OPPF Draft 2021 - Draft Thread

[VanIslander]

I'd eyed Sakic for the 4th round but he went in the 3rd round, so I took Yzerman later, in the 7th round.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Thanks for posting those @ChiTownPhilly, a far less predictable draft than the main one in terms of position. It does seem that some players are slotting into a usual position, but a run on one of the original six teams easily throws everything outta wack.

Robinson was the guy I targeted with my Montreal pick from the get go, took him way earlier than I had expected/wanted to, but had to. Still very pleased even at 68. Otherwise it was wait till the end for Henri Richard.

I knew it was getting close for Keon, but still thought he'd make it to my next pick when I'd scoop him up.

Really thought I would get Yzerman later than he went, very pleased to get Sawchuk as a consolation though, I knew when @VanIslander said he'd be picking between the two I'd take the other (needed to grab Robinson first of course). Love the depth on the team though, would have been very happy with a Fedorov, Abel, Delvecchio, Datsyuk, Zetterberg later anyway.

And thank YOU (and Van). I like it when people post their draft-thoughts. I have a feeling that some guard their draft strategies with the zeal that the ancients attached to the preservation of the Eleusinian Mysteries- which is their right- but I think that if we want the project to grow, conversations like this help us appear more human and approachable than we would if we were simply trying to hunker down in this pursuit. [This is also really my oblique way of saying- @Professor What , @Habsfan18 , @nabby12 ... hope you don't TOTALLY give up on us(!)]

If you weren't taking Sawchuk at 73, I was going to- at slot 75. Once I missed out on that Goaltender Rescue Pod, I thought, "well, it looks like I'll get to burnish all of my old 'Goaltenders don't matter as much as you think they do' arguments, buttressed by statistics (that seem to be frequently ignored) in support of that perspective." At least no-one can accuse me of drafting cynically---

Losing out on Schmidt was the most crushing part of the draft for me lol as I figured I could wait since almost everyone at that point had locked in two centers so I was safe for a bit longer. Little did I know that people would start on their third center before I had my first. Bergeron is probably the pick I would take back if I had to do it again, though it seemed to work out teamwise. I had sent a list with Hossa first and Kasatonov second, before quickly changing it to Bergeron, I guess I didn't want to be burned anymore on losing out on another center. I also gave great thought to taking Oates, until I took Modano to be the Hulls center.

One of my great miscalculations of Main ATD-2021 was that I thought I could wait on scoring-line Centers, as I watched fellow participants take 1-2-3 Offensive Centermen while I waited to pick up my second. A key theme in the evolution of Main-ATD is the long-day's-journey-into-night of the conventional #3 checking line. What has been happening instead is that If you have three Centers, one of which can be framed as a '200-foot-player,' then THAT sort of Center gets used as part of one's depth plan. And if that construct is on the wane THERE, then over here, where the talent-pool is less-than-half as deep, it's pretty much .

Super happy to get Leetch, always part of the plan, got him at a good time too. I'd have taken him earlier had I not needed to get Robinson and Sawchuk at 68 and 73.

Fine value on Leetch, who's never been picked lower (in the 10-12 team era). I gave moderate thought to Leetch at 75, opting instead to picking up Salming at slot 75, higher than he's ever been picked before. {He was one of five players I took, who'd never been picked higher. I had eight who'd never been picked lower.} I felt like Salming could absorb the minutes demands of being Bourque's partner a little bit more easily than Leetch. Why not Gadsby? Well- I had Gadsby last year. Plus, he CAN be something of a Penalty Magnet...

I'd eyed Sakic for the 4th round but he went in the 3rd round, so I took Yzerman later, in the 7th round.

I took Sakic at 26. He was one of the eight O.G.s who had never been taken lower. Just my opinion- if I hadn't taken him at 26, you would have had to take him at 27 if you really wanted him. I don't think he would have lasted to the come-back at pick 34.

You did get Yzerman at a fair price, I think...

 

[VanIslander]

No.

I had King Clancy LOCKED & LOADED at 27th. The chance to get a THIRD top-10 defenseman (based on the recent HOH top-100 player project) in a 10-team draft - and only burn Otrawa - SOLIDIFIED the trio core a Bowman would want (a la his Habs dynasty).

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

No.

I had King Clancy LOCKED & LOADED at 27th. The chance to get a THIRD top-10 defenseman (based on the recent HOH top-100 player project) in a 10-team draft - and only burn Otrawa - SOLIDIFIED the trio core a Bowman would want (a la his Habs dynasty).

I've said before that Clancy adds value in a 20-player draft, since he'll just NEVER be out of the lineup. Whether or not Clancy at 27 is an overpay is something that would have to be left to the honesty of other respondents. I don't think @tabness was going to take him. I don't think @Hawkey Town 18 was going to take him. (I think he was dialed into getting a RHS-RD at that time.) Would @zffssk have taken him? Maybe(?) I can understand you feeling that it wasn't worth taking that chance.

