Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Entry Draft Part II

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah, if not Hughes or Kakko, Byram and Tourcotte are even on my personal “wish list”

Not Cozens?

 

[Nocashstyle]

Not Cozens?

I was actually about to type out a question to @StevenToddIves about him

I’m not going to pretend I am incredibly knowledgeable about any of these guys, but from the limited things I’ve read/clips I’ve seen, Cozens seems to have the most detractors and naysayers questioning his game. His numbers seem good, but I’ve read a few questioning his consistency/IQ/ceiling. It definitely seems like he has a low floor based on toolset, but what is putting him above the other forwards in the tier right below Kakko and Hughes?

 

[MartyOwns]

I was actually about to type out a question to @StevenToddIves about him

I’m not going to pretend I am incredibly knowledgeable about any of these guys, but from the limited things I’ve read/clips I’ve seen, Cozens seems to have the most detractors and naysayers questioning his game. His numbers seem good, but I’ve read a few questioning his consistency/IQ/ceiling. It definitely seems like he has a low floor based on toolset, but what is putting him above the other forwards in the tier right below Kakko and Hughes?

he can put the puck in the net, which we desperately need

 

[StevenToddIves]

I was actually about to type out a question to @StevenToddIves about him

I’m not going to pretend I am incredibly knowledgeable about any of these guys, but from the limited things I’ve read/clips I’ve seen, Cozens seems to have the most detractors and naysayers questioning his game. His numbers seem good, but I’ve read a few questioning his consistency/IQ/ceiling. It definitely seems like he has a low floor based on toolset, but what is putting him above the other forwards in the tier right below Kakko and Hughes?

I would say that Cozens has absolutely no flaws in his game and you are correct that this gives him a very high floor. Out of all the players I have ranked in my second tier (3 through 9, since Hughes/Kakko are their own tier), I would say that Cozens is the best pure goal scorer aside from Podkolzin. However, his passing and vision -- which I must state are both extremely good skills -- are not in the same league as Turcotte or Dach.

While I currently have Cozens ranked #4, it is important to note that my 4/5/6 of Cozens/Turcotte/Podkolzin are virtually interchangeable. They all have different strengths, and I think you win with any of them. While I have Cozens currently at #4 and Dach at #9, the only things separating them are that Cozens is a step faster and a better scorer, while Dach is a better passer and stickhandler with superior vision. Would I say that Cozens is or will be "better" than Dach? I don't know if I have that kind of moxie, I just think Cozens' skill set gives him a higher floor -- if he does not make it as an all-star center, he can be an outstanding goal-scorer at RW.

Essentially, I'm validating your opinion. If someone ranked Podkolzin #2 over Kakko, I would say it's a bit absurd, but I think you can shuffle the 3 through 9 of Byram/Cozens/Turcotte/Podkolzin/Krebs/Dach/Zegras in myriad permutations and have a solid argument to back it. I'm actually going to agree with you even more and say that Cozens and Turcotte are virtually even in my estimation, and Turcotte has a very strong chance at winding up at #4 or even #3 in my final rankings -- the kid is top-five in the entire draft class in passing/vision, two-way play, skating, compete level and hockey IQ. That's five of the seven major categories I factor into my rankings. There's no other player who ranks so highly in so many categories, and it's impossible to overlook.

 

[Nocashstyle]

I would say that Cozens has absolutely no flaws in his game and you are correct that this gives him a very high floor. Out of all the players I have ranked in my second tier (3 through 9, since Hughes/Kakko are their own tier), I would say that Cozens is the best pure goal scorer aside from Podkolzin. However, his passing and vision -- which I must state are both extremely good skills -- are not in the same league as Turcotte or Dach.

While I currently have Cozens ranked #4, it is important to note that my 4/5/6 of Cozens/Turcotte/Podkolzin are virtually interchangeable. They all have different strengths, and I think you win with any of them. While I have Cozens currently at #4 and Dach at #9, the only things separating them are that Cozens is a step faster and a better scorer, while Dach is a better passer and stickhandler with superior vision. Would I say that Cozens is or will be "better" than Dach? I don't know if I have that kind of moxie, I just think Cozens' skill set gives him a higher floor -- if he does not make it as an all-star center, he can be an outstanding goal-scorer at RW.

Essentially, I'm validating your opinion. If someone ranked Podkolzin #2 over Kakko, I would say it's a bit absurd, but I think you can shuffle the 3 through 9 of Byram/Cozens/Turcotte/Podkolzin/Krebs/Dach/Zegras in myriad permutations and have a solid argument to back it. I'm actually going to agree with you even more and say that Cozens and Turcotte are virtually even in my estimation, and Turcotte has a very strong chance at winding up at #4 or even #3 in my final rankings -- the kid is top-five in the entire draft class in passing/vision, two-way play, skating, compete level and hockey IQ. That's five of the seven major categories I factor into my rankings. There's no other player who ranks so highly in so many categories, and it's impossible to overlook.

I appreciate the insight!

This is why I’m excited regardless of where we pick. Yeah, it would suck to get bumped back to 6 or something, but it seems like that tier of guys right below Hughes and Kakko are so interchangeable that we’re getting an exciting prospect regardless. The guy we may nab at (for example) 6, may be the same guy another team would have taken at 3.

 

[longislanddevil]

From all accounts, it sounds like Turcotte will be a great player. I’d like to get excited about him and I know you can never have enough top-end talent down the middle. He just seems a bit redundant for us from a skill set standpoint. Ironically enough, I keep reading Nico is a close comp for this player. Don’t get me wrong- I absolutely love Nico’s game but diversification is nice for a team. Is there anything in Turcotte’s game that projects as better than Nico? Shot and goal scoring upside? Strength? I’ve read that Barzal is a comp for Zegras so could he be a better fit than Turcotte? I’m curious about Turcotte vs Zegras.

