2019 Draft Thread: We Already Got a Kaapo

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Can't tell if that's sarcastic or not. Skating has never been one of Rask's strong suits.

You know me well enough to know that’s sarcasm.

 

[57special]

We also need some guys that can skate...

yeah, it would be nice to have a player who's got everything, but they are usually snapped up early. I think we need a smart puck handler. Could be that one of Shaw, Lodnia, or McBain fills that bill, but I'm not holding my breath.

Wonder if Bitten will develop into anything? He's been scoring of late in Iowa, after a slow start. He's supposed to have wheels.

 

[thestonedkoala]

yeah, it would be nice to have a player who's got everything, but they are usually snapped up early. I think we need a smart puck handler. Could be that one of Shaw, Lodnia, or McBain fills that bill, but I'm not holding my breath.

Wonder if Bitten will develop into anything? He's been scoring of late in Iowa, after a slow start. He's supposed to have wheels.

I see Bitten as more of a depth forward than anything. Hopeful, but not optimistic that he'll be a regular in the NHL.

 

[57special]

I see Bitten as more of a depth forward than anything. Hopeful, but not optimistic that he'll be a regular in the NHL.

Me, too, but maybe a Haula like depth forward? Speed in a bottom sixer isn't a bad thing.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Me, too, but maybe a Haula like depth forward? Speed in a bottom sixer isn't a bad thing.

Haula was much more than a depth forward; we just saw him as a depth forward. Haula was a top 6 forward.

 

[Wabit]

Haula was much more than a depth forward; we just saw him as a depth forward. Haula was a top 6 forward.

Except when he wasn't. Haula was the reason they got Hanzal and burned the first year of JEEs ELC a couple of years ago.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Except when he wasn't. Haula was the reason they got Hanzal and burned the first year of JEEs ELC a couple of years ago.

Panic was the reason they got Hanzal.

 

[Wabit]

Panic was the reason they got Hanzal.

If Huala wasn't playing sub-par there wouldn't have been the panic. I still think it was a good trade for the spot MN was in, but it turned out bad because the Wild laid an egg in the Playoffs.

Haula was the FWD that wasn't keeping with the rest of the top-9 for scoring. He was sitting at 20p while the rest of them were pushing 40p+ at the time of the trade.

 

[Olcoach]

Except when he wasn't. Haula was the reason they got Hanzal and burned the first year of JEEs ELC a couple of years ago.

It seemed like a lack of opportunity combined with stupidity was the reason. Hanzel's game was long gone when we picked him up. Sorry, this is still an open wound for me.

 

[nt3005]

It seemed like a lack of opportunity combined with stupidity was the reason. Hanzel's game was long gone when we picked him up. Sorry, this is still an open wound for me.

I disagree and thought Hanzel looked good for his time with the team.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Except when he wasn't. Haula was the reason they got Hanzal and burned the first year of JEEs ELC a couple of years ago.

Except Koivu was leading the team in ATOI, and they never put Haula in a place to succeed. Again that's on the team, not Haula. Haula finally got a chance to be a first line forward (17 minutes) and exploded...look at that. Give talented players ice time and they respond...

 

[Digitalbooya]

Except Koivu was leading the team in ATOI, and they never put Haula in a place to succeed. Again that's on the team, not Haula. Haula finally got a chance to be a first line forward (17 minutes) and exploded...look at that. Give talented players ice time and they respond...

Eriksson Ek to 1C!

 

[2Pair]

Except Koivu was leading the team in ATOI, and they never put Haula in a place to succeed. Again that's on the team, not Haula. Haula finally got a chance to be a first line forward (17 minutes) and exploded...look at that. Give talented players ice time and they respond...

Pure bullshit

 

[Olcoach]

Eriksson Ek to 1C!

Definetly........ for Iowa this year.

 

[Olcoach]

I disagree and thought Hanzel looked good for his time with the team.

He did well in the low slot, only when he could get there. He had the speed of a dump truck stuck in the granny gear. He's played 45 games since with 12 pts I think.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Eriksson Ek to 1C!

I actually wouldn't be opposed to that if Staal gets moved. Sooner or later, we got to see if JEE has the skills to be a top 6 center or not. So far, he has proven in the AHL he does have the ability - the problem is, will he get there?

