2013 NHL Entry Draft Talk 4.0

[Whitesnake]

SOFTrensen.....Geez man.

I won't have a big ND list this year but I can say that after watching him quite a few times this year....Nick Sorensen, your the first one to have made my ND list! Congrats!

 

[Whitesnake]

Watching Fred Gauthier right now on Sportsnet and he's great defensively but I don't see much offence from him so far

He is a tough man to judge. The guy already thinks the game like a NHL'er. He will improve his skating stride. He is really big and will fill out more.....but what's the offensive ceiling as far as he's concerned. It still remains to be seen. The team that picks him might be picking the next Kyle Chipchura...or at least what Chipchura was SUPPOSED to become. But depending where you pick, his hockey IQ is too great to pass on. Even if he just ends up to be a great 3rd line center. But the offensive instincts are there, you just don't really know to which extent.

 

[Whitesnake]

Awesome game by Guindon. A goalie to watch till the end.

 

[QuebecPride]

I wouldn't draft any of the Remparts guys. Well, I would if they fall, but there are better players available where they're expected to go.

I'd really like the team to take a gamble on a guy like Guindon or Brassard (Éric) in later rounds.

If Erne falls to our 1st round pick, there's no reason he shouldn't be the guy.

I've heard very good reports on Guindon, from the mouth of his goaltending coach, who happens to have played a game for the Habs in his career. I'll let you guys connect the dots He said the guy works very hard during the practices. He started out the year as the clear 2nd but finally surpassed Graham, he improved a lot along the way.

Saw Roy play tonight and I was disappointed, I definitely have Poirier ahead of him now. I'm not even sure I look at Marc-Olivier in the 3rd round.

SOFTrensen.....Geez man.

I won't have a big ND list this year but I can say that after watching him quite a few times this year....Nick Sorensen, your the first one to have made my ND list! Congrats!

Interesting. I haven't watched the game yet, but from what I gathered this season he wasn't that soft. Sure, you'd like him to make more hits, but he wasn't shying from any contact.

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

Sorensen is a ND for the first 2 rounds but in the 3rd, he's good value.

 

[Franck]

I think I keep saying this from 2 years now so one day I will be right.....but we WILL pick a goalie or 2 in the upcoming draft.

Why would the Canadiens draft a goalie when they have Carey Price and there are plenty of FA's in Europe and in college with #1b/back-up potential?

If they want a goalie they should sign one of Joacim Eriksson or Antti Raanta in the summer, not waste draft picks on someone who might end up being lucky to make the AHL.

 

[DAChampion]

Why would the Canadiens draft a goalie when they have Carey Price and there are plenty of FA's in Europe and in college with #1b/back-up potential?

If they want a goalie they should sign one of Joacim Eriksson or Antti Raanta in the summer, not waste draft picks on someone who might end up being lucky to make the AHL.

Price could have an injury at any time. Habs are very vulnerable.

 

[Franck]

Price could have an injury at any time. Habs are very vulnerable.

You realise it would be anywhere between 4-8 years before a goalie drafted in 2013 would be able to cover for Price, right?

If the Habs want to add goalies in the system they should sign one from free agency or trade for one, not go through the draft. Given the wealth of high-quality European free agents we've seen recently as well as the low trade value of good goalies it simply doesn't make sense to draft goalies.

 

[DAChampion]

You realise it would be anywhere between 4-8 years before a goalie drafted in 2013 would be able to cover for Price, right?

If the Habs want to add goalies in the system they should sign one from free agency or trade for one, not go through the draft. Given the wealth of high-quality European free agents we've seen recently as well as the low trade value of good goalies it simply doesn't make sense to draft goalies.

8 years?

Now many players from the 2005 draft are only now becoming effective?

 

[Franck]

8 years?

Now many players from the 2005 draft are only now becoming effective?

As far as goalies go? Ben Bishop comes to mind.

Goalies have a much slower development path than skaters do. Even very highly touted ones usually require at least 3-4 years of post-draft development before they are ready for the NHL.

 

[S Bah]

Why not invest a fourth rounder into the guy who can become the next Shawn Thornton?

Toronto wasted a first round pick on him and he's a lifer in Boston.

 

[Mrb1p]

SOFTrensen.....Geez man.

