Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft tracker

[Stupendous Yappi]

If the Blues have the #1 overall pick it will be the exact same as last time when generational talents were the past draft, and we get EJ. I don't see any of these guys in the top 5 being anything near Matthews, Laine, and of course McDavid. I'd like to see more footage, but what I've seen so far hasn't impressed me much.

OK, but are you saying Byram should be the #1 overall pick?

 

[Evocable Manager]

Dach or Byram would be a disgusting pick for this team. Two guys we really could use.

 

[The Note in MI]

I like Dach but I wish he had more shiftiness and speed to his game. I don’t particularly like cozens. I’d be ecstatic with one of the top three Hughes kakko podkolzin. After that it’s a lot of meh I don’t know. No one that screams guarantee nhler to me.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

I don't think either Dach or Cousins are likely to be options for us unless we want 1 of them in top 3. Most likely we are at back of top 10, give our pick to Buffalo, or are in top 3. Just seems unlikely that we are in 4-5-6 range.

I guess you're right. Still early to tell at this point but you're right it's probably either top 3 or 8-15. In the case of 3 I hope it's Dach. In the case of 8-10 I hope one Dach/Cozens/Podkolzin/Byram falls there (Byram might). In the case of 11-15....Oh well, I guess we won't have to sweat next year.

 

[Zamadoo]

OK, but are you saying Byram should be the #1 overall pick?

No, but not necessarily because of anything I've witnessed.

I could decide that later I guess.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

If the Blues have the #1 overall pick it will be the exact same as last time when generational talents were the past draft, and we get EJ. I don't see any of these guys in the top 5 being anything near Matthews, Laine, and of course McDavid. I'd like to see more footage, but what I've seen so far hasn't impressed me much.

But you shouldn’t conflate “not McDavid” or “not Matthews” with “not worth it.” All of these guys have it in them to contribute in a major way for a long, long time. We would be lucky and should be excited to get any of them. Nico Hischier wasn’t/isn’t generational, but we would be a much better team with him on it. The same could be said about the top-10 of this year’s class.

 

[Zamadoo]

But you shouldn’t conflate “not McDavid” or “not Matthews” with “not worth it.” All of these guys have it in them to contribute in a major way for a long, long time. We would be lucky and should be excited to get any of them. Nico Hischier wasn’t/isn’t generational, but we would be a much better team with him on it. The same could be said about the top-10 of this year’s class.

I agree with that, but I would take Hischier over Hughes (again, based on what I've seen and saw of Hischier at the time). I've seen other people saying some of the same things as me in regards to Hughes and Kakko, and it makes me think that maybe the depth I've been hearing about this draft isn't coming from such a massively talented top-5 group, but more of a crapshoot throughout the whole 1st and 2nd rounds. I'm not arguing that Hughes wouldn't be a great player like Hischier, but that his impact might not be as great as Byram for this team with it's current prospect pool. I'd actually appreciate it if someone could point out some film that would help me get a better scope of Hughes' talent, as all I've seen is a bunch of him skating around to areas where he can't get a good shot, with some real nice tight space passing mixed in. Then I watch Cozens playing a style more similar to what I see translating to the NHL and ripping his great into the back of the net. I prefer clips that show more than just scoring highlights, but Hughes' highlights are mostly him not scoring with weak shots, though he does well to avoid defenders.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

I'm thinking the Blues will wind up in the 5th-8th pick range and wind up with Bowen Byram.

That seems like such a massive bummer. To have 3, top 10 picks in nearly 30 years and they're all used on defensemen. However, Byram is a big need for this organization and a great player. To me he is the top D-man in this draft. You could easily convince me is the BPA starting around pick 4.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

Either Dach or Cozens would look good wearing the Blue Note. Both are great prospects. Would prefer Cozens if both were on the board.
Just think he's the better shooter and faster. Of which the Blues need both of those traits badly. It will be fun to watch both of their play
up till the draft.

Agree. There's a lot about Dach that screams Dylan Strome part 2.

Edit: Not to say Strome is bad. The talent has always been there outside of skating. He's finally putting it together a bit after leaving Arizona.
I just think it is going to take a little extra time for Dach IMO. The game is so fast these days. It's a tougher adjustment for prospects without strong skating ability. I also don't know if the wait will be worth it.

 

[Mike Liut]

I'm thinking the Blues will wind up in the 5th-8th pick range and wind up with Bowen Byram.

That seems like such a massive bummer. To have 3, top 10 picks in nearly 30 years and they're all used on defensemen. However, Byram is a big need for this organization and a great player. To me he is the top D-man in this draft. You could easily convince me is the BPA starting around pick 4.

Id love to have one of the elite offensive players, but Byram would be a nice consolation prize

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Agree. There's a lot about Dach that screams Dylan Strome part 2.

Edit: Not to say Strome is bad. The talent has always been there outside of skating. He's finally putting it together a bit after leaving Arizona.
I just think it is going to take a little extra time for Dach IMO. The game is so fast these days. It's a tougher adjustment for prospects without strong skating ability. I also don't know if the wait will be worth it.

From what I’ve seen of Dach, his skating isn’t really a weakness. I don’t remeber it being a strength necessarily, but it didn’t standout as something that would hold him back. I view him as a more talented Nolan Patrick.

 

[Spektre]

Byram is a good prospect but under no circumstance do I want to see the Blues draft a D if they have a top 10 pick.

 

[simon IC]

I am not sure why there is concern about Dach's skating. In the admittedly small sample size that I have viewed, I don't see a problem. He is not a speedster, and will never be mistaken for Jordan Kyrou, but to my eye test his skating is at least adequate. I have no fear whatsoever that he will be able to keep up in the NHL. He certainly isn't slow, although I understand no-one has said that.

