Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Thread: Oilers Picking 8th, Would You Take Caufield at #8?

[McDoused]

That's a solid comparison. lol I've been trying to come up with a comparison for months now and you nailed it.

Caufield or Boldy or Krebs?

I personally have Hughes, Kakko, Dach, Turcotte, Byram, Zegras, and then its a crap shoot. Who would you take? I personally have Krebs, Boldy, and Newhook all up for debate.

I mean this is where scouts earn their money. Everyone knows what these guys are currently capable of but they need to project how good they will be at the next level.

For me I think scouts fall in love with a prospects potential even if the likelyhood that they reach that potential. They also look for what their organization needs rather than going BPA. I saw this with the Oilers when they wanted Oleksiak. They apparently had him high on their board because "they dont have a guy like that in the system."

Yet at the same time their are "safe" picks that dont really excel at anything. To me, this is just as bad. IMO, that's not a safe pick, those are guys you want to stay away from.

I look for guys somewhere in between. I want guys with high floors and heigh ceilings. I think some of the guys I like still have obstacles in their way but are hard working enough to overcome it.

I think each group of fans has horror stories about a certain type of player not turning out. Some guys arent fast enough while others lack IQ.

Right now I rank the them:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Cozens
6. Dach
7. Zegras
8. Krebs
9. Newhook
10. Boldy
11. Caufield
12. Podkolzin

 

[Nostradumbass]

*hasn't been done since Kris Russell.


(And Ian White before him. Here's the list if anyone is curious.)

Kris Russel made me look stupid in the qualifier for Team Alberta. Setoguchi too.

 

[Joey Moss]

For me Zegras has separated himself from the US program group after Hughes. I would take him before Turcotte. The high end skill players with elite vision/playmaking abilities always seem to come out ahead in recent drafts. Pettersson, Q. Hughes, Makar, Keller, Barzal.. I think Zegras will be this type of player. I don't see Turcotte as the big point producer.

 

[Llamamoto]

I mean this is where scouts earn their money. Everyone knows what these guys are currently capable of but they need to project how good they will be at the next level.

For me I think scouts fall in love with a prospects potential even if the likelyhood that they reach that potential. They also look for what their organization needs rather than going BPA. I saw this with the Oilers when they wanted Oleksiak. They apparently had him high on their board because "they dont have a guy like that in the system."

Yet at the same time their are "safe" picks that dont really excel at anything. To me, this is just as bad. IMO, that's not a safe pick, those are guys you want to stay away from.

I look for guys somewhere in between. I want guys with high floors and heigh ceilings. I think some of the guys I like still have obstacles in their way but are hard working enough to overcome it.

I think each group of fans has horror stories about a certain type of player not turning out. Some guys arent fast enough while others lack IQ.

Right now I rank the them:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Cozens
6. Dach
7. Zegras
8. Krebs
9. Newhook
10. Boldy
11. Caufield
12. Podkolzin

My rankings:

1. Kakko (More dominant game than Hughes, his shot + size/puck protection sets him apart).
2. Hughes
3. Dach (I see a #1 C there, playmaking is on another level, plus I like the Drai comparison).
4. Byram (While his defence isn't as good as some people say, he's still the best D in the draft IMO).
5. Turcotte (High floor, high ceiling. Great dynamic 2-way C).
6. Zegras (Love this guy. Higher ceiling IMO than Turcotte. Best vision in the draft).
7. Krebs
8. Boldy
9. Caufield
10. Newhook
11. York

Top 11. I just don't see anything in Podkolzin. I can see potential in Cozens, and I understand the hype, but its risky and I think his hands + lack of IQ and overrated shot will limit his potential.

 

[Llamamoto]

For me Zegras has separated himself from the US program group after Hughes. I would take him before Turcotte. The high end skill players with elite vision/playmaking abilities always seem to come out ahead in recent drafts. Pettersson, Q. Hughes, Makar, Keller, Barzal.. I think Zegras will be this type of player. I don't see Turcotte as the big point producer.

I have Turcotte slightly ahead because he's a less risky pick, although Zegras is my clear cut #6. The great thing is I can see him falling to our pick at #8.

 

[McDoused]

Speaking of two-way play, I saw a pretty insane stat the other day.

