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

[Saxon]

Maybe it's just me but at that U18 tournemant in april, is skating was awkward as hell. Can't imagine how bad it was at the start of the year. Must have been atrocious.

Looked awkward, but he had zero issues because of it..... His skating is very effective, maybe not appealing to the eye but I've never seen it being an issue at all

 

[Hannibal]

Looked awkward, but he had zero issues because of it..... His skating is very effective, maybe not appealing to the eye but I've never seen it being an issue at all

Maybe. But I have doubt of his ability to play a top 6 center role in the NHL with the speed and agility of today's game. He has a long road ahead of him.

 

[Saxon]

Maybe. But I have doubt of his ability to play a top 6 center role in the NHL with the speed and agility of today's game. He has a long road ahead of him.

He has zero speed issues. He's fast.

 

[groovejuice]

You're way too kind.

I'll chip in any way I can. If I don't start it, I'll try to work on a few memes. I just hope we come out of this with a reason to have celebratory memes and not the other kind. Or at least, without too much damage being inflicted on the franchise.

No pressure brother. Whatever contributions you can make will be notable and appreciated.

 

[Hannibal]

He has zero speed issues. He's fast.

In today's NHL, having a fast top speed isn't the only thing.

It's about how you get to your top speed. How you can make sharp turn and not loosing to much speed. It's about the first few steps. It's about changing angle/direction fast and effective. To me, every thing up here is what is bad with Kotkaniemi skating. But his top speed is find, i agree with you. That's my concern with himZ

 

[Mrb1p]

Maybe. But I have doubt of his ability to play a top 6 center role in the NHL with the speed and agility of today's game. He has a long road ahead of him.

Worse case scenario hes gonna be a top 6 winger like Zadina?

 

[Saxon]

In today's NHL, having a fast top speed isn't the only thing.

It's about how you get to your top speed. How you can make sharp turn and not loosing to much speed. It's about the first few steps. It's about changing angle/direction fast and effective. To me, every thing up here is what is bad with Kotkaniemi skating. But his top speed is find, i agree with you. That's my concern with himZ

Well I guess we see different things when we watch him I guess. I have no concerns with his skating. He looks different mechanically, and needs to improve his first three steps but his skating was never as bad as everyone makes it out to be and it's improved immensely and continues to trend upwards.

 

[Jabba11]

Pierre Mcguire wants us to pick Brady. He's very high on the kid.

 

[Runner77]

Quickly going off-topic, last real day of importance is July 1, so maybe somebody may want to put together a free agent frenzy GDT.

I may be taking time off during the time close or just before UFA frenzy day, so not sure I'll have enough time. Someone is sure to step up a day before or so.

 

[Mrb1p]

Good job on the ranking. Just wondering why Khovanov is so high on your list ? I saw him play live multiple times and he was ..... invisible. I know he had health problems and stuff but still.

Banking on his health problems being the factor in him being less effective. Ive also seen him be really effective with his passes and he has a willingness to attack the center of the ice and hes actually a threat to score there with his wrister. On top of being sick, not training, it was his first year in junior and still mamaged a PPG on a middle of the pack team. Compare all that with guys like Veleno and Hayton and he looka pretty good. The way he controls the play reminds be of Kuzy too.

I fully expect him to be there in the 2nd, so it bodes well for the Habs.

 

[Meat Wave]

I've come to the point where I'd be a tad disappointed with anyone else but Kotkaniemi. Get the guy a skating technique coach to improve on his stride and hope for the best, 'cause the rest of his game I don't have a single hint of concern about.

 

[Saxon]

Pierre Mcguire wants us to pick Brady. He's very high on the kid.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if we did tbh.

 

[le_sean]

Pierre Mcguire wants us to pick Brady. He's very high on the kid.

Yeah and there’s a reason he hasn’t been with an NHL franchise since the Whalers and is stuck between benches on NBC. When his biggest criteria for evaluating players is how much of a “monster” that player is, we shouldn’t regard his opinion.

 

[Jabba11]

Very good analogy from Pierre saying that Toews didn't have that much great numbers but he contributes in all of sort of ways. All we should care is who's gonna make us win. Win is everything. We want the Cup.

 

[Saxon]

Very good analogy from Pierre saying that Toews didn't have that much great numbers but he contributes in all of sort of ways. All we should care is who's gonna make us win. Win is everything. We want the Cup.

Yeah, that's why most of us want Kotkaniemi.

 

[le_sean]

Very good analogy from Pierre saying that Toews didn't have that much great numbers but he contributes in all of sort of ways. All we should care is who's gonna make us win. Win is everything. We want the Cup.

Kotkaniemi is more like Toews than Tkachuk is.

Also Toews had Kane and Keith. To put it all on his shoulders is idiotic.

 

[jaffy27]

Pierre Mcguire wants us to pick Brady. He's very high on the kid.

Only here is he looked down upon.....I want Kotkaniemi though

 

[Saxon]

Only here is he looked down upon.....I want Kotkaniemi though

Unless we draft him then I'll immediately tell everyone he was the guy I wanted all along, and he's better than Svechnikov....

 

[jaffy27]

Unless we draft him then I'll immediately tell everyone he was the guy I wanted all along, and he's better than Svechnikov....

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Food for thoughts. It's so not typical of the habs to leak their selection to the world. I don't remember this ever happening. There have been many whispers about Tkachuk, Kotkaniemi in the media. Therefore, I'm starting to believe the habs have somebody else at the top of their draft board (my gut feeling is Dobson or Wahlstrom) and they are willing to trade down to get him and are using the media/whisper to gauge interest from other teams.

 

[G0bias]

It’s Kotkaniemi or Tkachuk I’m thinking. I think we’re even more likely to take a D than Zadina.

Going off what Timmins said and Bergevin's preferences, I have the same feeling. IMO they have Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk, Dobson, Zadina in that order. Wouldn't be surprised if they have Dobson higher than Tkachuk too.

 

[De Montreal]

Can Noah Dobson play left-side at all? I'm leaning towards him, but Hugues being lefthanded is a plus for him obviously.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Berggren vs Bokk... If both were available at 35, who would you take?!

Berggren. He's an insane talent.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can Noah Dobson play left-side at all? I'm leaning towards him, but Hugues being lefthanded is a plus for him obviously.

Hughes isn't a consideration.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Yeah and there’s a reason he hasn’t been with an NHL franchise since the Whalers and is stuck between benches on NBC. When his biggest criteria for evaluating players is how much of a “monster” that player is, we shouldn’t regard his opinion.