2014 NHL Draft Discussion: Part I

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Konk

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Mar 11, 2008
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As for the NYI, if they miss the playoffs and find themselves picking somewhere between spots 10-14, well, my suggestion would be to use some of that defensive depth in the prospect system to help move upwards in a swap of first rounders just to grab Bennett, who I think is probably hovering around spots 7-18 on a lot of teams' lists.
I think Bennett will be a top 5-10 pick, fairly easily. The Isles will most likely just miss out on him, unfortunately.
 

Konk

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So! Now that the draft will pretty much be ignored until the off season, I think the Isles should target a goalie in the 2nd round. Obviously BPA is still in effect, however, I do think several goalies will be available in the 2nd round, namely Mason McDonald of the Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL. He is big (6-3), athletic, and has good technique to build from.
 

OrangeZebra

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Mar 3, 2011
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So! Now that the draft will pretty much be ignored until the off season, I think the Isles should target a goalie in the 2nd round. Obviously BPA is still in effect, however, I do think several goalies will be available in the 2nd round, namely Mason McDonald of the Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL. He is big (6-3), athletic, and has good technique to build from.

I know you can never have too many goalies, but;

Poulin
Nilsson
Koskinen
MacAdam
Jackson
Milner/Reiter


I would rather see Garth go for Maxim Lazarev or Nikolaj Ehlers (not specifically in the 2nd).
 

Konk

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I know you can never have too many goalies, but;

Poulin
Nilsson
Koskinen
MacAdam
Jackson
Milner/Reiter


I would rather see Garth go for Maxim Lazarev or Nikolaj Ehlers (not specifically in the 2nd).

No guarantee about any of those guys, Milner/Reiter I don't expect to be in the organization beyond this year, Koskinen is not even in North America, and McAdam/Williams will be spending all four years in college.

Keep in mind, a glut of goalies just means a lot of trade assets, but there's no guarantee any of these guys will pan out and the more the better. McDonald is also a better prospect than all of the above at the same age, save for maybe Poulin/Nilsson and neither one is looking very solid at this point. By the time McDonald is ready for AHL action, Nilsson will have graduated, and McAdam/Williams will still be in college. In terms of timeline, it would work out.
 

scott99

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May 13, 2005
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Well, now that we don't have a 1st round pick, it should be interesting to see who we wind up picking, or where we wind up picking. Then again, if the Isles realize Vanek won't sign, I can imagine we'll get a nice package back at the trade deadline.

Martin Erat got the Predators Filip Forsberg, 40 year old Jagr got the Stars 2 minor prospects and a 1st round pick, and 36 year old Iginla got the Flames 2 minor prospects and a 1st round pick.
 

scott99

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May 13, 2005
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I think we need to bump up this thread. It's obvious we are gonna wind up with a top ten pick (we are 7 the worst in the NHL at this moment). Therefore I think we use 2015's pick to trade to Buffalo. Discuss. I'm hoping we get the defenseman Mckeown.
 

A Pointed Stick

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Dec 23, 2010
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I think we'd have to lose our next 20 in a row to get Ekblad.

If we lose Hammer, that is not impossible.

BTW, are there any can't miss prospects this year, and perhaps at least a top three that are all about the same elite status? I really have tried to avoid all draft discussion for the obvious reasons. But this November may clean the table for a nice solid tank.
 

scott99

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If we lose Hammer, that is not impossible.

BTW, are there any can't miss prospects this year, and perhaps at least a top three that are all about the same elite status? I really have tried to avoid all draft discussion for the obvious reasons. But this November may clean the table for a nice solid tank.

I don't think this draft is anywhere as deep when it comes to elite prospects in the first round like last year. I think it's Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad, and then everyone else. Some good prospects, but I think those 2 are a notch above everyone else.
 

Sparksrus3

NYI - THE TEAM WITH NO ❤️
Jun 2, 2012
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Only 95 days till pitchers and catchers. Not the topic but even if we trade vanek later the return will be lower in the round then our pick. I sometimes have this dream that I am screaming at the top of my lungs but nobody hears me.
 

YashinWorksHard

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Jun 14, 2012
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We already have Reinhart and Pulock (who i think they will be playing in the NHL next year) plus other good picks with experience: De Haan, Mayfield, Pedan, Pelech, Pokka among others. Is that not enough?

In the last two drafts, we only picked three forwards: Cammaratta, VCR and Quine. None of them are highly touted prospects, just average/good. In fact, the prospect pool has more defensemen than forwards.

We have not got a second round pick. If we spent a top ten in another D, our best drafted forward in three years will have been a third rounder (Cammarata). And also, we will not have a first round pick in 2015 assuming that we will retain this year's pick.

I know we are looking very bad at D but next year Reinhart and Pulock will be ready and there are a lot of good looking prospects at the position.
 

scott99

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We already have Reinhart and Pulock (who i think they will be playing in the NHL next year) plus other good picks with experience: De Haan, Mayfield, Pedan, Pelech, Pokka among others. Is that not enough?

In the last two drafts, we only picked three forwards: Cammaratta, VCR and Quine. None of them are highly touted prospects, just average/good. In fact, the prospect pool has more defensemen than forwards.

