Prospect Info: 2020 NHL Draft Thread: Part Deux

[Frk It]

Perfetti and Zadina are so similar to me... It would give me pause to have both.

I don’t remember Zadina playing center in his draft year and folks saying he might have the best hockey IQ in his draft class.

 

[Frk It]

That's where I'm at as well. I think I'd rather have Rossi, honestly. I don't think I'd take either of them over Raymond or Stutzle

What is Rossi better at...? Serious question.

 

[Christien]

What is Rossi better at...? Serious question.

A little better skater, and a lot better defensively. I think he projects a lot better as a center just because of his strong 2 way game.

 

[Frk It]

A little better skater, and a lot better defensively. I think he projects a lot better as a center just because of his strong 2 way game.

Defensively for sure, good point.

Personally I have Raymond, Stutzle, Drysdale, Perfetti in a tier together. I have a hard time picking a favorite from that group because I think they’re very even.

All of them have a require some work compared to Lafreniere/Byfield, but have lots of upside.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I don’t remember Zadina playing center in his draft year and folks saying he might have the best hockey IQ in his draft class.

If people believe he has a better hockey IQ than Lafreniere outside of you I haven't seen it... Just like Andrei Svechnikov (who again I think is a better player than Lafreniere) kept that from happening in Zadina's draft year. But that was Zadina's selling point was that he was a lethal scorer and playmaker that was just so smart, so smart that he would be ready for the league the next year... Now we know that isn't what played out.

What I am saying is that in my opinion Perfetti is a somewhat stiff athlete with questionable skating that has an incredible release and hockey IQ as his selling point. What that reminds me of is Zadina, it is why both players fell out of my top 5 in their draft years, though they entered in the top 5 for me.

I guess that could be a question on Raymond, but I think he has better hands than Perfetti. To be clear I expect Perfetti to be a good player in this league and if we pick him we will know just about all you could with our connections to Saginaw. I just think we go in a different direction and I think if we are debating whether or not Stutzle can play center my concerns about Perfetti playing there are doubled.

 

[Frk It]

If people believe he has a better hockey IQ than Lafreniere outside of you I haven't seen it... Just like the Andrei Svechnikov (who again I think is a better player than Lafreniere) kept that from happening in Zadina's draft year. But that was Zadina's selling point was that he was a lethal scorer and playmaker that was just so smart, so smart that he would be ready for the league the next year... Now we know that isn't what played out.

What I am saying is that in my opinion Perfetti is a somewhat stiff athlete with questionable skating that has an incredible release and hockey IQ as his selling point. What that reminds me of is Zadina, it is why both players fell out of my top 5 in their draft years, though they entered in the top 5 for me.

I guess that could be a question on Raymond, but I think he has better hands than Perfetti. To be clear I expect Perfetti to be a good player in this league and if we pick him we will know just about all you could with our connections to Saginaw. I just think we go in a different direction and I think if we are debating whether or not Stutzle can play center my concerns about Perfetti playing there are doubled.

What do you think Perfetti is if he improves his skating? I think all the kids after Lafreniere/Byfield have a flaw they need to work on to unlock their potential.

And I don’t personally think his hockey IQ is better than Lafreniere, it’s just something I’ve heard from Mark at Hockeyprospect.com and others. It’s one of the biggest reasons they have him ranked top 5. Looking for that now so I can share.

 

[Christien]

Defensively for sure, good point.

Personally I have Raymond, Stutzle, Drysdale, Perfetti in a tier together. I have a hard time picking a favorite from that group because I think they’re very even.

All of them have a require some work compared to Lafreniere/Byfield, but have lots of upside.

Yeah I agree. That's a solid tier, I'd probably add Holtz to that list, personally, but that's a solid group of players there with lots of potential.

How do you guys think the top of this draft stacks up against the 2019 draft?

