Unlikely Draft Scenario

[The Zetterberg Era]

Okay we know the chances are very slim. But just out of pure curiosity what do you think the Wings would actually do if they got the #1 pick? A buddy and I were discussing this last night and I actually think it is an extremely tough choice. I would lean towards Jones but MacKinnon could answer our future down the middle and might actually be the better choice. You might also think somebody else like Barkov should be the choice just state who after selecting other. Who do you think the Wings would select if the lottery Gods were kind?

Click to read more...

 

[ricky0034]

MacKinnon

but i'd strongly consider trading down a few spots and taking Lindholm while picking up a Defenseman in the process as well

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

MacKinnon. He can replace Datsyuk and I feel our biggest weakness is our lack of top 6 center prospects. I certainly wouldn't be angry if they'd pick Jones instead.

 

[mindfly]

Wings D sucks, Jones easily... you don't need to think about this for very long.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Wings D sucks, Jones easily... you don't need to think about this for very long.

I think they would think very long on that. Picking a potential franchise defenseman over a franchise caliber forward is rare. I don't remember a D-man that I felt better about heading into a draft than Jones, but that is still a huge risk. The more I think about it the more I waiver.

 

[Xvash2]

Seth Jones is already taller than everyone else on the Wings defense save for Jonathan Ericsson and the kid's only 18.

Also personal bias, would like to see the Jones be the first person from my hometown to go first overall in an NHL entry draft.

 

[joe89]

I feel like there is more certainty in taking a forward. If we look at the consensus #1 forward drafted lately it's been a worthy pick every time.

 

[sully6one]

Only one logical decision, draft MacKinnon with #1, trade for #2 and get Jones. Win the cup the next 20 years

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Only one logical decision, draft MacKinnon with #1, trade for #2 and get Jones. Win the cup the next 20 years

The #2 team would have to be a playoff contender so we could trade Datsyuk+

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

The more I think about it the more I would like Jones but I just feel like our center depth is going to be really really bad once Pavs retires and Z starts to decline. Jarnkrok is our only center prospect with top 6 potential and we already have a ton of great defensive prospects. Smith, Ouellet, Sproul, Backman, Marchenko all have top-4 potential.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

We've won cups with average defenses.
We've never won a cup without really good center depth

 

[Eye of Ra]

I would trade down to take Elias Lindholm and a good defencemen (Santini, Bowey etc).

 

[SirloinUB]

Mackinnon would be my choice. I think Barkov would be my second choice, Jones my third

 

[ChadS]

[sarcasm]I would love to hear MacKinnon's thoughts about playing 2 years in junior and then 3 in Grand Rapids.[/sarcasm]

I would trade to 3rd and pick whoever is left out of MacKinnon, Jones and Barkov. I really like Drouin as well but not ahead of those three.

 

[Henkka]

Alexander Barkov will be first the most NHL ready of those guys. Don't know if we should take him at #1, but he is the most perfect fit to our system and propect core.

 

[mindfly]

Alexander Barkov will be first the most NHL ready of those guys. Don't we should take him at #1, but he is the most perfect fit to our system and propect core.

Then again it's the scary russian factor, I wouldn't pick a russian that early.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Then again it's the scary russian factor, I wouldn't pick a russian that early.

he is from finland...

 

[InjuredChoker]

Then again it's the scary russian factor, I wouldn't pick a russian that early.

Please define 'scary Russian factor'.

 

[Henkka]

Then again it's the scary russian factor, I wouldn't pick a russian that early.

Good one.


***

One funny story about Barkov. At junior age he was too defensive. His dad had to teach him to be more offensive, not to be a "central defender" (soccer term), you are a centre forward! Sasha was always helping the defence as a first guy, and after those shifts in the own end he was too exhausted to create any offence. He told this himself in one story.

I have never heard this kind of things about a young kid. Usually they are selfish offensive idiots and defence comes later in the adult age.

He is mentally like Datsyuk. He thinks hockey at soccer way, just like Pavels does. He is humble, but has some good jokes. And he wants to win. He has got his hand-eye coordination from Tennis, his older brother was a mediocre tennis-professional. And he is still growing, maybe 6'4 will be his final height. Biggest improvement from last season has come in lower-body strength. Now he can handle tackes, doesn't fly on the ice from every contact.

