2015 NHL Draft Thread (Lottery: 4/18, Draft: 6/26-6/27)

[Jovavic]

Got any defenseman?

Marachenko (sp?) would work

 

[EspenK]

they are still showing the draft lottery show. they are only not showing the balls coming out of the machine

OOPS! My usual calm, take my time to evaluate reports,approach failed me this time. I thought they were going to announce it on-line or on Fox News or something. I can relax now.

 

[Nanabijou]

The Jackets get the 'thumbs up' from Dave Hodge:

http://www.tsn.ca/thumbs-up-to-anti-tanking-blue-jackets-1.247830

For that matter, here's the math - Columbus sits 23rd in the NHL standings with 80 points and is currently scheduled to draft No. 8 if slim lottery odds of 6.0 per cent hold true.
With 16 fewer points, the Blue Jackets would be tied with Toronto in 27th spot and would be favoured to pick fourth or fifth if their increased odds didn't land them a lottery win.
I hope the Jackets defy slimmer odds and win anyway. And if they don't, I hope they find a great young player at No. 8, or lower, because they're liable to continue to win, for that is what they're trying to do. Imagine!

 

[J15]

Got any defenseman?

I'm assuming you're talking about prospects, because nobody really wants any of the guys we have in the NHL

Marachenko (sp?) would work

Ouellet, Sproul, Marchenko, Jensen and even Hicketts are our best young defencemen right now.

Value wise the first 3 are pretty similar IMO followed by Jensen and Hicketts. It really depends what you're looking for. Ouellet has already proven he could be a solid 2nd line defencemen in the NHL, and if he continues to develop, being a solid 1st pairing guy isn't unlikely at all. Marchenko is less of a sure thing IMO, but is better offensively.

Sproul is hard to judge. He has the biggest ceiling by far. Offensively the guy will be elite it's just a matter of whether or not he'll develop his defensive game enough to play in the NHL. However lately in the AHL he's come a long way in that regard. I see a lot more hope for him now then I did 2 months ago. He does have a pretty impressive resume. He was the 2013 CHL defenceman of the year so he definitely has the skill set to be very good. If you're looking for high risk, high reward player he's you're guy.

I suggested Sproul + 18th overall for the 10th overall, but I'm still not sure how I feel about that. Any of Sproul, Ouellet or Marchenko are basically what every team hopes their mid-first round picks develops into. Don't know if I can justify paying that price for an 8 spot jump, especially with how close players around 10-20 are in skill. It's definitely and interesting thought, especially if the right player is still available when you guys pick.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

The Jackets get the 'thumbs up' from Dave Hodge:

http://www.tsn.ca/thumbs-up-to-anti-tanking-blue-jackets-1.247830

I always liked Dave Hodge. He's like that uncle who always had more money than anyone else in the family.

 

[Sore Loser]

I always liked Dave Hodge. He's like that uncle who always had more money than anyone else in the family.

I'm also a big Dave Hodge fan. He's like the anti-Don Cherry.

 

[Cowumbus]

Pretty nice way to look at this season

http://thehockeywriters.com/contending-columbus-will-add-a-top-10-pick/

 

[CBJx614]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/04/05/2015-nhl-draft-profile-6-zach-werenski/

The last words taken on Werenski. Says he has higher offensive upside than Hanafin, although Hanafin is further along and has a better all around game. I seriously doubt this kid is still on the board when we draft, but if he is we better take him.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/04/05/2015-nhl-draft-profile-6-zach-werenski/

The last words taken on Werenski. Says he has higher offensive upside than Hanafin, although Hanafin is further along and has a better all around game. I seriously doubt this kid is still on the board when we draft, but if he is we better take him.

I just don't see it with Werenski. He always seems like to me that he is just winging it. I don't see him as someone who thinks the game well. I could definitely be wrong but I am not sold on him at all. Especially when on the ice at the same time as Hanifin, I saw Hanfin as a player on an entirely different level than Werenski, with regard to how mature and polished Hanifin's game is, and when talking about ceilings.

Man, I hope Werenski goes before we pick. There are a lot of good players in that range. I don't think we have risked much from dropping our draft position from 6 to 8 with all these wins...

I still have my eye on:
Barzal, Rantanen, Meier, Provorov, Merkley, and Zacha

If we have to go D with that first pick, I'll be a little disappointed if it is someone other than Hanifin or Provorov


As for an update on the standings: We will finish between 6-12. But, In order to pick 10 or lower, we have to get 5 more points than Dallas or Florida the rest of the way, or 6 more points than San Jose... Or to get passed by NJ they have to get 6 more points than us the rest of the way. Basically, things will be a lot more clear after another game or two. But odds are very high that we draft between 7-9.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I see Dave Hodge didn't mention green acres in his article this time

 

[db2011]

I see Dave Hodge didn't mention green acres in his article this time

Your memory is a vault, Wennberg! Good call

 

[DJA]

I see Dave Hodge didn't mention green acres in his article this time

It was Steve Simmons who actually muttered the "Green Acres" nonsense, but Hodge was indeed part of that awful roundtable "discussion"

 

[EspenK]

Here's a good read on Timo Meier who seems to have Blue Jacket kind of player written all over

http://thehockeywriters.com/is-timo-meier-the-top-qmjhl-2015-nhl-draft-prospect/


They have a profile on all top picks.

Start here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1850197

 

[EDM]

Timo sounds pretty good if we can't get that d-man.

 

[EDM]

It will be interesting to see what JK does if we wind up in a draft position that does not allow us to get one of the high end d-men. Does he go the trade route ??? That kind of scares me. JK's trade record does not match his drafting record. Could JK go for a blockbuster trade to get that top tier d-man if we don't get one of the big 3 d-men in the draft?