 

[Frk It]

@The Zetterberg Era this was the response I got when asking why Perfetti was ahead of Raymond:

First, I'll preface by saying in general, it's very tight up there. In short, I think Perfetti could be the smartest player in the draft so that is one reason. He is producing and until Suzuki arrived he's had as about 20 scouts have said to me (and I agree) "nobody to play with". I think he's a better goal scorer and is better at making players around him better

 

[newfy]

Defensively for sure, good point.

Personally I have Raymond, Stutzle, Drysdale, Perfetti in a tier together. I have a hard time picking a favorite from that group because I think they’re very even.

All of them have a require some work compared to Lafreniere/Byfield, but have lots of upside.

I might put Stutzle ahead of that group but I dont disagree with you. Probably throw Rossi in there as well. Of that group though I could see Perfetti being the best of the group. Drysdale is hard to compare on D, but yeah that second group is really hard. Perfetti definitely has a bit of an it factor when Ive watched him though compared to a lot of the other guys

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Perfetti makes me nervous. I already think Zadina's skating is iffy at times. I'm not sure I want to spend another crazy high pick on a guy who needs to improve his skating a lot. Especially not if Stutzle is still on the board, who's a wonderful skater, and just as skilled.

Or Raymond, for that matter. And now people are starting to say Alexander Holtz has gained a step or two. Hmm.

I worry people are starting to take the "the Wings are a great skating team!" thing for granted. They won't be such a mobile team anymore if they keep drafting forwards with eh skating. Svechnikov, Rasmussen, Zadina, Perfetti...

 

[lilidk]

Perfetti makes me nervous. I already think Zadina's skating is iffy at times. I'm not sure I want to spend another crazy high pick on a guy who needs to improve his skating a lot. Especially not if Stutzle is still on the board, who's a wonderful skater, and just as skilled.

Or Raymond, for that matter. And now people are starting to say Alexander Holtz has gained a step or two. Hmm.

I worry people are starting to take the "the Wings are a great skating team!" thing for granted. They won't be such a mobile team anymore if they keep drafting forwards with eh skating. Svechnikov, Rasmussen, Zadina, Perfetti...

Datsyuk wasn't great skater . Skills and hockey sense is more important. Anyway after watching Shift by shift by Perfetti He doesn't looks like bad skater

 

[lilidk]

And please don't tell me that Mantha was great skater when we drafted him

 

[DInTheB]

 

[Frk It]

Perfetti makes me nervous. I already think Zadina's skating is iffy at times. I'm not sure I want to spend another crazy high pick on a guy who needs to improve his skating a lot. Especially not if Stutzle is still on the board, who's a wonderful skater, and just as skilled.

Or Raymond, for that matter. And now people are starting to say Alexander Holtz has gained a step or two. Hmm.

I worry people are starting to take the "the Wings are a great skating team!" thing for granted. They won't be such a mobile team anymore if they keep drafting forwards with eh skating. Svechnikov, Rasmussen, Zadina, Perfetti...

I’m mostly worried about getting good hockey players.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I've been watching some Marco Rossi, and I'm just stumped. Sometimes I watch and the skating is there, and wonder what the fuss is about. He could gain a half step and be fine in the NHL. And then other times I see him, and he just looks... sluggish. Maybe that's usage, and he's playing too many minutes? Not sure.

But, man, what a player aside from his skating. When he's on, he looks 27 out there. And he's on almost all the time. Always in position, making creative passes his (very good) linemates sometimes have no idea what to do with, great defensive and faceoff ability for his age, rarely loses a battle. He's a +60. Yeah, you read that right. His own linemates are a fair bit back, too; +49 and +47.

Now that I read that back, maybe he is 27.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I’m mostly worried about getting good hockey players.

Oh, now I understand. I had it all wrong.

 

[Gniwder]

Pfft, only one goal. WHat a loser.

 

[Frk It]

Oh, now I understand. I had it all wrong.

Do people think Zadina’s skating has been an issue at the NHL level so far? Because I see all the time in GDT comments like “oh... Zadinas quicker than I thought”.

