Prospect Info: The 2018 Draft Thread

[McFlash97]

Bouchard is def not a bad consolation prize for the Oil. Get him a solid skating coach, if Bouchard ever gets the skating part of his game to above average your looking at a 60 point NHL defenseman

 

[CupofOil]

My preference is for players ranked 7-10

Kotkaniemi
Dobson
Boqvist

And if somehow he fell: Hughes

I'd be very surprised if Kotkaniemi was even a consideration for them. Chia made it clear that he likes a cluster of Dmen (unless he was bluffing) and I'm fairly confident that Smith is in that cluster because of their preference of WHL players and the Yamamoto connection so if it's a choice of Kotkaniemi and Smith, I'd be shocked if they picked the Finn.

 

[LaGu]

Boqvist signed a 1 year contract with SHL club Brynas today. I don't know how normal this is but even though there is an out-clause I guess this means he intends to play in the SHL another year.

 

[Aerrol]

Boqvist signed a 1 year contract with SHL club Brynas today. I don't know how normal this is but even though there is an out-clause I guess this means he intends to play in the SHL another year.

I'd be shocked if there's no out-clause, but even if there isn't it's not that surprising. Boqvist has always been the rawest of the big-name dmen in this draft, so it'd be very surprising to see him play in NA next year.

 

[dustrock]

Everything I hear about Wilde is that he is a home run pick and I just don't think the Oilers can afford to make that kind of pick.

He could be Bogosian. All the tools, no tool kit.

 

[Aerrol]

Everything I hear about Wilde is that he is a home run pick and I just don't think the Oilers can afford to make that kind of pick.

He could be Bogosian. All the tools, no tool kit.

He screams even worse Bogosian to me. Bogosian at least looked like he had that tool kit in jrs... Wilde is already getting serious questions about it now. That usually doesn't get better at higher levels of competition.

 

[McDNicks17]

I think I'd have Jared McIsaac ahead of Wilde as the next best defenseman after the top10 guys.

 

[LaGu]

I'd be shocked if there's no out-clause, but even if there isn't it's not that surprising. Boqvist has always been the rawest of the big-name dmen in this draft, so it'd be very surprising to see him play in NA next year.

I think the out-clause is between the leagues. SHL basically funnels a pre-set lump sum to any team losing a player under contract to NHL.

Edit: but I agree with the point, this year he was a star in the U18 and didn't play that much in the SHL. Next year he'll be in the SHL and certainly playing important minutes for the U20s team (and possibly also for the national team).

Anyhow, he's not ours yet so maybe all this doesn't matter. But I have a feeling he is the one who will dropto 10.

 

[Raab]

Bouchard is def not a bad consolation prize for the Oil. Get him a solid skating coach, if Bouchard ever gets the skating part of his game to above average your looking at a 60 point NHL defenseman

Bouchard reminds me a lot of Draisaitl. Where if he gets his skating together you're gonna have one hell of a player.

 

[rambo97]

I know Bouchard always gets ragged on for his skating....I’ve stated this before and I will add the caveat that I’m watching this on tv and not live or with a stop watch or anything.

Having watched Bouchard a lot what I’ve noticed is that his skating in the beginning of a game is great. His skating starts deteriorating from the 2nd period onwards. I’ve always chalked it up to playing a lot and always have assumed that if his minutes get cut he’d be better. Now I guess there is a danger their in that line of thinking but that’s always what I have felt.

I highly doubt he’ll be available at #10. Have read Det likes him a lot. I think Ari could grab him. Van is apparently gaga over Dobson.

I think Boqvist is the guy that will drop to our pick. If Dobson gets past Van then he is the other candidate. Can’t wait for draft day.

Praying we keep the pick and not make another stupid and I’ll advised trade

 

[XXIV97]

I know Bouchard always gets ragged on for his skating....I’ve stated this before and I will add the caveat that I’m watching this on tv and not live or with a stop watch or anything.

Having watched Bouchard a lot what I’ve noticed is that his skating in the beginning of a game is great. His skating starts deteriorating from the 2nd period onwards. I’ve always chalked it up to playing a lot and always have assumed that if his minutes get cut he’d be better. Now I guess there is a danger their in that line of thinking but that’s always what I have felt.

I highly doubt he’ll be available at #10. Have read Det likes him a lot. I think Ari could grab him. Van is apparently gaga over Dobson.

I think Boqvist is the guy that will drop to our pick. If Dobson gets past Van then he is the other candidate. Can’t wait for draft day.

Praying we keep the pick and not make another stupid and I’ll advised trade

Wouldn't this mean that Bouchard needs to work on his conditioning? Instead of cutting his minutes, I would make sure that his workout routine is more cardio based, maybe Crossfit.

 

[McFlash97]

Me thinks Boqvist goes insane in the SHL this coming year. Numbers through the roof. Instantly becomes 2nd best pick in the draft.

 

[McDNicks17]

Wouldn't this mean that Bouchard needs to work on his conditioning? Instead of cutting his minutes, I would make sure that his workout routine is more cardio based, maybe Crossfit.

London was pretty low on talent, so he was playing 30+ minutes every night, basically.

 

[XXIV97]

London was pretty low on talent, so he was playing 30+ minutes every night, basically.

