2020 NHL Draft Thread: only 365 more days until next years hockey tryouts

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Is his SHL contract up after this season?
It’s pretty sad to see teams treat a guy like that because he’s leaving.

I’m not sure if it’s up or not. Yeah, Frolunda is a really deep team this year, but it’s so unnecessary to bring him up to play him one shift. If they cared about developing him, they’d loan him to another SHL team or Allsvenskan. I’d like to see what type of numbers he’d put up in the league on a team like Brynas, who is very weak.

On a side note, I think I recall people saying Holtz is on pace to break the U18 SHL goal-scoring record, which would be a cool thing.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Doing some random google searches for mock drafts out of boredom, one of the sites had us at 12 oa picking Askarov, not a fan of goalies in the first but if he is as good as people say and this really is the start of the rebuild (fingers crossed) maybe he has a point in solidifying the position.

"Oh the Wild. While I generally have some issue taking goalies in the first round, I think for a team that needs to move on from pieces and embrace the rebuild, start by taking a goalie. In a similar spot last year, they took Boldy and followed it up with a strong draft. Yaroslav is widely considered the best goalie prospect to come along since Carey Price and even beating out highly touted Spencer Knight. Here they get a goalie who’s dominated everywhere he has gone. While WJC was not his finest hour, he showed flashes of the poised goalie that took down the star powered NTDP team last year in the U-18 tourney. If this is the beginning of the rebuild, not having to worry about your goalie is a good way to start."

 

[AKL]

Doing some random google searches for mock drafts out of boredom, one of the sites had us at 12 oa picking Askarov, not a fan of goalies in the first but if he is as good as people say and this really is the start of the rebuild (fingers crossed) maybe he has a point in solidifying the position.

"Oh the Wild. While I generally have some issue taking goalies in the first round, I think for a team that needs to move on from pieces and embrace the rebuild, start by taking a goalie. In a similar spot last year, they took Boldy and followed it up with a strong draft. Yaroslav is widely considered the best goalie prospect to come along since Carey Price and even beating out highly touted Spencer Knight. Here they get a goalie who’s dominated everywhere he has gone. While WJC was not his finest hour, he showed flashes of the poised goalie that took down the star powered NTDP team last year in the U-18 tourney. If this is the beginning of the rebuild, not having to worry about your goalie is a good way to start."

Askarov would be an acceptable pick at 12 this year. He’s clearly better than most of the guys you’ll have to choose between at 12, whereas last year, that was not the case with Knight.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Doing some random google searches for mock drafts out of boredom, one of the sites had us at 12 oa picking Askarov, not a fan of goalies in the first but if he is as good as people say and this really is the start of the rebuild (fingers crossed) maybe he has a point in solidifying the position.

"Oh the Wild. While I generally have some issue taking goalies in the first round, I think for a team that needs to move on from pieces and embrace the rebuild, start by taking a goalie. In a similar spot last year, they took Boldy and followed it up with a strong draft. Yaroslav is widely considered the best goalie prospect to come along since Carey Price and even beating out highly touted Spencer Knight. Here they get a goalie who’s dominated everywhere he has gone. While WJC was not his finest hour, he showed flashes of the poised goalie that took down the star powered NTDP team last year in the U-18 tourney. If this is the beginning of the rebuild, not having to worry about your goalie is a good way to start."

I kept simulating Tankathon, and 4/5 times we’d end up picking Askarov at 8 or 9 and I was losing my mind. If we’re picking in the teens, I could get over it, but I don’t think he’s a guy you pick top 10

 

[nickschultzfan]

You only draft goalie in first round if you are going full rebuild. The season right before you bottom out and start getting top-5 picks.

With our blueline, we are not there.

I think it is as straight forward as trading 2-3 vets for (1) an up-and-coming goalie who is blocked in his organization and (2) an extra 1st in this draft.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Askarov would be an acceptable pick at 12 this year. He’s clearly better than most of the guys you’ll have to choose between at 12, whereas last year, that was not the case with Knight.

I kept simulating Tankathon, and 4/5 times we’d end up picking Askarov at 8 or 9 and I was losing my mind. If we’re picking in the teens, I could get over it, but I don’t think he’s a guy you pick top 10

in a separate mock they had us take him at 7oa. I know he is projected to be a stud and all but damn that is high.

 

[Nsjohnson]

There are possibly six or seven guys in the top 20 who can play center, and possibly another five or so who are wingers with a chance to play center, and then another six or so who are just wingers. Well, it depends on whose ranking you're looking at.

I feel confident we will draft a good player who is a forward, less confident we will draft a pure center. I think we must go the trade route if we want to try to get a talented center who can play in the next 2 years. Or, you know, just move up a lot in the draft lotto.

 

[Nsjohnson]

On a second thought, I just imagined us staying relatively where we are in the standings...and winning the #1 pick OA in the lotto and my heart started pounding.

I better never do that again.

 

[Kase]

If the Wild can’t pick a center with their first round pick, Marat Khusnutdinov could be an interesting option as a second round pick if he is still available at that point.
He is ranked at 51 in Craig's List, 28th from international skaters (no players from NA) by Central Scouting and 17th by thedraftanalyst. I personally think he is a first round talent, but seems like he is usually viewed as a second rounder.

