Speculation: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[Bullrun]

Brodin hype started shortly after the draft when they actually had him skate with other nhl prospects.

None of our other prospects are on the level of a Brodin (maybe granlund shows flashes). He's one of the Wilds best 1st rounders ever, not saying much.

Regardless the wild doesn't have a Duchene, Mackinnon, E. Kane, Couture, Seguin etc. type. In other words, a dynamic young guy who clearly could score 30-40g. I like the # of shots nino takes tho

 

[tomthestone*]

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.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/223777441.html

Two years ago, Craig Button flew to Sweden to scout the Elite League final.

He wanted to mostly watch Skelleftea defenseman Adam Larsson, who many touted as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft in St. Paul.

“I left there, and I’m going, ‘They’re talking about Adam Larsson going No. 1? He’s not even the best defenseman in his own country,’ †said Button, a TSN and NHL Network analyst. “I mean, if you’re going to take a defenseman No. 1, go ahead, take a defenseman, but make sure you get the best ne.â€

 

[AJ Thelen]

Im pretty high on Barbashev.. If we get our hands on a high pick Nylander wouldnt hurt.

 

[Lapa]

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.

Good point. In any case, I like the direction they're taking. I'd love to see us becoming a Blackhawks type of team.

 

[tyratoku]

Im pretty high on Barbashev.. If we get our hands on a high pick Nylander wouldnt hurt.

The only problem with Nylander is that he is yet another small (5'10" - 5'11" depending on source) forward.

Not saying we couldn't use his skill, but it would be nice to get a bigger guy.

My top two(outside of the obvious top two of Reinhart and Ekblad) for this draft seem to be Fleury and Virtanen so far. But I really haven't seen much.

 

[Puhis]

I'd really like to see us taking Leon Draisaitl. He reminds me of Mikael Granlund in Nino's body. I really think he's going to be good, due to his big body, high hockey IQ and excellent passing ability.

 

[Jarick]

So long as they keep their first rounder, they'll have a chance to get an impact player. Winnipeg's second might be a high pick as well. We can also try and package a bunch of lower picks to get into the bottom of the second again. That's what I would do...shoot for three strong players in the draft.

I'm not worried about having too many prospects. The Wild loaded up with a ton of guys from 2009-12 and we're seeing them pan out into four groups:

Blue chippers (Granlund, Nino, Coyle, Zucker, Brodin, Dumba)
AHL development (Phillips, Bulmer, Gustafsson, Kuemper, Haula, Bussieres, Graovac)
College kids (Lucia, Gilmour, Soucy, Draeger, Seeler, DeJong, Olofsson, Peterson, Nanne)
Probably won't re-sign (Labbe, Belanger, Foucault, Cuma, Almond, Bertschy, Jobke, Caron)

The college kids are still probably a year or two away from even hitting the AHL. Gunnarsson I think is the only European who the Wild will sign. So there's going to be a lot of openings as they dump some of the AHL guys who haven't panned out and bring in new prospects. CHL players from the 2014 draft won't hit the AHL for two years anyway.

 

[ThatGuy22]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/223777441.html

Two years ago, Craig Button flew to Sweden to scout the Elite League final.

He wanted to mostly watch Skelleftea defenseman Adam Larsson, who many touted as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft in St. Paul.

“I left there, and I’m going, ‘They’re talking about Adam Larsson going No. 1? He’s not even the best defenseman in his own country,’ †said Button, a TSN and NHL Network analyst. “I mean, if you’re going to take a defenseman No. 1, go ahead, take a defenseman, but make sure you get the best one.â€

Revisionist history at best by Button. He had Brodin as his 4th ranked Defender, behind Larsson right prior to the draft.

 

[Lapa]

G Ville Husso, plays for HIFK in FEL. 18 years old, undrafted in the 2013 draft. Stole starter job from Brad Thiessen (AHL veteran WBS Penguins) this season.

17 gp, 1.94 GAA, 0.923 sv%.

Would be nice to draft him with a later round pick.

 

[Jarick]

Wouldn't mind that at all. I don't think Michalek or Belanger are going to go anywhere.

 

[Lapa]

Yeah, I think he might be a steal. Thiessen was fired earlier this year because Husso outplayed him so bad.

Also, two FEL starter goalies for Team Finland in WJC.

 

[Jarick]

I'm generally a fan of Finnish and Swedish goalie prospects.

 

[Gaps]

G Ville Husso, plays for HIFK in FEL. 18 years old, undrafted in the 2013 draft. Stole starter job from Brad Thiessen (AHL veteran WBS Penguins) this season.

17 gp, 1.94 GAA, 0.923 sv%.

Would be nice to draft him with a later round pick.

