Speculation: 2015 NHL Entry Draft

[Jag68Sid87]

No, we chased that guy out of town for failing to secure top six wingers, having a bottom six that was disastrous for years, and prioritizing guys like Dupuis, Kunitz, Scuderi, and Adams for multi-year deals as 33+ year olds.

Yeah, what he said.


Also, Shero emphasized puck movers. And now we have traded away both Despres and Bortuzzo. Engelland is gone. We are completely devoid of right-handed defenseman, let alone physically imposing ones. And even Letang, our only GOOD right defenseman, has major question marks surrounding him. And Lovejoy absolutely stinks.

So yeah, like I said, we absolutely could do worse than take a guy like Carlo in Round 2.

It would look better if we could get a winger in Round 1, but that seems almost impossible at this point.

 

[Malkin Mania LXXI]

Jarry might have some value too.

Lets not trade him, or any of our young guys. Kunitz, Sutter, Scuderi can be dealt (unlikely Scuderi is but if Clarkson can be dealt, ANYONE can be)

 

[Freeptop]

Lets not trade him, or any of our young guys. Kunitz, Sutter, Scuderi can be dealt (unlikely Scuderi is but if Clarkson can be dealt, ANYONE can be)

If you expect to get a top six caliber player back in return, the only one you list that might bring that back is Sutter. Kunitz and Scuderi are more likely to return late round draft picks and/or projects than NHL top six forwards.

If the idea is to acquire top six forwards through trades, something of value has to go the other way for it to be worth it to them. We can't just trade bad contracts and get something good in return.

Not that I'm advocating trading Jarry, but I don't know how the Pens are going to acquire top six help without trading away someone we don't want them to. The Pens need at least two top six wingers. Sutter might bring back one, but not two. And there just aren't many good options in free agency this summer, either, so the few options there are will most likely end up getting overpaid by someone.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

If you expect to get a top six caliber player back in return, the only one you list that might bring that back is Sutter. Kunitz and Scuderi are more likely to return late round draft picks and/or projects than NHL top six forwards.

If the idea is to acquire top six forwards through trades, something of value has to go the other way for it to be worth it to them. We can't just trade bad contracts and get something good in return.

Not that I'm advocating trading Jarry, but I don't know how the Pens are going to acquire top six help without trading away someone we don't want them to. The Pens need at least two top six wingers. Sutter might bring back one, but not two. And there just aren't many good options in free agency this summer, either, so the few options there are will most likely end up getting overpaid by someone.

The only chips we have with sufficient value are deals built around Pouliot, or Sutter+. If we're lucky we can send Kunitz the other way to even out salary if Pouliot has to go.

 

[StroShow]

Jack Roslovic is an interesting player , ranked as a mid 2nd rounder but could jump up if a team likes him , Someone the pens should consider

 

[#66]

Lets not trade him, or any of our young guys. Kunitz, Sutter, Scuderi can be dealt (unlikely Scuderi is but if Clarkson can be dealt, ANYONE can be)

Just to ask... Would you trade Jarry for a low 1st or high 2nd? With the year Murray just had and MAF looking like a lifer, it might be an idea.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

If Jarry could get us a late 1st or an early 2nd, I'd do it.

I'm really interested to see how this summer plays out. I'm hoping we move Sutter at the draft to get back into the 1st round, or move him as part of a package to land a winger.

I'm just setting myself up for disappointment though. We're still going to have Kunitz, Scuderi and Sutter on the team come October. We'll still have trash in our top six, and an old, soft bottom six.

 

[#66]

Not popular but I think Kunitz can still play at a pretty good clip. I think part of his oroblem is when hes asked to F3 when his game is at its best when hes banging along the end boards and being around the net. I thought he had a pretty good playoff too.

If the Pens do go with Sunny on the third line I think a vet like Kunitz is almost needed on the third line while also getting shifts with Crosby and Malkin every once and a while.