I won't have a big ND list this year but I can say that after watching him quite a few times this year....Nick Sorensen, your the first one to have made my ND list! Congrats!

Really not agreeing with you here. He's not soft...(Didnt watch the game though) but I've seen alot from him and he's skilled, big, fast. What do you want more ? He plays like Patches.

 

[DAChampion]

Toronto wasted a first round pick on him and he's a lifer in Boston.

Toronto drafted Thornton in the 7th round of the 1999 draft.

 

[Whitesnake]

As far as goalies go? Ben Bishop comes to mind.

Goalies have a much slower development path than skaters do. Even very highly touted ones usually require at least 3-4 years of post-draft development before they are ready for the NHL.

'Cause when we drafted Price, we had award-winning trophy winner in Theodore. 'Cause some goalies through the draft still end up playing a very good role for their team. I have no idea why those guys would be wasted picks. It's just more apparent that they are 'cause there's actually 2 spots on every team...but others don't fulfill their expectations as well.

I do know all those things about development path and so on. Yet, when it's time to make a judgment on an older goalie that finally has some success, you are in a battle with 29 other teams. You can,t base yourself on the possibility in acquiring an older one. I really thought Brad Thiessen would have been great. And he was....for 1 year. But most goalies who are playing in the NHL right now...HAVE been drafted. If Toronto isn't stupid...they would be cashing in right now with Rask. Thank god for Rinne in Nashville and so on...A Preds team that while missing with Smith and Pickard, won with Rinne...got a very good backup in Lindback and are about to win big with Hellberg.

And even if they are slower to develop...you said it yourself...we have Price. But who knows what Price will be about in 4 years. Since we're not rushed for goalie because we have Price, why panic because it takes 4 year for a goalie to develop?

Really not agreeing with you here. He's not soft...(Didnt watch the game though) but I've seen alot from him and he's skilled, big, fast. What do you want more ? He plays like Patches.

Absolutely not. He's tentative, defensively he has no idea where to position himself, people get confused with his flash and dash moves but overall he doesn't use the body he has. He isn't proactive out there. He's not totally untalented obviously, 'cause if he was, I wouldn't have spend time to watch him. But I don't believe in him. I'd take way more a guy like Erne than him for example. Of course if he falls and falls....I'd guess I'd reconsider. But when I put a guy on ND, it means that he's "scheduled to go top 2 rounds and for me, he's not making the list, I will have more guys ahead of him. 3rd round? Maybe, not even sure I,d be interested, pretty sure he won't be available though.

For me, Sorensen is a bigger version of Andreas Athanasiou who I also had has a ND in his draft year.

 

[Scintillating10]

As far as goalies go? Ben Bishop comes to mind.

Goalies have a much slower development path than skaters do. Even very highly touted ones usually require at least 3-4 years of post-draft development before they are ready for the NHL.

Smart to take advantage of this and not waste draft picks on goalies. Most goalies are not drafted or late picks. Chances are there is another Tim Thomas or Anderson or Pekka Rinne toiling around in the ECHL or AHL will never get the opportunity they got.

 

[Templeton]

Smart to take advantage of this and not waste draft picks on goalies. Most goalies are not drafted or late picks. Chances are there is another Tim Thomas or Anderson or Pekka Rinne toiling around in the ECHL or AHL will never get the opportunity they got.

A good example is V. Fasth. He comes out of nowhere and he's having a good season.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=112977

There should be a different draft for goalies. It's too much of a gamble to draft them a 17-18 unless he's an exception.

 

[Fozz]

He is a tough man to judge. The guy already thinks the game like a NHL'er. He will improve his skating stride. He is really big and will fill out more.....but what's the offensive ceiling as far as he's concerned. It still remains to be seen. The team that picks him might be picking the next Kyle Chipchura...or at least what Chipchura was SUPPOSED to become. But depending where you pick, his hockey IQ is too great to pass on. Even if he just ends up to be a great 3rd line center. But the offensive instincts are there, you just don't really know to which extent.

I'm far from sold on Gauthier. I just don't like is compete level at all and he doesn't play anything like a 6'5" guy. I'm also worried about his skating... Of course, that will improve but to what extent?

 

[JustAHabFan]

I'm far from sold on Gauthier. I just don't like is compete level at all and he doesn't play anything like a 6'5" guy. I'm also worried about his skating... Of course, that will improve but to what extent?