We are talking about projecting these kids out 3-5 years from now. Stutzle has to improve his shot. Perfetti needs to add a step to his skating. Drysdale and Raymond need to get stronger. After Lafreniere/Byfield you are dealing with kids with some question marks.

I don’t like the idea of excluding a kid who dominated in his -1 season, then dominated the Hlinka, and is now dominating the OHL in his draft year because of a flaw... when all these kids after the top 2 have flaws.

 

[lilidk]

Do people think Zadina’s skating has been an issue at the NHL level so far? Because I see all the time in GDT comments like “oh... Zadinas quicker than I thought”.

We are talking about projecting these kids out 3-5 years from now. Stutzle has to improve his shot. Perfetti needs to add a step to his skating. Drysdale and Raymond need to get stronger. After Lafreniere/Byfield you are dealing with kids with some question marks.

I don’t like the idea of excluding a kid who dominated in his -1 season, then dominated the Hlinka, and is now dominating the OHL in his draft year because of a flaw... when all these kids after the top 2 have flaws.

Zadina needs to get stronger , that's all, everything else is fine

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Do people think Zadina’s skating has been an issue at the NHL level so far? Because I see all the time in GDT comments like “oh... Zadinas quicker than I thought”.

He's certainly been better about it at the NHL level. He looked really lost at the AHL level at times because he couldn't skate around anybody. I still see that as a matchup type issue going forward for him. But that's certainly not an issue if his linemates can make up for that. When his linemates become average speed too is when I get worried.

We are talking about projecting these kids out 3-5 years from now. Stutzle has to improve his shot. Perfetti needs to add a step to his skating. Drysdale and Raymond need to get stronger. After Lafreniere/Byfield you are dealing with kids with some question marks.

You're not wrong, but I don't think these problems are equally worrying. Skating is by far the most serious one, IMO.

 

[Frk It]

He's certainly been better about it at the NHL level. He looked really lost at the AHL level at times because he couldn't skate around anybody. I still see that as a matchup type issue going forward for him. But that's certainly not an issue if his linemates can make up for that. When his linemates become average speed too is when I get worried.

You're not wrong, but I don't think these problems are equally worrying. Skating is by far the most serious one, IMO.

I feel like Yzerman might have a different view on that than we do. Look what he did with Brayden Point. He might not feel it as daunting a task as we do.

Then I look at a guy like Nick Suzuki, he was drafted #13 despite having fantastic hockey IQ and skills. But he was on the smaller side and not really an exceptional skater for a smaller guy. While he has produced every step of the way with his exceptional hockey IQ, and probably should have went top 5 in that draft.

Larkin and Veleno probably be centering 2 of our top 3 lines for the foreseeable future, not like we have no guys who can skate.

 

[lilidk]

Vasili Ponomaryov at eliteprospects.com
Potential second round still. Very good defensively, speedy, good shot . Could be another Bertuzzi

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I feel like Yzerman might have a different view on that than we do. Look what he did with Brayden Point. He might not feel it as daunting a task as we do.

Then I look at a guy like Nick Suzuki, he was drafted #13 despite having fantastic hockey IQ and skills. But he was on the smaller side and not really an exceptional skater for a smaller guy. While he has produced every step of the way with his exceptional hockey IQ, and probably should have went top 5 in that draft.

Larkin and Veleno probably be centering 2 of our top 3 lines for the foreseeable future, not like we have no guys who can skate.

Perfetti at 4?

Would you be a fan of that?

 

[newfy]

Perfetti at 4?

Would you be a fan of that?

I wouldnt hate it but I would be weary as well. It would definitely be a wait and see type of pick for me anyways. If he puts it together he could be as good as anyone in this draft just about and be an absolute offensive juggernaught.

 

[datsyukfan]

Datsyuk wasn't great skater . Skills and hockey sense is more important. Anyway after watching Shift by shift by Perfetti He doesn't looks like bad skater

Datsyuk wasn’t fast but he was a very good skater in terms of his edge work.