We have not got a second round pick. If we spent a top ten in another D, our best drafted forward in three years will have been a third rounder (Cammarata). And also, we will not have a first round pick in 2015 assuming that we will retain this year's pick.

I know we are looking very bad at D but next year Reinhart and Pulock will be ready and there are a lot of good looking prospects at the position.

The worst thing you can do is draft irresponsibly. If we wind up with the 2nd pick overall (quite possible), and Ekblad is there, you have to take him, you take the best player available. We have so many defensive prospects, they can be used as assets. If the Isles wind up with Reinhart, Pulock and Ekblad (who may wind up the best of the three), that would be an insanely talented defense, and they can always use other defensemen as trade bait.
 

YashinWorksHard

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I think that the fact of do not draft a forward in the two first rounds for four years is irresponsibly. You are assuming too that Ekbald is better than Reinhart (would not be strange if Snow try to add the little bro) and Nylander, among others. I think Reinhart is the perfect two-way center ala Toews, Bergeron or Kesler who would be a nice defensive player being a forward and Nylander has elite talent to work with. Anyway, we look bad but there are other worse teams in my opinion and the trio of Reinhart, Nylander and Ekbald look ahead of the rest, at least for now.
 

InformTheMasses

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I think that the fact of do not draft a forward in the two first rounds for four years is irresponsibly. You are assuming too that Ekbald is better than Reinhart (would not be strange if Snow try to add the little bro) and Nylander, among others. I think Reinhart is the perfect two-way center ala Toews, Bergeron or Kesler who would be a nice defensive player being a forward and Nylander has elite talent to work with. Anyway, we look bad but there are other worse teams in my opinion and the trio of Reinhart, Nylander and Ekbald look ahead of the rest, at least for now.

Nobody is talking about DalColle, but they will soon. He'll fly up the charts very soon. Also Brett Ritchie's 'little' brother Nick is going to be a true NHL Power Forward.....
 

Chapin Landvogt

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I don't think this draft is anywhere as deep when it comes to elite prospects in the first round like last year. I think it's Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad, and then everyone else. Some good prospects, but I think those 2 are a notch above everyone else.

Even Sam Reinhart isn't the best skater out there. A character guy who gets things done, for sure, but...

To be honest, I think the kid looking like the most solid prospect coming out of this draft at the moment is Sam Bennett.

A few of us have mentioned that to date.
 

blinkman360

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Dec 30, 2005
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I'm so torn. On one hand, if we finish bottom-10, I'd like to believe we would improve next year with all the high-end youth making the jump(Strome, Reinhart, maybe one of Pulock or Pokka) as well as a UFA goaltender(Hiller or Halak, hopefully). On the other hand, I'm afraid of the possible scenario where we forfeit that '15 pick, end up with a decent prospect in '14, and free-fall or deal with epic growing pains next year only to miss out on McDavid.

Garth will be in a tough spot if this team finishes bottom-10. I guess you have to keep the pick though, because giving it up will imply that you expect to lose again next year.
 

Sparksrus3

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Jun 2, 2012
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I'm so torn. On one hand, if we finish bottom-10, I'd like to believe we would improve next year with all the high-end youth making the jump(Strome, Reinhart, maybe one of Pulock or Pokka) as well as a UFA goaltender(Hiller or Halak, hopefully). On the other hand, I'm afraid of the possible scenario where we forfeit that '15 pick, end up with a decent prospect in '14, and free-fall or deal with epic growing pains next year only to miss out on McDavid.

Garth will be in a tough spot if this team finishes bottom-10. I guess you have to keep the pick though, because giving it up will imply that you expect to lose again next year.

Do we have a choice to keep it?
I though 2014 first and 2015 2nd was the trade
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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If we suck enough (most liky will) we should grab McKeown, him and Pulock on the PP would be just gross.

I've been a little disappointed in McKeown's offensive game this season. He's been great in transition, and you can see he's got the kind of tools (great skater, great outlet pass, smart) that will help him at the next level. But he hasn't looked that dangerous offensively this year. Kingston's got the second worst PP in the entire league, and he's hardly been lighting it up as their point man.

Even Sam Reinhart isn't the best skater out there. A character guy who gets things done, for sure, but...

To be honest, I think the kid looking like the most solid prospect coming out of this draft at the moment is Sam Bennett.

A few of us have mentioned that to date.

The one concern I have about Bennett is what I like to call the "Kingston Frontenacs factor". The organization is notorious for not developing players very well. Sure, they get some high draft picks (Erik Gudbranson is the latest) in the NHL draft, but the players always seem to be raw or leave you wanting more.

Bennett began the year on fire. He was playing like he legitimately could push for the 1st overall spot in the draft. 10 goals, 10 assists in his first 10 games. Since then, he's only scored 1 goal and 4 points over the next 8 games. And it goes beyond just "the stats". He hasn't looked as dominant as he was the first part of the season.

And it's not just him. McKeown and Watson also haven't played well lately, and both guys are sort of underwhelming considering the expectations for them coming into the year after very strong rookie seasons and good starts to the season.

So whenever there's a top prospect coming out of Kingston, I put an asterisk beside his name because, as talented as the kid may be, I'm always wondering how much the Kingston factor will hurt their overall upside.

(Note: I'm still incredibly high on Bennett, in particular. I'm just not sold on Kingston's ability to develop a player to his utmost potential)
 
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