Prospect Info: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[Stars99Lobo37]

Not Calgary, but yes I do believe the other 3 could easily finish ahead of Dallas. They'll all be in the same mix IMO though. I doubt any of them blow Dallas away in points this year. Although ... I'm pretty stunned you'd mention Vancouver in this group. They still have a top goaltender, and they didn't lose any major pieces on defense or in the forward group.

Phoenix is typically plays a great team game, and I'm actually concerned that now they don't have crazy potential relocation looming they could blow up. Plus, I don't know that a team added a more perfect free agent. Ribs is what they've needed for years.

Edmonton is going to put it together very soon, and I'd put some money on next year being the last growing pains year. I doubt they'll make the playoffs. I'm betting that SJ, LA, ANA, VAN, and PHX get in, but they'll be in that group the following season.

I mentioned Vancouver just because I see them regressing each year. I think their window is closing if not already. Having to play SJ/LA/ANA more instead of having to play CGY/EDM/COL/MIN, will hurt them significantly. I do think Edmonton is on the upside, but Vancouver and Calgary decline.

I see nothing that Phoenix has that prevents Dallas from finishing above them. Mike Smith's one year isn't enough to prove to me that he can be a great goaltender. I think Ribeiro will help them and we'll definitely be fighting with them for a playoff spot if it comes down to #4/#5 position.

That's not to say Vancouver/Phoenix won't finish above us. I just think in Vancouver/Calgary/Edmonton's case, that playing the three California teams more often than they have will play a bigger factor into things. Vancouver's division has been complete crap for years.

 

[Dundalis]

16th to 20th in the draft, but I could easily see their overall record being outside of the Top 16. I think the other division in the West is the best in the league, and I would not be surprised if one of their teams has a better record than 3rd in our division (hopefully Dallas) and still misses the playoffs. I think the East overall is trending upwards as well.



I disagree their relying more on younger players. If anything it's less.

Their older (Bachman)/more experienced (Nilstorp) in net with the backup goalie.

Larsen and Benn have likely been replaced by Gonchar and Connauton.

Forward they are mostly older.

Seguin for Benn is a wash. Seguin's younger but they have the same experience in years, and Seguin has superior playoff experience.

Benn for Eriksson

Horcoff for Roy

Peverley essentially for the combo of Wandell and Vincour who split the year essentially. I still think he's the center that ends up on wing.

Nichushkin for Smith/Fraser

The only place they gave up significant age and experience is with Jagr, Morrow and Nystrom. Roussel probably takes on an even bigger role, and so does MacDermid. Chiasson likely steps in for Jagr once again.

Overall, I think it's an older team with more experience. If they miss the playoffs, their D let them down once again or Lehts missed significant time.

All the the older guys (possibly bar Gonchar) are not guys that can carry the team though. They are pretty much all solid glue type players. The players that we would expect or hope to carry the team offensively, are the young guys. They are the players on our team with the elite level skill and talent. That's what I was getting at. If our young guys experience growing pains, the older guys are not going to be able to carry this team offensively.

 

[Pohlow]

Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie?

Jesus

 

[SolidusAKA]

Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie?

Jesus

Benn - Seguin - Nichushkin
Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie
Stransky - Eakin - Chiasson

I could live with that for a while haha

 

[FrailSwan]

Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie?

Jesus

lawl. What a powerhouse. If only.

 

[SolidusAKA]

lawl. What a powerhouse. If only.

I think the rankings change enough that Ritchie could end up somewhere in the mid teens. That's where Im thinking we pick so maybe it is more possible than we think. If he is as good as some people thing and if he is one of the BPA, I say take him and just hope we can bank off the brotherly chemistry. I know some people want a D man next 1st round, but Im hoping for another top 6 forward.

 

[ElGuapo]

Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie?

Jesus

Jesus in goal?..

I know he can walk on water, but can he skate on ice?

 

[usefulfiction]

Jesus in goal?..

I know he can walk on water, but can he skate on ice?

 

[ElGuapo]

Bravo sir. No mask..what a boss.

 

[txomisc]

With Gaglardi stating that the team felt that there was no way Nichuskin was going to fall past 5th overall and that they tried to trade up for him I wonder exactly where they had him ranked. I am thinking they probably had him higher than Lindholm and Monahan for sure. I could see him being as high as 2nd and I highly doubt they had him above Mackinnon.

