Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Thread: Oilers Picking 8th

[780il]

After watching this year's playoffs it's changed my opinion on Boldy drastically.

Boldy is the type of player you need in the postseason. Big, strong, fast, mean, highly skilled, and battles hard.

He's been putting up numbers on the US team and hasn't been playing with Hughes like Zegras and Caufield have all year. His best linemate was Turcotte and even then they barely played together.

He's like a Landeskog or M.Tkachuk type. Maybe even Mark Stone as a comparable. A big guy, plays a mean and physical game, fluid skater, bomb of a shot, battles hard every shift in all areas of the ice, has great vision and can make a beautiful pass, but is a lethal goal scorer from anywhere on the ice.

I think I'd take Boldy over Zebras/Cozens/Caufield. And maybe even over Krebs. The more I watch him play the more I fall in love with his game.

 

[gordonhught]

After watching this year's playoffs it's changed my opinion on Boldy drastically.

Boldy is the type of player you need in the postseason. Big, strong, fast, mean, highly skilled, and battles hard.

He's been putting up numbers on the US team and hasn't been playing with Hughes like Zegras and Caufield have all year. His best linemate was Turcotte and even then they barely played together.

He's like a Landeskog or M.Tkachuk type. Maybe even Mark Stone as a comparable. A big guy, plays a mean and physical game, fluid skater, bomb of a shot, battles hard every shift in all areas of the ice, has great vision and can make a beautiful pass, but is a lethal goal scorer from anywhere on the ice.

I think I'd take Boldy over Zebras/Cozens/Caufield. And maybe even over Krebs. The more I watch him play the more I fall in love with his game.

He skates like Gagner. Just watch him backcheck.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

After watching this year's playoffs it's changed my opinion on Boldy drastically.

Boldy is the type of player you need in the postseason. Big, strong, fast, mean, highly skilled, and battles hard.

He's been putting up numbers on the US team and hasn't been playing with Hughes like Zegras and Caufield have all year. His best linemate was Turcotte and even then they barely played together.

He's like a Landeskog or M.Tkachuk type. Maybe even Mark Stone as a comparable. A big guy, plays a mean and physical game, fluid skater, bomb of a shot, battles hard every shift in all areas of the ice, has great vision and can make a beautiful pass, but is a lethal goal scorer from anywhere on the ice.

I think I'd take Boldy over Zebras/Cozens/Caufield. And maybe even over Krebs. The more I watch him play the more I fall in love with his game.

I find your description a bit off. I like Boldy a lot but he isn’t mean. He is big bodied but plays nothing like a Tkachuk or Landeskog. Krebs is much more similar to them. That’s actually my biggest complaint with Boldy - he doesn’t go to the front of the net enough and seems to play around the perimeter a lot. I also wouldn’t call him fast. He’s not a bad skater by any means, but I wouldn’t describe him that way.

That said, I am a huge fan of Boldy. He’s a smart player, and if he can learn to use his tools better he’ll be one hell of a player. His size is one thing, but his shot is another aspect of his game he should utilize better. He plays a pass 1st game, and should use his lethal shot more often. I don’t think I’ve seen him shoot once at the U18s so far.

The U18s so far are pretty much confirming most of my thoughts from earlier this season. Guys I like (Krebs, the American kids) are proving me right, while guys I’m not high on are showing me why (Cozens and Podkolzin). Russia has scored 5 goals in both of their games, and Podkolzin is pointless in both. Cozens has been plain awful in all 3 zones.

Rankings of the non-Hughes/Kakko forwards:

Turcotte
Dach
Krebs
Caufield
Boldy
Zegras
Podkolzim
Cozens

I might have Zegras 2 spots higher, but I think Caufield/Boldy are better fits on this team.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

He skates like Gagner. Just watch him backcheck.

Boldy? I completely disagree.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

A comparable for Boldy is really tough, his game is pretty unique.

I’d say Anthony Mantha but a better passer.

 

[ImmuneEH]

I don't think you can really go wrong with the #8 pick.

Centers

Zegras - Very dynamic, love his creativity and playmaking ability.

