2015 NHL Draft Thread IV (6/26-7PM, 6/27-10AM)

[Fro]

CBJP's review...

http://buckeyestatehockey.com/uncategorized/cbj-at-the-2015-nhl-entry-draft.html

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

How much does Boll, Clarkson, and Wennberg make if Boll and Clarkson are in the NHL and Wennberg is in the AHL?

How much does Boll, Clarkson, and Wennberg make if Boll and Wennberg are in the NHL and Clarkson is in the AHL?

And should an organization that has up to 50 player contracts be willing to accept that most likely there are always some contracts which are far from optimal? Might even be a league wide problem. Having NHL players in the AHL roster ready to be called up is the most welcome sight in the land of the blind.

Personally I can't see Wild Bill Karlsson featuring as regular fourth line centreman if they don't want Dano or Wennberg either to play those small minutes away.

 

[Xoggz22]

How much does Boll, Clarkson, and Wennberg make if Boll and Clarkson are in the NHL and Wennberg is in the AHL?

How much does Boll, Clarkson, and Wennberg make if Boll and Wennberg are in the NHL and Clarkson is in the AHL?

I believe Columbus would save around $800K on Wennberg's base salary and avoid any bonus considerations which could add up to $2+MM. Realistically the difference is less than $1MM but putting Boll or Clarkson in the minors simply isn't happening. Well.... Boll could be put there bu I think the FO holds him in much higher regard than we the fans. His locker room presence has been considered a big plus.

 

[Viqsi]

So I was catching up on some RSS feeds I follow today, and happened across something interesting. The fancystats community around NHLNumbers did a draft prospect ranking (like everybody does), and had Bittner at #40, which I was like, okay, sure, whatever. But the name immediately after him at #41?

http://canucksarmy.com/2015/6/13/nation-network-prospect-profiles-41-veeti-vainio

I don't blame you if you've never heard of Veeti Vainio, as the lanky Finnish defender is currently flying way under the radar. Defensive issues and questions about his overall game have kept him well down many draft lists, but elite level production in Finland's top junior league has vaulted him rather high on ours. Quite simply, he's a point producing monster on the blueline for one of Finland's best U-20 teams.

Join us after the break as we take a look at the 2015 draft's biggest statistical sleeper.

The money quote:

Statistically, his performance is good enough to justify not only a first-round pick, but to be in the same conversation as Noah Hanifin, Ivan Provorov, and Zach Werenski.

The reason for a lower ranking:

The scouting community believes he's a high-risk prospect, and in lieu of better information, we have to believe their claims are at least somewhat accurate.

Holy freaking crap, they love this kid. And we got him a full 100 picks later than they suggested (#141 overall).

Fingers crossed.

 

[WannabeFinn]

So I was catching up on some RSS feeds I follow today, and happened across something interesting. The fancystats community around NHLNumbers did a draft prospect ranking (like everybody does), and had Bittner at #40, which I was like, okay, sure, whatever. But the name immediately after him at #41?

http://canucksarmy.com/2015/6/13/nation-network-prospect-profiles-41-veeti-vainio

the Finnish EK65

 

[Viqsi]

the Finnish EK65

ohpleaseohpleaseohplease

 

[Sore Loser]

Spent most of Saturday moving, and haven't had much time to jump on here since.

I did provide my thoughts on every selection the CBJ made:

http://alongtheboards.com/2015/06/columbus-blue-jackets-pick-up-six-defensemen-in-solid-draft/

Happy to answer any questions anyone may have. I have plenty of feedback on all of these guys except for Markus Nutivaara, who I have very limited notes on. In short, I'm really excited about this year's crop ... I think the Jackets easily come away with four, maybe five players out of this group.

 

[EspenK]

Thanks SL...now, who do you like next year?

 

[Sore Loser]

Thanks SL...now, who do you like next year?

Auston Mathews

Some more personal notes:

I really liked the Werenski pick, spoke highly of it on this thread the moment he was taken. The one clear goal from this year's draft was that, the Jackets HAD to come away with one of the big three defensemen, and they landed a guy that could anchor the second pair for years to come. He might become a first pairing guy, but even if not, I think he's an excellent pick that will help the team for years to come. Jack Johnson is a good comparable, but at the top end he could be better, maybe on the level of a Dougie Hamilton.

I also liked the move up to select Gabriel Carlsson. To get good players, you have to give away assets, and in a draft where they had ten picks, trading two of them to land a guy that could, like Werenski, be a second pairing mainstay, just makes sense. Carlsson won't have the flash and flair, but he is big, steady, and smart. I liken his game to Karl Alzner, though I think Carlsson is a better skater.

Paul Bittner could come away as one of the biggest draft day steals. An amazing find at 38th overall, I think his selection is very similar to the selection of Boone Jenner -- a guy who was projected to go higher, in the first round, but fell into our laps. I've seen the guy play a ton and he's a beast. Big, strong, an excellent skater, a lethal shot, and can be solid alongside talented players. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the lineup within two years, factoring in a key role. He's a real tough player to find a comparable for, as he has a rare combination of size, skill, and skating. Love this player.

Kevin Stenlund has already impressed at rookie orientation camp, and I'm not surprised. He's a big kid, underrated skill level and a strong mind for the game. He's another guy that, within two years, is easy to pencil into the lineup as a difference maker. I think he has higher upside than many people are giving him credit for, and he could be a second line player in the NHL if he is brought along properly. What I love about this player, is that everyone says the same things about him that they said about Patrice Bergeron at this age. I'm not saying he'll be that kind of player, but ...

