GDT: 2017 NHL Draft Discussion | Part II

[Soli]

Last thread hit 1k.

Great time for a poll. Selections were chosen based on the HFOil Mock Draft.

Click to read more...

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

Makar is the only player I'd trade up for, he's a game breaker. I would also be happy trading down and picking up two of Anderson-Dolan, Norris, Entwistle or Lukkonen.

Voted Anderson-Dolan but would have picked Jokiharju if he was available and on the list.

 

[dustrock]

Voted Yamamoto. He's small but he could be a Tyler Johnson type player for us. I think we need forwards right now more than D.

In this draft, I think it's okay to go for a home run.

Great polls choices.

I really like a Robert Thomas as well, would be happy with him.

Lind is fine.

Poehling is a home-run type. Not sure the offence is there but he started to play pretty well in the NCAA as a freshman.

I like Brannstrom a ton but I wonder if he's too small for D.

 

[dustrock]

Regarding Timmins, I like his 2nd half of the year. But I like it when guys zoom who are barely age eligible for the '17 draft. Timmins is one of the older players and that's a bit of an issue for me.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I drafted Yamamoto, so I voted Yamamoto. just too much skill and scoring ability to ignore.

Form a future big-medium-skinny line of Lucic-McDavid-Yamamoto just like NES hockey.

 

[Stud Muffin]

I think there will be a few other good players available, but in this case I voted Thomas.
Yamamoto is just way to small for me.

 

[Tyrolean]

I think there will be a few other good players available, but in this case I voted Thomas.
Yamamoto is just way to small for me.

No way I pick a small player with the 1st round.

 

[oilers4life5]

I would trade down for sure in this draft and then use the 3rds to jump up for another 2nd

 

[PKSpecialist]

It's pretty much impossible to decide who to vote for given that there are 21 picks before us. I will just say based on a lot of the rankings and mocks that I have seen, there is no way that D Nicolas Hague should get past our pick..... If he is available at 22, I take him and run.... As far as what I am looking for, it's a skilled forward all day long. Vesalainen would be a dream, but again, don't think he will be there.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

No way I pick a small player with the 1st round.

Why not? We have Lucic, Maroon, Drai, and Kassian all playing top 9, and McDavid and Slepyshev aren't tiny either.

This team IMO still has a glaring weakness and that's a one shot scorer.

 

[McAsuno]

I drafted Yamamoto, so I voted Yamamoto. just too much skill and scoring ability to ignore.

Form a future big-medium-skinny line of Lucic-McDavid-Yamamoto just like NES hockey.

I understand some fans don't like him because of his size, but factor in the reasons why he's worth the pick.

1) Short players like Gaudreau, Johnson, Gallagher had doubts on their size, since they started playing hockey. All 3 have been great players for their respective teams.
2) Yamamoto has connections with Johnson's family. Apparently Johnson's mom helped him learn to skate, and he works out with Johnson during the summer which is already a +.
3) He had an excellent combine and managed to reach top 10 in several of the tests.
4) Bob Stauffer was impressed with him after the interview.
5) Fits the 'Oilers have size, but are in need of speed + skill' which Yamamoto fits.

My vote goes to Yamamoto.

 

[Shizuka]

I wonder if Yamamoto is gone by then, would they then try and trade down to acquire quantity -- since it seems from about the top 15 or so, there is a shift downwards and the waters become a bit murkier in terms of the talent available; they all seem rather interchangeable at that point, relatively speaking. Maybe that way they can still get a decent skill forward and pluck someone else with two seconds. Not sure how feasible it is, but in a relatively weak draft class I can't imagine it would be too difficult to pry away 2 seconds from other teams.

 

[McDNicks17]

It's Yamamoto's weight along with his height that worries me.

Guys like Johnson, Gallagher and Zuccarello have 30-40lbs on him.

I can't see him closing that gap when he's pretty close to the oldest player in the draft.

 

[Zaddy]

My guy is still Thomas. I'm a little worried about Yamamoto's size. I was hoping he'd be closer to 5'9, but he's even below 5'8 so that's really small. Not too many guys that small in the league.

As a side-note I wonder if Oilers are looking at Jaret Anderson-Dolan. Fits that speed and skill criteria and he's an Alberta kid too. Not to mention he's a full 11 months and 2 weeks younger than Yamamoto. That's a lot. I like him as a future linemate to McDavid. Seems to play a pretty simple north/south game and a guy who can both pass and shoot.

Also seems to be a great character guy who would fit in well with the rest of the team. I'm really starting to warm up to him. Feels like a really safe pick, but not in a bad way as he looks to have a lot of upside too. Would rather take him than Yamamoto to be honest.

Man I really hope the Oilers don't **** up this pick. Having an impact forward who can come in on an ELC in a couple of years when we're a legit contending team would be huge.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Why not? We have Lucic, Maroon, Drai, and Kassian all playing top 9, and McDavid and Slepyshev aren't tiny either.

This team IMO still has a glaring weakness and that's a one shot scorer.

If you want a one shot scorer than why are you choosing Yamamoto?

 

[Canovin]

When I see Yamamoto, I see myself saying, why not just sign Tkachev who is more polished and closer to being NHL ready.

With that being said, I think Yamamoto fits better with Drai than McDavid.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I think Brannstrom then Yammer, then Poehling then Lind.

No to Rob Thomas, I hate that song.

 

[40oz]

If you want a one shot scorer than why are you choosing Yamamoto?

Yamamoto is the best goal scorer coming out of the WHL this year, scored goals at a higher rate than Nolan Patrick.

Most of his goals are what I'd expect of a "one shot scorer"

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I voted for Shane Bowers. I think he's an excellent player and would be very successful in the western conference.

 

[Aceboogie]

I think my final list for reference is this:

Suzuki
Yamamoto/Brannstrom
Timmins
Pehling/Thomas
Jokiharju
JAD/Bowers

 

[LTIR]

Yamamoto seems to have the big right hand shot and seems to be willing to go to the dirty areas. His stats are much better than Tyler Johnson's draft year and a few years after.

No issues from me if the Oilers draft him with a late 1st.

 

[Beerfish]

Brannstrom or Timmons.

Despite the fact we now have more D prospects than forwards I would like to keep adding Dmen who can skate and especially help on the pp.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Yamamoto is the best goal scorer coming out of the WHL this year, scored goals at a higher rate than Nolan Patrick.

Most of his goals are what I'd expect of a "one shot scorer"

Dat one timer. I did not exaggerate when I called him a one shot scorer. I followed him pretty closely this season.

Lovely arsenal of shots on that kid and isn't afraid to muck it up in front either.

 

[Aceboogie]

If we hit on a D in the first round this year and then one of Jones/Bear/Paigin etc turns out in the future, our D core could be absolutely deadly in 3 years. We already have 2 U24 top pairing D, plus Benning and Nurse with upside to be solid top 4 D. Add to that another #3 D and good 2nd pairing D. Looks alot like Nashvilles

 

[Paralyzer]

I drafted Yamamoto, so I voted Yamamoto. just too much skill and scoring ability to ignore.

Form a future big-medium-skinny line of Lucic-McDavid-Yamamoto just like NES hockey.

You calling Lucic fat? I resent that