2019 NHL Draft, #LoseForHughes, etc.

[Icebreakers]

One last thing on Leason because I have no life, here's how he compares to every 2017 first-round drafted forward still playing in the CHL. Dude has literally gotten a point in every game this season and is the easily the most productive player on a team that only has 1 loss this entire WHL season.

Brett Leason (WHL) - 59/26 = 2.27 P/G
Cody Glass (WHL) - 43/22 = 1.95 P/G
Morgan Frost (OHL) - 48/27 = 1.78 P/G
Owen Tippett (OHL) - 31/20 = 1.55 P/G
Nick Suzuki (OHL) - 39/26 = 1.5 P/G

Gonna be curious to see how he fares on the next McKenzie rankings but at this point it just seems flat out stupid to let this guy slip past the top 50 just because he's older. But I really don't know where he'll go, might be another Arvidsson-like scenario.

Haven't watched a second of his play but this really is something else.

I would definitely check up on his skating before using a 3rd on him. He's scored more points in these 26 games than his entire WHL career which is wild. He is 6'4 , 200 lb which is a huge dude for junior. I bet no one can move him.

 

[Josepho]

I would definitely check up on his skating before using a 3rd on him. He's scored more points in these 26 games than his entire WHL career which is wild. He is 6'4 , 200 lb which is a huge dude for junior. I bet no one can move him.

if it was that easy then literally every 2 year overager would be killing it in the chl.

this level of production out of nowhere is not common at all.

 

[MS]

I would definitely check up on his skating before using a 3rd on him. He's scored more points in these 26 games than his entire WHL career which is wild. He is 6'4 , 200 lb which is a huge dude for junior. I bet no one can move him.

His skating is excellent.

Leason will be a top-15 pick in this draft. And maybe higher than that.

 

[Melvin]

What’s your equivalency for the BCHL again? I’m wondering how Newhook didn’t rank in the top10?

BCHL is quite low. His production is less than that of guys like Beau Bennett, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Joel Lowry.

 

[Melvin]

if it was that easy then literally every 2 year overager would be killing it in the chl.

this level of production out of nowhere is not common at all.

Yes he is an extreme outlier.

Only guys who put up anything close to what he's done so far in CHL who were passed over in prior drafts were overlooked because of size issues e.g. Conor Garland, Justin Azevedo, Sven Andrighetto.

Really no example of a guy like him over the past 10 years who is that big and putting up those kinds of numbers and was not selected in previous drafts.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Love for the Nucks to snag Krebs in the draft. Would look good on either EP or Bo's LW.

Preferably with another 1st but think kid goes Top 10.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

I wish we could somehow force Edler to waive his NTC and get another 1st.

 

[Zombotron]

New month, time to re-examine the list of first-year draft-eligible players with NCAA commitments. Who or what is Yegor Afanasyev?

NCAA

Team	Player	Position	Points on Dec. 1st /'18	DOB
University of Minnesota	Ben Brinkman	D	4P in 12GP	2000/10/04

