2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[Andrei79]

He’s the type that will explode offensively in the WHL next season. 90+ points.

That's what I think, too.

I just like his "type" of player: playmaking winger (i.e. great vision, great at creating space) smooth and fast skater, quick hands in tight and smarts that I think will translate at the pro level.

 

[TT1]

So essentially what you were trying to bash me for? Noticing things from increased viewings and making adjustments to your list?

I bashed you for what you said about Noel because the things you held against him were the exact OPPOSITE of what he is as a prospect, you were spreading mis-information. You made it seem like he was just some big, no skill, brain dead McCarron-esque prospect and that people were just high on him because of his size.. which was completely wrong.

I changed my opinion on Sergachev (on how high i was on him, i had him super high at #4 and dropped him down after that) based on the viewings i had on him from start to finish, you changed your view on Noel because you ACTUALLY just saw him play for the 1st time. That's the difference.

You're arguing in favor of drafting a russian player you've never seen play and wrongly bashing players like Noel based on prejudices you have from past drafts. Give proper analysis and i won't bash you for it. I mean ball bust you for it.

If you don't know something about a player it's best to not give an opinion on them at all, simple. Being wrong about a prospect is normal, everyone makes those mistakes. That said the least you can do is give them a fair shake.

 

[ProspectsSTC]

I bashed you for what you said about Noel because the things you held against him were the exact OPPOSITE of what he is as a prospect, you were spreading mis-information. You made it seem like he was just some big, no skill, brain dead McCarron-esque prospect and that people were just high on him because of his size.. which was completely wrong.

I changed my opinion on Sergachev (on how high i was on him, i had him super high at #4 and dropped him down after that) based on the viewings i had on him from start to finish, you changed your view on Noel because you ACTUALLY just saw him play for the 1st time. That's the difference.

Eh, I watched him several times in the OHL this year including the playoffs, I could see how someone would come away with that impression, today was the first time he's genuinely impressed me as a prospect

 

[Mrb1p]

Are you trying to say that you can see everything ever about a player in one viewing?

Noel is a ND for me in the sense that I wouldn't pick him where he's going (late first round/early second). But I did keep him on my list in the event he falls further than that. He's not a pure ND for me like Groulx or the Samuelssons.

And im fairly certain that the individual in the thread that dislikes Noel the most is mrb1p.

It me.

Big, slow, what's not to dislike ?

 

[WeThreeKings]

I bashed you for what you said about Noel because the things you held against him were the exact OPPOSITE of what he is as a prospect, you were spreading mis-information. You made it seem like he was just some big, no skill, brain dead McCarron-esque prospect and that people were just high on him because of his size.. which was completely wrong.

I changed my opinion on Sergachev (on how high i was on him, i had him super high at #4 and dropped him down after that) based on the viewings i had on him from start to finish, you changed your view on Noel because you ACTUALLY just saw him play for the 1st time. That's the difference.

You're arguing in favor of drafting a russian player you've never seen play and wrongly bashing players like Noel based on prejudices you have from past drafts. Give proper analysis and i won't bash you for it. I mean ball bust you for it.

If you don't know something about a player it's best to not give an opinion on them at all, simple.

So, I didn't wanna say anything because I've said a lot about prospects over the year, but what you are accusing me of saying, none of it rang a bell. So, here's what I've said about Noel in the past.

I'm okay with gambling on Noel.. but I don't want anything to do with either Samuelsson's.

No, those guys are in my 2nd round list. They fit in the tier of players with talent but question marks.

So, you must be confusing me with someone else. We've never actually had a heated debate about Noel.

I was wracking my brain, because I don't remember having Noel on my no draft list.. but maybe I had said something about it in the past because he was slated to go in the first and I wouldn't touch him until the second round and more toward the middle/end of it.

And you keep forcing falsehoods about me having never seen Russian prospects when again. All of the u-18 tournaments are televised and MHL games have been available for free on Youtube all year long.

So, can we move on now?

 

[Andrei79]

I'm more interested in knowing what @TT1 and @Goldenhands think of Jake Wise, then measuring penile length.

I have some concerns with him, but I still feel he usually gets ignored in the centers with potential discussion.

 

[TT1]

Right WTK said Groulx was on his ND, not Noel, my mistake. @Mrb1p is the person who shared his great opinion on Noel:

Both Noel and Groulx are good prospects tho, i really like Noel in particular.

No way he pans out in a top 6 role. Weve seen this story before.

He's a late 1st round talent to me. Having him 29th for NA skaters is a stretch. Maybe I'm just very anti-Noel bit there can't be a 20 place gap between them.

