GDT: 2018 NHL Draft | June 22nd @ 7pm est

[branch]

I really really doubt Batherson is a lock to get 30-40 goals. I'm hoping for 25 which would be awesome but if he becomes James Neal 2.0 it'll be the steal of the decade.

Maybe not off the bat but I think he could get there eventually. He has the size, shot, and speed

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Yes I understood your point, but for them to value those things over his pure skill means that he wasn’t the consensus #3 player. And btw, skating is a skill and he isn’t elite at it.

Skating can be improved greatly. Admittedly he still needs to work on his strength and fitness, but that's the easiest thing to improve for an 18 yr old. Once he gets that worked out, watch out.

 

[Sensinitis]

I really really doubt Batherson is a lock to get 30-40 goals. I'm hoping for 25 which would be awesome but if he becomes James Neal 2.0 it'll be the steal of the decade.

James Neal is not a 30-40 goal guy.

See his career without Malkin/Crosby spoon feeding him for reference

 

[L'Aveuglette]

More likely is that each team, including Detroit, drafted the BPA according to their scouting team. Even the Habs would not have passed on a player who was clearly better that Kot. All things being equal you can lean towards position, but you take BPA, everyone knows this.

Folks keep trying to argue that teams let BPA pass for lesser players, because they want to believe that 'their guy' is best. He's not your guy, he never was, and now he's Detroits guy.

I think they did exactly that.

 

[Sensinitis]

Skating can be improved greatly. Admittedly he still needs to work on his strength and fitness, but that's the easiest thing to improve for an 18 yr old. Once he gets that worked out, watch out.

So do you think he’ll be a consistent 30+ goal scorer?

Skating is the most easily improved skill I agree, but you can only go so far. Look at Stone. Much better, but still average.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

James Neal is not a 30-40 goal guy.

See his career without Malkin/Crosby spoon feeding him for reference

He is. Injuries are what caused his production to drop off some years but he's definitely a 30+ goal scorer.

Batherson is still a ways off from that level.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

So do you think he’ll be a consistent 30+ goal scorer?

Skating is the most easily improved skill I agree, but you can only go so far. Look at Stone. Much better, but still average.

Zadina isn't a bad skater, he's average. Stone had a lot more work to do just to get to "acceptable" levels. And when you consider Filip's fitness isn't optimal right now, it's easy to see how better he will be when he gets stronger.

And yeah, I think he's going to hit 30 goals on the regular.

 

[Sensinitis]

He is. Injuries are what caused his production to drop off some years but he's definitely a 30+ goal scorer.

Batherson is still a ways off from that level.

He scored over 30 goals ONCE without Malkin/Crosby. 31 goals to be exact. He averages about 25-30 goals, injuries or not.

You call that a 30+ goal scorer?

 

[Ice-Tray]

Hoffman had speed and an elite shot, but it's not enough on it's own to be elite. Feel as though BT will immediately be a core player on the team and a top six power forward. His reputation as a player who only knows how to play with the pedal to the floor, and it will infect the entire roster. We skipped what may have been a better sniper, for the whole hockey package.

I enjoyed the bit where PD shared that a centreman from the team contacted him wanting BT on his wing. That's the kind of rep this kid has, an infectious desire to dominate.

We've needed this more than some realize.

 

[Ice-Tray]

He scored over 30 goals ONCE without Malkin/Crosby. 31 goals to be exact. He averages about 25-30 goals, injuries or not.

You call that a 30+ goal scorer?

Considering people call Hoffman a 30 goal scorer even though he's never scored 30 in his career, you really shouldn't be surprised.

 

[Benjamin]

Zadina isn't a bad skater, he's average. Stone had a lot more work to do just to get to "acceptable" levels. And when you consider Filip's fitness isn't optimal right now, it's easy to see how better he will be when he gets stronger.

And yeah, I think he's going to hit 30 goals on the regular.

What if he doesn't have the personality or mentality to put in that extra time for improving skating and improving fitness?

 

[Ice-Tray]

What if he doesn't have the personality or mentality to put in that extra time for improving skating and improving fitness?

And it's not only time, like working overtime, it's a tone of hard work, which up to this point he clearly hasn't done, or he just isn't that fit. Either way the kid had some red flags that made the top group of teams pass on him for better options, in their minds.

Maybe he puts it all together, and maybe he has it all together, who knows, and who cares at this point.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

And it's not only time, like working overtime, it's a tone of hard work, which up to this point he clearly hasn't done, or he just isn't that fit. Either way the kid had some red flags that made the top group of teams pass on him for better options, in their minds.

Maybe he puts it all together, and maybe he has it all together, who knows, and who cares at this point.

The hell?

No one has questioned his work ethic. He just hasn't put as much emphasis on fitness as other players have. There's no question he'll improve in that department, and he seems motivated as hell to be the best player he can be. This isn't some lazy-ass 5th round pick.

 

[Back in Black]

So Andy And Karl are still with us???

 

[scallionjj11]

 

[Cat Herder]

Non-exhaustive list of 20 guys to look for at 48...