Dach - Big playmaking RHC with an underrated shot and possesses exceptional vision and passing ability. I think his ceiling is very high, with a Drai' like ability to take over games.

Krebs - High IQ player with a fantastic compete level. Very well rounded. I've soured on him a bit in favor of Zegras, but it's encouraging to see he's doing well at the U18's.

Turcotte - Probably the best skating of this group and also has a very complete game. I suspect people will like other names on this list over him due to recency bias, but Turcotte's a gem imo.

Question: Who here could you see having the potential of driving a line on their own?

Wingers

Boldy - Big 2-way winger who is showing his passing/vision at the U18's. This is a guy I can see developing into quite the player after spending a couple years in the NCAA. Benson comparable (when you take away the size difference)?

Caufield - Incredible goal scoring winger. I can already picture Draisaitl wheeling around the zone, protecting the puck with his big frame, and finding Caufield who fills the net time and time again. I wouldn't hate it if we passed on him, I just hope it's for the right reasons and not "he's small", because this kid's got it.

Question: Do you pick any of these 6 names over Byram should he drop?

Question Marks

Podkolzin & Cozens - I don't think these are bad players, I don't think they'd be total busts, but imo you need to handle their development with extreme care. With Cozens I'd be cautiously optimistic, and with Podkolzin I'd just prefer the other names on the board.

Conclusion

I'd be very happy if we ended up with any of those 6 names or Byram if he drops. This is starting to look like a pretty deep draft, I wish we had another 1st rounder, somewhere in the range of #15-22.

 

[gordonhught]

Boldy? I completely disagree.

Start about 7 minutes in.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yamamoto - tries to fight along the boards and can't do it. Has to adjust his game for NHL.

Caufield (like Gaudreau) - floats around and makes plays

IMO.

From what I've seen he doesn't have top end acceleration or speed either. He looks like he'd be a good skater at the NHL level but not overly dynamic. He basically sounds like the same kind of player as Kaliyev except he gets a free pass from not getting his nose dirty strictly due to his lack of size.

This is my thoughts as well, they are allowing way more to go these playoffs. Where it’s almost back to the old NHL, which makes guys like Johnny G obsolete as they grabbed and slashed and hooked all game

That hasn't changed, remember Kesler basically holding and dry humping McDavid for 7 games? You have to be able to battle and work through clutching, grabbing and being manhandled in the playoffs the way the game is called. If Caufield stays away from all puck battles then that means that guys like Connor, Leon and RNH have to do the battling for him and that's not ideal.

 

[iCanada]

From what I've seen he doesn't have top end acceleration or speed either. He looks like he'd be a good skater at the NHL level but not overly dynamic. He basically sounds like the same kind of player as Kaliyev except he gets a free pass from not getting his nose dirty strictly due to his lack of size.



That hasn't changed, remember Kesler basically holding and dry humping McDavid for 7 games? You have to be able to battle and work through clutching, grabbing and being manhandled in the playoffs the way the game is called. If Caufield stays away from all puck battles then that means that guys like Connor, Leon and RNH have to do the battling for him and that's not ideal.

I don't mind Leon having to battle for a guy, he certainly can beat anyone in the league... But that guy better be a drop dead one shot scorer, or we're better having a horse that wins puck battles for drai.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don't mind Leon having to battle for a guy, he certainly can beat anyone in the league... But that guy better be a drop dead one shot scorer, or we're better having a horse that wins puck battles for drai.

Leon is a beast but ideally we have a guy on Drai's line that does more puck battling as Drai is one of our 2 big ticket players. I am not against Caufield, but all things considered equal, I take the 6'2" version in Kaliyev.

 

[AUAIOMRN]

How much does it matters that the US team has played together all year (and their top lines are loaded)? I think people are going a little too crazy over Caufield when his stats may be misleading.

 

[gordonhught]

From what I've seen he doesn't have top end acceleration or speed either. He looks like he'd be a good skater at the NHL level but not overly dynamic. He basically sounds like the same kind of player as Kaliyev except he gets a free pass from not getting his nose dirty strictly due to his lack of size.

This is exactly and absolutely correct. I am not sure this type of player helps the Oilers at 8. There are better options.

