Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft tracker

[Stupendous Yappi]

Please don’t feed the wild

You know I’m bein g facetious, but damn if he wasn’t right this year.

 

[67Blues]

Sabres fan here and I'm not trying to **** on you. Serious question though, if you are Armstrong and have #10OA do you just accept the pain of losing the 2019 pick and move on to avoid a OTT situation where you regress next year and/or the looming small chance of a lottery win in 2020? I dont know just thinking out loud.

You are seeing the results of Yeo's coaching staff's fingerprints on this current team, plus a few players who just don't fit with this team structure. The Blues will take their top 10 this year and pass on next years to Buffalo. I don't foresee an instance of the team totally pulling an Edmonton and tanking for the next few years. They have a good solid core that needs to be shed of dead weight and get a coach and his staff in here who can teach them how to play to win. Right now, even though they fired Yeo, they still have the same coaching staff voices in the room, so not really that much has changed, and that is what you are seeing still.

 

[Celtic Note]

You know I’m bein g facetious, but damn if he wasn’t right this year.

I know. I am just playing but also being serious lol

 

[ezcreepin]

I'd be so giddy if the Blues got the 1st pick and landed Hughes. It'd be like Winnipeg all over again, and this time, Hughes could score 5 goals on them! That'll teach em to be bad for a year!

 

[TerminatorBlue]

Our luck Hughes will turn into Nail Yakupov.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

The U.S. if going to have a draft for the ages this year.

Hughes, Turcotte, and Zegras are all looking like top-10 picks, and all look to have 1st line potential. Mathew Boldy and Cam York round out what could be a great top-15. And then there is Cole Caufield that could bloom into a fantastic player if his abilities overcome his size. Spencer Knight is looking like the best goalie prospect in the draft. And now John Beecher is getting some attention, whom I am going to start researching. All-in-all, the USNDT is going to be raking in a lot of press for this draft.

Edit: I completely forgot about Vlasic as well. That means that the USNDT have an entire starting line of players that all could be first rounders.

 

[Frenzy31]

The nice thing about this is if we bottom out, we will also get a very early 2nd rounder.....

 

[RORbacon]

Our luck Hughes will turn into Nail Yakupov.

Mods, can we get a permaban?

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have Kakko, Cozens, or Krebs than Hughes. Hughes’ production has not been what you want out of a 1st OA player, and frankly I don’t think his style of play is going to fit our system. Look at how much Schwartz and Fabbri have struggled with injuries since coming here. Those other guys would be much better fits than Hughes would be. If you look at what Arizona, Montreal, and Columbus have done lately with Hayton, Kotkaniemi, and PLD, respectively, sometimes it’s worthwhile to stretch a bit for the “right” guy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hughes do really really well somewhere, but I don’t think it will be in St. Louis.

 

[TarasenkosForearm]

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have Kakko, Cozens, or Krebs than Hughes. Hughes’ production has not been what you want out of a 1st OA player, and frankly I don’t think his style of play is going to fit our system. Look at how much Schwartz and Fabbri have struggled with injuries since coming here. Those other guys would be much better fits than Hughes would be. If you look at what Arizona, Montreal, and Columbus have done lately with Hayton, Kotkaniemi, and PLD, respectively, sometimes it’s worthwhile to stretch a bit for the “right” guy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hughes do really really well somewhere, but I don’t think it will be in St. Louis.

Our system doesn't match our players. We need a coach up for offensive mechanics and freewheeling, not laying the body. Take Hughes 100% if you get the chance.

 

[ezcreepin]

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have Kakko, Cozens, or Krebs than Hughes. Hughes’ production has not been what you want out of a 1st OA player, and frankly I don’t think his style of play is going to fit our system. Look at how much Schwartz and Fabbri have struggled with injuries since coming here. Those other guys would be much better fits than Hughes would be. If you look at what Arizona, Montreal, and Columbus have done lately with Hayton, Kotkaniemi, and PLD, respectively, sometimes it’s worthwhile to stretch a bit for the “right” guy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hughes do really really well somewhere, but I don’t think it will be in St. Louis.

Seems like the same kind of situation with Matthews vs Laine. Everyone worried about how Matthews would translate and some thought Laine could be taken first. I'm not sure what kind of production you're looking for in Hughes, more goals or points? His production is pretty incredible for his age, even going back to last year.

The closest player I would say to Hughes in terms of size and production at his age is Clayton Keller, and he's turned into a great player. Even if you go to age 16, Hughes out performed Keller by quite a bit. If you're going just based on his production, he is on pace to score the same as Matthews, so I don't see an issue drafting him 1st overall, let alone in the top 3.

I'm not sure why, in this hypothetical scenario, you would rather pick someone who isn't the clear 1st overall pick just to grab a player who might "fit the system". To be honest, I think Hughes would be a great fit here, especially with his playmaking ability. #1 centers don't come around often, and if you can draft one, you do it.

 

[Vladdy the Impaler]

Crazy that we're having serious talk about the 1st overall pick right now. 3-4 years ago I would have thought it insane if someone even remotely suggested that STL, Chicago, and LA would all be bottom feeders by this point.

It's a race to the bottom for the Blues, Kings, and Hawks right now....

 

[Mike Liut]

One of Hughes, Kakko or Cozens would make up for this nightmare season.