As far as the draft... I badly want a player like Greer on the Pens ASAP. Big fast driving up ice. I want to see Penguin wingers push back defenses with their speed, establish plays in the offensive zone and make plays off the endboards.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Nah, Kunitz is done. Beyond done. Dead and buried.

 

[Penguinator]

Nah, Kunitz is done. Beyond done. Dead and buried.

Sir, i beg to differ:

 

[The Old Master]

Just to ask... Would you trade Jarry for a low 1st or high 2nd? With the year Murray just had and MAF looking like a lifer, it might be an idea.

nope........need to replace the old with the young........I would Waite a yr or two and trade maf.......and that should also get us a better return.

 

[#66]

Sir, i beg to differ:

Everyone can't be wrong. I guess his 6 to 12 minutes are up.

So next year... Megna, Kap and Sunny play up front and Pouliot, Mattaa Doumo and Harrington play on D. While BBennett gets put into a top 6 role. That's a lot of question marks right there.

I badly want Megs in the bottom six and like Mattaa and Depot but that's a lot of question marks. On one hand you have youth that should have been groomed a little at a time and on the other hand the Pens are wasting another Crosby/ Malkin year.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'd rather go with young guys who present question marks than old guys who are confirmed ****** hockey players, and have been for several years.

 

[Beauner]

Not popular but I think Kunitz can still play at a pretty good clip. I think part of his oroblem is when hes asked to F3 when his game is at its best when hes banging along the end boards and being around the net. I thought he had a pretty good playoff too.
.

A player is never asked to be an F3. It's just whoever enters the zone last. It was Kunitz a lot last year because he's so freaking slow anymore.

 

[Darth Vitale]

I know im biased living in Moncton, but I'd love to see the Pens draft Connor Garland of the Moncton Wildcats. He won the QMJHL scoring title on the Q's #1 team (although they were recently swept by Quebec). He is incredibly skilled, but undersized (similar to Rattie or Petan). He's American born, one positive about him, is he literally grew taller while on the Cats, so he could end up close to 6'0 when its all said and done

Based on these facts alone, if our scouts are intact from the Bylsma era and this guy is available, they will pick him. We love American-born prospects who are skilled, built like 10th graders and might be NHL players 5 years from now.

Here is a list of names that I wouldn't mind drafting so far that may be available when we pick. I've seen a lot of these guys play but only a few games so small sample size, some of the others are just from scouting reports I've read that I've liked.

Early rounds
Aleksi saarela
Rasmus andersson
Conor garland
Ryan gropp
Matt spencer
Adam musil
Jeremy bracco
Nathan Noel
Nicolas Roy
Jordan greenway
Nikita korostelev
Blake speers

Later rounds
Dominik kahun
Rihards bukarts
Gustaf franzen
Reid gardiner
Vladimir tkachev
Ryan shea
Cameron askew
Georgio estephan
Keoni texiera
Loik levielle
Mitchell Stephens
Ethan bear

Wow good post -- we need more people in here who watch these prospects on a regular basis rather than everyone just reading lists and forming opinions more or less out of thin air.

Question for the peanut gallery (who watch a lot of junior hockey / OHL hockey) -- would you consider this draft, between roughly picks 15 and 50, to be any more "loaded with talent" than previous years. Because this "we need to recoup picks no matter what" philosophy -- not so sure about. "Best draft in years" usually = "a bunch of guys in the first 10-15 picks that will be NHL ready soon but the rest are pretty much crapshoots like any other year."

Hence trading guys like Kunitz to get 3rd rounders or whatever, might end up being pretty stupid if we can instead package him with another player or prospect to get a actual NHL player. Even if not the ideal player.

 

[Asuna]

Here is a list of names that I wouldn't mind drafting so far that may be available when we pick. I've seen a lot of these guys play but only a few games so small sample size, some of the others are just from scouting reports I've read that I've liked.

