Speculation: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[Jarick]

Since most other teams have threads talking about next year's draft, I'll create one here so we can have a place to talk about it.

Right now the Wild own the following picks:

1st: 1 - MIN
2nd: 1 - WPG (Devin Setoguchi)
3rd: 1 - MIN
4th: 2 - MIN, BUF (Jason Pominville)
5th: 1 - MIN
6th: 3 - MIN, OTT (Matt Kassian), CBJ (Justin Falk)
7th: 1 - MIN

Minnesota's 2nd was traded to Buffalo for Jason Pominville. They also have a conditional pick in the Chay Genoway trade which I HIGHLY doubt will be coming back.

We will update the post as more info comes along.

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[Avder]

Whats the conditions of the conditional pick?

 

[tyratoku]

Whats the conditions of the conditional pick?

I believe it was never actually released to the public but I would imagine its something like play X number of games in the NHL.

Which won't happen.

 

[Jarick]

Wikipedia agrees with Tyratoku, but Genoway hasn't played and likely won't play in the NHL.

I was surprised at all those extra picks. Good job, Fletcher.

 

[OpRedDawn*]

At this point, I think we kind of need quality over quantity right? This team NEEDS a dynamic forward.

 

[Hall of Faber]

Wasn't Justin Falk traded to the Rangers for Benn Ferriero and a 2014 6th round draft pick?

 

[Jarick]

I wouldn't be opposed to taking some long shot, high risk, high reward types.

But if you look at the roster of players who are younger and/or signed long term:

Parise - Koivu - Pominville
Nino - Granlund - Coyle
Zucker - Haula - ____
____ - ____ - ____

Suter - Brodin
Scandella - Spurgeon
Dumba - ____

Kuemper / Gustafsson


There's not a ton of openings. So packaging players wouldn't be bad if we can get a quality return. In hindsight, the Pominville trade wasn't all that bad considering they have a logjam of prospects.

 

[Jarick]

Wasn't Justin Falk traded to the Rangers for Benn Ferriero and a 2014 6th round draft pick?

Yes and the pick is included up there. Ferreiro wasn't qualified I believe.

 

[Hall of Faber]

Yes and the pick is included up there. Ferreiro wasn't qualified I believe.

but you got CBJ up there.

 

[Jarick]

That pick originally belonged to Columbus and came over in the Gaborik trade.

 

[tyratoku]

but you got CBJ up there.

I think the pick traded to us from New York was originally Columbus'.

Anyway, I would also not be opposed to trading our first (likely in the 14-20 range) + a 2nd + one of our lesser prospects to move into the ~top-5 or ~top-10.

 

[Jaykay]

Supposedly this is an average to below average draft class; I don't think the top end talent is anywhere near what was available last year. I've seen it compared the 2011 class a few times.

 

[BigT2002]

Need a big body. Someone can screen goalies and not get pushed out of the way so easily.

 

[Ladde]

First round pick should probably be the best forward available unless a d-man is up for graps who is clearly better.

 

[tyratoku]

Supposedly this is an average to below average draft class; I don't think the top end talent is anywhere near what was available last year. I've seen it compared the 2011 class a few times.

Possibly. But guys like Reinhart and Ekblad are some of the best prospects in recent years.

DalColle is a 6'2" center possibly going top-5. Ritchie is a 6'2" RW in that same range. MacInnis and Perlini are both 6'3" forwards going in the first half of the first round.

Jake Virtanen has been fluctuating between top-3 and top-15 the last few months and is 6'1" as a forward.

I also really like Haydn Fleury out of Red Deer as a defender in that top-10 range. He's a big bruising guy with possible offensive upside.

I would say that the forwards of this draft are much bigger than in years' past. Getting one of those guys could be pretty helpful, IMO. Especially since most of these guys have 1st or 2nd line upside.

 

[Mancini79]

Possibly. But guys like Reinhart and Ekblad are some of the best prospects in recent years.

DalColle is a 6'2" center possibly going top-5. Ritchie is a 6'2" RW in that same range. MacInnis and Perlini are both 6'3" forwards going in the first half of the first round.

Jake Virtanen has been fluctuating between top-3 and top-15 the last few months and is 6'1" as a forward.

I also really like Haydn Fleury out of Red Deer as a defender in that top-10 range. He's a big bruising guy with possible offensive upside.

I would say that the forwards of this draft are much bigger than in years' past. Getting one of those guys could be pretty helpful, IMO. Especially since most of these guys have 1st or 2nd line upside.

I hope they go for Haydn Fleury, having a big year in Red Deer. Which of these forwards would be available with our 1st pick? Call it 22nd overall. Anyone that could make an impact?

 

[Lapa]

Fletcher was interviewed in a Finnish Sports TV show tonight. When asked what kind of players the Wild are looking for, he said that their emphasis is on speedy players that are good passers. He said that size is also important, but it's not as important as speed and passing ability. Maybe we'll see them go for speed instead of size?

 

[Jarick]

They've been doing that pretty much since they picked Gillies. Cuma, Granlund, Brodin, Dumba, etc all undersized but smart players. Well...maybe not Cuma.

 

[AKL]

Draisaitl or bust.

 

[keppel146]

forward or D? Might be the yr to draft a forward with our 1st. the big 3 or (big 4 if we add vanek) they wont last forever

 

[Generic User]

Draft whoever this year. Tank next year for Connor McDavid. It'd totally be worth it..

 

[AKL]

Draft whoever this year. Tank next year for Connor McDavid. It'd totally be worth it..

I would be ok with one year of bad hockey for 15 years of Connor McDavid.

 

[Bullrun]

I'm not sure the system can hold 10 more prospects? Agreeing with what has been said above, this team really just needs quality, a franchise type scorer (40+g guy) or another Brodin. (Easier said than done obviously)

Would really like to see fletch trade a bunch of these picks to try to get another 1st or two next season for the McDavid sweepstakes.

Obviously 2015 1st rounders will be hard to get but if you can get a few more lotto tickets it couldn't hurt. Remember any team that misses the playoffs has a chance now.

 

[57special]

Nobody was high on Brodin till he actually started to play in the NHL, Haula was a 7th(?) round pick and looks like he might be a contributor. We can all name 1st and 2nd rounders that have turned out to be nothing. As far as i'm concerned, i think the Wild should draft as many bodies as they can, let em play, either in Europe, AHL, ECHL, Juniors, college,etc., and see what happens as they mature. Some players are rockstars at 17 but never progress beyond that level, others don't mature till their early/mid 20's. Let's draft em all and see what shakes out.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Nobody was high on Brodin till he actually started to play in the NHL, Haula was a 7th(?) round pick and looks like he might be a contributor. We can all name 1st and 2nd rounders that have turned out to be nothing. As far as i'm concerned, i think the Wild should draft as many bodies as they can, let em play, either in Europe, AHL, ECHL, Juniors, college,etc., and see what happens as they mature. Some players are rockstars at 17 but never progress beyond that level, others don't mature till their early/mid 20's. Let's draft em all and see what shakes out.

That's not true. Many didn't like the pick at the time, but once his next season in the SEL was going and the swedes started raving about him most of us were getting excited about him. Then we got to see him in Worlds and that pretty much did it. Before he played in the NHL there were plenty of us that were more excited about him than Granlund.