2014 NHL Draft Discussion - Part V ** Isles-Keep 5th Pick**

[TROLLCHUK]

If Ho-Sang is there in the second round, do you take him?

I am tempted to say yes, but with our focus on character, I dunno. Maybe with our team full of young leaders, he could be molded.

Definitely worth the risk, we have multiple seconds, so why not.

 

[Words Of Wisdom]

I would definitely take Ho Sang if he's there in the second. Very skilled kid. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if the Isles trade down if they don't get a great offer for the 5th. I have that feeling that Garth isn't in love with anyone in this draft that will be there come pick 5.

 

[seabass45]

If Ho-Sang is there in the second round, do you take him?

I am tempted to say yes, but with our focus on character, I dunno. Maybe with our team full of young leaders, he could be molded.

I want him or Demko and wouldn't mind jumping into the first to do it. Wouldn't be surprised if Anaheim goes for Ho-Sang with #24. He's the perfect guy to gamble with your second pick.

 

[Beastrt]

If Dal Colle is still there at 5, or if he's gone and one of the top 4 is still there at 5, I'd be slightly upset if they pick Ritchie. BUT, they may have Ritchie rated really high on their board, possibly they have him rated #3 or #4, so it would make sense if they took him at #5. Every team has slightly different boards I bet.

I was really down on Ritchie vs Dal Colle also, but one factor that i didnt think of was the fact that Ritchie played on a poor team with not nearly as good centers as Dal Colle has had. Liston to the video with mark edwards of hockey prospect.com they explain it.

http://www.hockeyprospect.com/2014-nhl-draft-preview-show-part-3/

 

[seabass45]

BTW, I don't believe Garth when he said he's not interested in trading up. He has the chance to grab Sam Reinhart, of course he's interested. The price is just too high and we probably can't beat the other offers for the #1 overall pick.

 

[IslesRock4]

BTW, I don't believe Garth when he said he's not interested in trading up. He has the chance to grab Sam Reinhart, of course he's interested. The price is just too high and we probably can't beat the other offers for the #1 overall pick.

I think the only chance is if he falls to number 4. But I believe Buffalo will take him unless a team like Vancouver is able to grab the #1 pick.

I really won't mind if he trades down for Nylander/Ehlers/Virtanen/Fabbri. MDC is my favorite but I don't see much separation. Although I do agree that if he trades down, he should have kept next year's pick. Gotta think the priority is still a trade (Yandle?).

 

[N Ireland Nets Fan]

Here is how I'm guessing (bar any trade) the top 10 picks will go:

01: Florida - Ekblad
02: Buffalo - Reinhart
03: Oilers - Bennett
04: Flames - Dal Colle
05: Islanders - Draisaitl
06: Canucks - Nylander
07: Carolina - Virtanen
08: Toronto - Ritchie
09: Jets - Ehlers
10: Ducks - Fabbri


My Islanders mock draft:

Round 1: 5th overall: William Nylander, RW, Modo (SHL), 5’11, 181lbs.
Round 2: 35th overall: Joshua Ho-Sang, RW, Windsor (OHL), 5’11, 175lbs.
Round 2: 57th overall (from MTL): Justin Kirkland, LW, Kelowna (WHL), 6’3, 190lbs.
Round 3: 65th overall: Beau Starrett, LW, Cornell (NCAA), 6’4, 195lbs.
Round 3: 78th overall (from PHI): Alex Holmstrom, C, Skelleftea (SHL), 6’0, 196lbs.
Round 4: 95th overall: Matthew Mistele, LW, Plymouth (OHL), 6’2, 190lbs.
Round 4: 108th overall (from PHI): Blake Clarke, LW, Saginaw (OHL), 6’1, 190lbs.
Round 6: 155th overall: Jeffrey Smith, G, U-Mass (NCAA), 6'1, 190lbs.
Round 7: 185th overall: Elvis Merzlikins, G, Lugano (Swiss), 6’3, 187lbs.

My heart wanted nothing more than to draft Nylander at 5 because I think he could be a very special player. But my head tells me to take Draisaitl at 5 with the way I've mocked the board to be (Ekblad, Reinhart, Bennett and Dal Colle all gone). The Islanders decide to take the guy with huge upside and select William Nylander with the 5th overall pick. Nylander has the best hands in the draft imo, is a playmaker/sniper who skates incredibly well and is already producing very well in the Swedish Men's league. Islanders management will then leave Nylander for another year or two in the SHL before bringing him to the NHL to hopefully fight for a top 6 spot. When I see Nylander and the potential he has, it's frightening to me what he could turn into to add to our hugely talented guys like Strome, Nelson and Lee. Some would say it's a risky pick but I believe it would be the right one.

