Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Entry Draft Part I

[PKs Broken Stick]

@thethinglonger thoughts on turcotte and newhook? they don't seem to get talked about much. Those are guys I'm interested in if the devils fall out of the top 5. Hard to guess where they'll get drafted though. I've seen various rankings for both and there's the injury situation for turcotte.

 

[135ace]

How strong is this draft? Like, beyond Hughes and Kakko?

I don't know if it's just from being weary of rebuilding but I'm having a lot of trouble getting hyped for it.

I have a gut feeling that we end up finishing in the bottom 3 league wide and end up winning a lottery pick. I don't really want to consider anything else since the draft is pretty weak, and there's a major drop after Hughes/Kakko.

 

[Ripshot 43]

How strong is this draft? Like, beyond Hughes and Kakko?

I don't know if it's just from being weary of rebuilding but I'm having a lot of trouble getting hyped for it.

I have a gut feeling that we end up finishing in the bottom 3 league wide and end up winning a lottery pick. I don't really want to consider anything else since the draft is pretty weak, and there's a major drop after Hughes/Kakko.

Almost every year the pre draft gurus say there is a thin top tier and then a drop off but then a few years after we find that their were players taken 5-20 or wherever that end up being just as good. These drafts without bonafide generational players are where your scouts truly make their money. From round 1, down to 7 there are great talents.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Bowen Byram is a guy that is really intriguing to me. How is his skating? Everything I am reading seems like he would be perfect for us if we can't land one of the big 2

 

[Better Call Sal]

Guess it's time for me to start taking this more seriously.

I'm cuckoo for Kakko puffs.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I have a gut feeling that we end up finishing in the bottom 3 league wide and end up winning a lottery pick. I don't really want to consider anything else since the draft is pretty weak, and there's a major drop after Hughes/Kakko.

I don't see the devils finishing bottom 3 unless they actually go full on tank mode, as in trading away our UFAs and playing Schneider, when he can, (or even Kinkaid) the rest of the season.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't see the devils finishing bottom 3 unless they actually go full on tank mode, as in trading away our UFAs and playing Schneider (or even Kinkaid) the rest of the season.

why not? We're only 2 points ahead of LA for the least amount of points in the league

 

[Devils Dominion]

No team needs a Top-2 pick more than us.

We are starving for talent in our system.

Still don't have a future #1 d or impact forwards in the pipeline.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

why not? We're only 2 points ahead of LA for the least amount of points in the league

We are a 3 or 4 game losing streak from being the bottom.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

No team needs a Top-2 pick more than us.

We are starving for talent in our system.

Still don't have a future #1 d or impact forwards in the pipeline.

Ty Smith has all the makings of a future #1 DMan
Jesper Boqvist is lighting it up in the SEL as a 20 year old
Aarne Talvitie just lit up the WJC

Our prospect pool overall is probably middle of the pack and is about to add a top 5 pick.

Kindly stop the "sky is falling" stuff, thank you.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Ty Smith has all the makings of a future #1 DMan
Jesper Boqvist is lighting it up in the SEL as a 20 year old
Aarne Talvitie just lit up the WJC

Our prospect pool overall is probably middle of the pack and is about to add a top 5 pick.

Kindly stop the "sky is falling" stuff, thank you.

I don't think he's projected to be a #1 dman, top pairing? maybe.

It's really not middle of the pack, all small/light players, no strong top line impact players.
I'd rank our pipeline around 24th

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Bowen Byram is a guy that is really intriguing to me. How is his skating? Everything I am reading seems like he would be perfect for us if we can't land one of the big 2

very good skater, great gaps on defense. He really puts the pressure on the puck handler when they get across the red line, making zone entries tough. Someone I am all in on getting because as you know our current d core does not do a good job of closing gaps and limiting zone entries. He's a very smooth skater who effortlessly gets to full speed.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't think he's projected to be a #1 dman, top pairing? maybe.

It's really not middle of the pack, all small/light players, no strong top line impact players.
I'd rank our pipeline around 24th

of course you would

 

[Devils Dominion]

very good skater, great gaps on defense. He really puts the pressure on the puck handler when they get across the red line, making zone entries tough. Someone I am all in on getting because as you know our current d core does not do a good job of closing gaps and limiting zone entries. He's a very smooth skater who effortlessly gets to full speed.

Hockey sense?
Can he shoot the puck?

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Hockey sense?
Can he shoot the puck?

Very good hockey sense, a bit overaggressive at times but overall he has a really good sense in all areas. Pretty good shot, has 10 goals thus far this year in 38 games so he's scoring at a good rate for his draft years as a D man.

 

[Call Me Al]

i’d caution you against debating someone whose entire slant is to debase our prospects and elevate other teams

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Ty Smith has all the makings of a future #1 DMan
Jesper Boqvist is lighting it up in the SEL as a 20 year old
Aarne Talvitie just lit up the WJC

Our prospect pool overall is probably middle of the pack and is about to add a top 5 pick.

Kindly stop the "sky is falling" stuff, thank you.

