Speculation: 2015 NHL Draft

[Puhis]

So, next 5 years:

Brodin - Dumba
Suter - Folin (?)
Scandella - Spurgeon
Olofsson

I can live with that.

 

[Digitalbooya]

The trouble would be if we could afford a theoretical $8m third pairing. Looking at a potential $24m defensive group that has 1A/1B/1C written all over it.

 

[forthewild]

I don't think Spurg is here next year, I know GMCF has recently told Russo he's not looking into trading him. But lets be honest, he's going to be a RFA and might want big money.

Still with the top 3 of Brodin,Scandella and Suter signed for a 5+ more years Dumba is the next one on the list to sort out. And with Dumba a big contract is maybe 4ish years away if he hits his development goals. He is signed for one more year, then a 2-3 year bridge deal, followed by a bigger deal.

 

[TaLoN]

So, next 5 years:

Brodin - Dumba
Suter - Folin (?)
Scandella - Spurgeon
Olofsson

I can live with that.

Spurgeon won't be around that long.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Scandella - Brodin
Suter - Dumba
Whoever - Whoever

 

[forthewild]

Scandella - Brodin
Suter - Dumba
Whoever - Whoever

Short term the 3rd pairing could be

Oloffson-Folin

or better yet.

Rielly-Oloffson/Folin

 

[TaLoN]

From the Strib...

Apparently, Fletcher doesn't see much of a risk in Russians "not signing" in this year's draft...

One area where it does seem like the Wild has departed from the “best player” mantra is with Russians.

Of the 42 draft picks in the Fletcher era since 2009, the Wild chose 13 Europeans. Eleven have come from Finland and Sweden and one each from Switzerland and the Czech Republic. The latter two, Christoph Bertschy (sixth round in 2012) and Pavel Jenys (seventh round in 2014), have turned pro and are expected to play in Iowa next season.

Fletcher admits he has been wary of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League pressuring its homegrown players or even Czechs and Slovaks from either not coming to the NHL or returning in the middle of their NHL contracts (Alex Radulov with Nashville, Ilya Kovalchuk with New Jersey and Vladimir Sobotka with St. Louis are some examples).

“You want to make sure if you draft a kid, particularly in the first few rounds, that you have a legitimate chance to sign them and get them over here and keep them here,” Fletcher said.

Beating the rep

Some eastern Europeans have reputations of not being “team players.” In the Fletcher-Flahr era, the only Russian to be on a Wild roster was goalie Ilya Bryzgalov in the second half of the 2013-14 season. The Wild hasn’t had a player from the Czech Republic since Martin Havlat in 2011 and Marek Zidlicky in 2012. Both their Wild careers ended in stormy fashion.

Flahr said the Wild has no issues with the personalities of Eastern Europeans, “that it’s no different than any a Canadian player. You’ve got to get to know the player and if there’s a character issue or a question of work ethic or something else you’re questioning, it doesn’t matter where they’re from.”

Still, it does seem as if the Wild has missed out on some very talented players. Fletcher said he doesn’t have the same KHL fear anymore because so many draft-eligible Russian and Czech players are showing their commitment to play in the NHL by playing juniors in the Canadian Hockey League.

The two top Russians in this weekend’s draft, Ivan Provorov and Evgeny Svechnikov, played in Brandon and Cape Breton, respectively. Three top Czech kids — Pavel Zacha, Jakub Zboril and Filip Chlapik — all played in the CHL.

Jenys, whom the Wild believes has a legitimate shot to be an NHLer, played for Sudbury last season.

There also might be an improved relationship between the NHL and KHL on the horizon as the leagues work toward a potential transfer agreement.

“We’re seeing more and more players moving this way,” Fletcher said. “There are a lot of good eastern Europeans this year. Last year, too. We’re open-minded to a player from anywhere. For a couple of years, maybe other teams weren’t as concerned as we were, but I think we’re at a different time now.”

 

[Taylor26]

Short term the 3rd pairing could be

Oloffson-Folin

or better yet.

Rielly-Oloffson/Folin

that 3rd line pairing will be cheap and quite full of potential if we can swing it. However Rielly isn't here yet, oloffson has lost a year of seasoning and folin is a 20 game D man at most so far. vets are needed next year but if your talking about 2017 i'm all for it.