Nelson - Tavares - Okposo

Lee ----- Strome - Nylander

That's the potential top 6 for the 2016 season and that excites me. I have gone back and forth with nearly every prospect in the top 10 about the Isles selecting them but the guy who would be the dream selection in my book would be Sam Bennett but I just can't see him falling to 5.

Joshua Ho-Sang is a 1st round talent who seemingly is falling across teams draft boards. Exceptional talent and offers us a huge amount of speed and skill on the wing in a draft where I have gone for size and power right through the rounds. Could turn into the steal of the draft or could be another Kabanov who flatters to decisive. But if he falls to the 35th pick I would absolutely select Ho-Sang at 35.

So with the 1st two picks for the Isles I've gone for speed and skilled wingers who aren't the biggest so for the rest of the way it's power forward type of guys. If Ho-Sang is gone by pick 35, without seeing who will drop from the 1st round (really surprising players seem to drop to the early 2nd every year) I would even select Justin Kirkland at 35 because the kid has it all. I see Kirkland as a Jamie Benn lite type of wing, who just so happened to be a Kelowna Rocket as well. Kirkland has with great size and skills who will need plenty of time to develop his frame and skills but with patience he could be a great pick.

Holmstrom was the 1st line center for Sweden's u18 team where he centered Nylander. Holmstrom is a tough cookie center, a real bulldog with good hands, playmaking ability while being defensively responsible. Underrated due to people overlooking his performances at the u18's due to Nylander stealing the headlines. Plays the PK and PP with a really solid all around game. Scored at over a point per game for Skellefteå u20's and was rewarded with a promotion to the SHL team where at 18 he was playing center with limited minutes which should increase next season.

Starrett, Mistele and Clarke are all big wingers who offer size, power and bundles of potential. I was just looking to add real size to the prospect pool with big upside and with these three I believe we would do that. Blake Clarke is a really interesting prospect for me and someone who last season was fantastic for Brampton in the OHL but this year he has struggled and picked up a few injuries. The Isles decide to take a chance on Clarke rediscovering the kind of form which led to him getting 51 points in 68 games in his first season in the OHL, again big upside.

The two goalies are like buying extra lotto tickets in an attempt to find a potential NHL goalie of the future. Jeff Smith is a young goalie with lots of room to grow. He put up great numbers for the Powell River Kings in the BCHL so the plan if for him to go to college and turn into a NHL prospect goalie....fingers crossed lol. Elvis Merzlikins is already starting in the National League in Switzerland for Lugano where he posted a SV % of .924 in 22 games with a goals against of 2.13. Could he be this years Kristers Gudlevskis??

So with one draft the Islanders look to fill a big void in the prospect pool by adding 6 wingers.

 

[seabass45]

Here is how I'm guessing (bar any trade) the top 10 picks will go:

01: Florida - Ekblad
02: Buffalo - Reinhart
03: Oilers - Bennett
04: Flames - Dal Colle
05: Islanders - Draisaitl
06: Canucks - Nylander
07: Carolina - Virtanen
08: Toronto - Ritchie
09: Jets - Ehlers
10: Ducks - Fabbri


My Islanders mock draft:

Round 1: 5th overall: William Nylander, RW, Modo (SHL), 5’11, 181lbs.
Round 2: 35th overall: Joshua Ho-Sang, RW, Windsor (OHL), 5’11, 175lbs.
Round 2: 57th overall (from MTL): Justin Kirkland, LW, Kelowna (WHL), 6’3, 190lbs.
Round 3: 65th overall: Beau Starrett, LW, Cornell (NCAA), 6’4, 195lbs.
Round 3: 78th overall (from PHI): Alex Holmstrom, C, Skelleftea (SHL), 6’0, 196lbs.
Round 4: 95th overall: Matthew Mistele, LW, Plymouth (OHL), 6’2, 190lbs.
Round 4: 108th overall (from PHI): Blake Clarke, LW, Saginaw (OHL), 6’1, 190lbs.
Round 6: 155th overall: Jeffrey Smith, G, U-Mass (NCAA), 6'1, 190lbs.
Round 7: 185th overall: Elvis Merzlikins, G, Lugano (Swiss), 6’3, 187lbs.