The sky isn't falling at all but let's not dream either. Ty Smith looks real solid, but a future #1, I doubt that very much. As for Bobqvist, I really like the kid but let's see what he can do in NA and as for Talvitie, a solid performance at the WJC is great but it really doesn't mean anything.

We do need an impact player in the worst way and getting Hughes or Kakko would be a godsend, but the odds are real slim.

I'd say we're in the 18 to 22 range when it comes to our prospect pool, which isn't all that great when looking at our record for the past decade. There's certain picks that are biting us in the rear end and that's Zacha and McLeod.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Ty Smith has all the makings of a future #1 DMan
Jesper Boqvist is lighting it up in the SEL as a 20 year old
Aarne Talvitie just lit up the WJC

Our prospect pool overall is probably middle of the pack and is about to add a top 5 pick.

Kindly stop the "sky is falling" stuff, thank you.

I mean, Boqvist has 2 more points than Tedenby, Josefson and Joe Whitney, 3 to 5 points behind such names as Jack Connolly, Derek Roy and Aaron Palushaj. I like him and think he has decent NHL upside, but he is no bluechipper. A lot of teams have one or more Boqvist types in their system. Talvitie is a rich mans Pietila, great compete level, mans body, lacking skill.

While I don't think Smith is ever going to be a number 1 in the NHL, he definitely has the best NHL upside of the group. I just wish he was a better skater.

Anyway, all that said, you're right. The sky isn't falling. But the situation certainly ain't all roses either.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The sky isn't falling at all but let's not dream either. Ty Smith looks real solid, but a future #1, I doubt that very much. As for Bobqvist, I really like the kid but let's see what he can do in NA and as for Talvitie, a solid performance at the WJC is great but it really doesn't mean anything.

We do need an impact player in the worst way and getting Hughes or Kakko would be a godsend, but the odds are real slim.

I'd say we're in the 18 to 22 range when it comes to our prospect pool, which isn't all that great when looking at our record for the past decade. There's certain picks that are biting us in the rear end and that's Zacha and McLeod.

not sure when the past decade is being used when the current regime has only been involved in the past 3 drafts.

 

[Devils Dominion]

The sky isn't falling at all but let's not dream either. Ty Smith looks real solid, but a future #1, I doubt that very much. As for Bobqvist, I really like the kid but let's see what he can do in NA and as for Talvitie, a solid performance at the WJC is great but it really doesn't mean anything.

We do need an impact player in the worst way and getting Hughes or Kakko would be a godsend, but the odds are real slim.

I'd say we're in the 18 to 22 range when it comes to our prospect pool, which isn't all that great when looking at our record for the past decade. There's certain picks that are biting us in the rear end and that's Zacha and McLeod.

#honesty

thank you

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I mean, Boqvist has 2 more points than Tedenby, Josefson and Joe Whitney, 3 to 5 points behind such names as Jack Connolly, Derek Roy and Aaron Palushaj. I like him and think he has decent NHL upside, but he is no bluechipper. A lot of teams have one or more Boqvist types in their system. Talvitie is a rich mans Pietila, great compete level, mans body, lacking skill.

While I don't think Smith is ever going to be a number 1 in the NHL, he definitely has the best NHL upside of the group. I just wish he was a better skater.

Anyway, all that said, you're right. The sky isn't falling. But the situation certainly ain't all roses either.

Boqvist is 20 years old. What he is doing in the SEL as a 20 year old is damn impressive. Comparing him to guys who are 26 and 28 years old is pointless. He has better numbers over there at this stage in his career than a handful of recent first round picks who are already NHLers did.

Talvitie is a much, MUCH better prospect than Pietila. Thats honestly a terrible comparison.

 

[Better Call Sal]

In this thread, you will see:

Optimists vs. Pessimists.

Choose your side!

 

[TheUnseenHand]

In this thread, you will see:

Optimists vs. Pessimists.

Choose your side!

I think there is a ton of room for middle ground here. It's not like 5ish years ago when the sky really was falling. We have good prospects doing good things, but it's fair to say there aren't any impact players there either IMO.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I think there is a ton of room for middle ground here. It's not like 5ish years ago when the sky really was falling. We have good prospects doing good things, but it's fair to say there aren't any impact players there either IMO.

Oh I agree. But I think we tend to fall into two extreme categories in these sorts of discussions.

I do think we all tend to have the same feelings though, that our pipeline is middle of the pack. Some have more optimistic feelings than others, I tend to usually fall into that category myself.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Boqvist is 20 years old. What he is doing in the SEL as a 20 year old is damn impressive. Comparing him to guys who are 26 and 28 years old is pointless. He has better numbers over there at this stage in his career than a handful of recent first round picks who are already NHLers did.

Talvitie is a much, MUCH better prospect than Pietila. Thats honestly a terrible comparison.

I'm not arguing that, but to me, there is a difference between being impressive for your age and tearing a league up. He's not doing what Petterson did.

We'll see about Talvitie. Seems to be a polarizing player. To me, nothing about his game stands out outside of effort. Another guy with NHL level compete, but AHL level skills IMO. But we shall see I guess.