Oh okay. I thought he was maybe playing around 25 minutes

 

[Stud Muffin]

I highly doubt he’ll be available at #10. Have read Det likes him a lot. I think Ari could grab him. Van is apparently gaga over Dobson

I’ve read this as well, if I had to guess I’d say
1.Buffalo-Dahlin
2.Carolina-Svechnikov
3.Montreal-Zadina
4.Ottawa-Tkachuk
5.Arizona-Hughes
6.Detroit-Bouchard
7.Vancouver-Dobson
8.Rangers-Wahlstrom
9.Chicago-
10.Edmonton-

The only teams I see throwing a wrench in this is Montreal or Ottawa. Chicago I just don’t have any idea what there leaning towards.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Bouchard is easily the best dman in this draft (that even has a remote chance of being there when the Oilers pick).

I hope this "fact" that he isn't an elite skater (which is overblown) causes him to fall because he'd be a steal of a pick anywhere outside the top 3.

 

[EDMOILERS9729]

Id be ecstatic with Bouchard at 10. Get him training with Drais skating coach and honestly I could see the kid earning a spot on the opening roster with his nhl ready high hockey iq, nhl ready size, nhl ready shot, ability to be a pp qb. Wouldnt be too hard to see him earning a spot on the team in his rookie season like Werenski did if he can improve his skating.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I could see the Rangers passing on Bouchard because they already have a similar player in Shattenkirk and DeAngelo and Pionk also have offensive upside.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

This is how I see the draft going:

Buffalo: Dahlin
Carolina: Svechnikov
Montreal: Zadina
Ottawa: Tkachuk
Arizona: Wahlstrom
Detroit: Hughes/Boqvist
Vancouver: Dobson
Chicago: Hughes/Boqvist
New York: Kotkaniemi
Edmonton: Bouchard

I would be ecstatic if this happened. Bouchard reminds me so much of Brent Burns. Both weren't considered good skaters in junior, both have incredible offensive instincts, both have a great shot, can log minutes, and play the right side. I can even see him playing in the NHL as soon as next year, on the 3rd pairing and top PP unit. He has nothing left to prove in the OHL.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

If his skating is bad howd he get 10 breakaway goals/goals in the paint.
(Bouchatd)

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

This is how I see the draft going:

Buffalo: Dahlin
Carolina: Svechnikov
Montreal: Zadina
Ottawa: Tkachuk
Arizona: Wahlstrom
Detroit: Hughes/Boqvist
Vancouver: Dobson
Chicago: Hughes/Boqvist
New York: Kotkaniemi
Edmonton: Bouchard

I would be ecstatic if this happened. Bouchard reminds me so much of Brent Burns. Both weren't considered good skaters in junior, both have incredible offensive instincts, both have a great shot, can log minutes, and play the right side. I can even see him playing in the NHL as soon as next year, on the 3rd pairing and top PP unit. He has nothing left to prove in the OHL.

That's close, here's how I see it.

Buffalo: Dahlin
Carolina: Svechnikov
NYR: Zadina (Trade, #3 and Del la Rose for #9, Bos' 1st and Spooner)
Ottawa: Tkachuk
Arizona: Hughes
Detroit: Dobson
Vancouver: Wahlstrom
Chicago: Boqvist
Montreal: Kotkaniemi
Edmonton: Bouchard

Edit: Montreal gets value and a center, Arizona gets a marketable American defenseman and Vancouver gets a lineman(countryman) for Boesner

 

[CupofOil]

I’ve read this as well, if I had to guess I’d say
1.Buffalo-Dahlin
2.Carolina-Svechnikov
3.Montreal-Zadina
4.Ottawa-Tkachuk
5.Arizona-Hughes
6.Detroit-Bouchard
7.Vancouver-Dobson
8.Rangers-Wahlstrom
9.Chicago-
10.Edmonton-

The only teams I see throwing a wrench in this is Montreal or Ottawa. Chicago I just don’t have any idea what there leaning towards.

Chicago is interesting because they have a lot of good young forwards on the big club with a big weakness on D but their best prospects are defensemen so it's really a coin flip if they take a forward or Dman, same with the Rangers.

I know Bergevin has a habit of going against the grain but Zadina makes too much sense with Pacioretty likely on the way out and their desperate need for a pure goal scorer so can't see them reaching for a center.

 

[dustrock]

With Bouchard, it might be conditioning. I saw the same thing with Draisaitl in the Memorial Cup run, and in his first 2 years as an Oilers. You could see he was gassed some shifts.

 

[joestevens29]

Id be ecstatic with Bouchard at 10. Get him training with Drais skating coach and honestly I could see the kid earning a spot on the opening roster with his nhl ready high hockey iq, nhl ready size, nhl ready shot, ability to be a pp qb. Wouldnt be too hard to see him earning a spot on the team in his rookie season like Werenski did if he can improve his skating.

The problem is the kid has to want it. We saw this before with Schremp where he thought his skills would make up for his lack of foot speed. Even LD, it took until he actually saw at the NHL level that he needed to work on his skating

 

[rambo97]

With Bouchard, it might be conditioning. I saw the same thing with Draisaitl in the Memorial Cup run, and in his first 2 years as an Oilers. You could see he was gassed some shifts.

A lot of the speculation was that he was just conserving his energy. He played some games 40 minutes a night. That is a crap load of minutes. He was regularly around the 35 minute mark in most games and like I said some games he played 40 minutes.

If you are playing every 2nd shift in every game I think he should be given a break as it's hard to maintain your skating mechanics and energy playing that much.