Prospect Info: 2015 NHL Entry Draft Talk

[BigG44]

I see the 2010 reviews are coming. Dallas will once again salvage their draft with late picks. Klingberg and Nemeth are on track for solid NHL careers which makes the draft a pretty significant success. Theriau has retired from hockey, and Guptill has the look of a long shot to reach the NHL. Campbell is a mystery, trending downwards, but I don't think he's a lost cause yet. Regardless though of what happens with Jack, it's tough to get 2 NHLers so that's a positive. If Jack puts it all together, that could turn into an even better draft.

2011 has a chance to turn into a pretty fantastic draft depending on the development of Oleksiak, Ritchie, and Jokipakka. You could be looking at three established NHLers next season or all three could leave you wanting more. With Stransky as an outside shot of developing into a NHLer, that class looks like it could be pretty impressive if things continue to go well.

 

[OttMorrow]

What do you guys think of Pavel Zacha?

Boom or Bust. I'm not opposed if Nill thinks the upside is really there. I'm just not convinced he's on the level of a Konecny...all the tools, no tool box?

 

[masinaLFC]

Boom or Bust. I'm not opposed if Nill thinks the upside is really there. I'm just not convinced he's on the level of a Konecny...all the tools, no tool box?

oh come on.. Zacha is a few levels higher than Konecny.. and don't get me wrong, I really like Konecny, but this comparision shouldn't be topic at all.. and I don't understand those boom or bust comments also.. hypothetically if his offensive play won't translate to the NHL game, why wouldn't 6,3 tough guy and elite skater transform into the bottom 6 player? Personally, I don't think he will fall to 12, because he is complete player + size, that scouts love.. we're lucky, that this draft is insanely deep and we will get the prospect that in other draft would get picked in top 10 or top 5

 

[Satan]

Zacha ain't no complete player. He's a ghost defensively.

 

[Timani]

Jeremy Roy keeps dropping in the rankings. This is a blessing in disguise.

What happened to this guy to make him drop so far? Anybody still interested at #12 because I haven't seen anybody have him up that high anymore.

 

[masinaLFC]

Zacha ain't no complete player. He's a ghost defensively.

I would not call him a ghost defensively... obviously, he is not a great defensive player but ghost is too much IMO..

 

[OttMorrow]

oh come on.. Zacha is a few levels higher than Konecny.. and don't get me wrong, I really like Konecny, but this comparision shouldn't be topic at all.. and I don't understand those boom or bust comments also.. hypothetically if his offensive play won't translate to the NHL game, why wouldn't 6,3 tough guy and elite skater transform into the bottom 6 player? Personally, I don't think he will fall to 12, because he is complete player + size, that scouts love.. we're lucky, that this draft is insanely deep and we will get the prospect that in other draft would get picked in top 10 or top 5

A 1st rounder in a draft as deep as this that turns into a bottom 6er is a bust IMO. I give him an 8.0D whereas I think Konecney is maybe an 8.0C/8.5C. I think their upside is relatively comparable, slight edge to Konecny(1st overall in the OHL draft is huge) and I think that Konecny's risk has more to do with potential for injury due to his style given his frame vs. Zacha's risk is that he is still more of a project until proven otherwise. I don't get too caught up in size when it comes to forwards these days...it's a different NHL now. Talent above all...you can use size as a tiebreaker if all else is equal IMO.

 

[BigG44]

Haven't I seen Zacha's compete level questioned? If so, was that a legitimate mark against or just lip service because he's European and playing in the CHL?

I think you can write off spending a high pick on a guy that doesn't give 100% effort. Not saying that includes Zacha ... genuinely curious if that is a fair assessment I've seen a few make.

Personally I think some of the crap many European's get in their first season in the CHL has more to do with the culture shock and adjustment to a new country, culture, language, etc. Plus you're typically playing quite a few more games than junior programs from Europe.

 

[masinaLFC]

Haven't I seen Zacha's compete level questioned? If so, was that a legitimate mark against or just lip service because he's European and playing in the CHL?

I think you can write off spending a high pick on a guy that doesn't give 100% effort. Not saying that includes Zacha ... genuinely curious if that is a fair assessment I've seen a few make.

Personally I think some of the crap many European's get in their first season in the CHL has more to do with the culture shock and adjustment to a new country, culture, language, etc. Plus you're typically playing quite a few more games than junior programs from Europe.

