2018 HF Team Boards Mock Draft -- Pick #4

[coladin]

Not sure why people feel he may be a third line grinder, would that be the end of the world if he became Mike Fisher with more finish?

 

[Micklebot]

Not sure why people feel he may be a third line grinder, would that be the end of the world if he became Mike Fisher with more finish?

Just for reference, here are some recent forwards drafted 4th OA;

Marner, Bennett, Johansen, Kane, Backstrom, Pouliot, Ladd.

Mike Fisher is probably on the lower end of what a 4th OA typically produces. People want to hit the homerun with a Backstrom or Marner.

I also suspect those that think he'll be a third line grinder see him more as Fisher with less finish.

 

[Zorf]

Holy bananas. Reading the HFSens draft experts analysis makes me think the team should just give the pick to Colorado.

Based on his thread, every player is hot poop until 10th overall when Kotkaniemi is picked.

There's the top 3, bunch of busts, Kotkaniemi, and 170 other busts.

 

[Zorf]

FWIW, draftsite.com has their latest mock up right now.

Dahlin
Svech
Zadina
Tkachuk
...
...
...
17th overall: Kotkaniemi


So maybe Kotkaniemi is a bust too!

 

[Handles1919]

all my posts keep getting deleted. scared of the truth

 

[Micklebot]

all my posts keep getting deleted. scared of the truth

That's the only rational explanation. Why didn't I think of that...

 

[Handles1919]

That's the only rational explanation. Why didn't I think of that...

I figured. thanks for confirming. everyone knows and agrees, just dont want to speak up for some reason

 

[R2010]

FWIW, draftsite.com has their latest mock up right now.

Dahlin
Svech
Zadina
Tkachuk
...
...
...
17th overall: Kotkaniemi


So maybe Kotkaniemi is a bust too!

If Kotkaniemi makes it even as far down as 8th then i'll be shocked.

 

[DrEasy]

I don't follow prospects very closely: what's the downside of drafting Bouchard 4th OV? What's the floor? What 's the flaw?

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I know, it's so bizarre that posters here would come to a similar consensus as professional scouting services. So funny...

I mean, he must really be amazing to watch in person, since his numbers are nothing out of the ordinary.

I know stats aren't everything, but I still can't get over the fact that his production has been that of a 15-20th overall pick everywhere he's played. Lawson Crouse was highly touted as well despite his meh numbers.

 

[bert]

Not sure why people feel he may be a third line grinder, would that be the end of the world if he became Mike Fisher with more finish?

I'd be very disappointed if that's the player they end up with yes. He won't be Fisher though as he is a winger. Why do you think he would have more finish? He's never shown the ability to finish. I personally don't like drafting overage players unless it's a weak draft, later in a draft or they are an out of this world talent. It's a full extra year of development. You better be blowing away your competition if you've had a full extra season.

I guess I am partially tied to the idea that I think the teams going to be terrible because the coaching staff is back. Which 100 percent to me secures Karlsson is gone. So risking giving up the first pick for a player with no first line upside that's a bad beat. This pick will define this organization for a long time. I don't want a grinder winger picked with it.

At 17 years old Wahlstrom had 45 points in 26 games and 22 goals on the U 18 team. Tkachuk had 12 goals and 23 points in 24 games. While points aren't everything when you're scoring twice as much when you're the same age same program there is something behind it. Tkachuk has never projected to score at a first line pace or truly a top 6 pace. Why should we believe it's going to happen all of a sudden?

 

[Zorf]

ISS just released their latest rankings for the 1st round. I don't think they really know what position a lot of these guys play...

