2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread (Less then 24 Hours Edition)

[Locks]

I will be both surprised and disappointed if Kotkaniemi is not our pick tonight. All this Zadina talk is a screen - I don't buy that. Sure, if there is a chance to move back a couple of spots and still be sure to take him that would be great. And if we do get Vilardi (unlikely), it should not change anything - Kotkaniemi must be taken anyway. Having two potential 1C prospects can't possibly hurt and having seen Vilardi predraft - I take Kotkaniemi over him any day.

 

[Habitantpeasoup]

From the sounds of it I Think it’s between Tkachuk and Kotkaniemi at this point and the fact the Tkachuk is NHL ready and Kotkaniemi might be 2 years away might be the deciding factor. Bergevin might not wanna wait.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Jacob Bernard-Docker – ProspectShifts.com

best website.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Made a couple of absolute last minute changes to the draft rankings order. Including who is at #3

2018 NHL Entry Draft Headquarters - Last Word on Hockey

 

[Omar]

Timmins said this year is like the year we chose Price at 5. Seems like it’s Kotkaniemi.

 

[Matteus]

I'd like my day to go like this.
- Kotka in the 1st
- Max to L.A for Clague and 1st
- Turn that 1st into Sandin
Make a pitch for ROR but keep at least one of our early 2nd in the process, just don't sell the farm and if you can"t get it done leave it at that.

 

[CapSpace]

Seriously hope not with our lack of depth at C and top end D.

Me too. Just that weird feeling I really don't like. "Expect the unexpected" I guess...

 

[S Bah]

Bettman we have a trade to start the draft Habs send Pacioretty + 3rd OV +(Scherbak)+ 2nd's for #1 OV. Habs get Weber new partner for real 1st pairing D. Habs get Sweder!!!... Buffalo gets two LW's Pacioretty & Tkachuk to aid Eichel & O'Reilly.

 

[Lebowski]

	iP/60 EV	iP/60 5v4
M. Rantanen	1.6152	2.9925
S. Aho	1.854	9.5872
J. Puljujärvi	1.6025	5.6499
P. Laine	1.6535	6.0723
J. Kotkaniemi	1.9134	2.3526
R. Kupari	1.3838	6.3915

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I put this little table in the JK prospect board thread. Because we don't have records of TOI for Barkov, Granlund, Lehkonen etc. we can't make the comparison, but Jesperi is the best even strength point producer we have on record in terms of rate, and tied for the second best EV point production with Granlund (25) and behind only Barkov (27).

He sucked dick on the powerplay though.

Makes you wonder why Aho fell to the 2nd round.

 

[L4br3cqu3]

Thats what I thought but didnt want to get my hopes up. Do you pick him at 35 ?

Absolutely, without thinking about it.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Makes you wonder why Aho fell to the 2nd round.

There's still a remaining bias against euro league players. If you're not incredible, you're a later round pick. Pastrnak is 2nd in U18 Allsvenskan scoring all-time, 3 points behind William Nylander, and he fell to 24th.

 

[HabsFather]

View media item 2453I pulled this from McKeen's they have him ranked and going just outside the top 10. I trust McKeens more than TSN.
Zadina is the clear cut choice. The 2nd rounders can go towards centres.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

Timmins said this year is like the year we chose Price at 5. Seems like it’s Kotkaniemi.

He said they had plenty of depth when they took him because of projection. If anything that doesn't signal Kotkaniemi....it signals winger or right defenseman like Boqvist or Dobson.

 

[S Bah]

I like the LA Kings trade for Vilardi ++ for Max + Scherbak, Dahlin would be great though.

 

[Lebowski]

View media item 2453I pulled this from McKeen's they have him ranked and going just outside the top 10. I trust McKeens more than TSN.
Zadina is the clear cut choice. The 2nd rounders can go towards centres.

These rankings are all irrelevant. The only ranking that matters is Timmins'.

 

[The Great Weal]

50 point center>60 point winger

 

[Saxon]

View media item 2453I pulled this from McKeen's they have him ranked and going just outside the top 10. I trust McKeens more than TSN.
Zadina is the clear cut choice. The 2nd rounders can go towards centres.

Or you trust the publication that supports your narrative.... TSN is a poll of actual NHL scouts. I'd like to hear a reason you would trust a publication more?

 

[Habs76]

Get hyped les boys

 

[S Bah]

6 hrs. to dream up trades, then Habs take their 3rd OV to take ??? Still BPA not by position IMHO!!! Kotkaneimi, Dobson & Tkachuk fast risers that will all be stars as will Boqvist. The big question about Zadina is how much did Necas help in the WJHC's?

 

[The Great Weal]

Get hyped les boys

Tkachuk
Ginning
Groulx

With the first 3 picks. Lets get it.

 

[HabsFather]

Or you trust the publication that supports your narrative.... TSN is a poll of actual NHL scouts. I'd like to hear a reason you would trust a publication more?

McKeens is actual NHL scouts. I find their assessment has been far more accurate in the last 10 years i have followed them than any of the other media sources they have boots on the ground overseeing these youngsters. Industry standard. Zadina is going third.

 

[The Great Weal]

McKeens is actual NHL scouts. I find their assessment has been far more accurate in the last 10 years i have followed them than any of the other media sources they have boots on the ground overseeing these youngsters. Industry standard. Zadina is going third.

Ya Michel Mcleod at 3rd overall looks about right.

 

[Saxon]

Yet... The actual NHL scouts don't agree..... how many scouts do they employ in Europe? What date did they compile their final rankings? Genuinely curious.

 

[S Bah]

The Habs will look pretty god down centerice with Kotkaneimi - Poehling - Vilardi - JDLR. Trading with LA Kings a great idea IMHO!!!...

 

[Lebowski]

McKeens is actual NHL scouts. I find their assessment has been far more accurate in the last 10 years i have followed them than any of the other media sources they have boots on the ground overseeing these youngsters. Industry standard. Zadina is going third.

One of McKeen's main contributor over the last few years was Grant McCagg, who posted on this board not long ago and hasn't been actively involved with an NHL team in quite a while.

The McKenzie TSN poll is the agglomerate of different scouts that are actually employed by NHL teams.

You got it backwards. No only that, but list consensus don't mean anything come draft day. It gives a general outlook, but it's not a crystal ball. Plenty of teams have been rewarded for being bold on draft day in the past by reaching. Some got burned. Plenty of teams got burned by picking fallers on draft day. Some others got rewarded.

It's not a science. You don't really get to have an opinion if your opinion is entirely based on the list someone else came up with. Have you watched Zadina? Have you watched the half dozen of other kids that are possible picks at 3? If you haven't, like most of us here except for a select few draft junkies, I don't see why you'd be hell bent on selecting a certain player.