 

[Wabit]

I actually wouldn't be opposed to that if Staal gets moved. Sooner or later, we got to see if JEE has the skills to be a top 6 center or not. So far, he has proven in the AHL he does have the ability - the problem is, will he get there?

He doesn't mentally process the NHL game fast enough to play 1C. He can barely play 3C without tripping over his skatelaces. He has some skills, but until/if the game slows down for him, they don't do much good. The AHL game is just that little bit slower so he can use his skills.

 

[thestonedkoala]

He doesn't mentally process the NHL game fast enough to play 1C. He can barely play 3C without tripping over his skatelaces. He has some skills, but until/if the game slows down for him, they don't do much good. The AHL game is just that little bit slower so he can use his skills.

Not yet at least, but give him the chance and opportunity and let's see where it goes - provided (and this is a big if) we start selling at the deadline. If not, let him be the 1st line center down in the AHL.

 

[Wabit]

Not yet at least, but give him the chance and opportunity and let's see where it goes - provided (and this is a big if) we start selling at the deadline. If not, let him be the 1st line center down in the AHL.

I don't see the chance of being a 1C when it's the mental side holding him back being the solution. When he has the puck he has to stop and think about what to do with it even on the 4th line. It's not a full stop, but you can see the pause/hitch in his step when he's deciding what to do. And this is on the 4th line where it's simple north-south someone planted net front hockey.

I just don't see things working out well if he's on the ice with Granny/Spurgeon and they are doing their hockey smarts things; or Zucker/Coyle floating around the o-zone, they can get open doing this, but it doesn't last for long.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I don't see the chance of being a 1C when it's the mental side holding him back being the solution. When he has the puck he has to stop and think about what to do with it even on the 4th line. It's not a full stop, but you can see the pause/hitch in his step when he's deciding what to do. And this is on the 4th line where it's simple north-south someone planted net front hockey.

That's an easily correctable issue; if he has problems processing the play, give him opportunities where he doesn't have to break down what he has to do. Shoot or pass. Shoot or pass. Furthermore, give him talented players to work with, so it makes the play a lot more simple and he doesn't have to do everything. Fourth line plugs? That'll help his development for sure. But if it's just him breaking down plays, that's an easy to fix issue.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

All of this experimentation is fine if we're trying to lose games (i.e. mathematically eliminated or pretty far out at the TDL). If that's the case, I'm all for seeing what he's got. I'm definitely not doing it right now.

 

[Wabit]

That's an easily correctable issue; if he has problems processing the play, give him opportunities where he doesn't have to break down what he has to do. Shoot or pass. Shoot or pass. Furthermore, give him talented players to work with, so it makes the play a lot more simple and he doesn't have to do everything. Fourth line plugs? That'll help his development for sure. But if it's just him breaking down plays, that's an easy to fix issue.

When he has to think about where to put the puck with better players it takes him even longer. It's not just shoot pass for him, it's deciding where to pass it. He simply doesn't know where his teammates are or should be on the ice. If a d-man pinches it really slows him down.

The 4th line plugs play the simplest game, there shouldn't be any thinking involved in playing with them.

 

[2Pair]

That's an easily correctable issue; if he has problems processing the play, give him opportunities where he doesn't have to break down what he has to do. Shoot or pass. Shoot or pass. Furthermore, give him talented players to work with, so it makes the play a lot more simple and he doesn't have to do everything. Fourth line plugs? That'll help his development for sure. But if it's just him breaking down plays, that's an easy to fix issue.

When those "4th line plugs" are outplaying you. you get sent to Iowa, not the 1st line. How could you possibly think that moving a guy up in the lineup would make things easier?

 

[Nsjohnson]

Back to the draft....

I'll look the other way for the 2018 draft.

I am however holding Fenton to very high standards in the 2019 draft. He is supposed to be like a real boss with scouting, etc.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Back to the draft....

I'll look the other way for the 2018 draft.

I am however holding Fenton to very high standards in the 2019 draft. He is supposed to be like a real boss with scouting, etc.

Nashville's drafting strategy has always paralleled Minnesota's. Very few skill forwards ever in the early rounds, preferring high-upside grinders (Watson, Sissons, Hartnell), defense first philosophy (Weber, Suter, Josi), late-bloomers (Arvidsson, Ekholm), less attention to CHL, more to Sweden, Finland, and midwest high school players.

The 2018 Draft will surprise people, especially those that think ANYTHING is known about these guys at this point.