I've seen plenty of Keegan Kolesar and I like this selection as well. Kolesar isn't a guy that will ever be more than a bottom six forward, but he brings size, a little touch of skill, and a whole lot of nasty to his game. Very good physical player, you can tell he's a "heavy" hitter, takes guys off the puck and creates havoc on the fore-check. A frustrating player to play against because he is constantly in the opponents' face and can chip in offense when given the chance. Reminds me a lot of Chris Neil, though unlike Neil, he isn't a true enforcer.

We'll have to temper expectations for Sam Ruopp ... he's a big kid with a hard mean streak, but his upside is fairly limited. I think at best, he could be come a 6/7 guy in the NHL, but can be beneficial in the system as a guy that helps bring along the other defensemen. He's a natural leader and sticks up for his teammates, so he could be a solid guy to have in the AHL. He's an interesting pick in this range because of what he brings, and could surprise me and follow a similar path to that of Dalton Prout.

Veeti Vainio was a quiet riser on a lot of lists and has all of the tools to reach the next level, but is a bit of a project. His defensive game needs work, but he has strong offensive zone presence and plays the game competitively. It will come down to his willingness to be coached and learn the game, if that is on par then he could be a solid fifth round find. My guess is that, he will put up huge numbers at some point over the next two years, and become highly talked about in prospect circles. Or, I could be entirely wrong ... he reminds me a lot of Anton Stralman, at the same age.

Vladislav Gavrikov was one of the more highly touted overage players available in this year's draft, and with good reason. He was named the top defender of the WJC tournament in spite of not having any points ... he's a big, stay-at-home guy that can log the difficult minutes and play a shutdown role. A sort of jack-of-all-trades defender that can play physical, skate well, and stay positionally sound ... think Marc Methot at the top end.

And lastly, Markus Nutivaara ... a player I have seen a little, here and there, over the years. This is an interesting pick because the player is already turning 22 and it's likely that the team could have signed him after the draft. My guess is Jarmo and his staff were worried about someone else scooping him up and wanted to guarantee his rights. He's a guy that could come right over and play in the AHL, but could make more money overseas. It's a bit of a swing for the fences because he will either be an effective player and in the NHL within 1-2 years, or he will be a wasted pick.

 

[stevo61]

Auston Mathews



I've seen plenty of Keegan Kolesar and I like this selection as well. Kolesar isn't a guy that will ever be more than a bottom six forward, but he brings size, a little touch of skill, and a whole lot of nasty to his game. Very good physical player, you can tell he's a "heavy" hitter, takes guys off the puck and creates havoc on the fore-check. A frustrating player to play against because he is constantly in the opponents' face and can chip in offense when given the chance. Reminds me a lot of Chris Neil, though unlike Neil, he isn't a true enforcer.

He sounds like a bigger Anthony Camara. Heavy hitters with ok skill selected in the 3rd round

EDIT: I thought Kolesar sounded familiar and I finally figured it out. He's the guy Leipsic hit and got his big suspension

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

And lastly, Markus Nutivaara ... a player I have seen a little, here and there, over the years. This is an interesting pick because the player is already turning 22 and it's likely that the team could have signed him after the draft. My guess is Jarmo and his staff were worried about someone else scooping him up and wanted to guarantee his rights. He's a guy that could come right over and play in the AHL, but could make more money overseas. It's a bit of a swing for the fences because he will either be an effective player and in the NHL within 1-2 years, or he will be a wasted pick.

Nutivaara I read had a growth spurt relatively lately so age can be thrown out of the window when someone rises to occasion on the best SM-liiga team. Not to forget it was in the play-offs for the soon to be champions twice in a row...

Vainio like other Blues youth players apparently had been lured by NCAA teams to come over when he turns 19. He pondered over it in the winter but decided to sign professionally with the Blues senior league team.

 

[Sore Loser]

He sounds like a bigger Anthony Camara. Heavy hitters with ok skill selected in the 3rd round

EDIT: I thought Kolesar sounded familiar and I finally figured it out. He's the guy Leipsic hit and got his big suspension

Correct. It's a testament to the game Kolesar plays; he gets under everyone's skin. For whatever it's worth, I believe that to be one of the dirtiest hits I've ever seen in hockey, and I grew up watching the old Chill and have more than 20 years of hockey loving experience.

Brutal, dirty, and full of malicious intent:
(Also, love the one-sided commentary in Portland ... famous league-wide!)



The next time the teams played, Kolesar tried to extract a more legal form of vengeance ... but Leipsic, 50 pounds lighter, wanted nothing to do with it:
(Again, sorry for the commentary)

Nutivaara I read had a growth spurt relatively lately so age can be thrown out of the window when someone rises to occasion on the best SM-liiga team. Not to forget it was in the play-offs for the soon to be champions twice in a row...

Vainio like other Blues youth players apparently had been lured by NCAA teams to come over when he turns 19. He pondered over it in the winter but decided to sign professionally with the Blues senior league team.

Yeah, I knew about the growth spurt with Nutivaara, hadn't really thought about it much ... but I feel like when you take a guy this late in his eligibility, you have to be thinking that he's at least close to making one of your pro rosters. Hopefully he works out, but it's definitely a pick I wasn't expecting. Not that it's a bad one by any means.

I would have loved to see Vainio come over this year and play in the NCAA, as you alluded to ... it's always easier to get a read on guys when they are closer to us and playing against their peers. Hopefully he holds his own in the Men's league, it will be interesting to see how he does. You'll have to keep us posted on their progress