Early rounds
Aleksi saarela
Rasmus andersson
Conor garland
Ryan gropp
Matt spencer
Adam musil
Jeremy bracco
Nathan Noel
Nicolas Roy
Jordan greenway
Nikita korostelev
Blake speers

Later rounds
Dominik kahun
Rihards bukarts
Gustaf franzen
Reid gardiner
Vladimir tkachev
Ryan shea
Cameron askew
Georgio estephan
Keoni texiera
Loik levielle
Mitchell Stephens
Ethan bear

I recognize some of these names from NHL 15...that means something right??

 

[Darth Vitale]

NHL 15 has prospecs? Far out.

 

[wej20]

Based on these facts alone, if our scouts are intact from the Bylsma era and this guy is available, they will pick him. We love American-born prospects who are skilled, built like 10th graders and might be NHL players 5 years from now.

Do we? Guentzel seems like the only guy who fits that description. I don't mind taking undersized kids if they're highly skilled, makes more sense than average sized guys with no stand out talent.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Wow good post -- we need more people in here who watch these prospects on a regular basis rather than everyone just reading lists and forming opinions more or less out of thin air.

Question for the peanut gallery (who watch a lot of junior hockey / OHL hockey) -- would you consider this draft, between roughly picks 15 and 50, to be any more "loaded with talent" than previous years. Because this "we need to recoup picks no matter what" philosophy -- not so sure about. "Best draft in years" usually = "a bunch of guys in the first 10-15 picks that will be NHL ready soon but the rest are pretty much crapshoots like any other year."

Hence trading guys like Kunitz to get 3rd rounders or whatever, might end up being pretty stupid if we can instead package him with another player or prospect to get a actual NHL player. Even if not the ideal player.

I believe this is a great draft year. There was a lot of early hype a year or even two ago about this draft year, and so it's not unusual to see it get more heavily scrutinized as it draws nearer.

I think people would rank this draft even higher if there were more centers and defensemen scheduled to go early. It's an awesome draft for wingers, so people tend to downgrade it a little based on positions. Also, there are quality Russians available, both from the CHL and from the mother land. And due to the 'Russian factor', that could also downgrade it some.

I believe this is going to be the best draft since '03, and a number of teams will be shaped largely because of success at the draft table this year.

All the more reason why I am so discouraged about our current situation.

 

[Zen Arcade]

I recognize some of these names from NHL 15...that means something right??

Haha, that was my first thought too.

"Don't draft Gropp, he always busts!"

 

[Asuna]

Haha, that was my first thought too.

"Don't draft Gropp, he always busts!"

Roy is usually a solid pick.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I ran across this thread in Prospects that has very detailed write ups on the top prospects:

His rankings:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=99690209&postcount=288

His write ups:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=96064205&postcount=1

He'll have a final ranking closer to the draft.
Pens will pick 46th for now(barring trades).

Another good thread about best potential purely offensive players outside 15-20:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1890462

 

[WayneSid9987]

I ran across this thread in Prospects that has very detailed write ups on the top prospects:

His rankings:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=99690209&postcount=288

His write ups:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=96064205&postcount=1

He'll have a final ranking closer to the draft.
Pens will pick 46th for now(barring trades).

Another good thread about best potential purely offensive players outside 15-20:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1890462

ETA: Jake DeBrusk is really impressive to me. Reminds me of Benn a little. He should go before 46 though.



Travis Konecny
Anthony Beauvillier
Jansen Harkins
Nicolas Roy
Christian Fischer, Jack Roslovic. 2 US kids jumped out at me as well.
Robin Kovacs from Sweden.

One kid i like in the later rounds is Brad Morrison. Small but highly skilled.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Nicolas Roy 6'4" 190lbs C/RW
Might be available at 46.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

ETA: Jake DeBrusk is really impressive to me. Reminds me of Benn a little. He should go before 46 though.



Travis Konecny
Anthony Beauvillier
Jansen Harkins
Nicolas Roy
Christian Fischer, Jack Roslovic. 2 US kids jumped out at me as well.
Robin Kovacs from Sweden.

One kid i like in the later rounds is Brad Morrison. Small but highly skilled.

DeBrusk would be a hell of a pick up, I don't know how he will do it, but JR definitely needs to add a few picks here for this year.