1. Rasmus Dahlin (LD)
2. Andrei Svechnikov (RW/C)
3. Filip Zadina (RW)
4. Brady Tkachuk (C)
5. Oliver Wahlstrom (C)
6. Evan Bouchard (RD)
7. Quinn Hughes (LD)
8. Adam Boqvist (LD)
9. Noah Dobson (RD)
10. Joseph Veleno (C)
11. Joel Farabee (LW)
12. Barrett Hayton (C)
13. Martin Kaut (RW)
14. Serron Noel (RW)
15. Rasmus Kupari (C)
16. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C)
17. Adam Ginning (RD)
18. Grigori Denisenko (LW)
19. Ty Smith (LD)
20. Isac Lundestrom (C)
21. Jared McIsaac (LD)
22. Benoit-Olivier Groulx (C)
23. Bode Wilde (RD)
24. Alexander Alexeyev (RD)
25. Jacob Bernard-Docker (RD)
26. Ryan McLeod (C)
27. Akil Thomas (C)
28. Dominik Bokk (LW)
29. Kirill Marchenko (RW)
30. Jonatan Berggren (RW)
31. Matthias Samuelsson (LD)


Top 2 goalies are:

Olivier Rodrigue
Kevin Mandolese

 

[coladin]

Not gonna lie, on TSN690 they has the GM of Halifax and he made a strong case for Filip Zadina. If the Habs do get the best center in the draft Kotkaniemi, there could be other options at play for Ottawa.

 

[topshelf15]

Not gonna lie, on TSN690 they has the GM of Halifax and he made a strong case for Filip Zadina. If the Habs do get the best center in the draft Kotkaniemi, there could be other options at play for Ottawa.

He seems very interesting...Also guys like Dobson,Tkachuk,Wahlstrom...I personally want a top end forward,but there seems to be a large grouping of very good looking prospects

 

[Brannstorm]

I'd be very disappointed if that's the player they end up with yes. He won't be Fisher though as he is a winger. Why do you think he would have more finish? He's never shown the ability to finish. I personally don't like drafting overage players unless it's a weak draft, later in a draft or they are an out of this world talent. It's a full extra year of development. You better be blowing away your competition if you've had a full extra season.

I guess I am partially tied to the idea that I think the teams going to be terrible because the coaching staff is back. Which 100 percent to me secures Karlsson is gone. So risking giving up the first pick for a player with no first line upside that's a bad beat. This pick will define this organization for a long time. I don't want a grinder winger picked with it.

At 17 years old Wahlstrom had 45 points in 26 games and 22 goals on the U 18 team. Tkachuk had 12 goals and 23 points in 24 games. While points aren't everything when you're scoring twice as much when you're the same age same program there is something behind it. Tkachuk has never projected to score at a first line pace or truly a top 6 pace. Why should we believe it's going to happen all of a sudden?

Wahlstrom will undoubtedly score more than tkachuk in the NHL.

The paragraph describing Wahlstrom at elite prospects spells out how reidiculously talented he is offensively, the best quote being "Offensively, he might be described as uncontainable: the confidence he has in his individual puck skill, paired with a high level of thinking, makes him a difficult cog to take out of alignment."

To me uncontainable sounds like patrick kane, haha. So I see your point, i wouldn't want to miss out on a guy like that.

However, they also say that Wahlstrom needs to be more proactive defensively. Whereas tkachuk has only one sentence describing his play rather than a paragraph, "Big body & isn’t afraid to use it. Plays all 200 feet of the rink & loves those dirty areas."

None of us are scouts put if I put two and two together, tkachuk's ability to play defense and win battles along the boards and around the net must be highly prominent. Scouts put him very consistently at 4 whereas wahlstrom is anywhere from 5-10. I feel Brady has something that we just can't see in the numbers. When I watch his highlights he looks smooth and quick and I can see he is not afraid to playt behind the net and make that pass no one even see through two sticks and take a hit to score a goal. That is the kind of player Brady is. Cheers.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Wahlstrom doesn't work. He barely fights for loose pucks unless he can get there unchallenged. He is a blueline in sniper with a great shot. He needs someone to feed him the puck...We have Hoffman that would look like Bergeron defensively compared to Wahlstrom .. Add him to the top 6 with Hoffman it doesn't fit on this team. I would have Wahlstrom close to 10th in the top 10. Wahlstrom's game is nowhere close to ready. I like Tkachuk but I'm ok with it not being Tkachuk at 4 .. I would be ok with Dobson or Bouchard or Kotkaniemi there. I think Hughes will be fantastic if he can be sheltered on the right team... Sens are not that team.