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

USHL / U.S. National Team

Team	Player	Position	Points in D-1	Points on Dec. 1st / '18	DOB	Commitment	Notes
USNTDP	Cole Caufield	C/RW	33P in 32GP	10P in 8GP for NTDP / 25P in 22GP for U.S. U-18	2001/01/02	University of Wisconsin
USNTDP	Alex Turcotte	C	32P in 31GP	0P in 1GP for NTDP / 2P in 3GP for U.S. U-18	2001/02/26	University of Wisconsin	Oct. 30th: "Alex Turcotte... returned Sunday from a month-long absence because of a lower-body injury."
USNTDP	Judd Caulfield	F	21P in 32GP	12P in 8GP for NTDP / 21P in 22GP for U.S. U-18	2001/03/19	University of North Dakota
USNTDP	John Beecher	C	25P in 34GP	6P in 7GP for NTDP / 13P in 21GP for U.S. U-18	2001/04/05	University of Michigan
USNTDP	Michael Gildon	F	23P in 34GP / Playoffs 1P in 8GP	6P in 6GP for NTDP / 12P in 19GP for U.S U-18	2001/06/21	Ohio State
USNTDP	Matthew Boldy	LW	35P in 34GP	10P in 8GP for NTDP / 24P in 22GP for U.S. U-18	2001/04/05	Boston College	A top-rated LW for the 2019 Draft. Pettersson and Boeser are missing a...
USNTDP	Cameron York	D	14P in 33GP	5P in 8GP for NTDP / 16P in 18GP for U.S. U-18	2001/01/05	Boston College
USNTDP	Patrick Moynihan	C	19P in 34GP / Playoffs 3P in 8GP	3P in 8GP for NTDP / 7P in 22GP for U.S. U-18	2001/01/23	Boston College
USNTDP --> Central Illinois (USHL)	Ryan Siedem	D	14P in 34GP / Playoffs 2P in 8GP	16P in 22GP	2001/02/25	Harvard
USNTDP	Danny Weight	F	22P in 31GP / Playoffs 5P in 8GP	3P in 6GP for NTDP / 7P in 19GP for U.S. U-18	2001/05/01	Boston College
USNTDP	Case McCarthy	D	9P in 22GP	4P in 8GP for NTDP / 10P in 22GP for U.S U-18	2001/01/09	Boston University
USNTDP --> Central Illinois (USHL)	Trevor Janicke	RW	18P in 62GP	21P in 22GP	2000/12/25	University of Notre Dame
USNTDP	Marshall Warren	D	18P in 34GP / Playoffs 5P in 8GP	2P in 6GP for NTDP / 8P in 16GP for U.S. U-18	2001/04/20	Harvard
USNTDP / Muskegon	John Farinacci	C	3P in 5GP	0P in 2GP for NTDP / 0P in 2GP for U.S U-18 / 3P in 2GP for Muskegon	2001/02/14	Harvard
USNTDP	Cameron Rowe	G	4.29GAA and .870SVP in 23GP / 3.76GAA and .893SVP in 8GP	3.34GAA and .891SVP in 5GP for NTDP / 3.74GAA and .869SVP in 13GP for U.S. U-18	2001/06/01	University of North Dakota
Cedar Rapids	Grant Silianoff	F	2P in 2GP	11P in 20GP	2001/01/04	Notre Dame
Central Illinois	Brady Meyer	C	6P in 13GP	4P in 19GP	2000/10/17	University of Minnesota-Duluth
Central Illinois	Bradley Marek	F	12P in 32GP	8P in 22GP	2000/11/13	Michigan State
Chicago	Robert Mastrosimone	C	45P in 60GP / Playoffs 4P in 7GP	17P in 16GP	2001/01/24	Boston University
Chicago	Travis Treloar	C	1P in 4GP / Playoffs 0P in 2GP	11P in 18GP	2001/05/12	Western Michigan
Des Moines	Kaden Bohlsen	F	2P in 27GP	9P in 19GP	2001/01/10	University of Minnesota
Dubuque --> Duluth East (HS)	Ryder Donovan	C	0P in 5GP between 2 teams / Playoffs 0P in 5GP	<<statistics unavailable>>	2000/10/04	University of North Dakota DECOMMITTED
Green Bay	Ethan Frisch	D	6P in 14GP / Playoffs 0P in 2GP	8P in 20GP	2000/10/29	University of North Dakota
Green Bay	Chris Giroday	D	49P in 48GP / Playoffs 11P in 16GP (OJHL)	8P in 20GP	2000/12/13	Western Michigan
Green Bay	Nicholas Zabaneh	F	34P in 44GP / Playoffs 1P in 4GP (OJHL)	10P in 20GP	2001/03/27	University of Michigan
Muskegon	Yegor Afanasyev	F	14P in 45GP / Playoffs 2P in 3GP	24P in 17GP	2001/01/23	Michigan State
Omaha	Brian Silver	D	1P in 10GP	6P in 20GP	2000/11/06	Michigan State
Youngstown	Jack Malone	F	14P in 52GP / Playoffs 2P in 8GP	15P in 18GP	2000/10/13	Cornell
Sioux Falls	Anthony Romano	RW	44P in 40GP / Playoffs 10P in 9GP (OJHL)	10P in 17GP	2000/10/27	Clarkson

