Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Talk (Part Deux)

[newfy]

As someone mentioned, I am also not sold on Dach. Something just feels like it's missing from his game.

I like Podkolzin as a prospect, but for me he's probably around #5. Additionally, this year feels like the high end D prospects are significantly less plentiful than last year, or at least less impressive. Will wait to see the late season surge that we saw with players like Dobson and Bouchard.

For me #3 and 4 is a toss up between Cozens and Turcotte at the moment, but will be ramping up my attention to all things draft related now. Turcotte specifically seems like he would be a standard Red Wings selection based on the past few years, especially if they find themselves in the 3-6 range again this year.

Outside of Dahlin, Byram probably has a better chance of being a number one dman than anyone drafted last year.

If they draft at #5 or #6... would rather reach for Byrum. They need more younger defense that'll push the likes of Daley, DeKeyser and especially Ericsson. Byrum, Hronek and Cholowski would be a great future top 3!

5 or 6 wont be a reach for Byram. That will likely be where he gets drafted, depending on the U18s and things like that. Hes having a pretty ridiculous draft year offensively and plays a pretty good all around game with physicality.

I’d pass on Byram in the top 6 or 7 as of right now.

Really? WHo are you taking over him?

Hughes, Kakko, Cozens, Dach, Turcotte, I guess if youre high on Krebs he could slide in there but who else?

Right now I would bet on him going top 5 before him falling out of the top 7

 

[Frk It]

This might seem like a strange question, but how did you feel about Dubois? I thought it was a big reach at the time, and I happened to be quite surprised with the season he's having for Columbus here. At the same time, Sergachev and McAvoy probably should have gone higher. I don't know what this means in 2019, I am just so unconvinced about any of the centers and desperately looking for perspective

With Dubois, I liked him in his draft year and then was scared as hell in his +1 year.

I was big on the trio of Sergachev/McAcoy/Chychrun in 2017. Did not like Juolevi that year and actually feel kind of like Byram is similar... although Juolevi is having a nice year in the AHL, so could be wrong.

 

[Frk It]

Really? WHo are you taking over him?

Hughes, Kakko, Cozens, Dach, Turcotte, I guess if youre high on Krebs he could slide in there but who else?

Right now I would bet on him going top 5 before him falling out of the top 7

Well... where he should go and where he will go are 2 different things.

I would take Hughes, Kakko, Dach, Cozens, Krebs, Turcotte, and Zegras over Byram. I recently have warmed up to Zegras, and I like the upside of Zegras more than I like the upside of Byram. If it was my ass on the line I would take one of the US or WHL forwards over him for sure. But again, I could be wrong.

Outside of Dahlin, Byram probably has a better chance of being a number one dman than anyone drafted last year.

Definitely disagree.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I don't find him too risky, and he certainly is not another Mantha. Kaliyev would be more comparable to Mantha which is why he is ranked closer to where Mantha was taken.

I saw your earlier post on Krebs, and I have been saying that for a little while. But the important thing to remember here is it's not just about who is the best Juniors player, it is also about how they project to the next level. What Krebs has done in Juniors is more impressive IMO, but I am not sure his game translates as well as Dach will ulimately. Those two are very close for me though. I do like both a lot and would gladly take either.

It's funny; I think we almost have opposite opinions on those two. I can see how Krebs projects because I see a lot more pace and IQ to his game. He's just such a smart two-way player. I think he's had to be, because Kootenay doesn't have the puck a lot. With Dach, I don't really see that. Dach is like the anti-Larkin, where he's better standing still than anything else. I see elite vision, but I don't see that ability to dominate two-ways, which is something I really put a premium on. That could be because Saskatoon is a way, way better team. But even then, I feel like when those two were on a line together at the Hlinka tournament Krebs was the better of the two.

Kaliyev is... yeah. I think he's getting trashed even worse than Mantha did. That'll be an interesting one to watch. Lots of scouts saying they wouldn't take him with the first.

 

[Frk It]

It's funny; I think we almost have opposite opinions on those two. I can see how Krebs projects because I see a lot more pace and IQ to his game. He's just such a smart two-way player. I think he's had to be, because Kootenay doesn't have the puck a lot. With Dach, I don't really see that. Dach is like the anti-Larkin, where he's better standing still than anything else. That could be because Saskatoon is a way, way better team. But even then, I feel like when those two were on a line together at the Hlinka tournament Krebs was the better of the two.

