NHL Entry Draft 2020 NHL Draft Discussion

[TheDebater]

So....change the game?

At one time, defensemen never carried the puck or were viewed as offensive players. Then Bobby Orr came along.
At one time, goalie stayed on their feet 99.9% of the time. Then Patrick Roy came along.

Not saying Lafreniere is that level (not even close), but a good organization and great coach will find a way to play a system that fits the strengths of the team. If we end up being a dominant winger team, then make a system that promotes that. Use that strength to the best possible advantage. Who knows....maybe it might just turn into something special.

One of my favourite players in their style and the way they play the game is Patrick Kane. I absolutely love his skating ability, the way he sees other players on the ice and how he is noticeable and dangerous every time he is on the ice. He is also very clutch and elevates his game in the playoffs like the all-time bests, he is easily a hall of famer. Believe me if Lafreniere is even close to a P. Kane then I will not complain if we have a chance to pick him at #1.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Jagr was absolutely the best player in the league for years. He won 5 scoring titles in a 7 season span in the dead puck era, nobody today has come close to that. Crosby has won 2 scoring titles in his 15 year career (injuries, etc.). Ovechkin has won 1 scoring title in his 15 year career.

I should say I'm more talking about year to year. I think Lindros/Forsberg/Sakic/Bure/Lemieux had as good or better seasons in that span of Jagr dominance but if you want to take that almost 10 year span and judge it as a whole, you won't get an argument that Jagr was the best player.

I don't want to down play Jagr at all, he's one of my all time favourites.

 

[SAK11]

I agree with you that if Lafreniere is the BPA then you take him. Period. However I am inclined to point out, that although you bring up good points, the basis is somewhat weak and does not actually support your claim.

The biggest reason being? There are 8 wingers for every 4 centres on every team. So league wide, with 31 teams, do the math and that gives you a total of 248 wingers compared to only 124 centres. That is a 2:1 ratio so when you bring up facts like 19 out of the top 50 players were centres and that 11 of the top 20 scorers were wingers...well it is a bit misleading considering how many wingers there are compared to centres yet most of the time, the leaders in points are centres (obviously you cannot simply use last season as the definitive representation of this, you have to look at multiple years).

Just as an aside, take a look at the top 10 all time point leaders in the NHL, 8 out of 10 are centres: Gretzky, Messier, Francis, Dionne, Yzerman, Lemieux, Sakic and Esposito. Only exceptions being Jagr and Howe. Of the top 20 all time? 14 out of 20 were centers; two were defenseman (Bourque and Coffey) so that leaves a grand total of only 4 wingers out of the top 20 all time.

I can appreciate the research you’ve done done. My thought has been made clear , though. Elite wingers impact the game as much as anyone. There are plenty of examples around the league whether looking at Hart winners, TSN’s Top 50, scoring leaders, impact wingers on Stanley Cup winners/contenders, or just the old fashioned eye test in watching the likes of Ovi, Kane, Kucherov, Marchand, etc dominate every night.

I think Lafreniere is the best player in this draft and has a chance to be an elite level player. The centre vs winger argument doesn’t do much for me here as his game is very much like a true #1 centre in both the impact he has, and the style he plays.

 

[TheDebater]

I can appreciate the research you’ve done done. My thought has been made clear , though. Elite wingers impact the game as much as anyone. There are plenty of examples around the league whether looking at Hart winners, TSN’s Top 50, scoring leaders, impact wingers on Stanley Cup winners/contenders, or just the old fashioned eye test in watching the likes of Ovi, Kane, Kucherov, Marchand, etc dominate every night.

I think Lafreniere is the best player in this draft and has a chance to be an elite level player. The centre vs winger argument doesn’t do much for me here as his game is very much like a true #1 centre in both the impact he has, and the style he plays.

Agreed and I definitely have nothing against taking a winger or even a defenseman 1st overall as long as they are the clear cut without a doubt consensus best player. If Lafreniere come May/June is still regarded as the top prospect then you take him, but if by then the "experts" are in disagreement as to whether Byfield or Lafreniere is number one...then it might make it that much more difficult to choose, especially for us.

 

[Sweatred]

Hoping that Stutzle can fall to the SJ pick. That would nicely complete the EK trade. Byfield + Stutzle would be a great boost to the offence....

 

[HSF]

Hoping that Stutzle can fall to the SJ pick. That would nicely complete the EK trade. Byfield + Stutzle would be a great boost to the offence....

You think he will drop to the late teens ?

 

[BondraTime]

You think he will drop to the late teens ?

He won't be falling outside the top 5, he will be the first Euro taken I would think

 

[MatchesMalone]

Hoping that Stutzle can fall to the SJ pick. That would nicely complete the EK trade. Byfield + Stutzle would be a great boost to the offence....

Lol. You think San Jose really sucks that bad?