I'm not sure if it's just in the games that Scouch tracked or if it's every game, but Turcotte had an 86% GF% at even strength this year.

That means when Turcotte was on the ice and a goal was scored, 86% of the time it was the USNTDP scoring.

For me Zegras has separated himself from the US program group after Hughes. I would take him before Turcotte. The high end skill players with elite vision/playmaking abilities always seem to come out ahead in recent drafts. Pettersson, Q. Hughes, Makar, Keller, Barzal.. I think Zegras will be this type of player. I don't see Turcotte as the big point producer.

Turcotte doesnt seem to have any problem producing compared to the rest of his team.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

For me Zegras has separated himself from the US program group after Hughes. I would take him before Turcotte. The high end skill players with elite vision/playmaking abilities always seem to come out ahead in recent drafts. Pettersson, Q. Hughes, Makar, Keller, Barzal.. I think Zegras will be this type of player. I don't see Turcotte as the big point producer.

I have Zegras is in the 2nd tier of players after Hughes/Kakko. He's 6th for me but there's very little between him and the 3rd spot.

 

[Joey Moss]

I have Turcotte slightly ahead because he's a less risky pick, although Zegras is my clear cut #6. The great thing is I can see him falling to our pick at #8.

I would argue Turcotte is more risky because how often do intangibles at the junior level translate into the NHL? For me the guy with elite hockey IQ, vision, passing etc is always going to turn out better than the guy with the "nothing exceptional, all around player" kind of game. Turcotte reminds me a lot of Tyson Jost.

 

[Llamamoto]

I would argue Turcotte is more risky because how often do intangibles at the junior level translate into the NHL? For me the guy with elite hockey IQ, vision, passing etc is always going to turn out better than the guy with the "nothing exceptional, all around player" kind of game. Turcotte reminds me a lot of Tyson Jost.

He's considered an all around player because he's so good at so many aspects of the game. His USHL numbers are better than Hughes. He's also way better defensively. He's not as flashy, sure, but I can see him being a top-line center.

That said, I do think Zegras' ceiling is higher, but that ceiling will be a lot higher to reach.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I would argue Turcotte is more risky because how often do intangibles at the junior level translate into the NHL? For me the guy with elite hockey IQ, vision, passing etc is always going to turn out better than the guy with the "nothing exceptional, all around player" kind of game. Turcotte reminds me a lot of Tyson Jost.

Turcotte is still very skilled. His speed and hands are definitely exceptional.

I do think Zegras has higher upside though.

 

[McDoused]

My rankings:

1. Kakko (More dominant game than Hughes, his shot + size/puck protection sets him apart).
2. Hughes
3. Dach (I see a #1 C there, playmaking is on another level, plus I like the Drai comparison).
4. Byram (While his defence isn't as good as some people say, he's still the best D in the draft IMO).
5. Turcotte (High floor, high ceiling. Great dynamic 2-way C).
6. Zegras (Love this guy. Higher ceiling IMO than Turcotte. Best vision in the draft).
7. Krebs
8. Boldy
9. Caufield
10. Newhook
11. York

Top 11. I just don't see anything in Podkolzin. I can see potential in Cozens, and I understand the hype, but its risky and I think his hands + lack of IQ and overrated shot will limit his potential.

Pretty close to what I have but I still like Hughes over Kakko. I think their is some recency bias with Kakko. Hes elevated his game at the right time. I have a hard time passing on a legit number 1 center over a number 1 winger.

As far as cozens goes, I'm not going go convince HFOil to like him. I like Dach too but this goes back to looking at their entire body of work and not just projecting his ceiling. I think everyone here is ready to call him the next Leon Draisaitl but I think he will end up being more Ryan Johansen if all works out. Dach still needs to work on his speed and learn not to just slow the game down but push the pace as well. Anyways I'm not here to crap on Dach because I still really like him. I just think fans are getting ahead of themselves if they are ready to call him the next Draisaitl. Draisaitl put up like 30 more points in his draft year, improved his skating and learned to play a fast game in addition to slowing it down.

As for cozens, I think people are writing him off too early and his concerns around his IQ are overblown. Big right handed centers are hard to come by. He is one of the fastest guys in the draft and doesnt hesitate to shoot the puck. On top of all that hes a hard worker and put up more points then any draft eligible WHL player.

