Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft tracker

[Stupendous Yappi]

This needs to be the title post of its own thread and the thread needs to be the top sticky on this board. The points that Easton makes here are the answers to the endless and inane chicken and egg debates that occur about goaltending.

Great teams are freed up by their goaltender to take certain levels of risk to produce offense. Bad goaltenders kill the ability to take offensive risk and, thus, goal scoring dries up. The Penguins are a great example of this fact. In any case, thanks to Easton for finally addressing this issue in a cogent manner.

Its hard to imagine Armstrong talking to GMs all around the league to entertain trades for core pieces, and not plan to change the starting goalie next year. I'm glad Jake is playing better lately, but 'better' for him is 'league average' level. He may yet put it together somewhere else, but for a team that otherwise has a core timed to be in their prime, you can't hitch your wagon to Allen another year.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

I'm becoming less and less of a Jack Hughes fan the more I watch him. I'm quite aware of his talent and weapons, but the more I watch him, the less I feel those weapons will translate. I don't think his skating and speed are good enough to make up for his deficiencies, mainly because I'm not impressed with his acceleration. I guess that comes with leg strength, but as of now, It takes him too long to get up to top speed, meaning he needs more room in order to utilize his skating. He's not going to get much room in the NHL, so I have my reservations on whether he'll be worthy of the top spot in the draft. This is in conjunction with his weak shot and lack of awareness.

Still, if the Blues had a chance to draft him, then I wouldn't complain. Honestly, the top end of the draft is looking like a team could select any player within the top-5 or top-6 picks and any player they pick will have the same relative impact as the others. But this draft is not living up to the expectations people placed on it at this time last year.

 

[The Note in MI]

From my viewing of the games, I have:

1. Hughes
2. Podkolzin
3. Kakko

 

[Blueston]

Not getting the Forsberg comparisons for Kakko. He is nice prospect, likely to be real good NHLer, but not seeing the explosiveness in his game.

 

[TK 421]

I would bet Hughes generates more offense at the NHL level than any forward in his class by a comfortable enough margin that there's no doubt he's the best in raw production.

 

[Ranksu]

Intersting Swedish biggest sport media has hype article about Kaapo Kakko. World books are upside down now.

Kaapo Kakko highlights of the gold game. #24

 

[Celtic Note]

Intersting Swedish biggest sport media has hype article about Kaapo Kakko. World books are upside down now.

Kaapo Kakko highlights of the gold game. #24

I haven’t seen Kakko before, but those highlights leave me underwhelmed. His skating leaves a lot to be desired. How many defenders caught up to him when he was ahead of them? How many times did he get pushed off the puck, despite being the bigger guy.

Does he have stickhandeling skills? He almost reads like a Keith Tkachuk. He is more about using his frame to shield, then he is to outskate or stickhandle around you.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I haven’t seen Kakko before, but those highlights leave me underwhelmed. His skating leaves a lot to be desired. How many defenders caught up to him when he was ahead of them? How many times did he get pushed off the puck, despite being the bigger guy.

Does he have stickhandeling skills? He almost reads like a Keith Tkachuk. He is more about using his frame to shield, then he is to outskate or stickhandle around you.

Eh, remember he’s three years younger than just about everybody else on the ice. That he looked as well as he did is a testament to him.

But I agree that the stick skills should be paramount for our scouting this year

 

[Blueston]

I haven’t seen Kakko before, but those highlights leave me underwhelmed. His skating leaves a lot to be desired. How many defenders caught up to him when he was ahead of them? How many times did he get pushed off the puck, despite being the bigger guy.

Does he have stickhandeling skills? He almost reads like a Keith Tkachuk. He is more about using his frame to shield, then he is to outskate or stickhandle around you.

He reminded me of Brady Tkachuk throughout the tournament. Perhaps a s bit more skilled. I think he will be quite good NHLer, but not seeing the Forsberg or even Matthews comparisons.

 

[The Note in MI]

I rank him at 3 behind Hughes and podkolzin because he lacks the offensive creativity puck skills and skating. Those are what I consider the most important.

Podkolzin similarly is weak in those areas but slightly better imo.

Hughes is dynamic. His downsides being size and a positively weak shot that he needs to really work on. He needs to develop the accurate and sufficient quick release Kane has or he will be a small joe Thornton.

