Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Draft.

[Frk It]

It is just where I have him, I had Zadina at #9 so I don't really care about the traditional boards when I do it. There are guys I like and guys I don't like. I liked him a lot in the U18s, I actually disagreed with those saying he was driving more of that line than Kotkaniemi is probably a part of this.

I don't believe as much in Kakko as those ahead of him, that is a personal opinion. If I was being Todd McShay I would say there is no way in the world he goes that low barring a massive injury. Dach's cold streak doesn't bother me yet as I like the raw materials he is working with and his fit for the team. Grabbing a right handed center with that kind of size and playmaking ability intrigues me. I would take Cozens over Kakko as well from a Red Wings perspective.

If we win the bingo Lottery and get Hughes that is great. Not counting on it, but I have three boards in my head. Where I think they will actually go, best done with McKenzie's stuff once that becomes clearer. A Red Wings board in terms of guys I think fit for us. My own board. Yes they are hard to keep separate at times but I am very partial to going after one of the big right handed center guys in Dach or Cozens if we can get one this year. I think they fit what we are building in Detroit the best.

Not real enamored with drafting a left-handed winger. In fact I would want movement of a winger if we win #2 and go with the group think and select Kakko.

I have Cozens over Dach for a little bit this summer, but I see Jumbo Joe and Getzlaf in Dach and I don't want to pass that up, especially with the right-handed shot. He is a slick playmaker, his points should be more consistent at the NHL level where guys are better finishers. I don't think it is him causing the cold streak is what I am getting at there.

Question for you.

If you were concerned with skating with Zadina, would adding another average-ish skater like Dach concern you at all?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Question for you.

If you were concerned with skating with Zadina, would adding another average-ish skater like Dach concern you at all?

I wouldn't be real enamored to play them together even strength. I think Dach's skating will get a little better as he fills out like a lot of bigger men that come through development wise.

I think Zadina and Larkin have a fit to them as soon as Zadina who is willing gets more of the 200 foot game going. I really think Larks will be his best option. Veleno also isn't a bad option as a fast guy that covers some of his speed issues. Zadina is a fine skater though, just not on board with those that think it is high-end.

I also think eventually a few of the wings that don't prove to have outstanding chemistry will be shipped out. We have an excess of wingers coming here, we need to find the ones that fit best with Larkin, 2019 Draft pick and Veleno in my opinion.

 

[Frk It]

I wouldn't be real enamored to play them together even strength. I think Dach's skating will get a little better as he fills out like a lot of bigger men that come through development wise.

I think Zadina and Larkin have a fit to them as soon as Zadina who is willing gets more of the 200 foot game going. I really think Larks will be his best option. Veleno also isn't a bad option as a fast guy that covers some of his speed issues. Zadina is a fine skater though, just not on board with those that think it is high-end.

I also think eventually a few of the wings that don't prove to have outstanding chemistry will be shipped out. We have an access of wingers coming here, we need to find the ones that fit best with Larkin, 2019 Draft pick and Veleno in my opinion.

Good point.

It’s a minor concern of mine with him, but only because I think being a strong skater is more important in the middle than it is for wingers.

But his size and skill make me not worry too much. I could see Larkin/Zadina and Dach/Mantha running together eventually. Veleno/Rasmussen could feast on 3rd lines potentially if that plays out.

It’s starting to come together a little. While I would love a RH shot center, I’m a fan of the LH guys like Turcotte/Krebs/Newhook because they are all great skaters.

Only guy I’m not super keen on right now that’s highly ranked is Lavoie, just because he feels redundant. But if we see him as a center, and he develops more as a center, that could be a fine pick too.

 

[Frk It]

Heard you guys were looking for RH shots...

RD1 - Dylan Cozens or Kirby Dach (F)
RD2 - Lassi Thomson or Kaedan Korczak(D)
RD2 - Phillip Tomasino (F)
RD3 - Ryder Donovan (F)
RD4 - Drew Helleson (D)
RD5 - Shane Pinto (F)

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Who’s the better skater between Dach and cozens? And how would you rank eachs out of 10?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Who’s the better skater between Dach and cozens? And how would you rank eachs out of 10?

Cozens to me and I am guessing most is the better skater.