 

[McDoused]

Turcotte is still very skilled. His speed and hands are definitely exceptional.

I do think Zegras has higher upside though.

Im not sure I agree with this. Turcotte is more skilled then Zegras in terms of having more skills then Zegras. He can do everything extremely well. But if we are talking about skill in terms of flat out talent, then yes Zegras has better vision and playmaking ability.

IMO they are two very different types of players. Zegras is flashy and dynamic while Turcotte is subtle and effective.

I think Turcotte is more skilled but Zegras is more talented. Should be interesting but for me Turcotte is the clear #2 US player.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Im not sure I agree with this. Turcotte is more skilled then Zegras in terms of having more skills then Zegras. He can do everything extremely well. But if we are talking about skill in terms of flat out talent, then yes Zegras has better vision and playmaking ability.

IMO they are two very different types of players. Zegras is flashy and dynamic while Turcotte is subtle and effective.

I think Turcotte is more skilled but Zegras is more talented. Should be interesting but for me Turcotte is the clear #2 US player.

They are completely different players for sure. Turcotte plays the kind of game that you know will translate well into the NHL. Zegras has more talent though and better vision, so I think he has more pure offensive potential.

I rank Turcotte higher because he's a safer bet, but Zegras could definitely become as good or better.

 

[Zaddy]

Pretty close to what I have but I still like Hughes over Kakko. I think their is some recency bias with Kakko. Hes elevated his game at the right time. I have a hard time passing on a legit number 1 center over a number 1 winger.

As far as cozens goes, I'm not going go convince HFOil to like him. I like Dach too but this goes back to looking at their entire body of work and not just projecting his ceiling. I think everyone here is ready to call him the next Leon Draisaitl but I think he will end up being more Ryan Johansen if all works out. Dach still needs to work on his speed and learn not to just slow the game down but push the pace as well. Anyways I'm not here to crap on Dach because I still really like him. I just think fans are getting ahead of themselves if they are ready to call him the next Draisaitl. Draisaitl put up like 30 more points in his draft year, improved his skating and learned to play a fast game in addition to slowing it down.

As for cozens, I think people are writing him off too early and his concerns around his IQ are overblown. Big right handed centers are hard to come by. He is one of the fastest guys in the draft and doesnt hesitate to shoot the puck. On top of all that hes a hard worker and put up more points then any draft eligible WHL player.

Drai was a year older in his draft year.

 

[McFlyingV]

Give me Turcotte or Zegras and I'd be more than happy. Both won't be available at 8, and it's possible that neither will be so there's no point really arguing who you'd pick. We won't have the choice to pick between them unless we move up.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Drai was a year older in his draft year.

Drai was 3 months older.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Since most of you are throwing out your rankings and since I finished mine yesterday I may as well post my top 40.