 

[iCanada]

Leon is a beast but ideally we have a guy on Drai's line that does more puck battling as Drai is one of our 2 big ticket players. I am not against Caufield, but all things considered equal, I take the 6'2" version in Kaliyev.

I agree for sure. I'd take a Cozens for that role instead unless one of these kids has a Laine type shot.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Watching this video once again solidifies my hope that Dach falls to 8 and we take him. His skating is better than most give him credit for, he has sill for days and size never goes out of style. Add in that he's a RH shot and I'd be amazed if he's available at 8. Hopefully the USDT rolls and have really good showings so he falls to us.

 

[LTIR]

How much does it matters that the US team has played together all year (and their top lines are loaded)? I think people are going a little too crazy over Caufield when his stats may be misleading.

Gives me hope that someone drafting ahead of us may take him leaving Dach or Byram for us.
#WHL factor

 

[McTonyBrar]

How much does it matters that the US team has played together all year (and their top lines are loaded)? I think people are going a little too crazy over Caufield when his stats may be misleading.

I have to agree. This is why I have Dach and Krebs over him and Zegras

 

[McTonyBrar]

Watching this video once again solidifies my hope that Dach falls to 8 and we take him. His skating is better than most give him credit for, he has sill for days and size never goes out of style. Add in that he's a RH shot and I'd be amazed if he's available at 8. Hopefully the USDT rolls and have really good showings so he falls to us.

Good thing he's injured right now. May fall to us. I don't see Buffalo taking him. They usually don't pick fro WHL

 

[McTonyBrar]

Krebs is like a Kyle Brodziak type NHLer , stop with the wack ass picks in the first round. Krebs is a weak pick.

Uhhh what? My friend I've been reading your posts in the last couple of days and none of them make any sense whatsoever. Schefiele no hockey sense etc and now this? You are not watching these players play at all

 

[smokersarejokers]

Can't see Byram or Dach dropping to 8 at all, but I guess you never know. One can dream.

I would lose my mind if they were able to get Byram.

 

[780il]

Can't see Byram or Dach dropping to 8 at all, but I guess you never know. One can dream.

I would lose my mind if they were able to get Byram.

If by some miracle Byram fell off the Eiffel tower to 8.... I don't even know what I'd do cause it's never gonna happen.

 

[Johnny McBravo]

Yeah I'm on the Caufield train as well now. Kid is the best pure goal scorer in the draft, and that is something we desperately need.

 

[gordonhught]

If by some miracle Byram fell off the Eiffel tower to 8.... I don't even know what I'd do cause it's never gonna happen.

This is why the Oilers need to investigate what it would take to move up to 3/4. Good chance the Avs and the Hawks go forward.

Might be the best chance the Oilers have to get a top defenseman (hopefully) for the foreseeable future.

 

[780il]

This is why the Oilers need to investigate what it would take to move up to 3/4. Good chance the Avs and the Hawks go forward.

Might be the best chance the Oilers have to get a top defenseman (hopefully) for the foreseeable future.

I think it might be too much or something we wouldn't be willing to give up to move 3-4 spots.

Chicago probably wouldn't move down from 3 since they guarantee themselves Turcotte at 3.

The Avs.. idk, I think they stay put

 

[Snowpants]

Have not read all the pages but is anyone thinking Podkolzin could fall to us? Just seems like a perfect storm brewing. You have Hughes and Kakkoo locked in then Byram behind that and the US NDP kids coming on hot (Caufield, Turcotte, Boldy) plus Dach. Add in a flyer which happens every year on a d-man like Heinola Harley Soderstrom or Broberg and there is the Russian waiting at 8 for us.

In fact if I had to lock in my picks now here is how I see it going:

NJD Hughes
NYR Kakko
CHI Byram
COL Dach
LAK Cozens
DET Soderstrom
BUF Turcotte
EDM Podkolzin
ANH Boldy
VAN Caufield
PHI Zegras
MIN Broberg
FLA Heinola
ARI Harley
MON Krebs

 

[McTonyBrar]

Can't see Byram or Dach dropping to 8 at all, but I guess you never know. One can dream.

I would lose my mind if they were able to get Byram.

Bouchard fell and Hayton rose remember?