Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Entry Draft Discussion: Final Countdown! Tomorrow is the big day!

[Cor]

Someone tell me about Miller.

He’s one of our possible targets I probably know the least about

 

[67Cup]

Is it likely that Miller and/or Thomas would be available at 25?

Beyond a group of top picks this is an even more unpredictable than usual draft. Apparently, fifty names have been circulated as First round possibilities. But there is a real possibility that either Miller or Thomas might be available at 25.

 

[Caesium]

Can someone tell me more about Nicolas Beaudin

Slightly undersized "new age" left handed defenseman. Excellent forward skating, backwards mobility is a little weaker. Fantastic hockey IQ and smarts, makes good plays quickly even under pressure. Competes in all areas of the rink, is willing to engage physically on the boards despite being on the small side. Strong for his size, but needs to increase his strength to make the NHL. Has no trouble skating himself out of trouble if he needs to. His best quality is his ability to pass the puck and identify seams that are about to open up, really anticipates the play and has an excellent pass completion rate. His biggest weakness is the strength of his shot, at the NHL level he will need to keep the puck low and aim for tip ins, doesn't have an effective slap shot. For a style comparison, he plays similar to Tomas Kaberle.

 

[TMLeafs17]

Someone tell me about Miller.

He’s one of our possible targets I probably know the least about

Everything a Leaf fan could want in a Dman besides the fact that he’s a LHS

 

[cupcrazyman]

Dubas is drafting Merkley

 

[93LEAFS]

Someone tell me about Miller.

He’s one of our possible targets I probably know the least about

Incredibly toolsy player who recently moved to D. He's 6'5 and has high-end skating. He can get caught puck watching which hopefully can be coached out of him. Has quality gap-control.

Did not put up great numbers at the USNTDP, but I partially attribute to the incompetent usage he received from Seth Appert. He seemed capable of playing on the PP and getting significant minutes there, but never got the opportunity.

Apparently a great kid, who works hard and is dedicated to his craft.

 

[93LEAFS]

To be honest, I'm fully expecting it at this point. Probably better that way so I'm prepared to not fully lose my shit.

 

[Liminality]

Incredibly toolsy player who recently moved to D. He's 6'5 and has high-end skating. He can get caught puck watching which hopefully can be coached out of him. Has quality gap-control.

Did not put up great numbers at the USNTDP, but I partially attribute to the incompetent usage he received from Seth Appert. He seemed capable of playing on the PP and getting significant minutes there, but never got the opportunity.

Apparently a great kid, who works hard and is dedicated to his craft.

I've heard he's really raw still. Needing to put it all together. Kinda sounds like what we had in Greenway, what are the differences there?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Someone tell me about Miller.

He’s one of our possible targets I probably know the least about

He's a big guy who skates really well and has good hockey IQ. The thing is, he's only been a defenseman since like 2016 so he's still very raw as a defender. But he's got great tools and reads the game well so his upside looks very high. He also doesn't have great numbers, but I personally don't think that should be a huge knock on him.

 

[cupcrazyman]

To be honest, I'm fully expecting it at this point. Probably better that way so I'm prepared to not fully lose my ****.

Babcock will tear Merkley a new one & Dubas won't last long if he's going to draft a guy with so many holes in his game.

 

[Morgs]

Is it likely that Miller and/or Thomas would be available at 25?

Likely, no. Possible, yes.

 

[AppsSyl]

To be honest, I'm fully expecting it at this point. Probably better that way so I'm prepared to not fully lose my ****.

If they are still on the board, I think it is Miller or Merkley. Like you I am expecting Merkley. It just feels like that it is going to happen.

 

[93LEAFS]

I've heard he's really raw still. Needing to put it all together. Kinda sounds like what we had in Greenway, what are the differences there?

Greenway has had issues outside of hockey that has derailed his career.

Miller gets an A+ on attitude and work ethic by all accounts. I'd also say he's a better skater, and seems to show more offensive upside.

 

[Cor]

Interesting.

This is the first year I have no idea who we may take. It’s so wide open. I have no idea who will be available for sure.

 

[93LEAFS]

If they are still on the board, I think it is Miller or Merkley. Like you I am expecting Merkley. It just feels like that it is going to happen.

I see a few other options. I'm hoping what I'm hearing is just a bunch of loose connections. But, having Mirtle's scribes putting him out there as the pick (although they both love the kid in their mocks) and the fact Merkley was partially trained by Dubas's best friend has me alarmed.

 

[Morgs]

Someone tell me about Miller.

He’s one of our possible targets I probably know the least about

This is a great article, shows some of his biggest strengths:

Brown: The best NHL draft-eligible defencemen in five CHL...

 

[Cor]

This is a great article, shows some of his biggest strengths:

Brown: The best NHL draft-eligible defencemen in five CHL...

