Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft.

[Tube Skates]

Stick with the Mooseheads. Lavoie will make his mark on this draft class. Huge with breakaway speed and soft hands. Probably the hardest shot in the Q league. Should be the trigger man even if Zadina returns. If he gets a step on you he's gone. Scores a lot of key goals. I think 6 in overtime and 10 or 12 game winners in there somewhere. Good on the dot as well. Just needs to learn how to take his man and anticipate the plays a bit faster. All others mentioned above are excellent choices as well.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I have trouble remembering if it's Byram Bowen or Bowen Byram. It's like this kid has zero first names.

I like Tobias Bjornfot, though. That's a great name. What is that, like "bearfoot"? I respect a bearfoot.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I have trouble remembering if it's Byram Bowen or Bowen Byram. It's like this kid has zero first names.

I like Tobias Bjornfot, though. That's a great name. What is that, like "bearfoot"? I respect a bearfoot.

Or like Bjorn Ironside! I respect a great warrior and King!

 

[NickH8]

Corey Pronman's early top 25. Bowen Byram is his top defenseman at #6, after that it's pretty bare on the blue line. Very center heavy, and the USDP looks like it's going to have a great year.

 

[Orthodox Caveman]

Jack Hughes would make our forward group extra spicy

 

[obey86]

Corey Pronman's early top 25. Bowen Byram is his top defenseman at #6, after that it's pretty bare on the blue line. Very center heavy, and the USDP looks like it's going to have a great year.

I'm fine with a center in the 1st round next year. Can't have too many and it would potentially solidify the top 6 for years to come.

 

[FunkyColdZadina]

Is it too early to be getting excited about next year's draft already? I'm really liking all these options at C. Obviously we'll have to wait and see, but Newhook, Lavoie, and Dach all sound like great consolation prizes in the event we miss out on Hughes.

People on the prospects board were also raving about Byram, saying might be the best CHL d-prospect since Ekblad/Doughty and Cam York was impressive with the US junior team.

 

[Henkka]

Is it too early to be getting excited about next year's draft already? I'm really liking all these options at C. Obviously we'll have to wait and see, but Newhook, Lavoie, and Dach all sound like great consolation prizes in the event we miss out on Hughes.

People on the prospects board were also raving about Byram, saying might be the best CHL d-prospect since Ekblad/Doughty and Cam York was impressive with the US junior team.

Also checked those top ranked centers... 11 guys, 3 are righties.

Lavoie (another Halifax-guy) and Dach impressed most. Especially Dach. Guy is a right-handed playmaker, which would be a perfect match for our lefty snipers (Zadina, Mantha).

Kirby Dach. Our man.

Kirby Dach at eliteprospects.com

Size and game could be like Getzlafs.

 

[obey86]

Is it too early to be getting excited about next year's draft already? I'm really liking all these options at C. Obviously we'll have to wait and see, but Newhook, Lavoie, and Dach all sound like great consolation prizes in the event we miss out on Hughes.

People on the prospects board were also raving about Byram, saying might be the best CHL d-prospect since Ekblad/Doughty and Cam York was impressive with the US junior team.

Yeah, i'm super excited too. Getting one of those centers could potentially solidify the Wings top 6/9 for years and years to come. I know the Wings need defense, but they certainly could use another top end center too. The below is a good young forward group with plenty of potential (ages are ages after next year's draft)

Zadina (19) - Newhook (18) - ???
Rasmussen (20) - Larkin (22) - Mantha (24)
Bertuzzi (24) - Valeno (19) - Svechnikov (22)/Berggren (18)

and then they can sign Seguin as a free agent next offseason and play him at wing

Zadina - Newhook - Mantha
Rasmussen - Larkin - Seguin
Bertuzzi- Valeno - Svechnikov/Berggren

 

[waltdetroit]

Yeah, i'm super excited too. Getting one of those centers could potentially solidify the Wings top 6/9 for years and years to come. I know the Wings need defense, but they certainly could use another top end center too. The below is a good young forward group with plenty of potential (ages are ages after next year's draft)

Zadina (19) - Newhook (18) - ???
Rasmussen (20) - Larkin (22) - Mantha (24)
Bertuzzi (24) - Valeno (19) - Svechnikov (22)/Berggren (18)

and then they can sign Seguin as a free agent next offseason and play him at wing

Zadina - Newhook - Mantha
Rasmussen - Larkin - Seguin
Bertuzzi- Valeno - Svechnikov/Berggren

I have hopes for Givani like a Tom Wilson type (minus the head hits)

 

[Henkka]

I'm fine with a center in the 1st round next year. Can't have too many and it would potentially solidify the top 6 for years to come.