 

[Jackets16]

It will be interesting to see what JK does if we wind up in a draft position that does not allow us to get one of the high end d-men. Does he go the trade route ??? That kind of scares me. JK's trade record does not match his drafting record. Could JK go for a blockbuster trade to get that top tier d-man if we don't get one of the big 3 d-men in the draft?

A defenseman from this years draft probably isn't helping us next year, so I doubt our plans (trading or not trading for a defenseman) will change if we draft one or if we don't.

 

[Xoggz22]

It will be interesting to see what JK does if we wind up in a draft position that does not allow us to get one of the high end d-men. Does he go the trade route ??? That kind of scares me. JK's trade record does not match his drafting record. Could JK go for a blockbuster trade to get that top tier d-man if we don't get one of the big 3 d-men in the draft?

Your post simply helped me clarify what I want to comment on. No knock on you but I think many have a common comment of indicating what is wanted at the draft to hero the current holes on the existing team. While I agree the defense needs to add some talent, the draft provides future talent. I don't look at today's NHL team and count on the draft to fill it. Unless you are trading picks of course. Our cupboard it's thin on defense. It just happens to coincide with the needs of the big club.

For me, I want the best assets possible to build long term sustainability. Granted I really would like to see some high end defensemen drafted because I think those are harder to acquire but getting Proporov, for example, doesn't necessarily change next year's team. We have a team that isn't that far off from actual cup contention in my opinion. Certainly should be a playoff team. Keep filling the cupboard and acquire the stop gap pieces as the high end players develop.

CBJ has some good assets to work with on the draft floor - pick or trade.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Timo sounds pretty good if we can't get that d-man.

I still think we'd be better off taking Barzal/Rantanen/Zacha over Timo if they're on the board still.

 

[EDM]

Well, JK's trade record still scares me.

 

[Jackets16]

It shouldn't. I mean, is he better at drafting? Of course, but only because he is so good at it. I don't understand why people have problems with the trades he has made. Not all have been great, but he has more good than bad, IMO.

 

[Mayor Bee]

It shouldn't. I mean, is he better at drafting? Of course, but only because he is so good at it. I don't understand why people have problems with the trades he has made. Not all have been great, but he has more good than bad, IMO.

Good
- Umberger and a 4th for Hartnell

Bad
- Mason for Leighton and a 3rd
- Brassard, Dorsett, Moore for Gaborik...followed by Gaborik for two picks and Frattin...followed by Frattin for D'Amigo...followed by D'Amigo for Luke Adam
- Horton for Clarkson
- Wisniewski, 3rd-rounder for Karlsson, 2nd-rounder, and a guy who'd been on waivers that very day

Unknown
- 5th-rounder for Nick Schultz, then getting that pick back for Nikitin

Those are the only trades involving NHL players.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Hold on there – I think Brassard, Dorsett and Moore for Gaborik was a pretty good trade. What he did with him, well, yeah, that's another story.

 

[Fro]

Hold on there – I think Brassard, Dorsett and Moore for Gaborik was a pretty good trade. What he did with him, well, yeah, that's another story.

agreed...you can't lump the bad with that...that was a really great trade that filled a need...

i'm also not sure how you put the Wiz trade as "bad" Bourque looked good in his appearances, and wild bill played well also...plus we have a pretty good record since that day without wiz...

 

[EspenK]

Is this the draft thread or the JK trades thread?

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

Good
- Umberger and a 4th for Hartnell

Bad
- Mason for Leighton and a 3rd
- Brassard, Dorsett, Moore for Gaborik...followed by Gaborik for two picks and Frattin...followed by Frattin for D'Amigo...followed by D'Amigo for Luke Adam
- Horton for Clarkson
- Wisniewski, 3rd-rounder for Karlsson, 2nd-rounder, and a guy who'd been on waivers that very day

Unknown
- 5th-rounder for Nick Schultz, then getting that pick back for Nikitin

Those are the only trades involving NHL players.

I think the Hartnell trade balances out 4 bad ones And Morin for Erixon was a very good trade, in my books.

Back to the draft!

Meier seems like a prime Jarmo draft target. He is one of the best shooters in the draft and one of the strongest forwards. His main weakness seems to be his skating, he lacks quickness and top end speed. But he is a strong skater - he can really overpower defensemen and get leverage on them. He is very smart, doesnt need that speed to create offense (something that we are seeing this year with Hartnell, speed isnt everything). Knows where to go to get the soft spaces. Goes to the front of the net early and often. Sticks up for teammates. He is a mature interview and his physically developed. He has scored 51 goals this season between the Q and WJC.

I would not hesitate to take him at 6. There are a few good options there and we have a more glaring need for a defenseman right now. But I don't see Hanifin slipping, and who knows what our defense will look like in 2-3 years when Provorov is ready to make an impact.

Jarmo has said as much with his drafting philosophy: BPA, and don't draft based on current NHL roster. It does seem like he will draft based on organizational (prospect) need though. I forget the exact categories he uses. Something like Offensive Forward, Defensive Forward, Offensive Defenseman, Defensive Defenseman, and Special. And he could have one for each category all valued roughly the same. It does seem like he makes the distinction within categories or positions (I'm sure they will clearly decide if they like Werenski or Provorov more by draft day - but they could be back and forth between Provorov and Barzal)

In 2013 we took Heatherington in the 2nd even though we had Carrier ranked a spot or two above him on the master ranking. This being because we just had drafted Wennberg Rychel and Dano - Carrier and Heatherington were on the same plane (roughly similarly valued players), Carrier was like 32 and Heatherington 34 on our master list, but we had a organizational hole at DFD.

We arent going to just draft Provorov because we traded Wisniewski. We could draft him because we are likely to lose Reilly though. Only if it is a coinflip between the two players though, that we draft on position.