 

[Blueston]

I rank him at 3 behind Hughes and podkolzin because he lacks the offensive creativity puck skills and skating. Those are what I consider the most important.

Podkolzin similarly is weak in those areas but slightly better imo.

Hughes is dynamic. His downsides being size and a positively weak shot that he needs to really work on. He needs to develop the accurate and sufficient quick release Kane has or he will be a small joe Thornton.

Hughes reminds me a lot of Clayton Keller.

 

[simon IC]

I am more and more bullish on Kirby Dach. I love this kid!

 

[simon IC]

I also really like Bowen Byram. He is remarkably solid in his own end for a kid his age.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I am more and more bullish on Kirby Dach. I love this kid!

His production just sliiiightly behind Cozens’, but I completely agree with you. The difference between Dach and Cozens is that everything Dach does looks easy to him. He isn’t panicking or rushing or trying to force plays, he’s just in control. If we’re picking top 10, Dach or Byram are what I’m pulling for

 

[jbron]

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.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Dach and Cozens are in a strange situation for me because both play polar opposite games and yet have similar impacts on the ice. Cozens is all about playing an up-tempo game by using his speed and shot to rush the play. Dach naturally slows the game down in order to set up the play as opposed to rushing into it. Either would be great to have, but I'm with Morty in that I would prefer Dach. I just think his tools are slightly better than Cozens', accept for his shot.

 

[Zamadoo]

If we actually end up picking in the top 10, I'd probably go with Byram. The last defenseman we took in the 1st is looking like a bust, and the 2nd to last defenseman we took in the 1st is a #1D that is close to walking in UFA. The only other defenseman we've drafted outside of the 1st who has even come close to that is Parayko in the 3rd, which is uncommon if not lucky. I think it's time to bolster the back-end, and Byram seems legit.

 

[Stealth JD]

If we actually end up picking in the top 10, I'd probably go with Byram. The last defenseman we took in the 1st is looking like a bust, and the 2nd to last defenseman we took in the 1st is a #1D that is close to walking in UFA. The only other defenseman we've drafted outside of the 1st who has even come close to that is Parayko in the 3rd, which is uncommon if not lucky. I think it's time to bolster the back-end, and Byram seems legit.

You draft the best player available...not need. Trade for defense if need be, but don't leave a superior player on the board.

 

[Zamadoo]

You draft the best player available...not need. Trade for defense if need be, but don't leave a superior player on the board.

Oh! Ok! Thanks for the insight! Now that I understand what you do, then I still think that if we're in the top 10 we should take Byram, because he's better than the other players.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

I prefer Dach. I think his game translates very easily to the NHL. I think he has the same ceiling as Cozens with a higher floor.

Also if we are drafting and Kakko/Hughes/Dach/Cozens/Podkolzin are off the board (in that order), Byram would be my pick.

After that, there are good players but no one that excites me nearly as much as those guys.

 

[Blueston]

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.

 

[Zamadoo]

I prefer Dach. I think his game translates very easily to the NHL. I think he has the same ceiling as Cozens with a higher floor.

Also if we are drafting and Kakko/Hughes/Dach/Cozens/Podkolzin are off the board (in that order), Byram would be my pick.

After that, there are good players but no one that excites me nearly as much as those guys.

I agree that Dach is probably better, but his lack of speed concerns me. I tend to think that you should draft players that fit your vision for the team, and a top 10 pick would be expected to make it within 3 years.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Oh! Ok! Thanks for the insight! Now that I understand what you do, then I still think that if we're in the top 10 we should take Byram, because he's better than the other players.

Are you saying Byram should be the 1st overall pick?

The Blues should have their players ranked, and should take the best one left when its their turn to pick. I think you're saying Byram should be ranked high on their list, but to say they should just draft him no matter what is hard to parse.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I agree that Dach is probably better, but his lack of speed concerns me. I tend to think that you should draft players that fit your vision for the team, and a top 10 pick would be expected to make it within 3 years.

I don’t see a lack of speed in his game

 

[Zamadoo]

Are you saying Byram should be the 1st overall pick?

The Blues should have their players ranked, and should take the best one left when its their turn to pick. I think you're saying Byram should be ranked high on their list, but to say they should just draft him no matter what is hard to parse.

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.