 

[Blueston]

Byram is a good prospect but under no circumstance do I want to see the Blues draft a D if they have a top 10 pick.

Why? Our top prospects are all forwards. If the BPA is a D, seems like that would make sense.

 

[simon IC]

Byram is a good prospect but under no circumstance do I want to see the Blues draft a D if they have a top 10 pick.

Are you suggesting the Blues abandon the BPA policy and address what you perceive as an organizational need? I get where you are coming from, but do really think that there are 10 forwards that fit the BPA description ahead of Byram?

 

[Zamadoo]

I am not sure why there is concern about Dach's skating. In the admittedly small sample size that I have viewed, I don't see a problem. He is not a speedster, and will never be mistaken for Jordan Kyrou, but to my eye test his skating is at least adequate. I have no fear whatsoever that he will be able to keep up in the NHL. He certainly isn't slow, although I understand no-one has said that.

I agree with you, his skating is adequate. Others have mentioned he slows the game down, and that poise is what makes him so good (along with skill). I do think he could be a Pierre-Luc Dubois type of player, maybe with less physicality. However, if the vision for the team and direction of the league is a faster game with more explosive players, then I would like to draft faster and more explosive players.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

I agree with you, his skating is adequate. Others have mentioned he slows the game down, and that poise is what makes him so good (along with skill). I do think he could be a Pierre-Luc Dubois type of player, maybe with less physicality. However, if the vision for the team and direction of the league is a faster game with more explosive players, then I would like to draft faster and more explosive players.

I just went through about 6 draft scouting reports for Dubois and they lauded him for the things which Dach doesn't have or do at the same age.

Dubois was said to be a strong skater with quick acceleration and powerful stride and he used his body extremely well in junior hockey. Really it's no surprise he has turned into an NHL stud when you read those reports. Wow!

I certainly won't cry if we get a big playmaking center like Dach with the 5th or 6th pick. I just worry about his skating. I think it'll take him longer to adjust to the tremendous speed of the NHL much like it did for Dylan Strome. You can slow the game down in junior hockey when you're 6'4" with great offensive skill but it's much more difficult in the NHL as Strome found out.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Cozens would be more similar to Dubois, not Dach. He seems like the complete package, he's who I would target if we don't get the top 2 picks. He adds that size/physical/toughness to the group without sacrificing skill and production.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

I just went through about 6 draft scouting reports for Dubois and they lauded him for the things which Dach doesn't have or do at the same age.

Dubois was said to be a strong skater with quick acceleration and powerful stride and he used his body extremely well in junior hockey. Really it's no surprise he has turned into an NHL stud when you read those reports. Wow!

I certainly won't cry if we get a big playmaking center like Dach with the 5th or 6th pick. I just worry about his skating. I think it'll take him longer to adjust to the tremendous speed of the NHL much like it did for Dylan Strome. You can slow the game down in junior hockey when you're 6'4" with great offensive skill but it's much more difficult in the NHL as Strome found out.

I agree with your assessment of DuBois, but I don’t think that makes Dach anywhere close to Strome. Strome’s skating is poor. Dach is like a better version of Reinhart or Patrick, in my viewings.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I agree with your assessment of DuBois, but I don’t think that makes Dach anywhere close to Strome. Strome’s skating is poor. Dach is like a better version of Reinhart or Patrick, in my viewings.

And until Reinhart moved to wing and with Eichel and Skinner playing out of their minds, he didn't look that great. Patrick has struggled. Skating is an area that can be misread in the juniors, it's something I'm always concerned about when it's a potential knock on the player. Same thing with players that are physically dominant, but lack some skill.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

Cozens would be more similar to Dubois, not Dach. He seems like the complete package, he's who I would target if we don't get the top 2 picks. He adds that size/physical/toughness to the group without sacrificing skill and production.

Yeah Cozens is like a swift skating David Backes(for a Blues comparison).

Cozens is a rare blend of size, speed, toughness, and skill. He'd be a fan favorite from day one and the style of player that wins games.

He's ahead of Dach for me.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

I agree with your assessment of DuBois, but I don’t think that makes Dach anywhere close to Strome. Strome’s skating is poor. Dach is like a better version of Reinhart or Patrick, in my viewings.

Strome's skating is poor in the NHL because that's how average junior speed/acceleration translates without improvement.

Dach is an average skater IMO. With that said, you're talking about a 17 year old that just had a growth spurt. He could easily improve his skating over the next 2-3 years. I think he will have to improve his skating if he wants to be a 65-70 point center in the NHL. The rest of the skill to be a top line center is there, though. Which is why he, like Strome, will go top 5.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

Byram is a good prospect but under no circumstance do I want to see the Blues draft a D if they have a top 10 pick.

Have you seen our current team and prospect pool? We are in desperate need of another great defender and the need will be even more urgent by the 1-2 years down the line he's ready to play here.

I'm not saying take him 3rd but I'd be thrilled with him in the 7-10 range we currently sit at.

 

[kimzey59]

I've been on the Podkolzin bandwagon for a while now and I'm not ready to jump off.
I have no problem taking him with a top 5 pick, and if he slips past that I'd consider it a steal.

Honestly; given the known flaws with both Dach and Cozens, I'm surprised more people aren't on board for Podkolzin.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I've been on the Podkolzin bandwagon for a while now and I'm not ready to jump off.
I have no problem taking him with a top 5 pick, and if he slips past that I'd consider it a steal.

Honestly; given the known flaws with both Dach and Cozens, I'm surprised more people aren't on board for Podkolzin.

Yeah, he's my 3/4 pick with Cozens.