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

BCHL

Team	Player	Position	Points in D-1	Points on Dec. 1st / 18	DOB	Commitment	Notes
Victoria	Alex Newhook	C	66P in 45GP / Playoffs 9 points in 12 GP	46P in 29GP	2001/01/28	Boston College
Victoria	Alex Campbell	C		37P in 28GP	2001/02/27	Clarkson	Played D-1 in HS
Chilliwack	Harrison Blaisdell	F	21P in 49GP / Playoffs 2P in 7GP	37P in 30GP	2001/03/18	University of North Dakota
Penticton	Massimo Rizzo	F	39P in 50G / Playoffs 10P in 11GP	14P in 13GP	2001/06/13	University of North Dakota	Has missed time with injury
Langley	Ethan Leyh	F	31P in 53G / Playoffs 7P in 6GP	30P in 28GP	2001/06/07	University of Wisconsin
Vernon	Alex Swetlikoff	F	15P in 51G / Playoffs 4P in 10GP	18P in 25GP	2001/07/06	University of Denver	That is his real name.
Prince George	Layton Ahac	D	28P in 57GP / Playoffs 5P in 24GP	17P in 29GP	2001/02/22	Ohio State
Alberni	Keaton Mastrodonato	C	42P in 58GP / Playoffs 2P in 7GP	19P in 29GP	2000/09/24	Canisius

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

AJHL

Team	Player	Position	Points in D-1	Points on Dec. 1st / 18	DOB	Commitment
Brooks	Luke Bast	D	31P in 57GP / Playoffs 13P in 15GP	19P in 21GP	2000/11/20	University of North Dakota
Grande Prairie	Zachary Okabe	F	57P in 58GP / Playoffs 5P in 9GP	29P in 30GP	2001/01/04	University of Vermont

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

OJHL

Team	Player	Position	Points in D-1	Points on Dec. 1st / 18	DOB	Commitment
Buffalo	Nick Kent	D	0P in 24GP / Playoffs 0P in 16GP (BCHL)	14P in 25GP	2001/02/01	Quinnipiac

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Melvin]

Is the consensus on Hughes still that he is easily #1 in this draft?

His numbers are quite odd. Just 9 goals and 6 of them (!) came in 3 games during that five nations tournament he was in.

Before the U18 5-nations:

14 GP | 3 G | 17 A | 20 P

At the 5-Nations:

4 GP | 6 G | 10 A | 16 P [vs. Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland, Finland]

Since:

5 GP | 0 G | 9 A | 9 P

What is the general thought on this? Is it interesting?

 

[Mr Plow]

Connor McMichael seems to be a big riser so far this year. One of my friends is a Knights fan and says he is a sure fire first rounder. Anyone else seen him play yet this year?

 

[Bleach Clean]

Is the consensus on Hughes still that he is easily #1 in this draft?

His numbers are quite odd. Just 9 goals and 6 of them (!) came in 3 games during that five nations tournament he was in.

Before the U18 5-nations:

14 GP | 3 G | 17 A | 20 P

At the 5-Nations:

4 GP | 6 G | 10 A | 16 P [vs. Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland, Finland]

Since:

5 GP | 0 G | 9 A | 9 P

What is the general thought on this? Is it interesting?

I still think Hughes is #1. His talent is unmatched in this draft. That doesn’t change regardless of the production.

Kakko is a great #2 though. Similar to Matthews/Laine, this draft will generate arguments as to who is better for some time.

 

[stampedingviking]

I still think Hughes is #1. His talent is unmatched in this draft. That doesn’t change regardless of the production.

Kakko is a great #2 though. Similar to Matthews/Laine, this draft will generate arguments as to who is better for some time.

I'd rather have Kakko than Hughes. Don't think Hughes will play as a centre in the NHL.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I'd rather have Kakko than Hughes. Don't think Hughes will play as a centre in the NHL.

He may not, but I’m not as winger averse as others. To me, the best player is the best player, position only matters if one can’t tell which of the two is the best.

Apply this principle to the 2014 draft: The best players (from our position onward) were Pastrnak and Nylander. Both were/are wingers. I would not take a centre in that draft over either.

 

[stampedingviking]

He may not, but I’m not as winger averse as others. To me, the best player is the best player, position only matters if one can’t tell which of the two is the best.