But what comes for Barkov, he is seventeen, plays already both PK and PP at Tappara, 19 minutes a night. Quite a huge jump from last seasons 13 minutes. His faceoff percentage has also improved from under 40 (at last season) to 54%. He playes with NHL'rs (Nieminen and Hansen, Foster) against NHLrs (some other lockout-helps here) and does well. It will be nice to see how he manages against juniors at WJC. That should be domination, if his linemates are on the map as him.

 

[mindfly]

Please define 'scary Russian factor'.

Might opt for KHL rather than NHL... or if it doesn't go as smoothly early on in the NHL... head back home.

Good one.


***

One funny story about Barkov. At junior age he was too defensive. His dad had to teach him to be more offensive, not to be a "central defender" (soccer term), you are a centre forward! Sasha was always helping the defence as a first guy, and after those shifts in the own end he was too exhausted to create any offence. He told this himself in one story.

I have never heard this kind of things about a young kid. Usually they are selfish offensive idiots and defence comes later in the adult age.

He is mentally like Datsyuk. He thinks hockey at soccer way, just like Pavels does. He is humble, but has some good jokes. And he wants to win. He has got his hand-eye coordination from Tennis, his older brother was a mediocre tennis-professional. And he is still growing, maybe 6'4 will be his final height. Biggest improvement from last season has come in lower-body strength. Now he can handle tackes, doesn't fly on the ice from every contact.

But what comes for Barkov, he is seventeen, plays already both PK and PP at Tappara, 19 minutes a night. Quite a huge jump from last seasons 13 minutes. His faceoff percentage has also improved from under 40 (at last season) to 54%. He playes with NHL'rs (Nieminen and Hansen, Foster) against NHLrs (some other lockout-helps here) and does well. It will be nice to see how he manages against juniors at WJC. That should be domination, if his linemates are on the map as him.

I know he has parts of finnish in him but he's also russian in his dna..he's both russian and finnish... dual citizenship.

 

[Henkka]

The Russian factor is quite minor for him. He just speaks the language, because the family speaks it, but otherivise he is total Finnish, has lived his whole life in here, friends etc. I understand Russians that want to play for their home country with decent money where the families are etc. but Russia isn't a home country for Barkov.

Many scouts are saying that Barkov is enough good to play in NHL straight after the draft. So why go to KHL, when you can jump in already with NHL money? If it even is a money thing. His career target is NHL.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

The Russian factor is quite minor for him. He just speaks the language, because the family speaks it, but otherivise he is total Finnish, has lived his whole life in here, friends etc. I understand Russians that want to play for their home country with decent money where the families are etc. but Russia isn't a home country for Barkov.

Many scouts are saying that Barkov is enough good to play in NHL straight after the draft. So why go to KHL, when you can jump in already with NHL money? If it even is a money thing. His career target is NHL.

because the NHL has a rookie salary cap.

 

[FissionFire]

You take the franchise center every single time. Unless you are talking a player the caliber of a Lidstrom/Bourque/Potvin you are always far better off with the center. They impact the game far more than any but the most elite of elite defenseman will. Not to mention centers can play immediately and have an impact while even the most polished defenseman will take several years to really become dominant and the Wings are definitely not a team with the luxury of time considering the aging core.

Think of it like this, if you could take any player now to start a team, how high on your list would the first defenseman be? Would you take Karlsson over Crosby? Weber over Stamkos? Pietrangelo over Getzlaf? Suter over Malkin? I'm not sure if I'd take a defenseman over any of the top 10 centers in the NHL and when you are talking about Jones vs. MacKinnon I feel Mac is far more likely to be a top 10 center one day than Jones is to be a Norris-level complete defenseman. Wasn't Hedman rated even higher than Jones is? Larsson? Just goes to show how long it takes to develop a defenseman to that elite level compared to a center who steps in day 1 and does it.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I find the ready to play in the NHL right away argument to be kind of a funny argument this year. Like Jones, MacKinnon, and Barkov aren't all ready to play in the league right away. This is going to be a really special year, because it also has great depth. Lindholm would be a slam dunk top 3 pick the last several years.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

You take the d-man and trade all of the over 30 assets minus Zetterberg. Zero problems trading Datsyuk for a prospect and a pick. You could completely change the team in one year and the rebuild might only take one season before you are a playoff team again.

The current core isn't good enough so adding MacKinnon won't make them contenders. I do not want to see the Wings turn into Calgary.