Yep...

The chances for Hughes is probably 25%... but chances for a good Center is pretty much 100%, when looking on the other options.

If we look to our kid core... it mostly lacks only one center.

Berggren - XXX - Zadina
Athanasiou - Larkin - Mantha
Bertuzzi - Rasmussen - Svechnikov
Pope - Veleno - Smith

That team will never play together, because some trades will happen, but in big picture, all the holes pretty much filled.

Defence has bigger holes, though.

 

[Frk It]

Defenders will emerge, they always do. Don’t put too much stock into rankings an entire calendar year out.

I like Turcotte a lot though, if you are looking for a Hughes consolation that would be my guy.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Defenders will emerge, they always do. Don’t put too much stock into rankings an entire calendar year out.

I like Turcotte a lot though, if you are looking for a Hughes consolation that would be my guy.

That would be awesome. Although picking in the top 5 of this draft will land the Wings a fantastic player.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Defenders will emerge, they always do. Don’t put too much stock into rankings an entire calendar year out.

I like Turcotte a lot though, if you are looking for a Hughes consolation that would be my guy.

I too think it is way, way too early to fixate on draft lists. While I don't disagree with your point, I would emphasize that we are not simply in need of a good defensive prospect, we are in need of an elite one. Truly elite players tend to establish themselves early in the process. I can certainly see a situation where the centers around our pick (if we pick about where we did last year...my projection) are deemed too good to pass on. Walking away with a great center prospect would be really nice. It does, however, kick the defensemen can further down the road.

 

[HisNoodliness]

I too think it is way, way too early to fixate on draft lists. While I don't disagree with your point, I would emphasize that we are not simply in need of a good defensive prospect, we are in need of an elite one. Truly elite players tend to establish themselves early in the process. I can certainly see a situation where the centers around our pick (if we pick about where we did last year...my projection) are deemed too good to pass on. Walking away with a great center prospect would be really nice. It does, however, kick the defensemen can further down the road.

If we do end up drafting a center next year, I think it's at that point we need to seriously consider moving anyone besides Zadina and Larkin for D help. I assume we could get a pretty good D for a package of Mantha+Rasmussen which would hurt to lose, but would probably be worth it if we're looking at
Mantha-2019 1st-Zadina
Rasmussen-Larkin-AA
Berggren-Veleno-Svechnikov
going forward.

 

[Frk It]

Walking away with a great center prospect would be really nice. It does, however, kick the defensemen can further down the road.

Yeah, I can't stress that enough. Especially since most guys drafted top 10 still take a few years to really hit their stride.

I too think it is way, way too early to fixate on draft lists. While I don't disagree with your point, I would emphasize that we are not simply in need of a good defensive prospect, we are in need of an elite one. Truly elite players tend to establish themselves early in the process. I can certainly see a situation where the centers around our pick (if we pick about where we did last year...my projection) are deemed too good to pass on.

Byram is your obvious blue chipper. But I will point out that Dobson wasn't even a top 30 guy going into the year, and I thought he was the 2nd best defenseman this year. I think Kaedan Korczak and Drew Helleson will jump up next year. Also could see Alex Vlasic re-emerging as a top prospect. US and WHL have been cranking out good defenseman lately.

I think there will probably end up being 2-3 defenseman taken in the top 10, like most years.

 

[newfy]

Also checked those top ranked centers... 11 guys, 3 are righties.

Lavoie (another Halifax-guy) and Dach impressed most. Especially Dach. Gu yis a right handed playmaker, which would be perfect match for out lefty snipers (Zadina, Mantha).

Kirby Dach. Our man.

Kirby Dach at eliteprospects.com

Size and game could be like Getzlafs.