Apply this principle to the 2014 draft: The best players (from our position onward) were Pastrnak and Nylander. Both were/are wingers. I would not take a centre in that draft over either.

I agree, it's just that an awful lot of posters on here are saying to take Hughes because he's a centre. Personally, I believe he's overrated and that Kakko is the better player.

 

[Icebreakers]

Taking Hughes is fine. We don't need him to play C. We are set on C for the foreseeable future. He will play on Horvats wing if we draft him.

Besides, im not sure if Benning will have the balls to pass on Hughes. The entire family reaction will be super awkward. Obviously we take the best player available but if it's close I can't see him passing on jack with his parents and Quinn right next to him.

 

[Bleach Clean]

The team is unlikely to make the top pick, or a top2 pick. I'm wondering who everyone has at #3? Is it Dach? Cozens? Byram? Or a flyer on Kokkonen/Zegras/Suzuki/Turcotte?

I think I go with Dach as it currently stands.

At #4 it gets trickier.

 

[keslerburrows]

The team is unlikely to make the top pick, or a top2 pick.

Why not? I think we will be 30th by the end of next week. Statistically speaking yes it is unlikely to win the lottery but this team is BAD.

 

[Zanon]

Besides, im not sure if Benning will have the balls to pass on Hughes. The entire family reaction will be super awkward. Obviously we take the best player available but if it's close I can't see him passing on jack with his parents and Quinn right next to him.

I’ve thought about that. No way he doesn’t take Hughes if he can.

 

[mouz135]

If Hughes is on the board at Vancouver's pick, Benning is sprinting to the podium. We already have one Hughes, they won't pass on the other who is the better player. At this point, Jack may or may not be the undisputed #1, but he's still a damn good player we'd be lucky to have

 

[The Iron Goalie]

The team is unlikely to make the top pick, or a top2 pick. I'm wondering who everyone has at #3? Is it Dach? Cozens? Byram? Or a flyer on Kokkonen/Zegras/Suzuki/Turcotte?

I think I go with Dach as it currently stands.

At #4 it gets trickier.

I think they go Dach if they think Pettersson isn't looking like a top end C by seasons end (looks good so far), and Cozens if they do (Cozens would make a great winger for Pete/Bo). Byram is an option if they give up on Juolevi, and trade him.

 

[beachcomber]

No chance they win the lottery. Thankfully there will be a real NHL franchise in the region in a few years to cheer for.

 

[docbenton]

If Hughes is on the board at Vancouver's pick, Benning is sprinting to the podium. We already have one Hughes, they won't pass on the other who is the better player. At this point, Jack may or may not be the undisputed #1, but he's still a damn good player we'd be lucky to have

Have some ongoing concerns with Jack. He's a turnover machine and tries to do too much on his own, weaker on the puck and on his skates than Quinn. Not a great possession player, doesn't offer much in his own zone other than a quick transition. Also doesn't have much of a shot so he's not scoring from distance. No doubting the speed, skill and upside, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's not a big impact player at the WJC. Needs a lot of development to reach his potential unlike some of his predecessors.

 

[mouz135]

Have some ongoing concerns with Jack. He's a turnover machine and tries to do too much on his own, weaker on the puck and on his skates than Quinn. Not a great possession player, doesn't offer much in his own zone other than a quick transition. Also doesn't have much of a shot so he's not scoring from distance. No doubting the speed, skill and upside, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's not a big impact player at the WJC. Needs a lot of development to reach his potential unlike some of his predecessors.

If that's the case, hopefully Vancouver lands #2, with Jack going #1, and we take the Kakko kid. But probably not.

 

[DarrenX]

He's a 4C with a bad contract, you're probably wrong there.

258 points in 670 career games. Those are not 4C numbers.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Have some ongoing concerns with Jack. He's a turnover machine and tries to do too much on his own, weaker on the puck and on his skates than Quinn. Not a great possession player, doesn't offer much in his own zone other than a quick transition. Also doesn't have much of a shot so he's not scoring from distance. No doubting the speed, skill and upside, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's not a big impact player at the WJC. Needs a lot of development to reach his potential unlike some of his predecessors.

You just described the scouting report on Patrick Kane during his draft year.


Ill take a Jack Hughes on the Canucks anyday. We need game breakers and we need speed and skill.