My heart wanted nothing more than to draft Nylander at 5 because I think he could be a very special player. But my head tells me to take Draisaitl at 5 with the way I've mocked the board to be (Ekblad, Reinhart, Bennett and Dal Colle all gone). The Islanders decide to take the guy with huge upside and select William Nylander with the 5th overall pick. Nylander has the best hands in the draft imo, is a playmaker/sniper who skates incredibly well and is already producing very well in the Swedish Men's league. Islanders management will then leave Nylander for another year or two in the SHL before bringing him to the NHL to hopefully fight for a top 6 spot. When I see Nylander and the potential he has, it's frightening to me what he could turn into to add to our hugely talented guys like Strome, Nelson and Lee. Some would say it's a risky pick but I believe it would be the right one.

Nelson - Tavares - Okposo

Lee ----- Strome - Nylander

That's the potential top 6 for the 2016 season and that excites me. I have gone back and forth with nearly every prospect in the top 10 about the Isles selecting them but the guy who would be the dream selection in my book would be Sam Bennett but I just can't see him falling to 5.

Joshua Ho-Sang is a 1st round talent who seemingly is falling across teams draft boards. Exceptional talent and offers us a huge amount of speed and skill on the wing in a draft where I have gone for size and power right through the rounds. Could turn into the steal of the draft or could be another Kabanov who flatters to decisive. But if he falls to the 35th pick I would absolutely select Ho-Sang at 35.

So with the 1st two picks for the Isles I've gone for speed and skilled wingers who aren't the biggest so for the rest of the way it's power forward type of guys. If Ho-Sang is gone by pick 35, without seeing who will drop from the 1st round (really surprising players seem to drop to the early 2nd every year) I would even select Justin Kirkland at 35 because the kid has it all. I see Kirkland as a Jamie Benn lite type of wing, who just so happened to be a Kelowna Rocket as well. Kirkland has with great size and skills who will need plenty of time to develop his frame and skills but with patience he could be a great pick.

Holmstrom was the 1st line center for Sweden's u18 team where he centered Nylander. Holmstrom is a tough cookie center, a real bulldog with good hands, playmaking ability while being defensively responsible. Underrated due to people overlooking his performances at the u18's due to Nylander stealing the headlines. Plays the PK and PP with a really solid all around game. Scored at over a point per game for Skellefteå u20's and was rewarded with a promotion to the SHL team where at 18 he was playing center with limited minutes which should increase next season.

Starrett, Mistele and Clarke are all big wingers who offer size, power and bundles of potential. I was just looking to add real size to the prospect pool with big upside and with these three I believe we would do that. Blake Clarke is a really interesting prospect for me and someone who last season was fantastic for Brampton in the OHL but this year he has struggled and picked up a few injuries. The Isles decide to take a chance on Clarke rediscovering the kind of form which led to him getting 51 points in 68 games in his first season in the OHL, again big upside.

The two goalies are like buying extra lotto tickets in an attempt to find a potential NHL goalie of the future. Jeff Smith is a young goalie with lots of room to grow. He put up great numbers for the Powell River Kings in the BCHL so the plan if for him to go to college and turn into a NHL prospect goalie....fingers crossed lol. Elvis Merzlikins is already starting in the National League in Switzerland for Lugano where he posted a SV % of .924 in 22 games with a goals against of 2.13. Could he be this years Kristers Gudlevskis??

So with one draft the Islanders look to fill a big void in the prospect pool by adding 6 wingers.

I'm fine with the Isles getting Big Ass.

 

[The Underboss]

Buffalo fans won't be too happy about this.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/1...ors-approved-changes-nhl-draft-lottery-system


"A source informed ESPN.com that the changes approved when the board of governors met Thursday in Manhattan include the compression of odds among the 14 non-playoff teams as well as increasing the number of selections determined by draft lottery law.

The changes likely will be a source of consternation for some, especially those with a stockpile of high picks for 2015."

Don't know if you guys saw this, but the Draft rules are going to change next year and it's not good news for Buffalo. Can't say I feel bad for them after what we've had to endure from some of their fans on here.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/1...ors-approved-changes-nhl-draft-lottery-system

Sucks for Buffalo. Oh well.

