Your top 7 for the 2024 draft

[Ozmodiar]

Guhle
Matheson
Hutson
Harris
Xhekaj
Strubble
Engstrom
All our left D with nhl hope and potential.

I dont think Matheson is in the plan long term, Ill be more incline to give a last contract before retirement to Savard to gives us some time to figure out our RD. Can Barron pull it off ?? or we need to look elsewhere

despite the depth, it’s not out of the question that a top pairing LD becomes the team’s biggest need.

If:
- Guhle doesn’t elevate his game to next level. Hockey Ops are still waiting for a complete season.
- Matheson asks for top pairing $$ based on his point production, and ends up leaving.

In a perfect world, something like:
Guhle - Reinbacher
Matheson - Mailloux (a bit scary, yes)
Hutson - Xhekaj
(Engstrom, Harris, Struble, Barron)

But could end up:
_____ - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux

 

[Rapala]

True but it seems doubtful that anyone was predicting Dach to only play 4 periods. Had he stayed healthy for most of the year we are probably picking outside the top-10. You shouldn't plan your drafts out super far ahead, pretty sure Philly thought they were getting a top-10 pick this year, when Bergevin took over he fully expected another top pick after Galchenyuk.

Ending up right for the wrong reasons isn't foresight it's luck.

Yeah we probably end up at around .500 or so just outside the top ten. This is actually where I pegged us with a healthy Dach.
I've been wondering if the Slafkovsky trajectory would have been the same with a healthy Dach.
I'm thinking he would have been bumped up to Dach's line not Suzuki's.
How much confidence did he gain by playing a first line role? How much influence did Suzuki have on him?
How much PP1 time would he have got?

 

[Pat Riot]

despite the depth, it’s not out of the question that a top pairing LD becomes the team’s biggest need.

If:
- Guhle doesn’t elevate his game to next level. Hockey Ops are still waiting for a complete season.
- Matheson asks for top pairing $$ based on his point production, and ends up leaving.

In a perfect world, something like:
Guhle - Reinbacher
Matheson - Mailloux (a bit scary, yes)
Hutson - Xhekaj
(Engstrom, Harris, Struble, Barron)

But could end up:
_____ - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux

If Matheson is producing at the same rate next season. I would test his value on the market. Im not a fan at all of playing a D on his offside. My biggest question mark is Barron. Im rooting for the guy and hope he can take his game to another level. If he does fine if not we will need to sign a FA vet to take his place. I really dont want to draft a def this year.

If Barron and Hutson become the player we all hope for. My futur def lineup would look like that.

Hutson-Reinbacher
Guhle-Barron (if he flop trade him)
Xhekaj-Mailloux
Harris-Savard (polyvalent cheap depth)

Would keep Savard and offer him a last contract so he can retire as a canadiens. Give time to Reinbacher to develop in the AHL

Next season would go with

Matheson-Savard
Guhle-Barron (let them learn to play together)
Xhekaj-Mailloux
Harris-Kovacevic

Find a trading partner for Strubble. I believes he has more value on the market than Harris

Hutson-Reinbacher first pairing in Laval

 

[Sorinth]

Yeah we probably end up at around .500 or so just outside the top ten. This is actually where I pegged us with a healthy Dach.
I've been wondering if the Slafkovsky trajectory would have been the same with a healthy Dach.
I'm thinking he would have been bumped up to Dach's line not Suzuki's.
How much confidence did he gain by playing a first line role? How much influence did Suzuki have on him?
How much PP1 time would he have got?

Well Slaf was a ppg player playing with Dach, now granted it was 1 game but there's no reason to think Slaf needed to play on the top line with Suzuki to develop as he did. He needed to play with good players and he needed the confidence that comes from producing which likely would have been there with a healthy Dach.

In terms of PP Slaf likely ends up on the #1 PP anyways since it would have finished as Caufield-Suzuki-Dach-Slafkovsky-Matheson.

Also lines change all the time so he likely would have spent time alongside Caufield and Suzuki at various points in the season just like Caufield likely would have spent some time with Dach as center instead of Suzuki as line juggling is common throughout the NHL.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Matheson is 30, turns 31 mid next season, I don't think he's in any long term plans at all.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign a 2-3 year deal at the conclusion of this one if he is still healthy and is still a strong skater. He can play the right side as well so he is versatile enough to stick around. I do agree though that they are not going to base present day decisions on where they think Matheson will be 3-6 years from now. He will play out this deal and they will reevaluate his role in the organization at that point.