I think Clancy would have lasted to 34- but BenchBrawl can prove me wrong, if he says he would have snagged Clancy at 29 or 32. BB's pick of Kelly at 29 looks like the best move on-the-board for him... and it looks like his heart was all-in on Rocket at 32.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Fellas, I had a busy week but I'm finally freed from this pile of tedious obligations. I shall assassinate some teams this week-end, as well as respond to some of the commentary in this thread.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I think Clancy would have lasted to 34- but BenchBrawl can prove me wrong, if he says he would have snagged Clancy at 29 or 32. BB's pick of Kelly at 29 looks like the best move on-the-board for him... and it looks like his heart was all-in on Rocket at 32.

With Kelly there, Clancy wasn't part of my plan on this set of picks.

That said I have nothing but love for Clancy the player, a glorious playoff performer.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Back in the USSR!
Soviet Union: Now-and-Then
[All the USSR cards were played this year.]

Player	2021	2020	2019	2018
Fetisov	7	15	18	22
Kharlamov	38	48	56	41
Makarov	40	37	30	45
Firsov	50	59	69	85
Tretiak	62	52	40	43
Vasiliev	76	90	101	110
Mikhailov	84	98	82	87
Krutov	106	136	120	167
Kasatonov	128	116	134	184
Lutchenko	209	ND	ND	ND
Maltsev	ND	185	ND	ND
Balderis	ND	198	ND	162
Petrov	ND	ND	194	240
Yakushev	ND	ND	ND	197

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Fetisov in the Opening Round is a first. Kharlamov, Firsov, AND Krutov were all taken higher-than-ever, which (as much as anything) shows how the demand-curve for LWs bent this year. Vasiliev goes in the 8th Round again- but this time it costs pick 76 instead of pick 90.

After a fashion, I was as surprised by the last Soviet pick as I was by the first one.

 

[The Macho King]

So some draft thoughts.

First - holy shit Jacques Plante did not get drafted. When I drafted Hall, I as thinking I had a good chance at either Hall - Robinson or Hall - Lafleur, so I didn't burn my Montreal pick (my alternative plan was Plante - Chelios, which in hindsight would have been a bit better). I'm obviously very happy with Hall - I think team circumstances put him and Plante in the same tier so it's not like I am hurting, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have gladly burned my Montreal pick there, or gone the other way with grabbing Lafleur or Robinson.

This draft was amazing for how the Montreal meta changed. Basically we had the same thing where in the first few rounds few were touched, but when it went off, holy shit did it go off.

And seriously - Jacques Plante was not picked. Just amazing.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Since this site has been broken all week, lets run assassinations through all of next week

 

[VanIslander]

Thank you ChiTownPhilly for the respect.

Laval built Fetisov, HARVEY, Clancy ... as the #1 trios for a reason, backed up with the ability to handle any size/muscle with Chara, Conacher.

Surprise? ... this ain't no Kharlamov, Dionne,

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

If anyone else has been having trouble accessing the site on desktop (while being fine on mobile), try typing hfboards.mandatory.com. Just hfboards.com no longer seems to work.

 

[BenchBrawl]

After a fashion, I was as surprised by the last Soviet pick as I was by the first one.

It was the way the board played out for me, I had to save USSR for my last defenseman. Could've picked Ragulin, went with Lutchenko. Flip a coin.

 

[VanIslander]

Maltsev should have been at least the 10th Soviet drafted.

It's hard to see Recchi, Martinec and Hextall Sr. in top-6 roles and Maltsev undrafted.

Such is the logic of the OPPF draft.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Thank you ChiTownPhilly for the respect.

It WAS fun to go hammer-and-tongs with you in the quest to accumulate the League's best BlueLiners- made more interesting by the fact that we held consecutive draft positions. Ultimately (if judging by talent), I'd say you carried the day- but I think I was in-the-ballpark:

Defenceman/HoH Top 100 ranking qua defencemen...

Harvey=2
Bourque=3
Potvin=7
Fetisov=8
Clancy=11
Salming=22
Chara=23
Keith=25

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Pre-NHL: Now & Then-

Player	2021	2020	2019	2018
S. Cleghorn	44	47	58	25
F. (C) Taylor	45	42	53	51
Phillips	79	78	86	79
Malone	87	152	151	131
T.E. (M) Johnson	120	105	117	132
Foyston	130	117	121	95
Fredrickson	138	250	ND	ND
W.H. (H) Stuart	149	85	119	124
J. Walker	168	ND	ND	ND
Lehman	195	ND	ND	ND
L. Patrick	ND	193	200	150
George Hay	ND	245	ND	ND
Art Duncan	ND	ND	225	225
H. Gardiner	ND	ND	ND	135
Art Ross	ND	ND	ND	212

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

There's an escarpment here, too- perhaps no less pronounced than that of Chicago. If you haven't played your pre-NHL card by the time of Foyston (or Malone in years before this one), you're using this well for depth-components, or you're not drawing from it at all.

