Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Entry Draft Part II

[Nubmer6]

Well he is, on a team that blows bubbles.

It's kind of like saying Malkin wouldn't be a 1C on a contender because he played behind Crosby his entire career.

 

[Alex NJD]

There are only 20 centers in the entire league scoring at a PPG rate. Only 4 teams have 2 such players. Guess there are only 4 proper contenders in the league. Except one of those teams is Edmonton. Chicago's won cups with Handzus and Anisimov as 2nd line centers. They didn't even have a 50 point 2C. Crazy how they were a dynasty without ever being a legit contender.

All that said I would still be thrilled going away from the draft with a guy like Cozens or Turcotte to play behind Nico. Having a potent 1-2 punch is fantastic, though they don't have to both be scoring 85 points to be effective

 

[StevenToddIves]

Who do you think makes the immediate jump to the NHL? Just Hughes and Kakko?

Brett Leason is a guy I could see making the jump to the NHL, which could move his draft stock up into the late teens. But he does not have the ceiling of some of the other Fs. If there is one other guy who I could see surprising in training camp and making a roster, it would be Peyton Krebs.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

I cannot honestly say I understand this response. Tavares is a first line C, who happens to be playing 2C on his team because they have a generational star in Auston Matthews. The same could be said for Pittsburgh with Crosby and Malkin. Also, I would add that Tavares' one weakness is that he is not much of a defensive player. Hischier is better than Tavares defensively right now. Is Tavares the better player right now? Certainly, but Hischier is far more sound in his own zone.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Would you consider trading the #2 if we were to get it?

Would that be a legit consideration? Ie would teams be willing to ante up to take Kakko?

No, I would not trade that pick. The Devils need as much high-end talent as possible to form their core.

That being said, if Ottawa offered their next four #1 picks and Chabot, I might reconsider. And it's Ottawa we're talking about, so nothing is too boneheaded to consider.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Perhaps not guys as good as Matthews, but plenty who JT would be behind.

Scheifle
Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Point
Backstrom
Kuz
Bergeron
Monahan
Aho
Barzal

Cheers.

you're really not helping yourself here.

also malkin is a #2 center too I guess according to your logic but you know...you mentioned malkin here.

 

[KinCornKarn]

I love Nico, but if we're being honest here he'll probably hit a ceiling of 1C on a bubble team and 2C on a team who's contending year after year.

Hughes and Kakko project to be legitimate game changers.

Given the trajectory of truly successful teams in the league I'm inclined to roll with the Washington, Pittsburgh, and Chicago models considering our current make up.

If Nashville or San Jose finally win this year I could change my tune. But until then it's 3 monster forwards or bust for me.

What makes a team a contender is depth and how well the players execute the system. Depth is much more important than this "1C", "2C", or the "elite" terms that get thrown around here all the time. They are subjective and overrated. That being said, the Devils could absolutely use another top line center, not because Hischier is not a 1c, but because it would give them great depth at the position. He will never be a top 5 center in the league but to say that no team can be a contender with him centering their top line is ridiculous. I don't think it has a whole lot to do with the draft anyway because i have a feeling position will have nothing to do with who the Devils will take with their fist pick. The team has a lot of needs and it will be more about the player than the position.

Some of the players you mention as being ahead of TJ are interesting. Hischier's numbers will probably be on par with guys like Bergeron, Scheifle, and Monahan. It is also pretty clear that he has the intangibles a good center needs. If you consider them to be 1Cs then Hischier's "trajectory" is not looking too bad. It took Scheifle five years to score 20 goals in a season. (his third full season) Five. It took him a while for people to consider him a 1C as well. Remember when people laughed at Winnipeg for drafting him over Couturier? If you really think that all of those guys are better than JT thats fine, but most people would probably disagree.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I would take Byram over Podkolzin for a litany of reasons. Though Podkolzin has the upside to be a special player, there are those to think he will remain in Russia to develop for two to three more seasons. Also, if Podkolzin has one area to improve upon it's his skating, which is decent but far from a plus tool. Shero and Castron have shown a proclivity to draft with speed and tempo at the forefront of their wish-list. Lastly, and I know the "best available player" is a huge debate, but Podkolzin is a left-shooting winger, something the Devils are rich with organizationally. What the Devils really need to stock up on is pretty much everything else: defensemen, centers, right-shooting forwards.

Though Kakko is also a left-shooting winger, he would be impossible to pass up at #2 for the reasons that 1)he would make a considerable impact on the Devils next season and 2)he's a full talent tier above the player destined to be drafted at #3 overall.