 

[KrisBeKreame]

Hey...Hey, Where is the Dominic Turgeon pick?

 

[seafoam]

I would gamble on Ho-Sang with one our seconds, assuming guys like Scherbak or Sanhiem are off the board.

I think Tavares as captain would be a humbling presence for Ho-Sang.

 

[fnfelon]

I just hope that Barf keeps the pick. What would really be sweet is if one of the teams ahead of the Isles goes off the board and picks one of the smaller forwards like Ehlers, or Nylander leaving Bennett or S. Reinhart at five for the Isles to pick. But I really don't see it. So at five I hope they go for whomever is left of MDC, Draisaitl, or Richie. Then at 35 pick Cornel, or MacInnis. That would do wonders to the Size and skill of the Isles prospect pool. Bigger and faster, with a touch of nasty please.

 

[Hershey Hockey]

Draft Day, Islanders rebuild
Five years later somehow picking top 5 still
Draft Day, Michael Dal Colle
Or trade the pick for a D who can defend the goal

I've been the subject of many rumors involving me being a ghost writer for Drake. I can neither confirm nor deny those allegations.

 

[Islanders1932]

Words that would be interesting to hear: "The New York Islanders have traded the fifth overall pick and Ryan Pulock to the Chicago Blackhawks for Patrick Sharp"

 

[SI90]

IMHO what ever player that is left over at 5 from the Sams Ekblad Draisaitl or Dal Colle is the one we will pick. Garth will let the first four teams pick for him.
If 2 of those guys are left over, Garthhead might explode.

 

[charlie1]

Sums it up quite well. He did namedrop Willie Mitchell and talked about Richards again, he isn't sure if there is mutual interest.

He (Staple) ended the interview by saying he does think Snow will trade the pick, and "we'll see what he comes up with."

This is frightening.

 

[charlie1]

I would gamble on Ho-Sang with one our seconds, assuming guys like Scherbak or Sanhiem are off the board.

I think Tavares as captain would be a humbling presence for Ho-Sang.

I don't know. That guy is talking about being the Floyd Mayweather of the hockey world.

 

[seafoam]

I don't know. That guy is talking about being the Floyd Mayweather of the hockey world.

Well, Mayweather is undeafeated in his career so...

 

[Levi Walking Bear]

IMHO what ever player that is left over at 5 from the Sams Ekblad Draisaitl or Dal Colle is the one we will pick. Garth will let the first four teams pick for him.
If 2 of those guys are left over, Garthhead might explode.

Been saying this all along, there shouldn't be any difficult decision to make. No need to overthink, when overthinking you miss the answer some times.

 

[Words Of Wisdom]

Draft Day, Islanders rebuild
Five years later somehow picking top 5 still
Draft Day, Michael Dal Colle
Or trade the pick for a D who can defend the goal

I've been the subject of many rumors involving me being a ghost writer for Drake. I can neither confirm nor deny those allegations.

Lmao, great stuff.

 

[seafoam]

Been saying this all along, there shouldn't be any difficult decision to make. No need to overthink, when overthinking you miss the answer some times.

I don't think Snow is overthinking, he's definitely pressing to get a young player that could make an impact for us next year and in the future, but he isn't going to make a deal for the sake of making a deal.

 

[Words Of Wisdom]

I don't think Snow is overthinking, he's definitely pressing to get a young player that could make an impact for us next year and in the future, but isn't going to make a deal for the sake of making a deal.

This! People need to understand, sometimes a trade isn't made 'cause there isn't a valuable enough trade available. If he doesn't trade the pick 'cause there wasn't good enough offers on the table, that's a GOOD move by Snow. We all can speculate but for all we know the offers that have been coming Snow's way may be underwhelming.

 

[SI90]

I didn't realize Brady Vail pulled a Kitchton....The Islanders love overage polished Prospects...I could see them using a late round pick on Vail. He could go right to Bport I believe.

Alan Quaine was last year.

 

[doublechili]

I'm fine with the Isles getting Big Ass.

They should then trade for Bigras.

Serously though, I can only begin to imagine what Butchie would do with "Draisaitl"....

 

[dtrain24]

Holy Frito's ! How many bags did he wolf down?

Hey, easy guys, lay off the kid.....

You're forgetting who his father is. After all, that could be his dinner for the night.