I've seen Lavoie like 3 times, maybe 4. He looks really good, hes huge and isnt soft. With how the wings have drafted lately I could see him being a target. Getting a guy like Dach or Lavoie might not be the same as Hughes, but a 6'4 center to go with Mantha, Rasmussen, Bertuzzi and the rest would really make this team hard to play against

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Yeah, I can't stress that enough. Especially since most guys drafted top 10 still take a few years to really hit their stride.



Byram is your obvious blue chipper. But I will point out that Dobson wasn't even a top 30 guy going into the year, and I thought he was the 2nd best defenseman this year. I think Kaedan Korczak and Drew Helleson will jump up next year. Also could see Alex Vlasic re-emerging as a top prospect. US and WHL have been cranking out good defenseman lately.

I think there will probably end up being 2-3 defenseman taken in the top 10, like most years.

There is no question that some will move up over the course of the year. There is an absolute ton of development time between now and draft day and some degree of movement is inevitable. I sense today, however, that they will struggle to move too high into the top ten. While early, I think this is a genuinely good crop of forwards and that unlike last year, there will be no shortage of centers. Maybe I just think more highly of the forwards than you do.

 

[Frk It]

There is no question that some will move up over the course of the year. There is an absolute ton of development time between now and draft day and some degree of movement is inevitable. I sense today, however, that they will struggle to move too high into the top ten. While early, I think this is a genuinely good crop of forwards and that unlike last year, there will be no shortage of centers. Maybe I just think more highly of the forwards than you do.

I like the forwards a lot, but teams in the top 10 will want defenseman, right or wrong.

Do I think Kotkaniemi and Hayton were top 5 players this year? No. But those teams wanted centers so we saw 2 centers go top 5 in a year I think was a weak center class.

 

[snailderby]

How would you rank the defensemen from the NTDP U17 team?

Cam York
Henry Thrun
Drew Helleson
Alex Vlasic
Case McCarthy
Marshall Warren

Here's a video of a U17 game. Poor level of competition (NAHL), but you can see several assists / goals by York, Thrun, Helleson, and Vlasic.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I like the forwards a lot, but teams in the top 10 will want defenseman, right or wrong.

Do I think Kotkaniemi and Hayton were top 5 players this year? No. But those teams wanted centers so we saw 2 centers go top 5 in a year I think was a weak center class.

That is my exact fear. I don't want to be reaching for a defensemen like AZ and Montreal reached for centers last year. Hopefully we see some defensemen rise on their actual merits as opposed to rising because teams feel the need to reach for a position (i.e. Hayton).

Again, it is way too early to get stressed about this stuff, but it is an issue worth monitoring. No one ever said that rebuilding was easy.

 

[odin1981]

That is my exact fear. I don't want to be reaching for a defensemen like AZ and Montreal reached for centers last year. Hopefully we see some defensemen rise on their actual merits as opposed to rising because teams feel the need to reach for a position (i.e. Hayton).

Again, it is way too early to get stressed about this stuff, but it is an issue worth monitoring. No one ever said that rebuilding was easy.

Kotkaniemi wasn't really reached too high for though I agree Hayton was. Right before the draft Kot was the biggest riser and most had him going around pick 5-6 so he was only "reached" by a couple spots. And when you look organizationally at Montreal they where a barren wasteland after the ari-mtl trade at center. They where backed into a corner and had to take him and he was the best center in the draft this year.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

That is my exact fear. I don't want to be reaching for a defensemen like AZ and Montreal reached for centers last year. Hopefully we see some defensemen rise on their actual merits as opposed to rising because teams feel the need to reach for a position (i.e. Hayton).

Again, it is way too early to get stressed about this stuff, but it is an issue worth monitoring. No one ever said that rebuilding was easy.

Byram wouldn't be a reach. I expect Soderstrom to move up the ranks as well.

Detroit needs another 2019 1st. Or 2.

 

[Henkka]

That is my exact fear. I don't want to be reaching for a defensemen like AZ and Montreal reached for centers last year. .

We just need our already drafted defencemen to pan out and keep drafting skill forwards high.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

We just need our already drafted defencemen to pan out and keep drafting skill forwards high.

We don't have any defensemen in our system that reasonably project as top-pair defensemen, let alone a true number one. I understand that you are a very optimistic poster, but you shouldn't let your optimism cloud your judgment. At some point we need to address the defense. We will end up like the Oilers if we play ostrich too much longer.