews/Tavares level home run out of the park, must draft number 1 overall.

He sure is. He has a french name, that is hurting his stock in some people eyes. He has definitely the same or more talent than Matthews at the same time in their progression.

 

[HisIceness]

09/10: Fall for Hall
10/11: ?
11/12: Fail for Nail
12/13: Stop Winnin' for MacKinnon
13/14: Play Bad for Ekblad
14/15: No Honor for Connor
15/16: Lossin' for Auston
16/17: Stinko for Nico
17/18: Fallin' for Dahlin
18/19: Lose for Hughes
19/20: ?

 

[Pens x]

The Ottawa Senators is probably good enough.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Tomber derrière pour Alexis Lafrenière.

 

[CartographerNo611]

"Suck here for Lafreniere" IDK lol

 

[leafsfan5]

"Suck here for Lafreniere" IDK lol

Suck this year for Lafreniere might work better

 

[CartographerNo611]

Suck this year for Lafreniere might work better

True, was also thinking "Laugh Here for Lafreniere" but thats less straight forward.

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Get punched in the Solar Plexus for Alexis.

( As per Nucks board )

 

[ismelofhockey]

Get punched in the Solar Plexus for Alexis.

( As per Nucks board )

Final "s" in French is most often silent, and so Alexis ends with a long E vowel sound.

So

"Lousy for Alexis"

 

[Sam Spade]

I was late, see above. Quick searches really help.

 

[amnesiac]

A l'arriere for Lafreniere

 

[Fear]

I remember "lose for Matthews" and "don't win for liljegren"

To our French Canadien posters, how to best pronounce Lafreniere? Lah - freh - knee - air? ( With a long r on the end)?

 

[Machinehead]

I was always partial to "let's get moldy for Boldy" but he didn't get picked that high

 

[JT Kreider]

2011 was L4L (Lose for Larsson)

 

[SnizzMitch]

2015-16 was Lose for Matthews, not lossin’ for Auston..

 

[Teamplaya]

I feel like 2011 could be "stop tryin' for Ryan", or maybe "Less wins for Nugent Hopkins".