I am extremely high on Bowen Byram. He is an outstanding skater, he's smart, he's competitive. He has the potential to be an absolute offensive force from the blueline, but he is much further along the development curve defensively than most offensive defensemen. Some of the other offensive defensemen that are high on some draft lists can be considered complete liabilities in their own zone (Broberg, Honka) while Byram is a physical, shut-down beast. Byram has no red flag, no liability whatsoever. His improvement curve over the 2018-19 season has been astounding, and he started the year as one of the top D in the WHL.

The idea of getting 20+ minutes per night at the ever-important LD position from Byram and Ty Smith a few years down the road is just tantalizing. Of course I would love to win a 1/2 slot and walk away from the draft with Hughes or Kakko, but if not I would say that Byram would be my choice.

Don't get me wrong, I think very highly Byram as well. I just think Podkolzin's potential is higher, and if he wasn't a left-shooting winger then I'd definitely think he'd have an edge of Byram for me. I know Shero/Castron preach speed but there can be exceptions when the other talents are there, not everyone needs to be a burner - and Podkolzin checks off pretty much every other box for me. I'll admit the Russian factor is there though.

I think it's a really tough decision at 3, and if that's where we land then I'd be absolutely thrilled with either player.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Unless I get it in writing he is coming over ASAP, I want nothing to do with a Russian with a top 5 pick.

 

[EnglishDevil]

Agreed I don't want anything to do with Podkolzin; the 5 players I want in order are Hughes, Kakko, Byram, Krebs and then Cozens.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Give me the Russian if he is BPA. I’d be more worried about him bolting if things don’t go well than worrying about him coming over. But if he’s good enough and there are no other red flags, I’m all for it.

 

[Devils731]

Just for a different perspective, Pronman isn’t sure Byram is in his top 8 for this draft. This coming from his chat yesterday.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Just for a different perspective, Pronman isn’t sure Byram is in his top 8 for this draft. This coming from his chat yesterday.

I've heard some talk of Byram being overrated, but it's all just personal opinion and regardless of who we like or who certain people like, Shero and his staff will make the decision they think is best (hopefully we win the lottery).

 

[Nubmer6]

Just for a different perspective, Pronman isn’t sure Byram is in his top 8 for this draft. This coming from his chat yesterday.

For that reason I'm not sure we draft him even if he's on the board when we're up. The allure is that we really, really, really need a 1LHD, and they're virtually impossible to find outside the draft. Maybe some (perhaps all) of the forwards in that top group will better than him, but how do you even compare apples and oranges?

When it all boils down, I feel a #1D (not just a 1st pairing D) is more valuable than a 1C because they're harder to obtain.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I get the risk but if the talent is there I don't think it's smart to pass up on a guy because he's Russian.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

I get the risk but if the talent is there I don't think it's smart to pass up on a guy because he's Russian.

There are factors to every pick, a certain player not being 100% committed to eventually playing in the NHL is a factor (speculation, I'm not sure if that's true)

 

[Cheddabombs]

There are factors to every pick, a certain player not being 100% committed to eventually playing in the NHL is a factor (speculation, I'm not sure if that's true)

It's definitely a factor, I just don't know big of a factor it should be. Our scouting team and management will have a much better idea of where his head is at after the combine interviews. But at the same time he's 17, he may not be 100% committed right now but that could also change.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

It's definitely a factor, I just don't know big of a factor it should be. Our scouting team and management will have a much better idea of where his head is at after the combine interviews. But at the same time he's 17, he may not be 100% committed right now but that could also change.

If we are committing long term to Hall and Vatanen, thinking a player won't come over for 3 years is a factor especially at 3rd overall. I also don't think he is anywhere near the top two prospects so it's not like you are drafting some special player.

 

[Cheddabombs]

If we are committing long term to Hall and Vatanen, thinking a player won't come over for 3 years is a factor especially at 3rd overall. I also don't think he is anywhere near the top two prospects so it's not like you are drafting some special player.

He's not some special can't miss prospect but I think talent-wise, he's just behind the top two. He's almost NHL ready in my opinion, its a matter of him coming over. That could be sooner rather than later, it could definitely be sooner than 3 years.

 

[ScottyK]

Could we get Byram at 5 ? Or do we think he goes at 3/4 since he's the only D available in the top 10 ?

 

[Nubmer6]

Could we get Byram at 5 ? Or do we think he goes at 3/4 since he's the only D available in the top 10 ?