 

[VanIslander]

... HoH Top 100 ranking qua defencemen...

Harvey=2
Fetisov=8
Clancy=11

K. Then Zdeno Chara better than most 2nd d first pairings in this draft! Remember guys, this is a 10-team all-time draft: Langway should be your 6th dman, or at least third pairing, pk guy.

 

[VanIslander]

What are the two picks you missed out on, would've certainly drafted next, were stolen just before you?

Hextall, Sr.
Fleury.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Pre-NHL: Now & Then-

Player	2021	2020	2019	2018
S. Cleghorn	44	47	58	25
F. (C) Taylor	45	42	53	51
Phillips	79	78	86	79
Malone	87	152	151	131
T.E. (M) Johnson	120	105	117	132
Foyston	130	117	121	95
Fredrickson	138	250	ND	ND
W.H. (H) Stuart	149	85	119	124
J. Walker	168	ND	ND	ND
Lehman	195	ND	ND	ND
L. Patrick	ND	193	200	150
George Hay	ND	245	ND	ND
Art Duncan	ND	ND	225	225
H. Gardiner	ND	ND	ND	135
Art Ross	ND	ND	ND	212

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

There's an escarpment here, too- perhaps no less pronounced than that of Chicago. If you haven't played your pre-NHL card by the time of Foyston (or Malone in years before this one), you're using this well for depth-components, or you're not drawing from it at all.

You draw the line at Foyston and claim the rest is mere depth, but Hod Stuart was ranked over both Foyston and Moose Johnson in the Top 200 Project, and just in general is considered higher on the all-time scale. The 1925 MacLean's article also speaks volume of his reputation in the 1920's, especially compared to Moose. The way I see it, I got him at a bargain.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

What are the two picks you missed out on, would've certainly drafted next, were stolen just before you?

Hextall, Sr.
Fleury.

Red Kelly
Larry Robinson
(Although prob wouldn’t have targeted Robinson had I got Kelly)

Edit: also was looking at Morenz and Lafleur, I was banking on at least one of those 3 making it to my next pick and none did

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

You draw the line at Foyston and claim the rest is mere depth, but Hod Stuart was ranked over both Foyston and Moose Johnson in the Top 200 Project, and just in general is considered higher on the all-time scale. The 1925 MacLean's article also speaks volume of his reputation in the 1920's, especially compared to Moose. The way I see it, I got him at a bargain.

Yeah- upon reflection, you're probably right.
Hod Stuart is a deluxe 3rd pairing D this year. However, he's NOT the MOST deluxe, nor the second-most deluxe, nor the third most deluxe.

Larry Robinson... also was looking at Morenz and Lafleur, I was banking on at least one of those 3 making it to my next pick and none did

Thank you for confirming- if I got too-clever-by-half and tried to play the waiting-game one more Round on Morenz, I would have wound up donning Wile E. Coyote make-up. [Although the door to Plante would gave remained open to me.]

 

[tabness]

Jack Walker (also Eddie Carpenter although in his case much shorter/injury plagued career generally mean he isn't getting many looks) seem to be clearly considered right up there with Foyston in his MVP season in terms of Seattle's best as well.

 

[ResilientBeast]

K. Then Zdeno Chara better than most 2nd d first pairings in this draft! Remember guys, this is a 10-team all-time draft: Langway should be your 6th dman, or at least third pairing, pk guy.

Lol what, if he's a top 40 D all time he's a top 4 guy

 

[ResilientBeast]

Can we start voting this coming weekend? I can find some time to assassinate some more

 

[tinyzombies]

Do we have to tell the truth or can we make stuff up?

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Coaches- Now & Then [Last one of these until voting begins]

Coach	2021	2020	2019	2018
Bowman	107	162	122	105
L. Patrick	131	167	155	143
T. Blake	141	166	103	139
Arbour	143	169	153	151
Sather	153	202	169	209
Irvin	156	ND	ND	196
Ivan	162	196	197	164
Shero	166	203	238	230
Quenneville	184	233	248	181
Pete Green	192	ND	ND	ND
Tarasov	ND	181	237	202
Hap Day	ND	210	226	ND
Cecil Hart	ND	235	ND	214
Imlach	ND	236	ND	ND
Lemaire	ND	ND	228	ND
L. Robinson	ND	ND	235	ND
Gorman	ND	ND	ND	241

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Bowman picked in the 11th Round. It DIDN'T start a run. Happens. Next coach not picked until Round 14.
Eight coaches always picked. Tarasov has his streak end this year. Pete Green makes his debut.