 

[TaLoN]

that 3rd line pairing will be cheap and quite full of potential if we can swing it. However Rielly isn't here yet, oloffson has lost a year of seasoning and folin is a 20 game D man at most so far. vets are needed next year but if your talking about 2017 i'm all for it.

We're talking about the 3rd pair... we already have plenty of vets ahead of them right now.

Suter - Brodin
Scandella - Dumba
Reilly(if he signs)/Oloffson - Spurgeon(if he's not traded)/Folin

 

[Engebretson]

From the Strib...

Apparently, Fletcher doesn't see much of a risk in Russians "not signing" in this year's draft...

I think a lot of teams that might have shied away from Russians in the past are warming to the idea, but I would still be surprised to see the Wild spend a high round pick on a Russian. This quote from Flahr in particular, I think, is pretty telling:

“As for the [Russian players we could have drafted in previous years but passed on], if you’re not sure they’re 100 percent committed to coming over here and playing, it’s hard to invest a high pick.

With the KHL being in a bit of a financial situation at the moment, I think leaving the NHL is a bit less attractive to Russians, but it's still a potential risk. I do agree with Russo that guys that are already in the CHL this year like Provorov and Svechnikov are a bit more enticing because they're already in North America, but it's really how much of a risk Fletcher and Flahr see in those players. I think they are still more inclined to select a player with #20 and #50 that is a North American NCAA/CHL player because they're safer, but yeah, I agree that they are warming to the idea.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I think it's easier to start smaller, take a flyer on a guy or two in the mid-rounds and see if any of them pop.

 

[Engebretson]

I think it's easier to start smaller, take a flyer on a guy or two in the mid-rounds and see if any of them pop.

I agree, and that's exactly what Russo was hinting at in his article with the Wild's selection of Pavel Jenys last year. Obviously each player is different in their motivations for staying or leaving, but he's the first Eastern European player selected in Fletcher's tenure and I'm sure playing in the CHL was a big part of that. The organization has had a good experience with him so far and it only cost them a 7th rounder. I wouldn't be surprised to see them do something similar in this draft.

 

[Engebretson]

I know I've been pumping Colin White's tires for awhile, but I really wanted to post this from the White thread in the Prospects Forum:

White is a very good skater with good speed, but he is strong on his skates and difficult to knock off the puck. He has excellent balance and footwork; can start and stop and start again very quickly in either direction. White is what you would call a “tough out” when attempts are made to separate him from the puck, as he is very crafty and dangerous during board battles – he can whip a hard pass or elevate a soft pass off his backhand off a scrum. He is a very intelligent playmaker in the mold of Dylan Larkin in that he does not shy away from shooting and is rarely guilty of overpassing. He played on a line with fellow draft-eligible Jeremy Bracco, who is an outstanding playmaker from the wing. The Boston College-bound duo complimented each other offensively and Bracco’s artistry with the puck enabled White to showcase a very good shot and touch around the net. Defensively, he’s outstanding on faceoffs and has been a go-to guy in almost all of Team USA’s critical defensive-zone draws. White is very much an all-around athlete, but he thinks the game extremely well and can even get physical when the situation warrants it.

http://www.thedraftanalyst.com/prospects/colin-white/

If we can also get Bracco somehow in this draft...

Also, his combine results:

It’s not often you see someone finish 1st in agility testing, from both sides. But that’s just what White did on Saturday. White was the only prospect to put in a faster time on Agility Right than Eichel, at 4.21 seconds. White then followed that up with a Combine best 4.34 seconds on Agility Left. He also posted Top 10 results on both the standing Long Jump and Vertical Jump.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

After "hours" of "exhaustive" "research", my official preference:

#20: White or Eriksson Ek
#50: Bracco or Novak
Only real disappointment would be a defenseman or goalie taken in the first 2 rounds

 

[Circulartheory]

After "hours" of "exhaustive" "research", my official preference:

#20: White or Eriksson Ek
#50: Bracco or Novak
Only real disappointment would be a defenseman or goalie taken in the first 2 rounds

I agree with the goalie but I would not be upset we take a puckmoving defenseman with either of those picks. We aren't really deep in top talent on the blueline.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

I agree with the goalie but I would not be upset we take a puckmoving defenseman with either of those picks. We aren't really deep in top talent on the blueline.