I’m not subscribed. Coles Notes?

 

[AppsSyl]

I see a few other options. I'm hoping what I'm hearing is just a bunch of loose connections. But, having Mirtle's scribes putting him out there as the pick (although they both love the kid in their mocks) and the fact Merkley was partially trained by Dubas's best friend has me alarmed.

Ya, the Athletic is pushing him pretty hard as our pick. Both Mirtle and Wheeler seem sold, and didn't Pronman also have us taking him?

 

[Community]

To be honest, I'm fully expecting it at this point. Probably better that way so I'm prepared to not fully lose my ****.

I hope you (and all the other Leaf posters) won't actually lose their shit over a 25th overall pick. If you don't like Merkley that is fine, but he obviously has decent potential still and with a pick like 25 there is no consensus player.

While I'm sure you are more knowledgeable than me regarding this years prospects, it's not like when we have a top 10 pick and you are deciding between 2-3 players with elite potential. There are like 10-20 players that the Leafs brass have had to choose between and even if they choose the best one it's no certainty they become impact Leaf players.

Nothing wrong with being disappointed or preferring somebody else, but a 25th overall is not a make-or-break scenario worth losing your shit over.

 

[93LEAFS]

I hope you (and all the other Leaf posters) won't actually lose their **** over a 25th overall pick. If you don't like Merkley that is fine, but he obviously has decent potential still and with a pick like 25 there is no consensus player.

While I'm sure you are more knowledgeable than me regarding this years prospects, it's not like when we have a top 10 pick and you are only comparing 2-3 players to choose from. There are like 10-20 players that the Leafs brass have had to choose between and even if they choose the best one it's no certainty they become impact Leaf players.

Nothing wrong with being disappointed or preferring somebody else, but a 25th overall is not a make-or-break scenario worth losing your **** over.

It would make me lose faith in the teams ability to properly assess character and cause concerns going forward.

I would be fine with basically any other pick.

edit: Flat out, taking Merkley and ignoring all the issues around him is something Garth Snow would do, and I don't want a management team that makes me think they are approaching draft fallers thinking they are getting a discount like Garth Snow.

 

[Morgs]

I’m not subscribed. Coles Notes?

Have you see the "Mitch Brown Tracker" that everyones talking about?

Basically it says K'Andre Miller comes away top-2 in 6 of the 9 categories. He's especially gòod at shooting, scoring chances, passing assists, passing assist chances, controlled exit percentage, and especially neutral zone defense.

Some other guys that graded exceptionally well in the majority of categories are Merkley, Smith, Addison, and Kral.

 

[93LEAFS]

Ya, the Athletic is pushing him pretty hard as our pick. Both Mirtle and Wheeler seem sold, and didn't Pronman also have us taking him?

Yep. But, Wheeler and Pronman have loved that kid all year.

 

[hawkeerox]

I realized I will get flamed for this, but this is my final draft rankings for the first round.

Rasmus Dahlin
Andrei Svechnikov
Filip Zadina
Quinton Hughes
Oliver Wahlstrom
Alex Boqvist
Ryan Merkley
Jesper Kotkaniemi
Evan Bouchard
K’Andre Miller
Vitaly Kravtsov
Bode Wilde
Noah Dobson
Jonatan Berggren
Brady Tkachuk
Ty Smith
Joel Farabee
Martin Kaut
Jake Wise
Rasmus Kupari
Akil Thomas
Joe Veleno
Callen Addison
Isac Lundestrom
Dominik Bokk
Grigori Denisenko
Ty Delleandea
Jack McBain
Jay O’Brien
Alexander Alexeyev
Jonathan Tychonick


Do not touch:
Barrett Hayton
Serron Noel

What amazes me with this draft year is the fact that hockey fans with some knowledge can differ so much about first rounders - for example, you have Veleno at #20 and McBain at #28, while the guys over on the Montreal forum have a first-three-round list that completely throws Veleno and McBain into the garbage dump, since they're not even listed!

What a fun two-day event this will be.

 

[AppsSyl]

I’m not subscribed. Coles Notes?

Probably the most relevant quote from it other than the charts.

"If there’s one takeaway from this article, it’s that Ty Smith and K’Andre Miller are both excellent players. Of the nine different ways we evaluated the prospects, Ty Smith was top-four in five of them. Miller was top-two in six categories, including every measure of offence and the top player in neutral zone defence."

 

[Liminality]

Ya, the Athletic is pushing him pretty hard as our pick. Both Mirtle and Wheeler seem sold, and didn't Pronman also have us taking him?

Pronman has always had a bias with skilled players. I don't think this is anything out of the ordinary for him.

To be honest it's quite disheartening to hear so many closed minded views on players who haven't even been drafted yet.