My personal preference is Cozens because he is that scorer that would seemingly complement the playmakers in Nico, Bratt, etc. I know we shouldn’t be disappointed if we miss out on Hughes/Kakko/Byram/Cozens...I guess this speaks to just how important nailing this pick is.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Assuming we finish 4th. What are our combined odds to pick top 5? So either to move up, stay in one place, or move back one spot?

 

[Nubmer6]

Assuming we finish 4th. What are our combined odds to pick top 5? So either to move up, stay in one place, or move back one spot?

2019 NHL Draft Lottery Odds | Tankathon

 

[Devils731]

Assuming we finish 4th. What are our combined odds to pick top 5? So either to move up, stay in one place, or move back one spot?

57.6%

 

[Emperoreddy]

2019 NHL Draft Lottery Odds | Tankathon

So round up to 58%. Was coming for higher but that isn’t so bad, and picking 6th wouldn’t be a super disaster either.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

From all accounts, it sounds like Turcotte will be a great player. I’d like to get excited about him and I know you can never have enough top-end talent down the middle. He just seems a bit redundant for us from a skill set standpoint. Ironically enough, I keep reading Nico is a close comp for this player. Don’t get me wrong- I absolutely love Nico’s game but diversification is nice for a team. Is there anything in Turcotte’s game that projects as better than Nico? Shot and goal scoring upside? Strength?

I think Turcotte may be faster than Nico but I'm not sure if this is because Nico just doesn't go 100% to conserve stamina. Also think he's much stronger, at least comparing them in their draft-eligible years.

 

[Devilswede]

I just want to win one of the top two lottery picks so we don't have to choose among the same tier of players after that and risk making another Zacha pick...

I want Hughes or Kakko. If we don't get either I don't really care who we pick.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I just want to win one of the top two lottery picks so we don't have to choose among the same tier of players after that and risk making another Zacha pick...

I want Hughes or Kakko. If we don't get either I don't really care who we pick.

That same tier you don’t want to pick in produced Mitch Marner.

 

[Ripshot 43]

I just want to win the 750 million dollar powerball or else I will be disappointed for the rest of my life. If I just get 5 of the numbers and win a few million I will be devastated and complain for the rest of my life.

That’s what a few people of this board are like, day in and day out.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I just want to win one of the top two lottery picks so we don't have to choose among the same tier of players after that and risk making another Zacha pick...

I want Hughes or Kakko. If we don't get either I don't really care who we pick.

I'm pretty sure you've posted the same thing at least 5 times. We get it, you hate the Zacha pick. Stop.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

I just want to win one of the top two lottery picks so we don't have to choose among the same tier of players after that and risk making another Zacha pick...

I want Hughes or Kakko. If we don't get either I don't really care who we pick.

Draft doesn't really matter when you can just sign a guy like Jacob Macdonald and have the next Torey Krug

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

That same tier you don’t want to pick in produced Mitch Marner.

Also heiskanen/pettersson.

 

[NJDevs26]

I guess it's too much to hope for another few good games ending the whole 'but Zacha' negativity around high draft picks.

 

[MartyOwns]

I guess it's too much to hope for another few good games ending the whole 'but Zacha' negativity around high draft picks.

the problem is he’ll never be as good as most of the players picked right after him...i’m 99% confident in saying that. that’s where the negativity comes from. they don’t want to hear that we still got a pretty good player, even if he tops out as a 3C, which i think is likely. he’ll never be as good as werenski or provorov or rantanen or barzal, so some people will always resent him

personally, every year he shows flashes like this and i get my hopes up, and then he becomes invisible...so i refuse to get my hopes up again. if he can consistently play like this for 75% of a season it would be f***ing fantastic, but my expectations are low

 

[Shakir ONeal]

Getting concerned we win 3-4 of the last 5 games and end up in sixth or seventh

 

[Shakir ONeal]

.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I just want to win one of the top two lottery picks so we don't have to choose among the same tier of players after that and risk making another Zacha pick...

I want Hughes or Kakko. If we don't get either I don't really care who we pick.

It's the draft. For all we know right now Hughes could be the next Yakupov and some nobody drafted in the 5th round could go on to win 5 Norris Trophies.

I'd love to have a top-2 pick also, but we're still talking about trying to project what 17/18 year old kids' careers are going to look like five or ten years down the road.

 

[Devilswede]

That same tier you don’t want to pick in produced Mitch Marner.

Yes it did, and he's on the Leafs. The same draft where we picked Pavel Zacha only two spots after..... The only player who hasn't become an impact player in the NHL from the top 10 picked that year... so yeah, I'm bitter about it and why I have a hard time trusting the brass to make the right call.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Yes it did, and he's on the Leafs. The same draft where we picked Pavel Zacha only two spots after..... The only player who hasn't become an impact player in the NHL from the top 10 picked that year... so yeah, I'm bitter about it and why I have a hard time trusting the brass to make the right call.

This brass also picked Nico over Nolan and selected Ty Smith last year. Cherry picking a pick in which Shero was in office for a month or so is dumb, especially with some of the other picks he's made and the fact that Zacha can still be an impact player, career isn't set at 21-22.

 

[Triumph]

Yes it did, and he's on the Leafs. The same draft where we picked Pavel Zacha only two spots after..... The only player who hasn't become an impact player in the NHL from the top 10 picked that year... so yeah, I'm bitter about it and why I have a hard time trusting the brass to make the right call.

'The brass' who made that call are gone. The Devils could've had an impact player at 6 but they picked the wrong guy; the idea that there were 'tiers' in that draft was pre-draft nonsense.