2019 Draft Thread

[MattMartin]

Dach has some mitts.




Kalieyev has some shot.

 

[IslandersFan17]

Thank you for posting this! The kid going to be a top ten spec IMO when all is said and done

 

[blinkman360]

Hughes would be great but I'm not trying to watch more crap hockey next year. Hopefully Trotz can work his magic.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Hate to rain on your parade guys:

Top hockey prospect Jack Hughes is just 16, but his star is rising | The Star

Hughes, a native of Orlando, Fla., who grew up in the Toronto area

Hughes is undecided about where he will play after he is done with the National Team Development Program in 2019. He is considering college hockey and the junior ranks in Canada. “We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. He’s just a kid,” said Jim Hughes, who now works for Pat Brisson, the top agent whose clients include Matthews, now a Maple Leafs star, and other NHL players.

 

[Riseonfire]

Gonna need Lou to use that blackmail he's got on Uncle Gary.

 

[PWJunior]

Thank you for posting this! The kid going to be a top ten spec IMO when all is said and done

I've been watching a lot of these videos, I think Lavoie is my favorite so far. I love his size, his skill, and he moves really well out there. A big center like him would be a great complement to the flash and dash that Barzal brings.

 

[DalGoal4Cups]

I've been watching a lot of these videos, I think Lavoie is my favorite so far. I love his size, his skill, and he moves really well out there. A big center like him would be a great complement to the flash and dash that Barzal brings.

Huges is generational talent. If we can land huges it will be a game changer for the franchise.

With that being said, we'll need some good luck from the hockey gods.

 

[PWJunior]

Huges is generational talent. If we can land huges it will be a game changer for the franchise.

With that being said, we'll need some good luck from the hockey gods.

I'm sick people using of that generational tag, Hughes is not in that class sorry. I have concerns that he can stay at center if he can't get bigger and stronger. He might just be P. Kane 2.0 which would be great yet not a center.

 

[DalGoal4Cups]

I'm sick people using of that generational tag, Hughes is not in that class sorry. I have concerns that he can stay at center if he can't get bigger and stronger. He might just be P. Kane 2.0 which would be great yet not a center.

Kane 2.0? Kane is a generational talent.

All that term means is a young up and coming star with new age skills. And he has the new NHL hands and speed. He’s very McDavid light.

 

[PWJunior]

Kane 2.0? Kane is a generational talent.

All that term means is a young up and coming star with new age skills. And he has the new NHL hands and speed. He’s very McDavid light.

If we have a chance to get Hughes I won't pass him up, he is the top talent of this class.

I see this team needing a #2C, #3C, and a top pair LD to be a real contender. This is with the assumption that Sorokin is legitimate and is our starter of the future. This is also with the expectation that Wahlstrom is a true top line winger and Dobson is a true top pair RD.

This class is very strong at center and a good crop of wingers. The defense group is like the center class from this past draft, very weak.

We could have multiple 1sts after a trade deadline sell off. Ours will probably be a lottery pick and the others will be late in the round.

If Bowen Byram is a true stud LD and is sitting there for us, I'd be very tempted to take him because potential top pair d-men are so valuable and impossible to get unless you draft them. We could grab centers later in the round.

Otherwise, I would want to draft multiple centers and walk away with one of the top guys with our pick. Hedge our bets and round out our system.

 

[Konk]

I've been watching a lot of these videos, I think Lavoie is my favorite so far. I love his size, his skill, and he moves really well out there. A big center like him would be a great complement to the flash and dash that Barzal brings.

Lavoie played a lot of RW last season with Zadina and Somppi from what I saw. He played his best hockey on the wing, although I'm curious if they will move him back to center next year. I really like him as well from everything you stated, he has an incredible shot, he's big, and he can move really well for his size, but it's no guarantee he plays center as a pro.

For comparison, Hughes played no other position other than center last year.

 

[PWJunior]

Lavoie played a lot of RW last season with Zadina and Somppi from what I saw. He played his best hockey on the wing, although I'm curious if they will move him back to center. I really like Lavoie as well from everything you stated, he has an incredible shot, he's big, and he can move really well for his size, but it's no guarantee he plays center as a pro.

For comparison, Hughes played no other position other than center last year.

The doubt is starting to creep up for me that Hughes is not a center, a franchise winger though.

Can he hold up defensively and take the wear and tear of being in the middle? No doubt about his offensive game, except he has a muffin shot yet not really his game to snipe.

 

[Konk]

The doubt is starting to creep up for me that Hughes is not a center, a franchise winger though.