Kaliyev is... yeah. I think he's getting trashed even worse than Mantha did. That'll be an interesting one to watch. Lots of scouts saying they wouldn't take him with the first.

Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart are mental blockers in my head from ranking Krebs where I really want to.

I go back and read their scouting reports and it sounds a lot like Krebs.

So you can blame that draft.

 

[Marky9er]

With Dubois, I liked him in his draft year and then was scared as hell in his +1 year.

I was big on the trio of Sergachev/McAcoy/Chychrun in 2017. Did not like Juolevi that year and actually feel kind of like Byram is similar... although Juolevi is having a nice year in the AHL, so could be wrong.

Nice. I was big on Sergachev, also liked Fabbro and McAvoy. Thinking back it's a bit different when you're focused on picking mid round, but that pick for CBJ is impressive considering the pool party hype and momentum at the time.

Anyway I would take Byram even as high as 3, and I acknowledge I am often wrong. Something about Draisatl gives me pause. He torched the WHL solo, he's a great player and even being a #2 center to the best player in the league Edmonton is still terrible. That's why I take Byram myself.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Outside of Dahlin, Byram probably has a better chance of being a number one dman than anyone drafted last year.

Not implying that he doesn't, even if I don't personally believe it. As a whole, I don't find the defensive group to be as impressive relative to the forward group this year. There were maybe 3 forwards I would have taken over the non-Dahlin defensemen last year, and that took us to a group of 4 defensemen in Dobson, Hughes, Bouchard, Boqvist; this year there is a single defenseman I have as being in the discussion in the latter half of the top 10, being Byram.

 

[Orthodox Caveman]

Pretty good. I hope Podkolzin is the 3rd pick if we're going to be 5/6/7. I'm really hoping for Byram if we don't get a top 2 pick and maybe Lafreniere/Byfield next year if we're lucky. The thing I don't want to ignore is Byram keeping pace with the other top WHL prospects in the G column. It's a plus for him but makes me question the others ceilings as well. I can't predict the future but I think I'd take my chances on the D.

I understand the risk and objections to Podkolzin but I just don't know if I'd take Turcotte or Cozens at 3rd. Ideally of course we get Hughes/Kakko and not even deal with it.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart are mental blockers in my head from ranking Krebs where I really want to.

I go back and read their scouting reports and it sounds a lot like Krebs.

So you can blame that draft.

One thing I'm a little unclear about: is Krebs going to play center at any point now? I know he did previously, but I think he's only been listed as a winger at the WHL level. I've noticed that he plays a very center-like game for Kootenay, despite not taking faceoffs. I feel like more than once I've seen him playing center in the defensive zone.

Krebs projecting as a winger might change my mind a bit. I just think this team needs to land a center.

 

[SantosHalper]

2017 Wings had the 9th pick, 2018 Wings had the 6th pick, so this year it's has be 3rd overall pick.
So, Detroit Red Wings selects from Lethbridge Hurricanes Dylan Cozens. Hockey gods has spoken.

 

[Frk It]

One thing I'm a little unclear about: is Krebs going to play center at any point now? I know he did previously, but I think he's only been listed as a winger at the WHL level. I've noticed that he plays a very center-like game for Kootenay, despite not taking faceoffs. I feel like more than once I've seen him playing center in the defensive zone.

Krebs projecting as a winger might change my mind a bit. I just think this team needs to land a center.

He moved to center full time this year, unless something has changed recently. (Pulled up his game log and he has taken at least 15 face offs in every game over the last month.)

I think he projects fairly well as a center moving forward.

 

[Larkin2AA]

2017 Wings had the 9th pick, 2018 Wings had the 6th pick, so this year it's has be 3rd overall pick.
So, Detroit Red Wings selects from Lethbridge Hurricanes Dylan Cozens. Hockey gods has spoken.

Does this mean we get Alexis Lafrenière next year? Ok perfect.

 

[TCNorthstars]

Definitely disagree.

Who and why?

 

[drwings40]

Who and why?

I like Byram, but I think both Quinn Hughes and Dobson will end up better players.

 

[Frk It]

Who and why?