Berggren
Noel
Thomas
Ylonen
Addison
Marchenko
Wise
McLaughlin
Hallander
McLeod
Tychonick
McIsaac
Olofsson
Samuelsson
Wilde
Woo
Groulx
Durzi
Dewar
Hutsko

Tell us why someone is great, why someone sucks, or why someone belongs on the "watch-list"

Would love Noel .. why SIZE & skill combined

If not him

Jett Woo... why because the name would be fun to cheer

 

[Peptic Balcers]

Non-exhaustive list of 20 guys to look for at 48...


Tell us why someone is great, why someone sucks, or why someone belongs on the "watch-list"

Berggren
Noel
Thomas
Ylonen
Addison
Marchenko
Wise
McLaughlin
Hallander
McLeod
Tychonick
McIsaac
Olofsson
Samuelsson
Wilde
Woo
Groulx
Durzi
Dewar
Hutsko

I like the upside of the guys in bold, I'd be happy with most on this list but for the love of god please no Groulx or McIssac. I've watched them a lot in Halifax, groulx doesn't look like an NHLer and McIssac looks like the 2nd coming of Cody Ceci

 

[chipsens]

It's impressive. The skill is there. The shot looks great and the skating is very good. I'm really happy with this.

Erik who?! This kid looks gifted..great vision skating & shot.

 

[Xspyrit]

Not lacking in skill, but definitely lacking in pure, elite skill. I think Brady will be a good player for us but I don't see where the goals will be coming from. Zadina would have been Hoffman's replacement+.

Only 2 players were elite pure skill in this draft, Dahlin and Svechnikov. Zadina should be a good player, a top-6 forward but I’m not convinced he will be a high end top-6 forward. Let’s see if he can top Bobby Ryan’s career

Have you seen Matthew or even Keith Tkachuk play? They have/had an impact all over the ice and are more than capable of providing good offense. Brady looks more skilled than them both...

It’s like Bergeron vs a more « elite » Center that will flash more skill and get a few more points. Ultimately, I take Bergeron because that’s the type of industrious player you win with even if he doesn’t have that « elite » you’re talking about

 

[Very Stable Genius]

We haven’t taken a European in the 1st rd since 2011, that is starting to look like avoidance rather than coincidence.

 

[Mingus Dew]

Could/should be better than his brother that is already an excellent and impact player. Many seem to think that he is more skilled than his brother that produced as a top-6 forward already.

Ottawa most likely had Tkachuk at #3, and I bet most teams had him 3 or 4 on their list. He was very coveted. Montreal most likely would have picked him if it was not for Kotkaniemi and their urgent need for centers.

I would have been happy with Zadina but not disappointed with Tkachuk at all. He is going to make this team better

Dzingel-Duchene-Stone
Tkachuk-Brown-Ryan
Boedker-Pageau-White
Paajarvi-Chlapik-Pyatt
McCormick

Funny to read the reactions though. Quite frankly, it's almost always like that for every trade, every pick. Funny because they act like the Sens went off board with Tkachuk at 4th OA when he most likely was on every team list between the 3rd and 5th position



You should be a NHL scout. That's exactly their evaluation process



And after those same posters wonder people are leaving or requesting trades left and right...



Problem you have is those picks are really not lacking in skill, on the contrary



Of course lol, he just has to stop acquiring declining vets for great prospects (like Burrows for Dahlen) or sign unnecessary quick extensions for too much term and dollars (like Anderson and Condon), etc

I expected this pick so I’m fairly non-plussed. Zadina would have been nice and I’m pretty shocked that Dobson fell as far as he did.

That said, who has been saying that Brady is more skilled than his brother? Everything seems to point to him being tougher/meaner and a bit less skilled.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I expected this pick so I’m fairly non-plussed. Zadina would have been nice and I’m pretty shocked that Dobson fell as far as he did.

That said, who has been saying that Brady is more skilled than his brother? Everything seems to point to him being tougher/meaner and a bit less skilled.

Pretty much everyone is saying that.

 

[Ice-Tray]

The hell?

No one has questioned his work ethic. He just hasn't put as much emphasis on fitness as other players have. There's no question he'll improve in that department, and he seems motivated as hell to be the best player he can be. This isn't some lazy-ass 5th round pick.

The problem is that you're glossing over his deficiencies at the moment, and for no good reason. Of course he should get better, but he's not the pure elite skill player that you keep droning on about.

You're trying so hard to be right that we chose the wrong guy, and it's clouded your vision. Just accept that several teams didn't see him as the guy you see, including us.

Detroit is no doubt happy to get a potential impact player at 6, but we got the better all around player at 4.

 

[ItsChaboi]

Would love Noel .. why SIZE & skill combined

If not him

Jett Woo... why because the name would be fun to cheer

If we’re going off fun names, I want Blade Jenkins in the 4th lol

 

[bdp]

Not surprised Dobson fell, I've been saying for a while. Limpy is what he's been described to me, not even sure what it means but seems to describe him well.

Foudy was the Sens guy, once he was picked they traded back. Not a fan of JDB, IMO the three 3 D picked after him are better prospects.