I don't know where you've read that, but I don't think it's true He's been on the special training program, that his father designed for him since the kid was 4.. his father took him out from school when he was 15 to have more time for training to fulfil his ultimate dream.. to play in the NHL.. and Czech TV made a short video about him and his father and kid seem pretty smart and mature for highschool dropout actually and has his feet on the ground and of course there is the culture shock, when you move to another country as a teenager.. in this case I don't think a few more games in the OHL was the case as he played almost 40 games against men last season, but I think injuries, suspensions and already mentioned culture shock are reasons that he didn't have the best season

 

[OttMorrow]

I don't know where you've read that, but I don't think it's true He's been on the special training program, that his father designed for him since the kid was 4.. his father took him out from school when he was 15 to have more time for training to fulfil his ultimate dream.. to play in the NHL.. and Czech TV made a short video about him and his father and kid seem pretty smart and mature for highschool dropout actually and has his feet on the ground and of course there is the culture shock, when you move to another country as a teenager.. in this case I don't think a few more games in the OHL was the case as he played almost 40 games against men last season, but I think injuries, suspensions and already mentioned culture shock are reasons that he didn't have the best season

You'd think after 14 years of being on that "special program", that he'd put up at least a PPG.

I'm not sold. He's one of the big wildcards though.

 

[BigG44]

I think for a short while the OJHL was called the CCHL. If that's correct, 17 players have been selected from that league since 2009. Dallas has taken 4 (Detroit another one with Nill and McDonnell), and 4 other teams selected 2 players.

Whether it's a coincidence or something Dallas Scout Jimmy Johnston has pushed for and had success at the table convincing the team to take his players, the team has a recent trend in that league.

This OJHL player stuck out to me when I saw his scouting report on Hockey's Future.

190. William Reilly, Defenseman, North York Rangers (OJHL)
6’2″, 190 pounds, Toronto, ON

Undrafted by the OHL, William Reilly might be the next late bloomer that teams are going to regret not pursuing. After suiting up for Upper Canada College, a private boys school, Reilly transitioned to the North York Rangers of the OJHL, scoring 17 times and assisting on 18 others. An athletic playmaker, Reilly thrives when the game is played at a frenzied pace, a testament to his under-control decision making. He has yet to make a determination between the OHL and NCAA, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that an NHL team will have a say in that decision.

Also found this from early in the season:

Will Reilly (2015), D, North York Rangers (OJHL)

An athletic, skilled rearguard making his debut in the OJHL this year with the North York Rangers .. a talented puck carrier, driven by a fast change of pace .. thrives when operating at a feverish tempo, proactively spearheading the rush or supporting the attack .. possesses excellent passing and shooting skills, and continues to mature as a puckmover, developing better patience and improving the quality of his decisions .. still prone to rash giveaways and blind clearances, yet the progression is there .. still working on developing his defensive structure .. needs to work on his angles and positioning, learning to back up and stay square when defending the rush .. tends to get impatient and gets drawn out of his lanes .. more than willing to inject himself into physical battles, yet will need to continue to add strength and mass to a tall yet lean frame .. a player who intrigues due to his progression over the past 18 months .. might just be still scratching the surface on his long-term potential .. courted by Ontario Hockey League teams yet is expected to explore the U.S. collegiate NCAA route, which should give him more time to realize his impressive potential .. a rookie on the North York blue line, Reilly is expected to log quality minutes with the program, aiding in the power play and continuing to develop the defensive side of his game.

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/uncategorized/scouting-william-reilly-2015-nhl-draft/

He was the top goal and point scoring U18 defender in the league outscoring his nearest peer by 11 goals and 9 points. Overall in a league that includes 21 year old players, he was tied for 2nd in D goals and 11th for D points. A right shot, skilled, goal scoring defender would be pretty attractive to any team.

He still has wide open options for development. Several NCAA and OHL teams are chasing him, and the Chicago Steel just drafted him in the USHL.

Anyway ... thought I'd mention him. One time I did this we ended up with the guy in Devin Shore. The other time we didn't ... a guy named Buckles. According to CSS, this guy is projected much later than most of Dallas' picks. For example, Prapavessis was ranked 108 and Reilly is ranked 190.

 

[Satan]

Top scoring '97 defenseman in the OJHL... could make for an interesting late round pick.

 

[OttMorrow]

Top scoring '97 defenseman in the OJHL... could make for an interesting late round pick.

Interesting find! 6'2 185 with nearly 100 PIM. 17g on the year. I'm down!

 

[yoteshot]

Hey guys, the Annual Mock draft on the Habs board (which is kind of a big happening over there every year haha) is almost done and I was awarded the Stars.

I thought it would be interesting to hear what you might have to say on the picks I made, while also giving you an idea on who might be available at your picks (though we are no experts, except Grant McCagg who had the Flyers).