Boqvist has too many question marks re Buttons comments https://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-...ame-class-as-hughes-dobson-bouchard-1.1073407 and Draftin Europe's comments 2018 Draft April Top 10 – Draftin Europe

Things we saw in Boqvist's JUNIOR game over last 2 years (part of the reason why we didn't rank him as high as others even prior to this season) which we feared might pose challenges to him when playing against pros (or NHL caliber competition down the line) were so far confirmed in the games we saw of him playing against pros. Those issues aren't completely gone when he plays against juniors, but they don't jump out nearly as much, mainly because junior players aren't good enough for the most part to challenge him in that way...We feel like his intensity and level of engagement defensively and away from the puck are not at that high of a level...Those issues to us seem more related to mental attributes than to the need of adding more strength...

 

[DJB]

Wahlstrom doesn't work. He barely fights for loose pucks unless he can get there unchallenged. He is a blueline in sniper with a great shot. He needs someone to feed him the puck...We have Hoffman that would look like Bergeron defensively compared to Wahlstrom .. Add him to the top 6 with Hoffman it doesn't fit on this team. I would have Wahlstrom close to 10th in the top 10. Wahlstrom's game is nowhere close to ready. I like Tkachuk but I'm ok with it not being Tkachuk at 4 .. I would be ok with Dobson or Bouchard or Kotkaniemi there. I think Hughes will be fantastic if he can be sheltered on the right team... Sens are not that team.

Boqvist has too many question marks re Buttons comments https://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-...ame-class-as-hughes-dobson-bouchard-1.1073407 and Draftin Europe's comments 2018 Draft April Top 10 – Draftin Europe

This assessment is bang on. Dobson or Bouchard definately have to be considered at 4 over the others.

Kotkaniemi too. Recently spent some time reviewing him and he looks like the real deal. I could honestly see the Habs taking him hes that good and with their obvious need for a C....

 

[chipsens]

If Kotkaniemi makes it even as far down as 8th then i'll be shocked.

Sens need more Finnish...

 

[Zorf]

I have not watched much of anything in terms of video, highlight packs or even regular game footage of most of the prospects.

But, why are people on HF generally so high on Kotkamiemi when a lot of scouting reports that I read have him in the early to mid teens?

I can't imagine a world where Montreal reaches so far to take him at 3rd overall. Is that even a realistic option at this point?

 

[BondraTime]

I have not watched much of anything in terms of video, highlight packs or even regular game footage of most of the prospects.

But, why are people on HF generally so high on Kotkamiemi when a lot of scouting reports that I read have him in the early to mid teens?

I can't imagine a world where Montreal reaches so far to take him at 3rd overall. Is that even a realistic option at this point?

Because the rankings are wrong or not up to date.

No chance he makes it out of the top 10.

There is a chance for sure, he should settle in that 5-9 tier, which isn't a big reach, especially with his position.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

I pray that the Habs take a C.

IMO if the Canes get silly and take Zadina, Habs take Svech for sure. But if the Canes take Svech, I could see the Habs going off and taking Brady or a C.

I want Zadina..

 

[Samboni]

Honestly, I don't know how good/ bad any of the prospects are so I have no comment in who they should pick. I would like to see them pick a guy who can rack up points, is good along the boards, and is good in the defensive end. Whoever that guy is, I want!

 

[Zorf]

Ok, after watching some highlights for some of the top end players in this draft, I don't want Tkachuk. Nope. Hard pass.

It's the nose for the net. Tkachuk has none. Watch his goals. None of them are goal scorer's goals. Then watch Zadina and Wahlstrom. They fire the puck at every opportunity they get, and they rip it by goalies who are left wondering what happened.

Kotkaniemi's highlights are insane too. I now get why he's flying up the draft charts

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Ok, after watching some highlights for some of the top end players in this draft, I don't want Tkachuk. Nope. Hard pass.

It's the nose for the net. Tkachuk has none. Watch his goals. None of them are goal scorer's goals. Then watch Zadina and Wahlstrom. They fire the puck at every opportunity they get, and they rip it by goalies who are left wondering what happened.

Kotkaniemi's highlights are insane too. I now get why he's flying up the draft charts

Well at least you watched the highlights before pounding your fist on the table.