1. Jack Hughes C - Outstanding hands and hockey sense to go along with world class skating. His ability to weave through defenders creates multiple chances for his team and keeps defenders guessing when he comes over the line. NHL ETA- 19/20
2. Kaapo Kakko W - Big body winger has all the tools with a toolbox to match which has allowed him to break records In Finland this season and helped him to close the gap between 1 and 2 if there is one. NHL ETA- 19/20
3. Bowen Byram LD - Heady two way defender with solid size. Plays a physical game and is known to be a leader. Great mobility and a heavy shot that has enabled him to score 22 goals so far. NHL ETA- 20/21
4. Kirby Dach C/W - Big forward who plays a very Getzlaf like game with excellent vision, puck control, puck protection, and hockey. Improved shot and foot speed over the summer leaves the only concern In his game as consistency. NHL ETA- 20/21
5. Vasili Podkolzin W - The young Russian has drawn some comparisons to Pavel Datsyuk due to his filthy mitts and responsible two way game, Podkolzin also possesses a great shot and is best known for his pace of play/compete level. NHL ETA- 21/22
6. Alex Turcotte C - As complete as a player as there is in this draft. Alex is and intense battler and has soft hands which keep up with his high tempo. Puts himself in the right positions to score. NHL ETA- 21-22
7. Trevor Zegras C/W - Incredibly smooth skater and stick handler, impressed at the 5 nations u-18 tournaments with his vision and dynamic play. . NHL ETA- 22/23
8. Dylan Cozens C/W - 6’3 speedy centre with two way acumen who owns a heavy shot and can push the play up ice. sometimes skates himself into trouble. NHL ETA- 20/21
9. Alex Newhook C - A speedy offensive force with insane puck skills, and good hockey iq. Combine that with his high pace of play and he’s a lot to handle for the opponents. NHL ETA - 21/22
10. Matthew Boldy LW - Strong power forward with a wicked shot, soft hands and the hockey sense to put him in the right positions in all three zone. NHL ETA- 21/22
11. Peyton Krebs C/W - 5’11 Centre who brings great work ethic to the table, Krebs is a smart player who is more passer than scorer and likely has room to grow physically as his brother Dakota is 6’4. NHL ETA- 21/22
12. Cam York LD - Offensive Dman with great skating who passes well and has a knack for getting the puck through from the blue line. NHL ETA- 22/23
13. Philip Broberg LD - Big two way dman with very good straight line speed. Hands and shot are an asset. Decisions with the puck on his stick are questionable at times. NHL ETA- 22/23
14. Victor Soderstrom RD - Smallish two way D who is one of the smartest players in the draft and playing 16+ minutes a night in a men’s league. Great puck rusher and has a good release. NHL ETA- 22/23
15. Raphael Lavoie RW - One of the oldest players in the draft Lavoie is a power forward who has an excellent shot and good speed. NHL ETA - 20/21
16. Pavel Dorofeyev W - 2000 born Russian winger who can put the puck in the net any way you like, but can also make plays. NHL ETA - 22/23
17. Bobby Brink RW - Ultra skilled American who is scoring at a really good clip in the USHL. Skating could use some work. NHL ETA -22/23
18. Arthur Kaliyev W - 50+ goals and 100+ points dosen’t come around often from a draft eligible so regardless of what people think of his compete level and defensive play he still has all the other tools to be an NHL player. NHL ETA- 20/21
19. Philip Tomasino C/RW - Fantastic skating centre who has played great with Niagara after seeing his role increased. NHL ETA- 21/22
20. Nils Hoglander W - Small high tempo swede with filthy mitts who plays much bigger then his height would suggest. NHL ETA- 21/22
21. Connor McMichael C - Another really good prospect from the Knights. McMichael is good skater with good puck skills, determination and a plus shot. Going to need to work on getting stronger but he might not be far away from playing. NHL ETA- 21/22
22. Spencer Knight G - Size, athleticism and good positioning. possibly the best goalie prospect since Carey Price? NHL ETA - 23/24
23. Moritz Seider RD - Huge physical D who moves the puck well and has a solid shot. Skating is a little awkward though his top end speed is good. Could use some work in his own zone. NHL ETA - 22/23
24. Thomas Harley LD - A great skating dman with great offensive skills all in 6’3 frame which has some comparing him to Thomas Chabot. NHL ETA - 22/23
25. Samuel Poulin LW - Good size and great puck protection skills, above average shot. Reminds me of Draisaitl in terms of play style. NHL ETA- 21/22
26. Ville Heinola LD - Puck moving defenceman with great skating technique and poise which often freezes opposition players. NHL ETA- 22/23
27. Cole Caufield RW - Extremely small winger who set the record for goals scored in the USDP, doubts about whether he has enough in his game past the goal scoring to place him in a NHL top 6. NHL ETA -23/24
28. Ryan Suzuki C - small skilled forward with great hands and playmaking ability but only an average skater. NHL ETA - 22/23
29. Jakob Pelletier C/LW - Speed, elusiveness and compete level are Pelletier’s best attributes, resulting in him scoring a lot from in tight. Shot is not strong so he’ll need to work on that to make the next level. NHL ETA- 22/23
30. Matthew Robertson LD - Phisical and steady defenceman who will also chip in a bit of offense while also skating well enough to make the next level. NHL ETA- 22/23
31. Lassi Thomson RD - Mobile Finnish D playing for the defence factory in Kelowna. Good puck moving and heavy shot. NHL ETA - 22/23
32. Ilya Nikolayev C - Skilled centre who handles and passes the puck well and has high hockey sense. Models his game off of Patrice Bergeron NHL ETA- 22/23
33. Yegor Spirdonov C - Great two way centre who battles hard and has shown that he can play with talent. Project. NHL ETA - 23/24
34. Vladislav Kolyachonok LD - Dman with great mobility and really good hockey sense. Put up good numbers for a really bad Flint team and continued the good play with 5 point is 5 games at the U-18’s. NHL ETA- 22/23
35. Brett Leason C/RW - Overager in his final season of Junior put up 89 points in 55 games and made the Canadian WJC team were he played well in a secondary role. Close to NHL ready. NHL ETA - 20-21
36. Simon Holmstrom W - Strong skater with great hands and vision. Could use some work in the goal scoring department. Solid Junior season and U-18s should be a full time SHL Forward next season. NHL ETA- 22/23
37. Jaimeson Rees C/LW - Skating and a insane work ethic are his calling card. Even though he’s a bit undersized he is extremely physical and gets into every battle. NHL ETA 22/23
38. Tobias Bjornfot LD - A two way defender who skates well and makes smart plays in all zones. He will certainly have to improve his offense to take the next step in his game. NHL ETA - 23/24
39. Nathan Legare C - RHC with a very good shot and solid passing ability. Put up fantastic numbers in the QMJHL this season. Needs to work on his skating as it’s just average.NHL ETA - 23/24
40. Artemi Knyazev LD - Dynamic offensive D who commands the game with his excellent mobility and puck moving ability.