Khusnutdinov is one of the better skating centers in the draft, fantastic two way player and has some nifty puck skills. From what I’ve seen so far, he uses his skating more for generating chances for himself but can also make some eyes on your back type of passes from time to time. I’d like to see him use his linemates more, because I think he has the playmaking skills to create even more offence, but he seems to defer to just skate around everyone and try to create chances for himself. His shot might be one of the weaker parts of his skillset.

His measurements vary from 5’9 to 5’11 and 165 to 175 depending on where you look, so he is from the smaller side. He has scored 26 points in 33 games in MHL this season, which is a good production considering his usage, as his average icetime is only 14:30 per game.

Could develop into a two-way top 6 center if he can develop that playmaking side of his game, because I’m not sure about his goal scoring potential in NHL. If anyone is interested in checking him out, all MHL games can be found in YT. It seems he scored 2+2 today, so that might be decent game to watch.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Craig’s List: https://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-tim-stutzle-marco-rossi-climb-nhl-draft-rankings-1.1427810
Initial thoughts:
-If Stutzle is actually in contention for the 2nd pick, then he may be an extremely legit prospect with star-level upside (which I thought was a stretch before)
-and if Stutzle is a star level prospect, winning the lottery this year would be incredible for any team

 

[57special]

I still can't get a read on any of the players in this draft, and how good they are compared to recent drafts, besides Lafreniere. To me, it seems like this draft has less top 15 talent than last year's, though i think Laf is going to be better than either Hughes or KK. I can see the excitement about Byfield and what he might be, but i have yet to see a game where he has wowed me.

 

[AKL]

I still can't get a read on any of the players in this draft, and how good they are compared to recent drafts, besides Lafreniere. To me, it seems like this draft has less top 15 talent than last year's, though i think Laf is going to be better than either Hughes or KK. I can see the excitement about Byfield and what he might be, but i have yet to see a game where he has wowed me.

This is not the case

 

[Nsjohnson]

I still can't get a read on any of the players in this draft, and how good they are compared to recent drafts, besides Lafreniere. To me, it seems like this draft has less top 15 talent than last year's, though i think Laf is going to be better than either Hughes or KK. I can see the excitement about Byfield and what he might be, but i have yet to see a game where he has wowed me.

Look, I'm not a scout. I am just an avid hockey fan, but from what I've read, this is a decently deep draft. Not on 'elite' talent, but in terms of 'high' talent in the top 40.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

The top 10 is as good as any draft. I think there are some good players that could go lager in the 1st and 2nd, but it’s definitely not as deep as a draft like, say 2018, was.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Impressive puck protection:

 

[57special]

I liked what i saw from Guhle, Schneider, and Perfetti. I can see how Byfield gets people excited, but i have never seen him play really well. He does some nice things, but doesn't command the puck like Lafreniere, or even Perfetti and Rossi.

Maybe it's a case of a big body taking more time. I sure wouldn't pencil him into the NHL in the first year after the draft. Surest way to ruin him.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I liked what i saw from Guhle, Schneider, and Perfetti. I can see how Byfield gets people excited, but i have never seen him play really well. He does some nice things, but doesn't command the puck like Lafreniere, or even Perfetti and Rossi.

Maybe it's a case of a big body taking more time. I sure wouldn't pencil him into the NHL in the first year after the draft. Surest way to ruin him.

Want

 

[AKL]

I know we really want superstar forwards, and I'm totally on board.

But the idea of getting a right shot defenseman of the Makar/Hughes ilk makes me salivate.

 

[AKL]

I'm also really hoping Foerster doesn't move up too far. Would love to get him with our 2nd.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I know we really want superstar forwards, and I'm totally on board.

But the idea of getting a right shot defenseman of the Makar/Hughes ilk makes me salivate.

I could get behind Drysdale, I just find defensemen more difficult to project. Assuming dumba is gone and that Spurgeon won’t play at this level for the duration of his contract, there’s a need for top-pairing D in the future.

 

[AKL]

It just hit me that Ottawa could feasibly get Lafreniere and Byfield. Or one of those and Drysdale. Or [insert any combination of two of the top 5-10 prospects in this draft]. That's terrifying.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

It just hit me that Ottawa could feasibly get Lafreniere and Byfield. Or one of those and Drysdale. Or [insert any combination of two of the top 5-10 prospects in this draft]. That's terrifying.

I think it’d be cool to see them get both Swedes. Though, I will say that kicking off potentially the biggest draft of your rebuild with back to back wingers is a bold call. But, if they turn out to be Marner and Forsberg, good for them.

 

[chchelseII]

We need a new Sokolov to replace our current Sokolov.

 

[57special]

@Digitalbooya you must watch more Hollaway than any of us. What do you think of him, as a pick around the 10 spot?

 

[Digitalbooya]

@Digitalbooya you must watch more Hollaway than any of us. What do you think of him, as a pick around the 10 spot?

I would put him in the same class as Boldy. Will probably go in the 7-15 range in the draft. He's really skilled with the puck, is physical, and has excellent skating. Sometimes he tries to do too much and that leads to turnovers. He's the best player on his line as an 18 year old freshman. Personally, I think he will be better than Caufield just because of his skating and size/physicality. Sadly, he needs to drop the skill level a bit so he can start reaching the stat sheet like Caufield does.