Speculation: 2019 NHL Draft

[Beauner]

Well now that the season's over, the next thing to look forward to is the draft (until JR ultimately trades our 1st and Blueger for the next Ryan Reaves). Figured this thread could be for any and all speculation on who we should draft/target, team needs, etc. We should have a fairly high pick, I believe it'll be no lower than 23rd.

Final rankings: 2019 Draft Prospect Rankings | NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

I think this a fairly clear BPA choice. There's no top end talend in the pipeline and as long as it's not a reach, we can't really go wrong with either a forward or defenseman. Would prefer a forward to hopefully give 87/71 some help as they start to age.

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[Chazz]

maybe a goaltender

 

[Corvidae]

Hopefully they can flip that pick for a Ryan Reeves type and toss Blueger in.

 

[wej20]

Hopefully we can add few picks via trades but not holding out much hope. Please no Connor Hall types, in any round.

 

[deakka]

We should hope the lower seeds advance right?

If teams with more points than us gets bounced in the first round they will pick after us. If lower teams like Carolina goes out they will pick before us. I think thats how it works.

For example it would be better for us if Vegas beats SJ. Because SJ will pick lower than us. But Vegas finished after us in the standings so that would have them pick before us if SJ beats them

 

[MrBurghundy]

Draft every high skill, fast skating guy they can find. Size be damned.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

We should hope the lower seeds advance right?

If teams with more points than us gets bounced in the first round they will pick after us. If lower teams like Carolina goes out they will pick before us. I think thats how it works.

For example it would be better for us if Vegas beats SJ. Because SJ will pick lower than us. But Vegas finished after us in the standings so that would have them pick before us if SJ beats them

15+ is seeded as follows:

- Clubs eliminated first 2 round
- Non Division winner
- Division winner

So I believe if say Colorado get to the next round, then loses, they will still be seeded higher than the Pens due to less regular season points.

You basically need the lower seeded teams than the Pens to advance to the third round.

Basically teams like the Stars, Vegas, CBJ, Knights and Canes will be picking before the Pens unless those teams advance to the third round. So those would be the teams you root for.

I’m going off memory though, so maybe someone else can clarify if I’m right or wrong, because I also heard it’s based on round elimination and subsequent regular season points, which would benefit the Pens obviously.

Just not sure which is the correct seeding order.

 

[deakka]

15+ is seeded as follows:

- Clubs eliminated first 2 round
- Non Division winner
- Division winner

So I believe if say Colorado get to the next round, then loses, they will still be seeded higher than the Pens due to less regular season points.

You basically need the lower seeded teams than the Pens to advance to the third round.

Basically teams like the Stars, Vegas, CBJ, Knights and Canes will be picking before the Pens unless those teams advance to the third round. So those would be the teams you root for.

I’m going off memory though, so maybe someone else can clarify if I’m right or wrong, because I also heard it’s based on round elimination and subsequent regular season points, which would benefit the Pens obviously.

Just not sure which is the correct seeding order.

Ah . Yeah, that might be the case. Really lame tho that a team eliminated in the 2nd round can pick higher than a 1st round loser :-(

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Hopefully they can flip that pick for a Ryan Reeves type and toss Blueger in.

I was going to post Happy to finally have a 1st round pick and then saw your post. Thanks for ruining my day

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Hopefully we can add few picks via trades but not holding out much hope. Please no Connor Hall types, in any round.

Honestly it's got to be the goal at this point, Maatta, Horny, perhaps Kessel and a couple of others could be dealt
He has to bring in younger players and picks

He can replace some of those guys with UFA players, I don't know if he would leave but Eberle would be a great fit here.

 

[Coastal Kev]

"Pens hitch their hopes on a PINTO"

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Ah . Yeah, that might be the case. Really lame tho that a team eliminated in the 2nd round can pick higher than a 1st round loser :-(

I may be wrong about that. I haven’t paid attention to the draft order in years for obvious reasons, so my memory is hazy.

I know 1-14 is lottery seeded on reg season results.

Then the last four picks are based on the conference finalists.

After that it’s either based on first elimination or reseeding after the second round...

Either way, seeding is then based on things such as points, who was a division winner, etc.

If it’s based on first elimination, and since the Pens aren’t division winners, they could get a pretty nice pick 16-18... if things go really well.

Ie CBJ already won... now they need in the East, Canes to win, and we all want that anyway.

West you would be pulling for Vegas, Stars, Avs... Vegas and Avs are up in their series.

Blues and Jets both had 99... and one of them won’t be moving on, so that will at best be the 15th slot if all those other teams move on.

If it’s first elimination and series hold up... Pens would pick 18th I believe...

15 Stars
16 Canes
17 Jets/Blues

 

[wej20]

We should hope the lower seeds advance right?

If teams with more points than us gets bounced in the first round they will pick after us. If lower teams like Carolina goes out they will pick before us. I think thats how it works.

