2019 Draft Thread: We Already Got a Kaapo

[Sarge58]

If someone came back from the future and told me that in 10 years only one of the three (Hughes, Turcotte, Zegras) is playing center in the NHL, I would guess it's Zegras.

Well the concensus would be Hughes but I also like to go against the grain.

 

[AKL]

Yeah I was just curious, I doubt either Zegras or Krebs will be there when we pick but who knows our draft pick is at a spot where a lot can happen this year.

I think Krebs very well could be there after his injury. The other center I could see falling to us (besides Newhook), is Dach. Which would be very nice as well. At this point, my preference for the centers is

Turcotte
Zegras
Dach
Newhook
Cozens
Krebs

Well the concensus would be Hughes but I also like to go against the grain.

I don't doubt that Hughes can make it as a center, and I think he will, I'm just saying that if only one of them makes it, my money is on Zegras. I think they'll all be NHL centers.

 

[Sarge58]

I think Krebs very well could be there after his injury. The other center I could see falling to us (besides Newhook), is Dach. Which would be very nice as well. At this point, my preference for the centers is

Turcotte
Zegras
Dach
Newhook
Cozens
Krebs



I don't doubt that Hughes can make it as a center, and I think he will, I'm just saying that if only one of them makes it, my money is on Zegras. I think they'll all be NHL centers.

Well either way there should be one or two of them available at our pick.

 

[AKL]

Well either way there should be one or two of them available at our pick.

I hope so. If not we may end up with another right handed defenseman.

 

[Sarge58]

I hope so. If not we may end up with another right handed defenseman.

Nightmare but it may come down to BPA

 

[Engebretson]

I think Krebs very well could be there after his injury. The other center I could see falling to us (besides Newhook), is Dach. Which would be very nice as well. At this point, my preference for the centers is

Turcotte
Zegras
Dach
Newhook
Cozens
Krebs

This is my order of preference as well.

I still feel like there's going to be more than one defenseman taken in the top 11 which is going to force someone unexpected to fall to 12. Broberg has impressed leading up to the draft and Soderstrom being a smart, 2-way, RH defenseman is going to be intriguing to someone. I think York also showed some impressive offense at the U18's and may have improved his stock. For the record, I wouldn't hate grabbing one of these guys as well with our pick because I think they're going to be studs (particularly both of the Swedes).

Ultimately, I really can't get over the uneasy feeling I have that a player I really want falls to us at #12 and we pass on them for someone who is universally ranked lower. It's all going to depend on the Fentons' own draft board and who they consider BPA. I get the feeling that I'm not going to agree with that list.

 

[DANOZ28]

its obvious we lack goal scoring , we have no potential #1C or #1rw prospects. i cant believe even as stupid as i think fenton is he can ignore that forever. our D core is set for the next 3-4 years if we dont trade them or lose in ED. i will be disappointed if we pick a D man but soderstrom or even broberg wont be bad choices. round 2 if beecher isnt there or one of the russians i wouldnt mind picking D man thrun. as long as fenton doesnt go off the board we should get a good player in both the first & 2nd rnd.

 

[Bazeek]

As much as I get the need for centers, our prospect pool is shallow at just about every position. LW and RD might be the exceptions, but that has more to do with the NHL/AHL depth we have right now and that can change a lot over the 2 or so years it'll take for our 1st to come up. There are needs everywhere.

In my mind the only immediate, rant-worthy mistake would be taking Knight at #12. If you end up with two 1sts and can take him later you might be able to justify it, but other than that? No. Goalie development is too uncertain, there are almost always serviceable goalies available via trade/UFA, and the main ingredient in strong goaltending is strong defense anyway.

 

[57special]

Ultimately, I really can't get over the uneasy feeling I have that a player I really want falls to us at #12 and we pass on them for someone who is universally ranked lower. It's all going to depend on the Fentons' own draft board and who they consider BPA. I get the feeling that I'm not going to agree with that list.

Amen. So far, Fenton just seems to be "off" in his judgement. If he takes another Swedish dman at #12, with the forwards that are going to be available, namely, one of(assuming that Byram is taken before 12);
Cozens
Dach
Turcotte
Zegras
Boldy
Krebs
Newhook
Caufield
Podkolzin

Of course, if only one more Dman is taken before 12 then we get a choice of two of the above list. I would gladly take any of the above...Caufield weirds me out a bit, as does Podkolzin(for different reasons), but they could possibly be top line forwards, on the Wild, anyway.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I’d be okay with Broberg at #12 if the centers+Caufield are gone.

