Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft; STI Final Rankings

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves


If only.....(oh well...can't have Hughes AND Elias 2.0)

Only in my fantasies (caused by pure delirium) do I see Zegras falling all the way to #34.

I bet he gets drafted at either #5 or #6.

Ironically, that's where we might have ended up had we not won Hughes.

The latest I can even conceive of Zegras falling is #7 (Buffalo). And, had the Devils drafted #5 or #6, all the talk on this board would either revolve around drafting Zegras or trading up to #3 for Byram. Ultimately, the Devils lucked out and will get Jack Hughes and not need to worry about how the rest of the top 10 shakes out.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Zegras comp is Elias, interesting......

It's an imperfect comparison. I find Zegras tough to compare, he's just so creative. Maybe like a hybrid of Nick Backstrom, Adam Oates and Patrick Kane?

 

[None Shall Pass]

Throgs Neck is a long commute for me. I can walk to the Williamsburg.

What up neighbor????

 

[StevenToddIves]

Someone should run a poll for who Devils fans want at #34.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Someone should run a poll for who Devils fans want at #34.

But can I vote for multiple players?

 

[glenwo2]

Someone should run a poll for who Devils fans want at #34.

I don't trust Polls.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Draft is just two days away -- feel free to use this thread to ask me about any of the players I have ranked (or unranked).

 

[bigvonbody]

Broberg has all the tools to become the best or second best defenseman in this draft. By now, I think he is a consensus top 15 pick around Seider, York, etc.

Broberg reminds me of Larsson, but with a higher offensive upside.

Seider will be a rock.

 

[My3Sons]

Broberg has all the tools to become the best or second best defenseman in this draft. By now, I think he is a consensus top 15 pick around Seider, York, etc.

Broberg reminds me of Larsson, but with a higher offensive upside.

Seider will be a rock.

How about defenders available at 34?

 

[bigvonbody]

How about defenders available at 34?

Honestly, nothing too exciting at 34 I can think of off the top of my head. Mostly wingers and some centers. David Aebisher is a Swiss defenseman. Medium-size, not tiny. Has a good amount of competition under his belt. He could be someone to watch as a second-pairing defenseman if lucky.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Honestly, nothing too exciting at 34 I can think of off the top of my head. Mostly wingers and some centers. David Aebisher is a Swiss defenseman. Medium-size, not tiny. Has a good amount of competition under his belt. He could be someone to watch as a second-pairing defenseman if lucky.

Aebischer is a good target... in the 6th or 7th rounds. If you take him at #34, you're putting your job on the line.

 

[bigvonbody]

Lol. No way should he be taken then. Like I said, I dont see anything that really stands out.

 

[StevenToddIves]

How about defenders available at 34?

Here's my list of top defenders who could conceivably be available at #34:

1 LD Matthew Robertson
2 LD Vladislav Kolyachonok
3 RD Lassi Thomson
4 RD Kaeden Korczak
5 LD Tobias Bjornfot
6 LD Ville Heinola
7 RD Drew Helleson
8 LD Ryan Johnson

I think there is a gap between Robertson, who is my #3 overall D in the draft (behind Byram and Seider), and the rest of the group. It is razor-thin between 2 and 6 on this list, and then a bit of a drop-off to 7/8, either of whom could likely be had with the Devils #55 pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Broberg has all the tools to become the best or second best defenseman in this draft. By now, I think he is a consensus top 15 pick around Seider, York, etc.

Broberg reminds me of Larsson, but with a higher offensive upside.

Seider will be a rock.

My most controversial ranking was Broberg -- I have him at #46 overall, as the 14th best defenseman. I think he carries far more risk than any defenseman in my projected top 50, and I'm not certain his upside is anything more than a mid-pairing guy who you deal with his multitude of turnovers because of the occasional jaw-dropping end-to-end rush.

Let's be straight -- Broberg's combination of size/strength/speed/shot are absolutely rare -- the elite of the elite, if you will. However, it must be weighed against the fact that his hands/defensive coverage/vision/hockey sense/turnover propensity all must be considered the opposite of strengths -- they are all borderline red flags. There is more risk associated with Broberg than any other player likely to be taken in the first round, even Arthur Kaliyev.

The disparity among draft experts and scouting bureaus in rating Broberg is certain to be mirrored by the NHL scouting departments. While several teams likely have him in their top 10, several others likely have him on their Do Not Draft Lists. So to me, he could go as early as Buffalo at #7, or he could plummet out of the top 20 completely. Would I draft Broberg? Sure, but not nearly as early as he will go this upcoming Friday. I could not conceive of any way I would even consider him if Seider or Soderstrom or Robertson or York were on the board. A comparable is Thomas Harley, who also combines high-end speed/size with some risk, although Harley is ranked far higher for me due to the fact that his hands and vision are significantly superior to Broberg.

 

[bigvonbody]

That's the fun of a draft. Everyone has an opinion and only time will tell. I think you're being a little rough on Broberg, but I'll agree hes no slam dunk.

 

[StevenToddIves]

That's the fun of a draft. Everyone has an opinion and only time will tell. I think you're being a little rough on Broberg, but I'll agree hes no slam dunk.

It's not that I'm tough on Broberg, it's that I think that guys like Seider and Soderstrom have much higher talent floors and similar ceilings and are ranked universally lower. Broberg can really wow you with a highlight reel end-to-end rush, but he's just so much bigger and stronger than the kids he's playing against. Some of the same writers who I lambasted for not ranking a superior athletic LD with a higher hockey IQ in K'Andre Miller in their top 30 last year because he was raw and made errors are now ranking Broberg in their top 12, and I don't get it.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Time to consolidate threads as we approach the draft tomorrow.