Dobson was a top 5 guy for me last year. I know he had a rough start, but since being traded he has gone right back to being the Dobson of old. He is bigger and he skates better than Byram. I am still a huge believer in that kid moving forward.

So I would at least take Dobson over him. Then I would possibly take Hughes over him as well. I have a little concern about his defensive game, but I think he will be an impactful player in the NHL and produce a lot of points. Byram may end up logging more minutes, but Hughes is going to be a top 10 point guy every year at the defenseman position IMO.

Last year the strength of the draft was the defenseman to me. This year it is the centers. I feel much more comfortable picking from the group of centers this year.

 

[TheMule93]

I like Byram, but I think both Quinn Hughes and Dobson will end up better players.

Dobson doesnt impress me one single bit

he's going to provide 0 offense at the nhl level

 

[Hen Kolland]

Dobson doesnt impress me one single bit

he's going to provide 0 offense at the nhl level

Well it's a good thing that he was drafted for his strength as a two way defenseman then. He will make the NHL on his ability to not be a complete liability in his own end. It would take a lot more than "defenseman doesn't do offense well" for me to quit on a prospect; I'd love to have a defenseman like Dobson in the fold.

 

[SCD]

Turcotte is under appreciated because of Hughes. It would not surprise me if he went 3rd.

 

[JustJokinenAround]

Turcotte is under appreciated because of Hughes. It would not surprise me if he went 3rd.

podkolzin is more than likely going 3rd. turcotte would be a definitive top 5 had he not been hurt for the first 2-3 months. that whole usntdp is incredibly impressive.

 

[RabidBadger]

Turcotte is under appreciated because of Hughes. It would not surprise me if he went 3rd.

Agreed. The more I look into it, the more I hope for Turcotte if we don't land Hughes. I feel the center depth should be shored up after this draft regardless of draft position.

 

[newfy]

Definitely disagree.

Which D would you take over him to become a number one dman? All those dmen have some flaws. Dobson has not looked good offensively any time I've watched him play, Byram has more offensive upside for sure. Bouchard and Hughes both have some defensive issues definitely where Byram is better than them in that end. Boqvist was always pretty meh to me. I feel like people were in love with the idea of Boqvist more than his actual play if that makes sense.

I like Byram, but I think both Quinn Hughes and Dobson will end up better players.

I could see those guys being better at what they do. But thats why I said I like Byrams chances of being a number one guy more. He doesnt have the offense of Hughes or the high end defense of Dobson. But Hughes is weak defensively and Dobson is weak offensively. Byram is kinda the right balance of both to me to be a number one, all situations guy. I dont think Dobson will be played with his team pulling the goalie for the empty net, and I dont think Hughes will be played when the other team has a 6 on 5. I could see Byram being good in both situations

 

[Frk It]

OHL feels weridly undervalued this year...

 

[Lovonov]

Top 5 we have to take one of those USNTDP boys. They're fire.

If we get any other 1st round picks we should grab a defender. They seem to be falling, alot of great talent available in 15-25 range.

Snag more defenders IMO. We have a good forward pipeline (especially if we keep Mantha).

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

OHL feels weridly undervalued this year...

I''d agree with that. It seems like we're not hearing much about any of the top guys outside of Kaliyev, it seems like even Suzuki is kind of flying under the radar. I feel like any of Tomasino, McMichael, or Robertson could be around at our 2nd round pick and then there is Jamieson Rees who is making a push upwards as well.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

One thing I'm a little unclear about: is Krebs going to play center at any point now? I know he did previously, but I think he's only been listed as a winger at the WHL level. I've noticed that he plays a very center-like game for Kootenay, despite not taking faceoffs. I feel like more than once I've seen him playing center in the defensive zone.

Krebs projecting as a winger might change my mind a bit. I just think this team needs to land a center.

I have watched a good 8-10 Ice games this year and he has always played in the middle. I don't know why everyone keeps projecting him as a wing except for maybe his build (I think it is reasonable to expect him to get bigger but to each his own). In my opinion he has the same claim to land in the middle at the pro level as Dach and Cozens. All three of them have reasons they project as centers and reasons they might work better on the wing. I personally think high-motor strong skaters project well in the middle, even when they aren't giants.

WARNING: Kootenay is really, really hard to watch this year. If you tune in to watch Krebs, don't expect to be entertained.