 

[Mike Liut]

Crazy that we're having serious talk about the 1st overall pick right now. 3-4 years ago I would have thought it insane if someone even remotely suggested that STL, Chicago, and LA would all be bottom feeders by this point.

It's a race to the bottom for the Blues, Kings, and Hawks right now....

NJ, Van and Ott will be there too.

 

[Evocable Manager]

If we're gonna be bad, we better be the best at it.

So it's Hughes or bust.
It's a joke people

 

[Blueston]

I'm not sure why, in this hypothetical scenario, you would rather pick someone who isn't the clear 1st overall pick just to grab a player who might "fit the system". To be honest, I think Hughes would be a great fit here, especially with his playmaking ability. #1 centers don't come around often, and if you can draft one, you do it.

If the consensus best prospect doesn't fit your system, maybe that is good indication of why you are in position to pick him. Seriously, would Kane or McDavid not fit our system? You get great players you fit system around them.

 

[Blanick]

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have Kakko, Cozens, or Krebs than Hughes. Hughes’ production has not been what you want out of a 1st OA player, and frankly I don’t think his style of play is going to fit our system. Look at how much Schwartz and Fabbri have struggled with injuries since coming here. Those other guys would be much better fits than Hughes would be. If you look at what Arizona, Montreal, and Columbus have done lately with Hayton, Kotkaniemi, and PLD, respectively, sometimes it’s worthwhile to stretch a bit for the “right” guy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hughes do really really well somewhere, but I don’t think it will be in St. Louis.

Serious question, what the f*** is our system???

 

[simon IC]

Still like Dach.

 

[DoubleK81]

Crazy that we're having serious talk about the 1st overall pick right now. 3-4 years ago I would have thought it insane if someone even remotely suggested that STL, Chicago, and LA would all be bottom feeders by this point.

It's a race to the bottom for the Blues, Kings, and Hawks right now....

The more painful thing to admit is that the other teams listed have a combined 5 cups since the last time they were in the trash can with us.

 

[stl76]

The more painful thing to admit is that the other teams listed have a combined 5 cups since the last time they were in the trash can with us.

Ayy lmao

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Hughes is great, and I personally love Kakko more. But I still think Dach is the player the Blues need to target if they have the choice.

Dach just does everything so well. He's very capable defensively, his vision and playmaking is top notch, his skating is good, and he's improved his shot over the course of the year. I would much prefer him over Cozens just because I find Dach's skills more high end other than Cozen's shot. I know that any of the aforementioned players would do wonders for the Blues, but Dach is my top choice.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Seems like the same kind of situation with Matthews vs Laine. Everyone worried about how Matthews would translate and some thought Laine could be taken first. I'm not sure what kind of production you're looking for in Hughes, more goals or points? His production is pretty incredible for his age, even going back to last year.

The closest player I would say to Hughes in terms of size and production at his age is Clayton Keller, and he's turned into a great player. Even if you go to age 16, Hughes out performed Keller by quite a bit. If you're going just based on his production, he is on pace to score the same as Matthews, so I don't see an issue drafting him 1st overall, let alone in the top 3.

I'm not sure why, in this hypothetical scenario, you would rather pick someone who isn't the clear 1st overall pick just to grab a player who might "fit the system". To be honest, I think Hughes would be a great fit here, especially with his playmaking ability. #1 centers don't come around often, and if you can draft one, you do it.

I would take Keller or Hughes on my team any day. But Keller wasn’t 1OA material. Very good, yes, but not 1OA.

Hughes is a rover. His mobility makes it easy for him to move all over the zone searching for openings and making plays based on the chaos his movement creates. He isn’t a center in the proper sense anymore than Karlsson was a proper dman in Ottawa. They are unique players you *build* your team around. Same can be said of Patty Kane. But what happens when he’s not the center of the system? Well, we’re seeing that in the USNTDP this year. There are lots of other good players who are more physically equipped to deal with older, bigger competition, and they are thriving while Hughes has... one goal outside of exhibition play. Where’s the shot?

I’d rather have a Laine (Kakko) or Getzlaf (Cozens) type than that. I might be wrong, but I don’t really see how a diminutive rover with goal-scoring issues is the piece that pushes us over the top.

 

[Zamadoo]

When watching the highlight videos, Hughes almost never scored while skating around the perimeter or near missing the defenseman to put on weak shots. His teammate #13 looked more impressive other than the shiftiness and quickness that Hughes displayed.

I Kakko seems bigger and more complete, with a great shot. Turcotte looks like a beast with tremendous speed and skill (if I'm thinking of the right guy).

 

[Bluesnatic27]

When watching the highlight videos, Hughes almost never scored while skating around the perimeter or near missing the defenseman to put on weak shots. His teammate #13 looked more impressive other than the shiftiness and quickness that Hughes displayed.

I Kakko seems bigger and more complete, with a great shot. Turcotte looks like a beast with tremendous speed and skill (if I'm thinking of the right guy).

#13 is Cole Caufield's number. Alex Turcotte is #19.

Assuming of course you meant highlights from the USNDT. If it's international, then ignore me.

 

[Ranksu]

Our luck Hughes will turn into Nail Yakupov.

What if we get Kakko and he become Puljujärvi?

Do I deserve?