 

[AKL]

As much as I get the need for centers, our prospect pool is shallow at just about every position. LW and RD might be the exceptions, but that has more to do with the NHL/AHL depth we have right now and that can change a lot over the 2 or so years it'll take for our 1st to come up. There are needs everywhere.

In my mind the only immediate, rant-worthy mistake would be taking Knight at #12. If you end up with two 1sts and can take him later you might be able to justify it, but other than that? No. Goalie development is too uncertain, there are almost always serviceable goalies available via trade/UFA, and the main ingredient in strong goaltending is strong defense anyway.

I’d get pretty upset over another RD.

Amen. So far, Fenton just seems to be "off" in his judgement. If he takes another Swedish dman at #12...

Why do we care about the players nationality? If Broberg is the BPA I’d take him.

 

[Engebretson]

I’d get pretty upset over another RD.

If it's Soderstrom, I'd be a little less upset because I think he'd rocket up to the top of the list of our RD prospects. Going after another long-term project/reach similar to Johansson... yeah, I'm going to be a little moody.

 

[AKL]

If it's Soderstrom, I'd be a little less upset because I think he'd rocket up to the top of the list of our RD prospects. Going after another long-term project/reach similar to Johansson... yeah, I'm going to be a little moody.

It’s not hard to rocket up to the top of our RD prospects, the only competition is Johansson. I don’t think RD is a position we need to address this year and I don’t think any of the RD will be the BPA at 12.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It’s not hard to rocket up to the top of our RD prospects, the only competition is Johansson. I don’t think RD is a position we need to address this year and I don’t think any of the RD will be the BPA at 12.

I've seen Broberg and Soderstrom in the top 10 on some lists.

 

[Bazeek]

I’d get pretty upset over another RD.

Why do we care about the players nationality? If Broberg is the BPA I’d take him.

Are there any RD besides Seider projected to go in the 1st? I'll admit that Seider would be a disappointingly boring pick, but that's mostly independent of his handedness. I really know very little about him, though

Edit: Forgot Soderstrom, who would be less boring.

Fully agreed on the nationality thing, though. The idea that Fenton is somehow preoccupied with Europeans because of one draft pick is bizarre.

Major trades
Coyle (USA) -> Donato (USA)
Nino (CH) -> Rask (SWE)
Granlund (FIN) -> Fiala (CH)

Minor trades
5th -> Hunt (CAN)
Kloos (USA) -> Aberg (SWE)
nothing -> Bitetto (USA)
Murphy (CAN) -> Kapla (USA)
Jenys (CZE) -> Falkovsky (BLR)
Olofsson (SWE) -> Bitten (CAN)

UFAs
Fehr (CAN)
Brown (USA)
Pateryn (USA)
Hedricks (USA) (-> 7th)


Drafted
Johansson (SWE)
McBain (CAN)
Khovanov (RUS)
Dewar (CAN)
Johansson (SWE)
Giroux (CAN)
Boudrias (CAN)
Hentges (USA)

I think it's debatable how much he had to do with the later round 2018 picks, but they're there for completeness. Overall though, if you're going to draw a conclusion from his first year it's that he likes Americans. Even just looking at his major trades the net change was -1 Fin and +1 Swede.

 

[Engebretson]

It’s not hard to rocket up to the top of our RD prospects, the only competition is Johansson. I don’t think RD is a position we need to address this year and I don’t think any of the RD will be the BPA at 12.

If we end up re-signing Spurgeon then yeah, RD is much less of a position that needs to be addressed, especially in the first round this year. I'm just more optimistic about Soderstrom to the point that if we take him at #12 I might just mutter a curse word instead of breaking my coffee table in half if we take some guy projected to go in the middle of the 2nd round.

 

[AKL]

I would ice 19 Swedes if it won us a Cup

 

[Spurgeon]

I would ice 19 Swedes if it won us a Cup

But I thought the key to a Cup is bringing in as many players as possible that have connections to Minnesota. #OneOfUs

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm going to try and summarize various draft rankings to find the "consenus".

So far I have the following: HockeyProspect.com, The Hockey News, The Hockey Writers, Pronman, Button, ISS and the HF Prospect Forum. Will try and add others when more final rankings come out.

Anybody who wasn't on a top 31 ranking was assigned a 32.

