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

[BayStBullies]

Call me crazy, but I feel like the Leafs will win the cup and have the top pick in the 2018 draft.


(I don't really believe this, just posting it in the off chance it happens; so I can bump this in a year and look like a genius).

 

[BayStBullies]

Lou will plant someone in Sweden to give Dahlin mono. Book it.

Hmm, I wonder if Marner was assigned to give Liljegren mono?
Some sort of hazing ritual..

 

[LeafChief]

Keep an eye on Wahlstrom, Wise and Wilde from the USNDTP.

I believe they'll be in college next year. A ton of hype for these three kids coming our of minor hockey and into the US Program.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Ryan Merkley is going to be the best D in the draft

That's cute. I remember Ryan Murphy. He was a nailed-on stud, future Neidermayer on this board.

Not bloody likely.

 

[93LEAFS]

Merkley looks like Makar, but without the qualifier of playing in an inferior league to me. I know he has 2 way concerns, but god damn is he slick with the puck

Makar has a hell of a lot more compete in him. He has similar skills, but so did DeAngelo and Murphy out of recent OHL guys.

 

[93LEAFS]

Keep an eye on Wahlstrom, Wise and Wilde from the USNDTP.

I believe they'll be in college next year. A ton of hype for these three kids coming our of minor hockey and into the US Program.

All of them haven't lived up to the enormous hype, especially Wise. Wilde is still a strong top 10 contender, and Wahlstrom is also in the discussion. Wise while not very tall may be a guy who physically matured before everyone else. I've heard the best forward on the USNTDP this year was Farabee. People also really like Samuelsson.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

All of them haven't lived up to the enormous hype, especially Wise. Wilde is still a strong top 10 contender, and Wahlstrom is also in the discussion. Wise while not very tall may be a guy who physically matured before everyone else. I've heard the best forward on the USNTDP this year was Farabee. People also really like Samuelsson.

I'll probably get a good look at some of the NTDP kids this year. We have plans to get to a couple games in Ann Arbor.

 

[7even]

Jet Woo, a RHD from Moosejaw is a kid I like a lot. Plays a solid two-way game, hard to believe he was a 16 year old last season with the rookie year he had. Hes a thick kid and he reminds me of morgan, in some ways, when he was in moose jaw as a 16 year old. If his development stays the course, I could easily see him challenging the top 10 for next years draft.

Best name, I'm sold.

 

[crump]

Remember the name: Connor Roberts
6'3" 215 already.
3rd overall in OHL draft
One Of 24 OHL players to represent Canada at 2016 WU17
played well in World Youth Olympics

Stuck behind some older centres on Hamilton, should get a bigger role this season.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=333820

 

[thewave]

we're going to win the draft lottery

Why do you think that? Do you think we are going to take a step back?

 

[Randy Randerson]

Makar has a hell of a lot more compete in him. He has similar skills, but so did DeAngelo and Murphy out of recent OHL guys.

well, law of averages...one of them has to work out eventually

I find Merkley has much more ability to carry the puck through traffic to high danger areas than DeAngelo did, Murphy is a good comp. Fair point on Maker having more compete, guess it'll be on Merkley to improve that part of his game this year, really seems like his fate is in his hands. I don't see him challenging Dahlin/Svechnikov if they have seasons in line with what's expected of them, but I could see him getting into the top 5...or, could see him in the 20's, really depends on him

 

[Silver91]

Updated the OP a bit, added some more names, including a handful of goalies.

It definitely looks like an intriguing draft, with a bunch of guys slated to go even into the 2nd that look interesting.

 

[93LEAFS]

well, law of averages...one of them has to work out eventually

I find Merkley has much more ability to carry the puck through traffic to high danger areas than DeAngelo did, Murphy is a good comp. Fair point on Maker having more compete, guess it'll be on Merkley to improve that part of his game this year, really seems like his fate is in his hands. I don't see him challenging Dahlin/Svechnikov if they have seasons in line with what's expected of them, but I could see him getting into the top 5...or, could see him in the 20's, really depends on him

The thing is I hate when wingers just give up on plays after a turnover. When a defender does it trying to be cute and doesn't hustle back it is infuriating.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Why do you think that? Do you think we are going to take a step back?

nah i don't think we'll take a step back, but we might not make the playoffs next year so if we don't. we win the lottery.

if we make the playoffs, somehow Lou got himself another 1st round pick and that GM was dumb, and it won the lottery. so we win the lottery.

either way. we win the lottery.

 

[Epictetus]

I really don't see the hype with Wise. Some of my BU friends were making it out to be like they landed another amazing recruit to follow in the footsteps of Eichel and Keller, but he just seems totally mediocre from his size and statistics.

 

[Apotheosis]

If we move JVR and Bozak for picks (1st's preferably) and we get in range of guys like Merkley and Boqvist, I will be ecstatic.

 

[93LEAFS]

I really don't see the hype with Wise. Some of my BU friends were making it out to be like they landed another amazing recruit to follow in the footsteps of Eichel and Keller, but he just seems totally mediocre from his size and statistics.

He physically developed ahead of his peers. I don't think he's grown in 2 years, so he went from a big player to a guy who has average size. He also filled out fairly young. Maybe he has one more growth spurt in him and he lives up to some of that initial promise. Right now, he's probably not even a top 4 prospect on the USNTDP U-17 team behind Farabee, Wilde, Samuelsson, and Wahlstrom. An argument can also be made for guys like K'Andre Miller and Ty Emberson.

As for your BU friends, under Quinn they'll always have guys to be excited about. They have Brady Tkachuk on the way who is a top 5 prospect in a lot of eyes, and the best forward prospect on the under-17 team in Farabee on the way.

 

[93LEAFS]

If we move JVR and Bozak for picks (1st's preferably) and we get in range of guys like Merkley and Boqvist, I will be ecstatic.

There intriguing but, I think we need a strong 2-way RHD with size. I think the dream get is Bode Wilde or Jet Woo. Xavier Bouchard is also a guy we should be monitoring.

 

[43Kadri43]

That's cute. I remember Ryan Murphy. He was a nailed-on stud, future Neidermayer on this board.

Not bloody likely.

That's cute. I remember Logan Stanley. He was a nailed-on stud, future shutdown defenseman to you.

Not bloody likely.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

That's cute. I remember Logan Stanley. He was a nailed-on stud, future shutdown defenseman to you.

Not bloody likely.

Looked pretty solid in the Memorial Cup. Big reason for the Spits' title.

He played the shutdown role to the letter, not sure what you're implying

 

[Damisoph]

so that Dahlin kid...he's pretty good eh?

 

[43Kadri43]

Looked pretty solid in the Memorial Cup. Big reason for the Spits' title.

He played the shutdown role to the letter, not sure what you're implying

He was the worst defenseman (in the top-4) on the Spitfires at defending zone-entries, and producing zone-exits/entries.

He's terrible, and he's not going to be a legitimate NHL defenseman.

 

[Mr Hockey]

so that Dahlin kid...he's pretty good eh?

He is already better than Timothy Liljegren should go first overal in 18.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

He was the worst defenseman (in the top-4) on the Spitfires at defending zone-entries, and producing zone-exits/entries.

He's terrible, and he's not going to be a legitimate NHL defenseman.

Not a discussion for this thread, but his impact upon return in the Memorial Cup was a key to the Spitfires winning it. You can debate that all you want, but I, and others who actually matter, were in-house for all of those games, and universally agree.

 

[93LEAFS]

He is already better than Timothy Liljegren should go first overal in 18.

He has serious competition from Svechnikov. When its close, teams tend to lean to the forward as they tend to be safer and provide more value on their ELCs.