For example it would be better for us if Vegas beats SJ. Because SJ will pick lower than us. But Vegas finished after us in the standings so that would have them pick before us if SJ beats them

Yeah, think that is right. Would be nice to jump up a few spots but I'm guessing as per usual that after the top 10 guys, teams draft boards are going to vary hugely.

 

[justafan22]

Projected to be the first pick and kept since Kapanen 5 years ago

 

[steelcityassault]

Ryan Suzuki.
SUZUKI, RYAN | 2016 NHL Draft Prospects

 

[deakka]

If we had a 2nd round pick i might have bought a draft guide for the first time in forever. But i think i will stick to the free ones and read up on players there.

And as ppl have said. We really should try to get a few more picks. For kessel a younger player (any position really except goalie) and a 1/2 round pick would be desirable for example. Try to get what we can for Maatta and maybe Hörnqvist. Maatta, while being bullied around here, still has some positive value. Hörnqvist had such a bad season and hes way older and signed for more money and term than Maatta. So he might be a though sell

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

If we had a 2nd round pick i might have bought a draft guide for the first time in forever. But i think i will stick to the free ones and read up on players there.

And as ppl have said. We really should try to get a few more picks. For kessel a younger player (any position really except goalie) and a 1/2 round pick would be desirable for example. Try to get what we can for Maatta and maybe Hörnqvist. Maatta, while being bullied around here, still has some positive value. Hörnqvist had such a bad season and hes way older and signed for more money and term than Maatta. So he might be a though sell

I’ll be pretty shocked if the Pens don’t have extra draft picks this summer. However, how JR uses them and if they are in this summer’s draft or next, who knows.

Would be interesting if they landed a first for Kessel and used it to move into the top ten to get a guy who could be ready quickly. Not familiar with this class yet though, so maybe nobody in the 7-10 range fits that bill though.

 

[Beauner]

Ryan Suzuki.
SUZUKI, RYAN | 2016 NHL Draft Prospects

This is who stuck out to me in my quick research. Brother was picked high as well. Any idea if he could potentially transition to wing?

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Ryan Suzuki.
SUZUKI, RYAN | 2016 NHL Draft Prospects

Habs would probably take him, but if he is available definitely a guy we should take
If we could land another 1st round pick with Kessel, I would no doubt take him

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

This is who stuck out to me in my quick research. Brother was picked high as well. Any idea if he could potentially transition to wing?

Am unsure about him moving out to the wing but just gonna assume he can. Kid has crazy offensive talent (like top 3 pick level talent imo). Big complaints I’ve consistently seen about him are a bit worrisome for me- really passive play style and that his production isn’t bad but doesn’t come close to matching his offensive ability.

Wouldn’t hate picking him because there is truly elite upside there.... but for me the Penguins are in a spot where if they hold onto this pick they absolutely have to hit on it. So is a riskier type of player the right way to go? I dunno.

I will say that if you trade Phil and then have 2 first rd picks— this is the type of prospect you draft with one of those picks imo.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Holy crap this team has their first round pick?!? How the hell did that happen? Quick... is there still a way to trade it for absolutely nothing we need?!?

 

[Corvidae]

Hopefully we can add few picks via trades but not holding out much hope. Please no Connor Hall types, in any round.

What about EVERY round? Less you fancy yourself more of a Zachary Lauzon type of person.

 

[Trade]

If we end up making a trade for a top 7-10 pick, I’d be absolutely ecstatic with Peyton Krebs. I honestly like him more than Hughes.

One of the fastest skaters in the draft, solid defensively, PK’s and he’s highly touted due to his hockey IQ. Offensively he’s been compared to Barzal. He is exactly the kind of offensive talent we need. He plays C/LW so we could start him 3LW and over time he’d shift into a top 6 Center if/when Geno gets moved to winger. His main drawback s his weight, which is just about the best problem you can have if there is a flaw.

 

[BladeRunner66]

If we end up making a trade for a top 7-10 pick, I’d be absolutely ecstatic with Peyton Krebs. I honestly like him more than Hughes.

One of the fastest skaters in the draft, solid defensively, PK’s and he’s highly touted due to his hockey IQ. Offensively he’s been compared to Barzal. He is exactly the kind of offensive talent we need. He plays C/LW so we could start him 3LW and over time he’d shift into a top 6 Center if/when Geno gets moved to winger. His main drawback s his weight, which is just about the best problem you can have if there is a flaw.

Yeah but yikes, his +/- dropped to -50 in 18-19, was Kootenay actually worst than Drozg team, the Shawinigan Cataractes?

 

[steelcityassault]

This is who stuck out to me in my quick research. Brother was picked high as well. Any idea if he could potentially transition to wing?

Not sure I would assume. Or might be NHL center when Malkin/Sid get moved to wing (like old 66)