Prospect Info: Play Bad for Ekblad? (the 2014 draft thread)

[Vagrant]

Little late in the Fleury discussion from a couples day ago but I was watching the draft profiles videos on the Canes site. Tony Macdonald said Fleury would be the safe pick at 7 but Darren Yorke said they will take the BPA on there list. So I don't think it'll be Fleury we draft. Of course Ron Francis makes the decision and that could mean nothing what they said.

I can't see Ronnie playing it safe with this pick either. I think he wants a smart hockey player here. That does, in my opinion, eliminate a few options for who I personally believe it will be. I don't think Fleury is exciting enough. Wouldn't be shocked if if was between who RF feels is more hockey smart between Ritchie and Virtanen. Conversely, the same between Ehlers and Fabbri. Lindholm is very much a RF type pick and it wouldn't shock me if he had a say in that pick. Ridiculously smart player.

 

[GoldiFox]

I can't see Ronnie playing it safe with this pick either. I think he wants a smart hockey player here. That does, in my opinion, eliminate a few options for who I personally believe it will be. I don't think Fleury is exciting enough. Wouldn't be shocked if if was between who RF feels is more hockey smart between Ritchie and Virtanen. Conversely, the same between Ehlers and Fabbri. Lindholm is very much a RF type pick and it wouldn't shock me if he had a say in that pick. Ridiculously smart player.

I'm beginning to get the feeling that Fabbri is going to slip due to concerns over size and advanced stats showing he was a product of an amazing team, almost exactly as Petan did last year when he fell to #43.

I don't think Fabbri will fall quite that far, but I think he could be had in the 20-30 range if the Canes wanted to trade up (edit: from their 2nd). Would be a great call if they did and still fills the nepotism requirements with Scotty Walker.

 

[Vagrant]

I'm beginning to get the feeling that Fabbri is going to slip due to concerns over size and advanced stats showing he was a product of an amazing team, almost exactly as Petan did last year when he fell to #43.

I don't think Fabbri will fall quite that far, but I think he could be had in the 20-30 range if the Canes wanted to trade up (edit: from their 2nd). Would be a great call if they did and still fills the nepotism requirements with Scotty Walker.

I truly can't see that happening. Fabbri's trajectory has been northbound all season. I think people were waiting for him to slow down and it never happened. He just got stronger as the year went on. At some point even on loaded teams you have to consider that maybe there are just that many good players on the squad. They only play three guys at a time at forward just like everybody else. But they had a ton of high draft picks and potential high draft picks on that team. In a few years we'll look back at that team and count hundreds of NHL games between them.

Petan was in a different situation. I don't think a lot of teams doubted his Junior production. But he was riding shotgun with a kid that really overplayed the level in Ty Rattie. And truthfully, Petan's aggregate draft range was just outside the first round to begin with. No reputable scouting service had him in the Top 15. He was measured at 5-8 and 1/2 at the combine which is well below the "maybe he plays a little bigger", line for scouts. I feel like anything below 5-10 puts a target on your back and a downward bullet on your draft ranking. Fabbri came in at 5-10 and 1/4 and a decent 172 lbs. Playing weight probably right around 180 already. It doesn't sound like much but it's a fairly significant difference in how teams view a player. Fabbri is the same size as Kevin Fiala and just slightly shorter, less than an inch, from Nylander. If he hits one more little growth spurt he's 5-11 and size is no longer discussed.

He's unquestionably the Skinner of this draft year. I don't think he goes any further down than 11 or 12 if he escapes the Top 10 at all. If scouting services weren't so rigid with not departing from their preseason and midterm rankings in terms of pushing guys way up the board, he'd be ranked a lot higher than 11th by CSS.

 

[GoldiFox]

I truly can't see that happening. Fabbri's trajectory has been northbound all season. I think people were waiting for him to slow down and it never happened. He just got stronger as the year went on. At some point even on loaded teams you have to consider that maybe there are just that many good players on the squad. They only play three guys at a time at forward just like everybody else. But they had a ton of high draft picks and potential high draft picks on that team. In a few years we'll look back at that team and count hundreds of NHL games between them.

Petan was in a different situation. I don't think a lot of teams doubted his Junior production. But he was riding shotgun with a kid that really overplayed the level in Ty Rattie. And truthfully, Petan's aggregate draft range was just outside the first round to begin with. No reputable scouting service had him in the Top 15. He was measured at 5-8 and 1/2 at the combine which is well below the "maybe he plays a little bigger", line for scouts. I feel like anything below 5-10 puts a target on your back and a downward bullet on your draft ranking. Fabbri came in at 5-10 and 1/4 and a decent 172 lbs. Playing weight probably right around 180 already. It doesn't sound like much but it's a fairly significant difference in how teams view a player. Fabbri is the same size as Kevin Fiala and just slightly shorter, less than an inch, from Nylander. If he hits one more little growth spurt he's 5-11 and size is no longer discussed.