Out of ten Dach 7 to 7.5
Cozens 8.5 to 9 for me

Not huge on the 10 system though. I don't think Dach is a bad skater, but he isn't the skater Cozens is.

I guess it sort of depends on how you want to slide your scale, like if we are using the HF scale (Generational, all-star and so on...) it gets a little harder.

Both guys have NHL skating ability, Dach has more to work on in the skating department in my opinion. I don't anticipate we will see many top 10 picks that have big skating mark questions like in years past moving forward, we just know how important that is in the league and modern game.

 

[ShanahanMan]

I was on the fence between a lot of prospects, but watching Hughes literally toy with the opposition with his pick possession skills has him back on top for me.

 

[Frk It]

I don't anticipate we will see many top 10 picks that have big skating mark questions like in years past moving forward, we just know how important that is in the league and modern game.

Podkolzin is the most interesting guy for me.

On talent alone, he’s a top 5 guy. But his skating isn’t the best and there are questions on his willingness to come over.

So I feel like he could go top 5 or he could go in the teens.

 

[Marky9er]

Podkolzin is the most interesting guy for me.

On talent alone, he’s a top 5 guy. But his skating isn’t the best and there are questions on his willingness to come over.

So I feel like he could go top 5 or he could go in the teens.

I like to pronounce it "puts-goals-in".

 

[Henkka]

Heard you guys were looking for RH shots...

RD1 - Dylan Cozens or Kirby Dach (F)
RD2 - Lassi Thomson or Kaedan Korczak(D)
RD2 - Phillip Tomasino (F)
RD3 - Ryder Donovan (F)
RD4 - Drew Helleson (D)
RD5 - Shane Pinto (F)

Overaged Brett Leason another righty with the extra 2nd....

Somebody compared him to Blake Wheeler on main board... Cozens has been compared many times to Mark Scheifele.

Would be nice to get "scheifele and wheeler" with our 2/3 top picks.

Add Rasmussen with them and have a "bulldozer" line with 6'6 - 6'3 - 6'4 guys. Rasmussen - Cozens - Leason.

That leaves Bert-Lark-Mantha and Zadina-Veleno-AA/Svechnikov in TOP9. could even trade AA.

Getting Leason now 2 years later would really bolster our 2017 draft class, which didn't have much of skill...

 

[Frk It]

Overaged Brett Leason another righty with the extra 2nd....

Somebody compared him to Blake Wheeler on main board... Cozens has been compared many times to Mark Scheifele.

Would be nice to get "scheifele and wheeler" with our 2/3 top picks.

Add Rasmussen with them and have a "bulldozer" line with 6'6 - 6'3 - 6'4 guys. Rasmussen - Cozens - Leason.

That leaves Bert-Lark-Mantha and Zadina-Veleno-AA/Svechnikov in TOP9. could even trade AA.

Getting Leason now 2 years later would really bolster our 2017 draft class, which didn't have much of skill...

Tomasino is pretty skilled as well, I like him a lot.

I’d be alright with Leason too.

 

[newfy]

Starting to look like a bottom of the barrel team again and should be in the Hughes, Cozens, Kakko type range come draft time. I doubt they finish higher than 4th last. Theres 7 teams behind them now but theyre only 3 points out of last. The wings have played 40 games with most other teams below them playing 36 or 37 games.

I find it hard to beleieve Chicago, St Louis, Carolina will finish below the wings. Ottawa wont sell at the deadline because they dont wanna lose a first overall pick to Colorado. I think the wings likely have the most movable assets out of most of those teams for the deadline as well. Should finish bottom 3 or 4 for sure

 

[Frk It]

 

[Sparty]

Only three teams worse than the Wings if you look at points per game. Kings, Ottawa and Chicago. Two of those teams are playing some good hockey right now.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Kakko is so good. He's looked like a high end playmaking winger with size and strength, making everybody he plays with look like a capable scorer. I really think his playmaking ability is on par with Hughes. He's not as good a skater, but that's the tradeoff you get with those two.

 

[newfy]

Kakko is so good. He's looked like a high end playmaking winger with size and strength, making everybody he plays with look like a capable scorer. I really think his playmaking ability is on par with Hughes. He's not as good a skater, but that's the tradeoff you get with those two.