Don’t know if this is my final list quite yet but it’s pretty damn close to set. Give me your thoughts. What do you guys like and not like about it?

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Since most of you are throwing out your rankings and since I finished mine yesterday I may as well post my top 40.

1. Jack Hughes C - Outstanding hands and hockey sense to go along with world class skating. His ability to weave through defenders creates multiple chances for his team and keeps defenders guessing when he comes over the line. NHL ETA- 19/20
2. Kaapo Kakko W - Big body winger has all the tools with a toolbox to match which has allowed him to break records In Finland this season and helped him to close the gap between 1 and 2 if there is one. NHL ETA- 19/20
3. Bowen Byram LD - Heady two way defender with solid size. Plays a physical game and is known to be a leader. Great mobility and a heavy shot that has enabled him to score 22 goals so far. NHL ETA- 20/21
4. Kirby Dach C/W - Big forward who plays a very Getzlaf like game with excellent vision, puck control, puck protection, and hockey. Improved shot and foot speed over the summer leaves the only concern In his game as consistency. NHL ETA- 20/21
5. Vasili Podkolzin W - The young Russian has drawn some comparisons to Pavel Datsyuk due to his filthy mitts and responsible two way game, Podkolzin also possesses a great shot and is best known for his pace of play/compete level. NHL ETA- 21/22
6. Alex Turcotte C - As complete as a player as there is in this draft. Alex is and intense battler and has soft hands which keep up with his high tempo. Puts himself in the right positions to score. NHL ETA- 21-22
7. Trevor Zegras C/W - Incredibly smooth skater and stick handler, impressed at the 5 nations u-18 tournaments with his vision and dynamic play. . NHL ETA- 22/23
8. Dylan Cozens C/W - 6’3 speedy centre with two way acumen who owns a heavy shot and can push the play up ice. sometimes skates himself into trouble. NHL ETA- 20/21
9. Alex Newhook C - A speedy offensive force with insane puck skills, and good hockey iq. Combine that with his high pace of play and he’s a lot to handle for the opponents. NHL ETA - 21/22
10. Matthew Boldy LW - Strong power forward with a wicked shot, soft hands and the hockey sense to put him in the right positions in all three zone. NHL ETA- 21/22
11. Peyton Krebs C/W - 5’11 Centre who brings great work ethic to the table, Krebs is a smart player who is more passer than scorer and likely has room to grow physically as his brother Dakota is 6’4. NHL ETA- 21/22
12. Cam York LD - Offensive Dman with great skating who passes well and has a knack for getting the puck through from the blue line. NHL ETA- 22/23
13. Philip Broberg LD - Big two way dman with very good straight line speed. Hands and shot are an asset. Decisions with the puck on his stick are questionable at times. NHL ETA- 22/23
14. Victor Soderstrom RD - Smallish two way D who is one of the smartest players in the draft and playing 16+ minutes a night in a men’s league. Great puck rusher and has a good release. NHL ETA- 22/23
15. Raphael Lavoie RW - One of the oldest players in the draft Lavoie is a power forward who has an excellent shot and good speed. NHL ETA - 20/21
16. Pavel Dorofeyev W - 2000 born Russian winger who can put the puck in the net any way you like, but can also make plays. NHL ETA - 22/23
17. Bobby Brink RW - Ultra skilled American who is scoring at a really good clip in the USHL. Skating could use some work. NHL ETA -22/23
18. Arthur Kaliyev W - 50+ goals and 100+ points dosen’t come around often from a draft eligible so regardless of what people think of his compete level and defensive play he still has all the other tools to be an NHL player. NHL ETA- 20/21