 

[Primetimey*]

With Gaglardi stating that the team felt that there was no way Nichuskin was going to fall past 5th overall and that they tried to trade up for him I wonder exactly where they had him ranked. I am thinking they probably had him higher than Lindholm and Monahan for sure. I could see him being as high as 2nd and I highly doubt they had him above Mackinnon.

Link?

 

[txomisc]

Link?

http://starsinsideedge.com/2013/07/...n-offseason-moves-valeri-nichushkin-and-more/

 

[Ampersand]

I'm going to assume he was listed as 4th best available.

 

[________]

I'm going to assume he was listed as 4th best available.

Red Line Report said some teams had Nichushkin ranked as the second best player in the draft.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Must feel pretty damn good, then, to get him for free.

 

[Timani]

Ritchie - Faksa - Ritchie?

Jesus Christ

And now you've got the five man unit

Edit: I see Jesus was already put in goal, lol.

 

[piqued]

Back to page 1.

 

[txomisc]

I mentioned McKeown and Glover as potentially good picks for Dallas in another thread. Id also like to add Jack Dougherty as a guy who could rise up into that range. He has really produced so far for the USNDT. All three of the guys I've mentioned are decent sized mobile right shot defensemen.

 

[Starry Knight]

If we are looking for a good offensive defenseman Anthony deangelo might be a good pick, especially if we manage to flip Whitney for a late first rounder. Deangelo is currently the leading scorer for defensemen in the ohl.

 

[txomisc]

If we are looking for a good offensive defenseman Anthony deangelo might be a good pick, especially if we manage to flip Whitney for a late first rounder. Deangelo is currently the leading scorer for defensemen in the ohl.

His stats are impressive I am just not sure if I like the idea of drafting a 5'10 dman. I guess we'd have some good options to pair him with but I could still see his size being a problem.

 

[LT]

Stay away from DeAngelo please. Something about him has loads of bust potential in my opinion. Might very well be his size, but I just don't see his game translating to the NHL very well.

 

[Starry Knight]

Forgot to post this up here the day after I watched him play, but last Friday evening I got the pleasure of watching Ekblad play. For all the ragging he gets on his skating ability, I just don't see it. He might not be the fastest guy in history, but he has great agility. He did the Karlsson shuffle on the blueline a couple of times in the game and as a result potted a really nice goal. He didn't wind up for Dion Phaneuf cannons from the point but rather shot precise and well thought out bullets from the point. And as advertised is a monster in his own zone. Very imposing physically and intimidating with his full goatee at the age of 17 (how?).

tl;dr we need this dude

 

[txomisc]

Forgot to post this up here the day after I watched him play, but last Friday evening I got the pleasure of watching Ekblad play. For all the ragging he gets on his skating ability, I just don't see it. He might not be the fastest guy in history, but he has great agility. He did the Karlsson shuffle on the blueline a couple of times in the game and as a result potted a really nice goal. He didn't wind up for Dion Phaneuf cannons from the point but rather shot precise and well thought out bullets from the point. And as advertised is a monster in his own zone. Very imposing physically and intimidating with his full goatee at the age of 17 (how?).

tl;dr we need this dude

The full goatee at 17 thing scares me. How much if his physical dominance a result of him maturing way before his peers? How will that translate when he is facing guys who are just as big as he is?

 

[Starry Knight]

The full goatee at 17 thing scares me. How much if his physical dominance a result of him maturing way before his peers? How will that translate when he is facing guys who are just as big as he is?

You could contend that's what he's doing right now in the ohl.

Exceptional status players make me leery when they enter the OHL because you wonder, as you mentioned, how much of their success is due to their dominance over poor competition. However, a lot of Ekblad's defensive game revolves around sound positioning and hockey sense. I did a poor job of outlining that in my first post, so that's my fault for not emphasizing it. He seems to be trending upwards instead of plateauing which is a good sign.

 

[BigG44]

I was checking out the Kitchener roster, and I noticed they have a 2014 draft eligible Russian from Nuke's hometown playing D.

After seeing him in action with Team Russia at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge in Quebec last Christmas, Hiebert liked the hardworking, shut-down defenceman and his aggressive style of play. And Sergeev says there’s even more to his game that he’s excited to demonstrate.

“I’m a good skater, that’s my biggest strength. With more opportunities to skate with the puck, I will show that. But I’m happy to play a team game. It’s not about what I can show off.”

I don't know that DraftSite is particularly accurate in their projections, but they have him as a potential 4th round pick at the moment. He was not listed as a player to watch by CSS.