I wouldn't mind picking him up. Being the starting goalie for HIFK is not an easy spot at all, but so far he has done remarkably well, especially for such a young goalie. I'm not a goalie expert by any means, but he's big, calm and moves well. Worth at least considering IMO.

 

[57special]

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.

Define "plenty". 9 out of 10 HF Boarders(not all of them Finns) were more excited about Granlund than Brodin before they stepped on NA ice. I wasn't, simply because i had never seen Granlund except for a couple of clips. I WAS impressed with Brodin at the Worlds, but i wasn't sure if he would survive the brutality of the NHL. I am still amazed how he does it.
Huge fan.

Anyway, my main point was that I hope the Wild don't "load up" on a couple of draft picks, as even the top ones can miss. I'm all for the shotgun approach. Pick em all.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Yeah, I think he might be a steal. Thiessen was fired earlier this year because Husso outplayed him so bad.

Also, two FEL starter goalies for Team Finland in WJC.

Dont forget Ore...


BEAST

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

If we use all three 6th round picks to draft players, I'll be pretty disappointed. Use at least two of them to maybe turn the 4th rounder into an extra 3rd, or 3rd into a 2nd, and so on. We're sitting ok on our "longer shot, development" type players (Draeger, Seeler, Gilmour, maybe even Lucia). We don't need to take 11 players in this draft.

 

[tyratoku]

If we use all three 6th round picks to draft players, I'll be pretty disappointed. Use at least two of them to maybe turn the 4th rounder into an extra 3rd, or 3rd into a 2nd, and so on. We're sitting ok on our "longer shot, development" type players (Draeger, Seeler, Gilmour, maybe even Lucia). We don't need to take 11 players in this draft.

I agree with this. We should be packaging picks to move up.

Coming out of this draft with 3-4 high-impact potential players is a far better outcome that coming out with 11 long shot guys.

Ideally, I'd like to see the Wild end up with the first, the WPG second, another second, and a mid-to-late third rounder. Package everything else to move up to those spots. Draft four guys and call it a night.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I agree with this. We should be packaging picks to move up.

Coming out of this draft with 3-4 high-impact potential players is a far better outcome that coming out with 11 long shot guys.

Ideally, I'd like to see the Wild end up with the first, the WPG second, another second, and a mid-to-late third rounder. Package everything else to move up to those spots. Draft four guys and call it a night.

I also forgot that one of our picks was an extra 4th, most likely a high 4th as it is Buffalo's so that helps a lot too.

3rd + our 4th to gain another 2nd
5th + one of our 6's to gain another 4th

Obviously you can only do what other teams are willing to accept, but those seem like a couple of viable options if there are teams that are looking more at quantity.

 

[tyratoku]

To anybody that has a lot of knowledge about this, are there any Minnesota high school kids likely to go in the first few rounds?

 

[Jaykay]

To anybody that has a lot of knowledge about this, are there any Minnesota high school kids likely to go in the first few rounds?

Not really this year, but a few kids who left early probably will. Jack Glover originally of BSM, now playing for the USNTDP and Jack Dougherty who played for St. Thomas last year and is now with the USNTDP will probably go in the first two rounds.

Jack Ramsey (Minnetonka) now with Penticton in the BCHL, Austin Poganski (St. Cloud Cathedral) now Tri-City in the USHL, Ryan Collins (BSM) now with the USNTDP, and Shane Gersich (Holy Family) now with the USNTDP are in the next group. I'd expect them somewhere in rounds 2-4.

 

[Keke]

Roland McKeown has fallen a bit. He would be amazing player to have

 

[keppel146]

i was just going to say we should prob spend a 2nd or 3rd rounder on a goalie this year.

1st round:forward
2nd:defense or goalie
3rd:defense or goalie
4-7th mix it up who cares

 

[tyratoku]

I don't know much about high school hockey kids, and it's likely a case of a good trio of kids beating down on terrible teams, but Warroad has the top three scorers in the state right now.

The top guy is a 5'11" junior who has 53 points in 14 games. Then there is another 5'4" junior at 52 points in 14 games, and a senior at 48 points in 14 games.

What a trio of players. I've already got my calendar marked for a home game against East Grand Forks (#3 Class 1A) in Warroad(#5 Class 1A) in February. Could and should be a good game previewing a potential state tournament match down the line.

I'm not much of a scout but I have to wonder whether or not either of these juniors (not so much the 5'4" guy but rather the 5'11" guy) could be a potential late round pick. They can really put up points. Both are committed to going to Minnesota Duluth down the road.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Roland McKeown has fallen a bit. He would be amazing player to have

Absolutely.

Looks promising.

 

[TZM]

Leon Draisatl or David Pastrnak depending on the pick number.