He's unquestionably the Skinner of this draft year. I don't think he goes any further down than 11 or 12 if he escapes the Top 10 at all. If scouting services weren't so rigid with not departing from their preseason and midterm rankings in terms of pushing guys way up the board, he'd be ranked a lot higher than 11th by CSS.

Maybe that will be the case, we will have to wait and see (thankfully only one more day). I think the success of LA being a big, imposing team will push up the stock of guys like Larkin, Barbashev, McCann, Milano, Bleackley, Tuch, Cornel, Pollock, etc.

McKenzie has Fabbri at #14, Button at #28, CSS at #21 for NA skaters, McKeens at #17, and ISS at #8.

edit: for reference here is an interesting article on Fabbri's QoT: http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/24/robby-fabbri-nikita-scherbak-and-how-qot-can-impact-draft-stock

 

[What the Faulk]

ice_chip
While saying no major trades, Francis said Canes could potentially move down from 7th pick in first round. "I do not see us moving up."

Of course, at this point, it's all a show, but I'm inclined to believe him here.

 

[GoldiFox]

ice_chip
While saying no major trades, Francis said Canes could potentially move down from 7th pick in first round. "I do not see us moving up."

Of course, at this point, it's all a show, but I'm inclined to believe him here.

Sounds like they have a guy or two they are hoping falls, if not they will look to trade back.

 

[bleedgreen]

Moving down is a mistake. Hoping he's just blowing smoke.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Moving down is a mistake. Hoping he's just blowing smoke.

Kind of depends, doesn't it? How far they drop and what kind of return we get for dropping are 2 things to consider.

I am hoping we do trade down and accumulate more assets. To say our cupboard is bare is quite an understatement.

 

[Unsustainable]

If someone we really want is gone, why not drop back to 10th and pick up an extra 2nd?

Say they want Ritchie, and Burke takes him, the other big 5 are gone, and Anaheim wants Ehlers or something, take there 2nd and 10th pick, drop back, maybe Fluery is there, grab him, trade the 2 2nds for a late pick, and grab Tuch or Ho Sang.

 

[bleedgreen]

How often do you get a better player in the end? What's more important, two third liners or a possible first liner? How often do you get top ten picks? Even in a "lesser" draft you're getting a quality player, and I don't believe you're getting a better player further down. If you're going off the chart, fine but I've never been a fan of going too far off the chart with your top ten pick.

We can get Ritchie, virtanen, or fleury where we are at most likely and if not someone up top dropped to us and we need to take them. Unless you're an Ehlers, nylander or fabbri fan I don't see the point of missing out on these guys just to pick up an extra second rounder. Ehlers and nylander will likely go right around us anyways.

People are turned off about Ritchie's attitude but ok with ho sang? Fleury won't drop lower than 10 IMO. I doubt even that far.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

In a recent TweetMail:

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=723850

Dramatic or not, changes are ahead under Executive Vice President and General Manager Ron Francis in both the scouts’ focus and the development of players within the system.

“We had our meeting with our scouts,†he said after last week’s coaching news conference. “We talked about some of the things we want them to do that might be a little bit different.â€

When Francis took over reins as general manager, he had to jump head-first into a coaching decision and a subsequent extensive and thorough coaching search, draft prep and free agency prep, among other items.

Once the offseason settles down, Francis aims to put in place a master organizational plan that will set in motion a standard for the years to come.

“It’s our plan to put a complete structure in place from when we draft a kid to when he plays in the National Hockey League with us,†Francis said. “We’ll start working on that so that our scouts understand what kind of player we’re drafting for, our development guys understand what we want in the development process, our coaches in Charlotte understand with what we’re trying to do in developing players and our coaches here know what we’re bringing in.

“I think it’s important for us as a smaller market team to have that; we’ve got to have very solid depth guys so if we get into a situation where we can’t afford a guy, we have another guy who can step in and take his place.â€

So it sounds like, while this will be Francis' first draft as GM, the team will be drafting under the scouting reports and standards set by JR. Next year will give a better indication of Francis' true draft plan.

 

[Unsustainable]

How often do you get a better player in the end? What's more important, two third liners or a possible first liner? How often do you get top ten picks? Even in a "lesser" draft you're getting a quality player, and I don't believe you're getting a better player further down. If you're going off the chart, fine but I've never been a fan of going too far off the chart with your top ten pick.