 

[Egresch]

The great thing about this draft is that it provides a lot of quality option to adress our needs. I think we primarly need left- handed forward with top6 potential as CC, Suzuki, Dach and even our top offensive prospects Beck and Mešár are all right handed. Only Slaf, Newhook and Roy are lefties. Celebrini, Lindstrom, Demidov, Iginla, Eiserman are all great option who would compliment our team.

 

[SOLR]

despite the depth, it’s not out of the question that a top pairing LD becomes the team’s biggest need.

If:
- Guhle doesn’t elevate his game to next level. Hockey Ops are still waiting for a complete season.
- Matheson asks for top pairing $$ based on his point production, and ends up leaving.

In a perfect world, something like:
Guhle - Reinbacher
Matheson - Mailloux (a bit scary, yes)
Hutson - Xhekaj
(Engstrom, Harris, Struble, Barron)

But could end up:
_____ - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux

I suspect Hutson will quickly overcome Guhle as the top-pairing LD. In a perfect world, Matheson is already gone.

Hutson (75) - Reinbacher (45)
Guhle (30) - X
Xhekaj (25) - Mailloux (30)
Engstrom - Struble (15)

So yes Harris, Barron and Matheson out.
Get another RD stud, so that Mailloux doesn't have to do that.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I suspect Hutson will quickly overcome Guhle as the top-pairing LD. In a perfect world, Matheson is already gone.

Hutson (75) - Reinbacher (45)
Guhle (30) - X
Xhekaj (25) - Mailloux (30)
Engstrom - Struble (15)

So yes Harris, Barron and Matheson out.
Get another RD stud, so that Mailloux doesn't have to do that.

Having a great D is nice, but you don't need a Mailloux for a 3rd pair. I would rather invest into one more forward than to draft a guy to eventually play on that 2nd pairing above Mailloux. I'm fine long term if Struble is #6 D.

It's all theory though. If a guy like Levshunov is available and the more interesting forwards are not, I still pick him.

 

[Shutdown]

Exactly, I love the fans excitement about the prospect but let them earn their spot, Guhle is not ready to become a first pair defenseman. Also, even if Hutson has showed very good flashes we need to manage his ice time next year as he has never played that many games and it will be his first year as a pro player.

Guhle is already a first pairing defenceman

 

[Nova_Scotia_Vees]

1 - Celebrini
2 - Demidov
3 - Lindstrom
4 - Iginla
5 - Catton
6 - Eiserman
7 - Levshunov

a foward for sure...
After passing on Tkachuk i feel it would be a huge mistake not to take Iginla if he's there.

 

[Scriptor]

The great thing about this draft is that it provides a lot of quality option to adress our needs. I think we primarly need left- handed forward with top6 potential as CC, Suzuki, Dach and even our top offensive prospects Beck and Mešár are all right handed. Only Slaf, Newhook and Roy are lefties. Celebrini, Lindstrom, Demidov, Iginla, Eiserman are all great option who would compliment our team.

Slaf and Roy are playing RW, though, but Caufield, a righty, is used on the left wing to maximize his shooting angles.

The lefty, righty thing, IMO, is more of defensive issue than an offensive one, and applies more to the D as long as we are talking about talented players.

 

[Scriptor]

1 - Celebrini
2 - Demidov
3 - Lindstrom
4 - Iginla
5 - Catton
6 - Eiserman
7 - Levshunov

a foward for sure...
After passing on Tkachuk i feel it would be a huge mistake not to take Iginla if he's there.

No joke, my unpopular take on the Habs' potential selections for the top-7 is:

1 - Celebrini
2 - Lindstrom
3 - Iginla
4 - Eiserman
5 - Demi-God
6 - Levshunov
7 - Dickinson

 

[SOLR]

Having a great D is nice, but you don't need a Mailloux for a 3rd pair. I would rather invest into one more forward than to draft a guy to eventually play on that 2nd pairing above Mailloux. I'm fine long term if Struble is #6 D.

It's all theory though. If a guy like Levshunov is available and the more interesting forwards are not, I still pick him.

Wasn't talking about drafting. We have Savard, Kovacevic, Matheson, Harris, Barron to trade for 1 great, young, second pairing RD. Ie. I'm talking about a Dach/Newhood trade for a RD.

 

[Sorinth]

Guhle is already a first pairing defenceman

He's playing the first pairing role but he still gets beat too much for me to consider him a first pairing guy right now. He's not far off and certainly has the potential but he's just not quite there yet.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Mind you, I'm not aware much about these draftees, but:

- Lindstrom and Iginla are my two favorites.

- Demidov, Eiserman, and Catton are players I'd be happy with.

And if they go D: Levshunov and Dickinson are two guys I'd like. These are two guys who can make some of their more quality D assets expendable. Similar to how they felt that Guhle, Xhekaj, and the eventual arrival of Struble made Romanov expendable.