My gut feel is that someone's going to reach and pick him early because there's so few D available, kind of like how some teams reached for a C in last year's D heavy draft. As for how early, I dunno. Detroit is definitely a worry, but as I said before, they have a tendency to draft BPA no matter the position.

It's also my gut feel that Shero's the kind of guy who wants to be strong up the middle, so it wouldn't shock me if he picked a C over Byram even if he was available.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

It's kind of like saying Malkin wouldn't be a 1C on a contender because he played behind Crosby his entire career.

Unless it's actually nothing like that.

Give me a call when JT racks up hart's, lindsay's, smythe's, and ross'.

I'm pretty sure I should save the cash and cancel service on that line now.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what some of you are disagreeing with here.

John Tavares is an excellent 2nd line center on a contender. I also believe Nico can become the same thing. With a forward we don't currently have.

 

[Shakir ONeal]

NHL mock draft 2019: Senators, Rangers, Ducks gain stock in post-trade deadline edition

5. Zegras
36. Honka
54. Helleson
58. Roberston

 

[StevenToddIves]

Just for a different perspective, Pronman isn’t sure Byram is in his top 8 for this draft. This coming from his chat yesterday.

I disagree with Corey on a litany of things, although I have the utmost respect for him and find him to be an outstanding writer and prospect analyst.

What we do agree on is that Bowen Byram is the best defenseman in the 2019 draft. We also both project him as a future top-pairing D in the NHL.

Conversely, Corey has Philip Broberg as his second-best defenseman, at #11 overall. I do not have Broberg in my top five D in this draft. Although he's big, fast and likes to rush the puck (all of which make a young draft-eligible D stand out to scouts), I question some aspects of his decision making. Would I draft Broberg? Absolutely. But not in the first round, and certainly not at 11 overall.

Corey is a far more established draft-writer than I am, which is important to be aware of when taking my opinion over his. Also, he gets paid good money for this, so he has a great deal more time to analyze game film of prospects than I do. In my own humble opinion, I don't suck at this, but if ranking draft-writers like prospects I'd rank Corey far ahead of myself. He's a first-round draft writer, I'm a second rounder with upside.

All of this being said, I'm going to say that I thought it was patently absurd when, last year, Corey had Brady Tkachuk ranked 9th, one spot after Dominik Bokk. Or that he had K'Andre Miller 35th overall, a second-round level. There is not one GM in the NHL who would draft Bokk over Tkachuk today, and not one GM who would let Miller slide past 20 overall today. So my opinion means something, I suppose.

Ultimately, my advice is always the same. Don't just take my word for it with prospects. Read as many draft writers as you can and watch a bit of film on the kids and then decide if you agree or disagree with me, or Corey Pronman, or whomever.

 

[Nubmer6]

I disagree with Corey on a litany of things, although I have the utmost respect for him and find him to be an outstanding writer and prospect analyst.

What we do agree on is that Bowen Byram is the best defenseman in the 2019 draft. We also both project him as a future top-pairing D in the NHL.

Conversely, Corey has Philip Broberg as his second-best defenseman, at #11 overall. I do not have Broberg in my top five D in this draft. Although he's big, fast and likes to rush the puck (all of which make a young draft-eligible D stand out to scouts), I question some aspects of his decision making. Would I draft Broberg? Absolutely. But not in the first round, and certainly not at 11 overall.

Corey is a far more established draft-writer than I am, which is important to be aware of when taking my opinion over his. Also, he gets paid good money for this, so he has a great deal more time to analyze game film of prospects than I do. In my own humble opinion, I don't suck at this, but if ranking draft-writers like prospects I'd rank Corey far ahead of myself. He's a first-round draft writer, I'm a second rounder with upside.

All of this being said, I'm going to say that I thought it was patently absurd when, last year, Corey had Brady Tkachuk ranked 9th, one spot after Dominik Bokk. Or that he had K'Andre Miller 35th overall, a second-round level. There is not one GM in the NHL who would draft Bokk over Tkachuk today, and not one GM who would let Miller slide past 20 overall today. So my opinion means something, I suppose.

Ultimately, my advice is always the same. Don't just take my word for it with prospects. Read as many draft writers as you can and watch a bit of film on the kids and then decide if you agree or disagree with me, or Corey Pronman, or whomever.

What I don't like about his rankings is that he talks up all the prospects, but doesn't really get into their weaknesses. That's probably the most important thing for me. It's kind of like when I consider buying something from Amazon. I always look at the negative reviews more than the positive ones.