19. Philip Tomasino C/RW - Fantastic skating centre who has played great with Niagara after seeing his role increased. NHL ETA- 21/22
20. Nils Hoglander W - Small high tempo swede with filthy mitts who plays much bigger then his height would suggest. NHL ETA- 21/22
21. Connor McMichael C - Another really good prospect from the Knights. McMichael is good skater with good puck skills, determination and a plus shot. Going to need to work on getting stronger but he might not be far away from playing. NHL ETA- 21/22
22. Spencer Knight G - Size, athleticism and good positioning. possibly the best goalie prospect since Carey Price? NHL ETA - 23/24
23. Moritz Seider RD - Huge physical D who moves the puck well and has a solid shot. Skating is a little awkward though his top end speed is good. Could use some work in his own zone. NHL ETA - 22/23
24. Thomas Harley LD - A great skating dman with great offensive skills all in 6’3 frame which has some comparing him to Thomas Chabot. NHL ETA - 22/23
25. Samuel Poulin LW - Good size and great puck protection skills, above average shot. Reminds me of Draisaitl in terms of play style. NHL ETA- 21/22
26. Ville Heinola LD - Puck moving defenceman with great skating technique and poise which often freezes opposition players. NHL ETA- 22/23
27. Cole Caufield RW - Extremely small winger who set the record for goals scored in the USDP, doubts about whether he has enough in his game past the goal scoring to place him in a NHL top 6. NHL ETA -23/24
28. Ryan Suzuki C - small skilled forward with great hands and playmaking ability but only an average skater. NHL ETA - 22/23
29. Jakob Pelletier C/LW - Speed, elusiveness and compete level are Pelletier’s best attributes, resulting in him scoring a lot from in tight. Shot is not strong so he’ll need to work on that to make the next level. NHL ETA- 22/23
30. Matthew Robertson LD - Phisical and steady defenceman who will also chip in a bit of offense while also skating well enough to make the next level. NHL ETA- 22/23
31. Lassi Thomson RD - Mobile Finnish D playing for the defence factory in Kelowna. Good puck moving and heavy shot. NHL ETA - 22/23
32. Ilya Nikolayev C - Skilled centre who handles and passes the puck well and has high hockey sense. Models his game off of Patrice Bergeron NHL ETA- 22/23
33. Yegor Spirdonov C - Great two way centre who battles hard and has shown that he can play with talent. Project. NHL ETA - 23/24
34. Vladislav Kolyachonok LD - Dman with great mobility and really good hockey sense. Put up good numbers for a really bad Flint team and continued the good play with 5 point is 5 games at the U-18’s. NHL ETA- 22/23
35. Brett Leason C/RW - Overager in his final season of Junior put up 89 points in 55 games and made the Canadian WJC team were he played well in a secondary role. Close to NHL ready. NHL ETA - 20-21
36. Simon Holmstrom W - Strong skater with great hands and vision. Could use some work in the goal scoring department. Solid Junior season and U-18s should be a full time SHL Forward next season. NHL ETA- 22/23
37. Jaimeson Rees C/LW - Skating and a insane work ethic are his calling card. Even though he’s a bit undersized he is extremely physical and gets into every battle. NHL ETA 22/23
38. Tobias Bjornfot LD - A two way defender who skates well and makes smart plays in all zones. He will certainly have to improve his offense to take the next step in his game. NHL ETA - 23/24
39. Nathan Legare C - RHC with a very good shot and solid passing ability. Put up fantastic numbers in the QMJHL this season. Needs to work on his skating as it’s just average.NHL ETA - 23/24
40. Artemi Knyazev LD - Dynamic offensive D who commands the game with his excellent mobility and puck moving ability.