 

[The Last Red]

They're not drafting Dickinson (for the benefit of some here, that's only an opinion, obviously) instead of a forward as he's a left D. If they base a trade around Logan M. for a top six forward, like Zegras, maybe they'll draft a right D but if Lindstrom is still there when they select, I doubt they would pass on him . . . for any d-man in this draft.

 

[lillypad33]

1 - Celebrini
2 - Demidov
3 - Lindstrom
4 - Catton
5 - Buium
6 - Iginla
7 - Levshunov

I think this is a good list.
I'm really hoping they can snag Lindstrom or Catton.
Would like the Benson vs Catton comparison that others have asked for.

1 - Celebrini
2 - Demidov
3 - Lindstrom
4 - Iginla
5 - Catton
6 - Eiserman
7 - Levshunov

a foward for sure...
After passing on Tkachuk i feel it would be a huge mistake not to take Iginla if he's there.

How do you like the Tinordi pick?

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

In the probability of drafting 5th spot, my choices are :
Iginla
Demidov
Eiserman
Catton

If we draft #1 my choice is Celebrini at 400%.

 

[Habssince89]

I know the short version on Eiserman is his shot his his biggest asset, and he is lacking elsewhere. Can anyone expand on that? What's the pitch to take him?

 

[Habs]

I know the short version on Eiserman is his shot his his biggest asset, and he is lacking elsewhere. Can anyone expand on that? What's the pitch to take him?

some compare him to Hoffman. Deadly shot, the rest of his game is sus, but I am not sure myself.

 

[Kosseca]

Question for those who know more about drafting and prospect.

Understanding that MTL is dead set on drafting a forward and let say the lottery does not change the current ranking AND that the draft unfold like this, how far down would you be ready to trade down and what would be the price you would want to make that move? For example, at 5 a team like Ottawa may want to jump on the chance to draft one of the top D, would you be ok with that, knowing that MTL could still get one of Catton or Iginla at 7? and what would be an ok return???


1. SJS: Celebrini
2. CHI: Demidov
3. ANA: Lidstrom
4. CBJ: Levshunov
5. MTL:
6. Utah:
7. OTT:
8. SEA:
9. CGY:
10. NJD:
11. BUF:
12. PHI:
13 Min:
14. SJS:
15. DET:
16. STL:

 

[1909]

despite the depth, it’s not out of the question that a top pairing LD becomes the team’s biggest need.

If:
- Guhle doesn’t elevate his game to next level. Hockey Ops are still waiting for a complete season.
- Matheson asks for top pairing $$ based on his point production, and ends up leaving.

In a perfect world, something like:
Guhle - Reinbacher
Matheson - Mailloux (a bit scary, yes)
Hutson - Xhekaj
(Engstrom, Harris, Struble, Barron)

But could end up:
_____ - Reinbacher
Guhle - Mailloux

At some point, they gonna have to trade some of these D assets for better forwards.

 

[1909]

Question for those who know more about drafting and prospect.

Understanding that MTL is dead set on drafting a forward and let say the lottery does not change the current ranking AND that the draft unfold like this, how far down would you be ready to trade down and what would be the price you would want to make that move? For example, at 5 a team like Ottawa may want to jump on the chance to draft one of the top D, would you be ok with that, knowing that MTL could still get one of Catton or Iginla at 7? and what would be an ok return???


1. SJS: Celebrini
2. CHI: Demidov
3. ANA: Lidstrom
4. CBJ: Levshunov
5. MTL:
6. Utah:
7. OTT:
8. SEA:
9. CGY:
10. NJD:
11. BUF:
12. PHI:
13 Min:
14. SJS:
15. DET:
16. STL:

Ottawa knows that Habs are not interested to draft a D-man. Why would they overpay to jump two places ? Two of Buium, Parech, or Dickinson will be still available.

Habs need a good gritty productive winger like Iginla. Catton is a special talent too. A potential Brayden Point. Eiserman could slip further down like Caufield few years ago.

 

[Kosseca]

Ottawa knows that Habs are not interested to draft a D-man. Why would they overpay to jump two places ? Two of Buium, Parech, or Dickinson will be still available.

Habs need a good gritty productive winger like Iginla. Catton is a special talent too. A potential Brayden Point. Eiserman could slip further down like Caufield few years ago.

Ottawa is an exemple. The question is how far down would be ok and vs what?

 

[1909]

Ottawa is an exemple. The question is how far down would be ok and vs what?

Utah and OTT need d-men for sure. How many teams after them are also looking or d-men ? If Habs can get another pick between #10 and #15 + a good prospect, it could be interesting for them to take a gamble.