Can he hold up defensively and take the wear and tear of being in the middle? No doubt about his offensive game, except he has a muffin shot yet not really his game to snipe.

Do you have any other concerns other than size?

I mean here's the thing, Jack is already responsible defensively. That is a non-concern. Can he hold up with the physical grind? To me, the question should be, will anyone be able to touch him? He's more elusive and agile than Barzal and his anticipation/intelligence is off the charts.

 

[bioman22]

From the perspective of "pure skating," who are the elite talents - say top 3 for fowards. Anyone know?

 

[Thrasymachus]

No interest in losing for Hughes

Winning the lottery is a different matter.

 

[Konk]

From the perspective of "pure skating," who are the elite talents - say top 3 for fowards. Anyone know?

I have not watched everyone yet, but first and foremost is Jack Hughes. He is an elite skater. Alex Turcotte is also a great skater. I'd have to imagine that's two of the top three right there.

Bo Byram is right up there too. That's probably my top three right there, subject to change.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Looks like his has silky hands, Halifax is constantly pushing out good forward prospects. If he can improve his skating a bit and possibly learn to park his ass in front of the net sometimes too he can be a player.

A lot of the points just seemed to come off the rush.

 

[PWJunior]

Do you have any other concerns other than size?

I mean here's the thing, Jack is already responsible defensively. That is a non-concern. Can he hold up with the physical grind? To me, the question should be, will anyone be able to touch him? He's more elusive and agile than Barzal and his anticipation/intelligence is off the charts.

The size does bother me, I agree with a lot of what that poster PB posts in the Hughes thread. I just don't like hoping this is the one guy who bucks the trend of undersized guys making it as an elite center. I'm excited to see him go up against the big boys in the WJC, I'd like to see for myself.

Also, you brought up Byram... what do you think of him?

 

[Konk]

The size does bother me, I agree with a lot of what that poster PB posts in the Hughes thread. I just don't like hoping this is the one guy who bucks the trend of undersized guys making it as an elite center. I'm excited to see him go up against the big boys in the WJC, I'd like to see for myself.

Also, you brought up Byram... what do you think of him?

The fact that PB just said Kane was a center... Kane was a RW from NTDP to London, hadn't played C since Honeybaked. Guys like Marner and Drouin either spent time playing both C and wing in juniors or were projected as wings at the pro level by scouts.

Hughes has only ever played center and no single pro scout projects him as a winger that I've seen thus far.

 

[Konk]

As far as Byram, he is a dynamic offensive defenseman. Great skater, great iq, and very skilled. He is very aggressive offensively and isn't afraid to go below the goal line in the offensive zone. Luckily he is a great skater and can get back, a la Leddy. but he still needs to continue to round out his defensive game. That said, I think he's a stud and could be an elite d-man at the next level. Easily tops in this draft class and potential top 5 pick.

 

[Sorge Georos]

No interest in losing for Hughes

Winning the lottery is a different matter.

So you're still interested in missing the playoffs then?

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

I certainly don't want to tank the season. But I will say that if there's any blind justice, we'll either make the playoffs or we'll win #1 overall in the lottery after a fairly solid season in which we just missed the playoffs.

Jack Hughes, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Keiffer Bellows would be a pretty decent line.

 

[LordNeverLose]

I certainly don't want to tank the season. But I will say that if there's any blind justice, we'll either make the playoffs or we'll win #1 overall in the lottery after a fairly solid season in which we just missed the playoffs.

Jack Hughes, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Keiffer Bellows would be a pretty decent line.

Beauvillier -- Barzal -- Wahlstrom
Bellows -- Hughes -- Ho-Sang

A man can dream

 

[Jester9881]

This draft is loaded with centers of all kinds which is perfect timing for the Islanders. It's the only reason I advocate trading pieces for picks, because I also believe this team can be competitive. Call me crazy.

Still very early but I love Turcotte and Lavoie. Turcotte would be a great #2 C behind Barzal.

 

[PWJunior]

This draft is loaded with centers of all kinds which is perfect timing for the Islanders. It's the only reason I advocate trading pieces for picks, because I also believe this team can be competitive. Call me crazy.

Still very early but I love Turcotte and Lavoie. Turcotte would be a great #2 C behind Barzal.

Let's say we have a top-5 pick and have a couple of late 1sts acquired at the trade deadline...

Bowen Byram is sitting there and is a potential top pairing LD to pair with Dobson for a decade. Do you take the BPA center or do you take the top d-man in the class first and then take centers with the later 1sts?

It's a very weak d-man class and centers are plentiful. Is taking Byram the better value play?