Average rankings:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Zegras
6. Podkolzin
7. Caufield
8. Dach
9. Cozens
10. Boldy
11. Krebs
12. Broberg
13. Newhook
14. York
15. Seider
16. Soderstrom
17. Harley
18. Lavoie
19. Kaliyev
20. Brink
21. Tomasino
22. Heinola
23. Suzuki
24. Knight
25. Hoglander
26. Robertson
27. Bjornfot
28. Poulin
29. Dorofyev
30. McMichael
31. Kolyachonok

 

[thestonedkoala]

I'd love to get Newhook and Kaliyev. Trade Brodin or Zucker for an extra first.

 

[Sarge58]

I'd love to get Newhook and Kaliyev. Trade Brodin or Zucker for an extra first.

I made the same suggestion about a Zucker trade but it sounds like some thought we may have to add to entice a team for us to get another mid round 1st.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm going to try and summarize various draft rankings to find the "consenus".

So far I have the following: HockeyProspect.com, The Hockey News, The Hockey Writers, Pronman, Button, ISS and the HF Prospect Forum. Will try and add others when more final rankings come out.

Anybody who wasn't on a top 31 ranking was assigned a 32.

Average rankings:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Zegras
6. Podkolzin
7. Caufield
8. Dach
9. Cozens
10. Boldy
11. Krebs
12. Broberg
13. Newhook
14. York
15. Seider
16. Soderstrom
17. Harley
18. Lavoie
19. Kaliyev
20. Brink
21. Tomasino
22. Heinola
23. Suzuki
24. Knight
25. Hoglander
26. Robertson
27. Bjornfot
28. Poulin
29. Dorofyev
30. McMichael
31. Kolyachonok

Updated for a couple more: McKeen and Future Considerations.

Average rankings:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Zegras
6. Podkolzin
7. Dach
8. Cozens
9. Krebs
10. Boldy
11. Caufield
12. Broberg
13. Newhook
14. York
15. Soderstrom
16. Seider
17. Lavoie
18. Harley
19. Kaliyev
20. Tomasino
21. Suzuki
22. Brink
23. Heinola
24. Knight
25. Robertsom
26. Poulin
27. Bjornfot
28. Hoglander
29. McMichael
30. Dorofeyev
31. Holmstrom​

 

[AKL]

I made the same suggestion about a Zucker trade but it sounds like some thought we may have to add to entice a team for us to get another mid round 1st.

No, we wouldn’t have to add, it’s just not going to happen. We haven’t heard anything about Arizona or Colorado’s picks being in play, we haven’t heard anything about either of them being interested in Zucker (at least not for a while in Arizona’s case), and there’s no reason to think Fenton would be looking for those picks even if those teams were interested in Zucker.

The whole Zucker for 14 or 16 thing is entirely made up speculation based on what some fraction of the Wild fan base wants to happen. There’s no credibility to it at all. And based on what Fenton has said and done thus far, there’s no reason to believe it’s going to happen.

 

[Spurgeon]

Wouldn't be upset if we grabbed Podkolzin, especially considering where he's been ranked by multiple sources. Think there's going to be a large run on centers, so if it's between grabbing the 1st/2nd best winger vs. the 7th/8th best center, I'd lean towards the Russian. I think having an influx of Russian players might be the culture change this organization needs, considering Fletcher's reluctance to draft them. Podkolzin and Kaprizov could really benefit from one another too IMO.

No, we wouldn’t have to add, it’s just not going to happen. We haven’t heard anything about Arizona or Colorado’s picks being in play, we haven’t heard anything about either of them being interested in Zucker (at least not for a while in Arizona’s case), and there’s no reason to think Fenton would be looking for those picks even if those teams were interested in Zucker.

The whole Zucker for 14 or 16 thing is entirely made up speculation based on what some fraction of the Wild fan base wants to happen. There’s no credibility to it at all. And based on what Fenton has said and done thus far, there’s no reason to believe it’s going to happen.

Think the only trade that could be feasible would be for Philly's pick, which is mainly due to the Fletcher connection. I think they could use another LW scorer, but I don't think they want to be paying JVR $7M to play on the 3rd line.

 

[AKL]

Think the only trade that could be feasible would be for Philly's pick, which is mainly due to the Fletcher connection. I think they could use another LW scorer, but I don't think they want to be paying JVR $7M to play on the 3rd line.

I don’t think any 1sts are feasible unless they’re either very late and in addition to a roster player, or part of a much bigger deal. There is almost no chance that a 1st will be the centerpiece of a Zucker deal.