He might be a center too actually which would be huge

 

[Ebabz]

Has Kakko played centre at all this tournament? I haven't watched enough but noticed in his bio he is described as being able to play the wing and centre.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Has Kakko played centre at all this tournament? I haven't watched enough but noticed in his bio he is described as being able to play the wing and centre.

He's played the wing exclusively so far.

 

[raymond23]

I wouldn't be real enamored to play them together even strength. I think Dach's skating will get a little better as he fills out like a lot of bigger men that come through development wise.

I think Zadina and Larkin have a fit to them as soon as Zadina who is willing gets more of the 200 foot game going. I really think Larks will be his best option. Veleno also isn't a bad option as a fast guy that covers some of his speed issues. Zadina is a fine skater though, just not on board with those that think it is high-end.

I also think eventually a few of the wings that don't prove to have outstanding chemistry will be shipped out. We have an excess of wingers coming here, we need to find the ones that fit best with Larkin, 2019 Draft pick and Veleno in my opinion.

100% agree with that. Zadina and Larkin are going to be a beautiful combo.

 

[lilidk]

2 years ago We got Rasmussen ,his specialty is Net front. This year Zadina , excellent finisher and 2019 should be playmaker or defenseman, more like complete player. As much as I like Hughes I'd rather not get him become he is not good defensively, and if we win 1st overall , we should trade down

 

[lidstromiscool]

2 years ago We got Rasmussen ,his specialty is Net front. This year Zadina , excellent finisher and 2019 should be playmaker or defenseman, more like complete player. As much as I like Hughes I'd rather not get him become he is not good defensively, and if we win 1st overall , we should trade down

I see where you are coming from but I disagree with this. We need high-end talent more than anything. Hughes has a very good shot to be a franchise center in the NHL for 12+ years, you don't pass/trade him because he isn't good defensively as a 17 year old imo

 

[Henkka]

Has Kakko played centre at all this tournament? I haven't watched enough but noticed in his bio he is described as being able to play the wing and centre.

No... watch Anton Lundell as his Center, there has been some Kopitar comparisons all the time... Lundell is 2020 draftee, probably at TOP3, so he's our targets too.

 

[Killerjas]

2 years ago We got Rasmussen ,his specialty is Net front. This year Zadina , excellent finisher and 2019 should be playmaker or defenseman, more like complete player. As much as I like Hughes I'd rather not get him become he is not good defensively, and if we win 1st overall , we should trade down

Trade down?? Chances are teams want Kakko at 1st. It would be a huge gamble that we can't afford.

 

[Tetsuo]

2 years ago We got Rasmussen ,his specialty is Net front. This year Zadina , excellent finisher and 2019 should be playmaker or defenseman, more like complete player. As much as I like Hughes I'd rather not get him become he is not good defensively, and if we win 1st overall , we should trade down

As others have mentioned this is a losers mentality. Getting cute up at the top is a great way to stay in the cellar for another half decade. IF the Wings get a top 3 pick, they have to take the best player available. This team needs talent all over the ice to get back into the thick of things. If Hughes is the clear number 1... you have to take him. If it its Kakko or someone else who emerges, same story. This team will have money down the road to afford to get a 'need,' lots of bad money will be coming off the books sooner than we think. Addressing the problems of today with the solutions of tomorrow is short-sighted at best.

 

[Henkka]

As others have mentioned this is a losers mentality. Getting cute up at the top is a great way to stay in the cellar for another half decade. IF the Wings get a top 3 pick, they have to take the best player available. This team needs talent all over the ice to get back into the thick of things. If Hughes is the clear number 1... you have to take him. If it its Kakko or someone else who emerges, same story. This team will have money down the road to afford to get a 'need,' lots of bad money will be coming off the books sooner than we think. Addressing the problems of today with the solutions of tomorrow is short-sighted at best.

They have taken the BPA on their analyzes on last 2 drafts, they have never said anything else. There was clear reports, that Red Wings were prepared to take Evan Bouchard, who was the nearer of that that NEED, but when Zadina was suddenly there, they took BPA before a need. Everybody in here was yelling that our need is a defenceman, and they took a BPA forward. I can't see this any more obvious thing.

If Rasmussen at 9th or Zadina at 6th wasn't your BPA, it's your analysis.