We can get Ritchie, virtanen, or fleury where we are at most likely and if not someone up top dropped to us and we need to take them. Unless you're an Ehlers, nylander or fabbri fan I don't see the point of missing out on these guys just to pick up an extra second rounder. Ehlers and nylander will likely go right around us anyways.

People are turned off about Ritchie's attitude but ok with ho sang? Fleury won't drop lower than 10 IMO. I doubt even that far.

I wouldn't drop us back past 10.

Where Virt / Fleury / Ehlers would still be avail.

I don't think there is that big of drop off till 11 or 12.

Fleury could be a top 4 D for us like Faulk, but if we can grab him at 10 and get an extra 2nd. Why not?

 

[Unsustainable]

In a recent TweetMail:

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=723850



So it sounds like, while this will be Francis' first draft as GM, the team will be drafting under the scouting reports and standards set by JR. Next year will give a better indication of Francis' true draft plan.

Thank Cthulhu he gets it.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

That's all I wanted this offseason. Too lazy to find the post and toot my own horn, but we need a standard in this organization.

I don't care if we draft and develop kids based on hockey sense, speed, physicality, shot, physical attractiveness or their ability to own noobs at Call of Duty. Just a clear organizational standard, from our scouts to our coaches to our draftees to our players all throughout the organization.

 

[bleedgreen]

I wouldn't drop us back past 10.

Where Virt / Fleury / Ehlers would still be avail.

I don't think there is that big of drop off till 11 or 12.

Fleury could be a top 4 D for us like Faulk, but if we can grab him at 10 and get an extra 2nd. Why not?

I guess I don't have your faith those guys will be available there. I would take Ritchie over all of them as of today so if he's there at seven it's another reason to stay. Not sure he'll be there.

 

[bleedgreen]

In a recent TweetMail:

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=723850



So it sounds like, while this will be Francis' first draft as GM, the team will be drafting under the scouting reports and standards set by JR. Next year will give a better indication of Francis' true draft plan.

I wish it was this year, but it's a positive development nevertheless.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I'm sure some of his philosophy will show through in their rankings and drafting this year, they will just be better prepared for it going forward.

As for trading down, of course it depends on the return and if someone good drops, but I would drop down a few spots if possible. I would do it because I like a lot of guys that could go anywhere in our area and don't see huge differences unless we can get a really good faller.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

So it sounds like, while this will be Francis' first draft as GM, the team will be drafting under the scouting reports and standards set by JR. Next year will give a better indication of Francis' true draft plan.

Whether it was JR, Francis, the scouts or whatever, I think the Canes have done a pretty good job in the first couple of rounds the past few years (sans the Paradis pick). Skinner and Lindholm were very good picks (although Lindholm still TBD). Murphy may or may not pan out, but was the right pick at the time it was made IMO and he still has a ton of potential.

For 2nd rounders, Faulk was a fantastic pick. Dumoulin, Alt (who is progressing well in Philly from what I heard), and McGinn all look to be good 2nd round picks as well. Jury is still out on Rask and DiGuisseppe, but those were kind of guys that were at one time thought to be potential first rounders that slipped a bit IIRC.

Heck, at this point, although these guys all won't make it. I can't complain too much about 3rd rounders either. Pesce, Biega, Lowe and Altshuller.

 

[Joe McGrath]

The later rounds are probably going to be entirely based on what the scouts have put together under Jar, but the top round or two might have more variation since Framcis went to the U18 and saw the guys himself. And he will be interviewing some of the guys in Philly as well. The 1st pick is going to be almost entirely Francis IMO.

 

[PorkFlavoredTobacco]

With the 7th Pick, the Carolina Panthers select..

Nich Ritchie, LW, Peterborough Petes

Looks like the Canes miss out.

Via the Chronicle Herald

 

[Boats Ahoes]

read the facebook post comments about Ritchie for a great laugh.

My personal favourite:

"This is the guy we need- not another pansy who gets knocked into next week ever time he crosses the blue line. But if you listen to those ***** at HF Boards, that's exactly what they want. I piss in their butts."


On another note, I think I'm on the Virtanen train right now, but there's 4 or 5 picks we could make that I'd be satisfied with.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Is it just me, or does Virtanen remind anyone of Tuomo Ruutu. And that has nothing to do with him being injured (although that is kind of ironic).

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Mods, maybe someone can make a draft GDT (I realize it's a day early) since this one is almost at 1000?

 

[Buenos Necas]

Is it just me, or does Virtanen remind anyone of Tuomo Ruutu. And that has nothing to do with him being injured (although that is kind of ironic).

If Tuomo Ruutu could skate

But yeah, same size and same bull mentality.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Mods, maybe someone can make a draft GDT (I realize it's a day early) since this one is almost at 1000?

Solid timing.

Continue in the GDT: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1696499