Well at least McBain has some upside.

Noel is all upside..

He's one of the players on my list for our 1st 2nd round pick, assuming he's available of course.

Tage Thompson is the last big guy with offensive upside that was drafted in the 1st round and he looks like a very good prosepect right now. Youre not drafting Noel for his current production, you're drafting him for potential/upside.

Of course i'd never use a high pick on a player like Noel because there's risk involved, with this type of player you need to actually do your due diligence and watch him play to evaluate him properly, you can't just evaluate him based on his production.. Noel has the IQ, puck skills and vision to become a top 6 player in the NHL imo. His skating is good but it's a bit awkward like Wayne Simmonds.

If i think a player is good or has potential i'll look into him, i'm not gonna let a player like McCarron cloud my judgement and make me wary of drafting another big forward (which is what a lot of people on this board are doing right now). Rasmussen is a big guy and he was getting a ton of hype last year, i said right at the start that i didn't like him tho, you have to evaluate players individually.. don't lump them all together or generalize.

Fun fact about Noel, 25 of his 34 points are at ES and 20 of his 25 points are primary points, the points he's getting aren't cheap. The majority of the time he's directly involved in scoring plays, which is very promising. Lotsa room for growth offensively.

Noel has no shot, his skating is bad, and hes always behind the play either because of his skating, because he's lazy or because he has subpar IQ.

Come back to me in five years to tell me I was right.

 

[The Great Weal]

He’s talented but selfish. He plays for himself. He’s like a defence version of Josh Ho-Sang.

I find him better than Ho-Sang in their draft years. But man, it's frustrating to watch him play.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Right WTK said Groulx was on his ND, not Noel, my mistake. @Mrb1p is the person who shared his great opinion on Noel:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...draft-1-0-everyone-reply-to-post-654.2437547/

Here's where you select McLaughlin many, many, many picks ahead of Gruden.

So were ya bustin' my balls just now, or did they flip flop about 50 ranks for you over the season?

The funny thing about the draft you did for the Habs, I really love:
Alexeyev
McLaughlin
Pekar
Steeves

 

[le_sean]

I find him better than Ho-Sang in their draft years. But man, it's frustrating to watch him play.

You’re right. I never felt Ho-Sang would do anything in the NHL, always struck me as a good CHL player and that’s it. Merkley has the ability to be damn good but he needs to start caring about his teammates and realize he’s not alone on the team.

 

[ZUKI]

Talk to me about prospects when you find elite ones 1 season before their draft, that's how i'll know you actually watch these guys play. Until then hush plz, keep checking stats on eliteprospects and belittling people who actually watch these guys play.

You say Farabee isn't a good prospect, lmfao get a ****ing clue bud.

One season before their draft ?
There's that Lafreniere kid that i think ,will be good ...

 

[TT1]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...draft-1-0-everyone-reply-to-post-654.2437547/

Here's where you select McLaughlin many, many, many picks ahead of Gruden.

So were ya bustin' my balls just now, or did they flip flop about 50 ranks for you over the season?

The funny thing about the draft you did for the Habs, I really love:
Alexeyev
McLaughlin
Pekar
Steeves

I obviously remember who i drafted and like i said rankings change based on viewings, everyones ranking changes (my current list is much different from what it was a few months ago). What i dislike is people who talk about prospects they've never seen play or prop up other prospects just based on their stats page.

 

[Mrb1p]

Right WTK said Groulx was on his ND, not Noel, my mistake. @Mrb1p is the person who shared his great opinion on Noel:

Quoting me for truth ?

 

[TT1]

One season before their draft ?
There's that Lafreniere kid that i think ,will be good ...

under the radar prospects that no one talks/knows about of course

 

[WeThreeKings]

I obviously remember who i drafted and like i said rankings change based on viewings, everyones ranking changes. What i dislike is people who talk about prospects they've never seen play or prop up other prospects just based on their stats page.

Okay and you continue to have no evidence that I do any of that.

To summarize, you try to nail me on Noel.. and you got the incorrect poster. Not only that, but the mere concept that you are talking about, you were exposed for being guilty of yourself with Sergachyov and now Gruden vs. McLaughlin

You continue to try and say I don't watch players and I only pick up their stat pages.. which is asinine.. and when I've clearly sttaed where I've seen these people play, you just ignore it.. because that would be inconvenient for your argument, which again, is completely baseless.

Fun fact, Wise has the highest 2nd assist per game ratio in the entire USHL. At ES his A2/60 is almost double the person in 2nd (2.42 vs 1.26), point totals don't always tell the entire story.