 

[Johnny Hanson]

Lol. You think San Jose really sucks that bad?

they are not that good. But in order for us to be picking stutzle, we’ll need them to win the lottery with their pick

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

they are not that good. But in order for us to be picking stutzle, we’ll need them to win the lottery with their pick

Is Stutzle a top 3 pick at this point? I haven't been following his season.

 

[BondraTime]

Is Stutzle a top 3 pick at this point? I haven't been following his season.

Probably, yes.

He's the top European at this point

 

[MatchesMalone]

they are not that good. But in order for us to be picking stutzle, we’ll need them to win the lottery with their pick

Haha I just started thinking about how bad Stützle's name is going to get butchered when he comes over. I bet they're going to make it a french é at the end. And God knows what they do with the ü.

 

[MatchesMalone]

Probably, yes.

He's the top European at this point

Yeah, but Holtz is really close.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Probably, yes.

He's the top European at this point

Wow. Obviously his stock is rising, are Holtz and Raymond falling off? I read Raymond was struggling but do you think either could fall out of the top 10?

 

[BondraTime]

Wow. Obviously his stock is rising, are Holtz and Raymond falling off? I read Raymond was struggling but do you think either could fall out of the top 10?

Don't think any fall out of the top 10, Stutzle is just playing insanely good, dominating as a 17 year old. My friend played with Mannheim last year and Stutzle had practised with them a few times, my friend thought he could have played as a 16 year old and would not have looked out of place and would have produced

 

[toxic poster]

He won't be falling outside the top 5, he will be the first Euro taken I would think

Holtz, potentially Raymond and Lundell will be selected before him. Mannheim is top team in a euro league that's a tier below finland/Sweden and he wont get the same level of wjc exposure with Germany being relegated. I suspect many scouts will have questions about how he plays versus elite competition.

Should still be an easy top10 selection.

 

[Sens72]

Raymond was sent down two days ago to Frolunda's U20 team. It seems Holtz has pulled ahead of him in terms of readiness to play against men. Holtz is playing on Djugardens top line. I think Raymond would benefit from playing in the Allsvenskan. He would likely be 0.80 PPG there and he would be playing against men. He's too good for the U20 league and is struggling in the SHL. Stutzle has been a beast in the DEL. I think he can keep up near PPG and should go around 5-7.

 

[BondraTime]

Holtz, potentially Raymond and Lundell will be selected before him. Mannheim is top team in a euro league that's a tier below finland/Sweden and he wont get the same level of wjc exposure with Germany being relegated. I suspect many scouts will have questions about how he plays versus elite competition.

Should still be an easy top10 selection.

Highly doubt it, heard the same about Seider in Mannheim last year

Stutzle will be playing at the World Championships as well as the World Juniors this year, he will be getting more exposure than Seider had last year, and more international exposure than all of Lundell/Holtz/Raymond.

 

[MatchesMalone]

Holtz, potentially Raymond and Lundell will be selected before him. Mannheim is top team in a euro league that's a tier below finland/Sweden and he wont get the same level of wjc exposure with Germany being relegated. I suspect many scouts will have questions about how he plays versus elite competition.

Should still be an easy top10 selection.

Germany is up this year.

 

[dumbdick]

So....change the game?

At one time, defensemen never carried the puck or were viewed as offensive players. Then Bobby Orr came along.
At one time, goalie stayed on their feet 99.9% of the time. Then Patrick Roy came along.

I'm 95% sure your history is a bit off here.

 

[dumbdick]

Please god let san jose win the lottery this year. Just ran this simulator and we got 3 and 4.

 

[Sweatred]

You think he will drop to the late teens ?

Nope - hoping SJ doesn’t make the playoffs and they somehow end up with a lottery pick that can select STZ.

100% wishful thinking.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Raymond was sent down two days ago to Frolunda's U20 team. It seems Holtz has pulled ahead of him in terms of readiness to play against men. Holtz is playing on Djugardens top line. I think Raymond would benefit from playing in the Allsvenskan. He would likely be 0.80 PPG there and he would be playing against men. He's too good for the U20 league and is struggling in the SHL. Stutzle has been a beast in the DEL. I think he can keep up near PPG and should go around 5-7.

That was kind of predicted due to the relative strength of the rosters. Raymond vs Holtz. I still like Raymond more. Nice deep draft ... Have to really hope for 1OA or 2OA but the top 5 is very strong.
The other thing to hope for is not outsmarting the Hockey world and taking Dylan Peterson at 3OA

disregarding the lottery..

 

[Agent Zub]

That was kind of predicted due to the relative strength of the rosters. Raymond vs Holtz. I still like Raymond more. Nice deep draft ... Have to really hope for 1OA or 2OA but the top 5 is very strong.
The other thing to hope for is not outsmarting the Hockey world and taking Dylan Peterson at 3OA

disregarding the lottery..

theres so much talent in this draft too. i really hope dorion is somehow canned before the draft so we can actually make the picks we need to be making instead of worrying about muh intagibles. im gonna lose it if we draft another bowers or even white over a guy with top line potential.

 

[Six Assets]