I think my top two for 20 are Boeser and Guryanov.

50 - Would love Beauvillier but that ain't happening. Senshyn and Carrier.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I agree with the goalie but I would not be upset we take a puckmoving defenseman with either of those picks. We aren't really deep in top talent on the blueline.

Maybe not "deep" necessarily, but I think we're pretty much set. Suter has 10 years left; Scandella has 5; Brodin is only 21; Dumba is only 20; and Spurgeon isn't a sure thing to depart. I know the whole BPA thing is what it is, our needs are so prevalent elsewhere. Especially at this point in the draft, it's not like any defenseman is going to be clear-cut ahead of anybody else.

 

[keppel146]

After "hours" of "exhaustive" "research", my official preference:

#20: White or Eriksson Ek
#50: Bracco or Novak
Only real disappointment would be a defenseman or goalie taken in the first 2 rounds

This is basically me too. Except I wouldn't hate a defenseman at #50.

How good is Jeremy Roy? Does anyone know if he would be considered a steal at 20? (I do want a first round forward however)

 

[thestonedkoala]

Something tells me we'll get another Tuch/Coyle type player. I'm still concerned about what we're going to do with Tuch (luckily he doesn't project to center) but we're going to get another 'safe' two-way forward that can play a strong defensive game that can chip in a few goals. A guy like Eriksson-Ek would be fine if we weren't Minnesota. We'd develop his defensive game while ignoring his offensive upside.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Something tells me we'll get another Tuch/Coyle type player. I'm still concerned about what we're going to do with Tuch (luckily he doesn't project to center) but we're going to get another 'safe' two-way forward that can play a strong defensive game that can chip in a few goals. A guy like Eriksson-Ek would be fine if we weren't Minnesota. We'd develop his defensive game while ignoring his offensive upside.

There's very little evidence to support any of this.

 

[AKL]

If Thomas Novak is still available at 50 I'd definitely want to take him. Even if we took a C first round.

 

[thestonedkoala]

There's very little evidence to support any of this.

Coyle and Granlund? We moved Coyle from wing to center because of his defensive game. We couldn't develop Phillips properly. We picked up guys like Larsson, Bussieres, Bulmer, and Gabriel due to their size and their strong two-way play. Lucia as well. We pick up players with good size and solid two-way play. Granlund wasn't just seen as a good offensive player, he was seen as a solid two-way center that could play defensively.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Coyle and Granlund? We moved Coyle from wing to center because of his defensive game. We couldn't develop Phillips properly. We picked up guys like Larsson, Bussieres, Bulmer, and Gabriel due to their size and their strong two-way play. Lucia as well. We pick up players with good size and solid two-way play. Granlund wasn't just seen as a good offensive player, he was seen as a solid two-way center that could play defensively.

Granlund was breaking scoring records in Finland, and has pretty much been given the top line in his time here. We aren't holding him back, except for maybe the power play, which should be remedied this year.

Maybe defensive reliability was a reason Coyle was moved to center, but it's not the reason. Just because somebody plays the center position and is asked to maintain some sort of level of defensive ability, doesn't mean that their offensive potential is being neutered. He has played center because a) he's better than Brodziak, b) he has experience at that position, and c) as a team, we are wing-heavy.

 

[Engebretson]

Just because a player is asked by the coaching staff to be defensively responsible does not mean they are hindering his offensive potential. See: Zucker, Jason

 

[ThatGuy22]

Coyle and Granlund? We moved Coyle from wing to center because of his defensive game. We couldn't develop Phillips properly. We picked up guys like Larsson, Bussieres, Bulmer, and Gabriel due to their size and their strong two-way play. Lucia as well. We pick up players with good size and solid two-way play. Granlund wasn't just seen as a good offensive player, he was seen as a solid two-way center that could play defensively.

I can't find a single mention of Granlund's "two way game" or defensive responsibility in his draft profiles. Just glowing offensive, playmaking and hockey sense reviews.

And Its pretty widely known that Lucia is a flat out liability in the D zone. He's a big scoring winger.

Dumba certainly wasn't picked for his two way play, nor Phillips(regardless of if he didn't develop, the Wild gave him every oppurtunity to).