We also have you mentioning Wise's 2nd assist ratio.. which is kind of using a player's stat page to evaluate them, no? I mean, you'd have to do some sort of stat digging to find that stat and bring it to people's attention. So, are stats part of the process of evaluation, advanced metrics, or is it simply the eye test only? Because now I'm getting conflicted reports from you.

And I mean.. if I was just.. stat watching from the MHL, why didn't I select Yegor Filin? One of the leading scorers. 18 years old. He's as big as Iskhakov (who I did select). Shouldn't I, in all my infinite stat watching, have selected him and then paraded around acting like a know-it-all for selecting this high point getter?

I don't think you've really successfully argued anything here.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

Right WTK said Groulx was on his ND, not Noel, my mistake. @Mrb1p is the person who shared his great opinion on Noel:

I stand by my Noel statement. He's a slightly more toolsy Justin Bailey who went mid 2nd. CSS way over rates him.

I was never very impressed with him when I watched his OHL games but he's having a pretty good u18. I guess I wouldn't be super against taking a risk on him with our early 2nd's even though i much prefer other players. But he won't be there anyway so its a non issue.

 

[TT1]

Okay and you continue to have no evidence that I do any of that.

To summarize, you try to nail me on Noel.. and you got the incorrect poster. Not only that, but the mere concept that you are talking about, you were exposed for being guilty of yourself with Sergachyov and now Gruden vs. McLaughlin

You continue to try and say I don't watch players and I only pick up their stat pages.. which is asinine.. and when I've clearly sttaed where I've seen these people play, you just ignore it.. because that would be inconvenient for your argument, which again, is completely baseless.



We also have you mentioning Wise's 2nd assist ratio.. which is kind of using a player's stat page to evaluate them, no? I mean, you'd have to do some sort of stat digging to find that stat and bring it to people's attention. So, are stats part of the process of evaluation, advanced metrics, or is it simply the eye test only? Because now I'm getting conflicted reports from you.

And I mean.. if I was just.. stat watching from the MHL, why didn't I select Yegor Filin? One of the leading scorers. 18 years old. He's as big as Iskhakov (who I did select). Shouldn't I, in all my infinite stat watching, have selected him and then paraded around acting like a know-it-all for selecting this high point getter?

I don't think you've really successfully argued anything here.

"but the mere concept that you are talking about, you were exposed for being guilty of yourself with Sergachyov and now Gruden vs. McLaughlin"

What does this even mean? Opinions on players can change based on viewings (to suggest otherwise is actually ridiculous, every scouts opinion changes as the season progresses).

I could have not been high on a player simply because i didn't see him play enough (i.e: i could have had ranked Gruden "safely" in the 4th round based on his production alone but then moved him up after seeing him play), what's your point here? My main point is i would never bad mouth or disregard a prospect that i've never seen play based on a prejudice (he's big thus he must suck because Tinordi and McCarron did etc.) or production, why do i have to keep repeating this?

 

[WeThreeKings]

"but the mere concept that you are talking about, you were exposed for being guilty of yourself with Sergachyov and now Gruden vs. McLaughlin"

What does this even mean? Opinions on players can change based on viewings (to suggest otherwise is actually ridiculous, every scouts opinion changes as the season progresses).

I could have not been high on a player (i.e: i could have had ranked Gruden "safely" in the 4th round based on his production alone but then moved him up after seeing him play) simply because didn't see him play enough, what's your point here? My main point is i would never bad mouth or disregard a prospect that i've never seen play based on a prejudice or production, why do i have to keep repeating this?

And I haven't either. So, I think we are done here.

 

[TT1]

And I haven't either. So, I think we are done here.

Haha you've never done this? Hague last year? I've seen you do this plenty of times.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Haha you've never done this? Hague last year? I've seen you do this plenty of times.

Hague I didn't want in the first round and he wasn't a consideration for me until the end of the 2nd. He went early 2nd.

NHL scouts have made mistakes like Logan Stanley in the first round, trading up for Tinordi, taking Oleksiak in the top half of the first round. They all, universally, let Hague slip from the 1st round. They all likely had the same concerns about Hague which is why, a behemoth defenseman with his shot, didn't go in the first round. That's pretty telling what scouts thought of his foot work in his draft year.

I'm quoted as saying that he's not like Tinordi because he has a shot, better puck skills and is a bit meaner but is a weaker skater for his size than Tinordi was.

Is any of that incorrect? And I've yet to see Hague play in the NHL and display that there should be no concern for his foot work relative to his size.

And even if Hague pans out, that would make me wrong once out of the 15-16 times I made a projection on a similar packaged player.