12th - Kyle Connor (C)
"We like Kyle's potential as an elite 2nd line center who does it all and adding him to an offense featuring the likes of Seguin, Benn and Nichushkin is pretty tempting, to say the least. With those pieces already in place, he won't be asked to be a number 1 centre and this is how he will thrive in the NHL in our opinion!"

49th - Ryan Pilon (D)
"Despite his soft mustache, this kid has strong hockey IQ and solid size. His upside might not be that of a first pairing defenceman, but he has all the tools to become a solid 2nd pairing contributor, and if he can find more of an offensive game, could become a top defenceman for our team."

73rd - Conor Garland (RW)
"Overager. After much debate between 2 players who we really like, and hoping the one we don't pick will still be there in a round, we'll swing for the fences with Conor Garland. Yes he is on the small side of things, but seeing the success of guys like Tyler Johnson and the fact that we want a pure offensive guy, we are happy to add him to our prospect pool already stacked with forwards with size."

103rd - Ethan Bear (D)
"We like that he can run a powerplay and has a thick build. He is a long term project, but has tools that we like, mainly on the offensive side of the game."

133rd - Dryden Hunt (C)
"Overager. Despite being only 6’0, he’s built like a fire hydrant as he is thick and powerful. While his top speed is pretty decent for a player of his mass, his footwork and acceleration both could still use some cleaning up. His size and strength definitely help him excel in other areas of the game as he is tough to play against along the walls and in the corners and regularly throws powerful hits. He has the ability to both handle and execute tough passes, giving him a nice complement to his best asset which is his shot. Hunt absolutely rips the puck, including having an extremely dangerous one-timer"

163rd - Fredrik Forsberg (RW)
"Seeing his brother Filip perform the way he did in Nashville this year made us want to hope for a repeat with his brother. Skating isn't his strongest attribute, but his puck handling and decision making is top notch and we firmly believe he could play in the NHL someday."

193rd - Marcus Vela (C)
"We like his frame and intangibles and his offensive potential even though his skating needs some work. At this point, he is obviously a longshot, but one we are happy to draft."

 

[BigG44]

Larkin leaving Minnesota has to be good for Connor, right?

Are those two similar all? Was the Jason Dickinson comparison fair? Poor man's Barzal?

 

[Mr Misty]

Good job not taking too many defensemen.

 

[LT]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1899637

Similarly, we just had the Mod Mock Draft come to a conclusion.

got Zacha at 12 and Samsonov at 49.

 

[Satan]

Not a fan of Zacha over Kyle Connor tbh

Ryan Pilon is nice at 49. I'd also be open to selecting Rasmus Andersson with that pick if available.



lirl with Detroit taking Noah Juulsen at 19.

 

[BigG44]

Satan, is it unfair to look at Connor as just a safe pick? Is his offensive skill equal or similar to that of a guy like Barzal or the other top forwards outside of the top 4 or 5.

 

[LT]

Not a fan of Zacha over Kyle Connor tbh

Ryan Pilon is nice at 49. I'd also be open to selecting Rasmus Andersson with that pick if available.



lirl with Detroit taking Noah Juulsen at 19.

I took about an hour to debate between Zacha and Connor, but Zacha seems to be safer and have higher potential IMO. He's got the size and work ethic to be a third liner at worst, and his high end skill could make him an elite player.

 

[Ghost of Kyiv]

I'd be jumping for joy if we selected either Samsonov or Pilon late in the second round.

 

[Satan]

Satan, is it unfair to look at Connor as just a safe pick? Is his offensive skill equal or similar to that of a guy like Barzal or the other top forwards outside of the top 4 or 5.

After 9 names have been called Kyle Connor is definitely a safe pick. I highly regard his offence, maybe not on par with what Matt Barzal gives you, but it's up there for sure. His two-way play and great skating skills is what separates him from others after 10 imo.

I took about an hour to debate between Zacha and Connor, but Zacha seems to be safer and have higher potential IMO. He's got the size and work ethic to be a third liner at worst, and his high end skill could make him an elite player.

I still don't buy that Zacha is safer. Offense is only half the game and I believe Zacha isn't there defensively- if we draft Zacha, I'd bet he likely moves to the wing.


Plus, Kyle Connor's skating is unbelievable. That alone should help him translate into the NHL as a 3rd liner.

Zacha has a much better shot, but you get back a nasty skater with slick hands who can play in both ends.

 

[BigG44]

Say Conner goes ahead of Dallas, who has a better chance of falling? Crouse, Zacha, or Werenski?

 

[Satan]

Zacha.

I'd bet Crouse and Werenski both fall in the top 10 tbh

 

[OttMorrow]

Konecny