I have the same feeling when I watched Gauthier. I do not know why our fanbase is so high on him.

 

[Monctonscout]

I have the same feeling when I watched Gauthier. I do not know why our fanbase is so high on him.

Pretty much everybody has him as a mid 1st rounder. He uses his body well, not necessarily to put guys through the boards but defensively and down low in the offensive zone. He has a lot of the same qualities as J.Staal.

 

[S Bah]

Toronto drafted Thornton in the 7th round of the 1999 draft.

Shhh...

 

[S Bah]

I have the same feeling when I watched Gauthier. I do not know why our fanbase is so high on him.

Wasn't Crosby the player that talked him into playing in the QMJHL instead of going the college route,he's probably a good judge of talent.You need to remember he's never played so many games in a season before,think of Brandon Saad and Tinordi playing in the OHL after the HS hockey in the states.They both looked lost their first year and great their second year.

 

[Whitesnake]

Smart to take advantage of this and not waste draft picks on goalies. Most goalies are not drafted or late picks. Chances are there is another Tim Thomas or Anderson or Pekka Rinne toiling around in the ECHL or AHL will never get the opportunity they got.

Late or not, most are drafted. And that's what I'm talking about. For every Fasth, there's a Brodeur. And just take a look at every goalie in the NHL....what's the ratio drafted vs non-drafted?

I really don't get this. If we would have not wasted draft pick on goalies...we wouldn't have Price no? And if we wouldn't have Price...we would have end up with Halak no? All draft picks. So let's not waste draft picks on goalies....but let's pick them late? Yet, for every late pick, what's again the ratio late draft pick/great NHL goalie vs top 3 round draft pick/great goalie?

Yes, it takes longer to develop but most will see that the base of a great goalie is there even in their early age. 'Cause if not...Rinne would not have been picked. Geez, Thomas and Anderson were also picked. So teams had an idea. They just weren't patient enough. Or just that they ended up misreading them because it is harder to judge indeed.

 

[Whitesnake]

I'm far from sold on Gauthier. I just don't like is compete level at all and he doesn't play anything like a 6'5" guy. I'm also worried about his skating... Of course, that will improve but to what extent?

I believe that the mechanics in his skating is already there to be improve. I have no problem with that. Compete level...well it's true that sometimes, you think you see a Joe Colborne type of player and it makes you think a little. Yet, I've seen live games from him where he just dominate his opponents solely while not looking for big hits but just end up separating them from the puck fairly easily. So he might be just going the "easy route". But I choose to believe it will kick in in due time. He understands the game so much on the ice that you have to think that he also understand that to succeed your energy level has to be way up all the time. My main point is the offensive skills at the highest levels. That's the scariest point. He had a REALLY bad month of February offensively.

Which to me is a CLEARLY sign that I don't want him in the 1st round. But 2nd round will be fine for me.

 

[hab 4ever]

I believe that the mechanics in his skating is already there to be improve. I have no problem with that. Compete level...well it's true that sometimes, you think you see a Joe Colborne type of player and it makes you think a little. Yet, I've seen live games from him where he just dominate his opponents solely while not looking for big hits but just end up separating them from the puck fairly easily. So he might be just going the "easy route". But I choose to believe it will kick in in due time. He understands the game so much on the ice that you have to think that he also understand that to succeed your energy level has to be way up all the time. My main point is the offensive skills at the highest levels. That's the scariest point. He had a REALLY bad month of February offensively.

Which to me is a CLEARLY sign that I don't want him in the 1st round. But 2nd round will be fine for me.

I am not crazy about Gauthier but I would not mind him around the 15-20 range. He played poorly in February but I am not that concerned. Word is that he has been dealing with some nagging injuries and this remains his rookie CHL season. He played 40 regular season games last year. Other rookies like Dauphin and even Zykov slowed down too lately. I expect him to play a big role for Rimouski in the playoffs. I am not too concerned about his production. Jordan Staal had 68 points in 68 games in his draft year and that was his second full OHL season. I think Gauthier can be a solid two-way, 2nd line center in the NHL.

 

[QuebecPride]

.

For me, Sorensen is a bigger version of Andreas Athanasiou who I also had has a ND in his draft year.

I too had Athanasiou as a ND. But I disagree about Sorensen. Must have been a very ugly game.