Don’t know if this is my final list quite yet but it’s pretty damn close to set. Give me your thoughts. What do you guys like and not like about it?

Thanks, that was a great read. I'm higher than you on Krebs and lower on Podkolzin, but those players have been beaten to death the entire thread so I'd rather not get into that.

The list looks really good, it's pretty similar to mine especially from 30-40. The one thing that really stands out to me though is Caufield at 27. You question his all-round game but rank Kaliyev 9 spots higher, who's all-round game needs more work in my opinion. Why do you have him so low?

 

[AvOiL]

Drai was a year older in his draft year.

*3 months.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Thanks, that was a great read. I'm higher than you on Krebs and lower on Podkolzin, but those players have been beaten to death the entire thread so I'd rather not get into that.

The list looks really good, it's pretty similar to mine especially from 30-40. The one thing that really stands out to me though is Caufield at 27. You question his all-round game but rank Kaliyev 9 spots higher, who's all-round game needs more work in my opinion. Why do you have him so low?

I’m still high on Krebs just like a few players a little more, if I really wasn’t high on a player I’d do what I did with Caufield which brings us to the second part of your post on Kaliyev vs Caufield. A couple things when I mean all around game I include passing and vision into the equation not just defensive play, and when it comes to play making Kaliyev is leaps and bounds ahead, they both played similar number games and obviously everyone knows about the goal scoring with these guys, but Kaliyev had the same amount of assists as he did goals(51) while Caufield only managed about half(28) Kaliyevs assist production which to me points to superior playmaking with Kaliyev and also alludes the theory that Caufields numbers we’re zoomed by his teammates. My second point is that in physical and defensive play a coach is going to have a way easier time succeding in teaching these thing to Kaliyev, just based on size alone he’s going to be able to protect the puck better offensively and also knock guys around physically which is something at Caufield’s size that he just won’t be able to do ever.
A 3rd thing that I want to point out is that Kaliyev’s shot has a lot more velocity to it than Caufield’s and at the pro level I’m confident he’ll score more goals due to it.

Longer than I wanted but it basically shows my thinking and that it’s not just a size issue. Hope this helps.

 

[nafrelio]

Voracek is a great comparison, I haven't thought of that before. Wheeler is the one I used to use.

Roh roh. Boldy vs Zegras = Voracek vs Gagner.

Seen that one before...

 

[Zaddy]

Drai was 3 months older.

*3 months.

Yes but that's not how it works. He had an additional season of play. That's what matters.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Yes but that's not how it works. He had an additional season of play. That's what matters.

You don’t know what the cut off dates are though so right now your just assuming that 99’s are one age group and 00’s are another when most of the time there together as cut off dates usually range from July-December.

 

[AvOiL]

Yes but that's not how it works. He had an additional season of play. That's what matters.

Are you referring to an additional season of play for Draisaitl in Germany? Because they both played 2 full seasons in the WHL before being drafted (and Dach actually played 1/3 of another season as well). I'm not convinced that an extra season in Germany would account for the 32 more points Draisaitl had in his draft year.

Don't get me wrong - I am high on Dach. But Draisaitl is probably a top-15 forward in the NHL. I don't think it's a fair comparison at this stage.

If Dach puts up 100+ points in the WHL next season, then it might be fair to compare the two players.

 

[MessierII]

Are you referring to an additional season of play for Draisaitl in Germany? Because they both played 2 full seasons in the WHL before being drafted (and Dach actually played 1/3 of another season as well). I'm not convinced that an extra season in Germany would account for the 32 more points Draisaitl had in his draft year.

Don't get me wrong - I am high on Dach. But Draisaitl is probably a top-15 forward in the NHL. I don't think it's a fair comparison at this stage.

If Dach puts up 100+ points in the WHL next season, then it might be fair to compare the two players.

It’s still not. Drai destroyed the WHL in his draft year on a garbage team.