Prospect Info: 2020 NHL Draft

[Hockey Duckie]

Waving my hands b/c I'm down with Grans with the late first round pick! But he's garnering a lot of positive buzz. ::: grumble, grumble :::

 

[JabbaJabba]

2020 NHL Mock Draft | 2020 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

Ottawa would be lucky for this.

New Jersey would be happy as well getting Rossi, Sanderson and Quinn.

 

[GermanRocket7]

If we miss, I would prefer going Russian for the first time in a long while (instead of Roni)

Please, no. Guy may be a good player overall, but him deciding to cash in with Russian teams instead of coming to Erie shows his character. A lot. He won't come to, nor stay in, North America in the long run. Comes across as a typical "I want to play in motherland" Russian. Hard pass from my perspective.

 

[ShadowDuck]

Much excited

 

[eternalbedhead]

Much excited

Damn, that's only a month away.

 

[Static]

 

[Goose of Reason]

Anyone have any idea who those 2 defenseman could be?

 

[eternalbedhead]

Who on earth would he be talking about?

 

[sasha barkov]

interesting. I did some digging and I cam across this prospect who's putting up good numbers for a U20 DEL league:

Maximilian Glötzl at eliteprospects.com


No idea who the other D-man may be, perhaps an overager ? Or a hidden gem no one has their eyes on ?

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Something here doesn’t make sense. Bob would never publicly disclose details of who they are scouting.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

interesting. I did some digging and I cam across this prospect who's putting up good numbers for a U20 DEL league:

Maximilian Glötzl at eliteprospects.com


No idea who the other D-man may be, perhaps an overager ? Or a hidden gem no one has their eyes on ?

It's an obvious smoke screen. (tongue-in-cheek) It's always gonna be Helge Grans. Two execs and head Euro scout for the Ducks watched his game in person recently. Swedish defensemen and the Ducks are a real thing. Although, I wished they didn't visit him as it destroys the poker face for the draft, especially acquiring a late first round selection.

 

[cheesymc]

interesting. I did some digging and I cam across this prospect who's putting up good numbers for a U20 DEL league:

Maximilian Glötzl at eliteprospects.com


No idea who the other D-man may be, perhaps an overager ? Or a hidden gem no one has their eyes on ?

Yeah, that would be dumb... if true that’s gonna piss off their scouts. But then Murray is making more and more mistakes. Pretty much telling teams that he’s looking at Dmen who can be a triggerman on the blue line, sending a gang to watch Grans.... what’s next?

I’m curious who the German overeager he’s looking at. We rarely look at German players but they are developing a lot of prospects now.

 

[cheesymc]

It's an obvious smoke screen. (tongue-in-cheek) It's always gonna be Helge Grans. Two execs and head Euro scout for the Ducks watched his game in person recently. Swedish defensemen and the Ducks are a real thing. Although, I wished they didn't visit him as it destroys the poker face for the draft, especially acquiring a late first round selection.

That’s why he’s so annoying. Saying he really needed that 1st rounder and how it’s so valuable probably salivating thinking that’s all he needed to make a “reach” for Grans. If he’s that good, I think it would be funny as hell that a team trades up a pick before us to pull another Kandre Miller. Would love to zoom in on BMs expression at that moment (like in the Office tv show)... Samueli should fire his ass at that moment.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Grans isn't a triggerman, though. He's a solid defenseman with some offensive potential that's a RHD. Now, Jamie Drysdale... he's a triggerman with speed an also a RHD. I would like to have him with our top pick in the first round! I'd be ecstatic to grab both, tbh.

 

[cheesymc]

Yeah, I’m thinking Drysdale is the guy for us if we don’t get Lafreniere. At first I wanted a guy like Byfield thinking he can be mentored by Getz but he’s starting to look risky and more of a projection pick. Then I started liking the idea of having a Barzal type speed demon in Stutzle. But when you see the impact of Dmen like Heiskanen, Makar, and Hughes being so critical in getting their team into the playoffs... Drysdale might biggest need. But we would need to pick in the top 3 to guarantee to get him. I think teams that really need defense like NJ, Kings, and the Wings might even dare to take him #2.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

That’s why he’s so annoying. Saying he really needed that 1st rounder and how it’s so valuable probably salivating thinking that’s all he needed to make a “reach” for Grans. If he’s that good, I think it would be funny as hell that a team trades up a pick before us to pull another Kandre Miller. Would love to zoom in on BMs expression at that moment... Samueli should fire his ass at that moment.

I recall when Lindholm was drafted that every pundit on TV said it was a reach save one (the bald guy with glasses). Grans' stock has been rising. He's around the bottom on mynhlmock and a couple obscure sites project Grans in the teens.

As for players getting drafted that we target, it happens. When Ottawa grabbed Noesen a pick ahead of us, we traded down for two picks, 30th and 39th. They were Rakell and Gibson, respectively. It happened last year too, twice! We were hot on Broberg all summer and then the Oil fell in love with him just before the draft. All we ended up with was Zegras. We tried to trade up for Krebs (iirc that was the guy), but he got drafted before the team we wanted to trade with. We still have Tracey and LaCombe, both have been looking good so far in their respective leagues.

I don't think you give our scouting group much credit, especially when it comes to defensemen.

Why would Samueli fire Murray when for most of his tenure it's been a playoff success? There are many articles out there on Zegras and how he's been a gem. Plus, we added a second 1st round selection as well as grabbed a 4th round selection via Grant and a sixth round selection in 2022 via Holzer. Comtois is catching fire in the AHL. We are getting a RHD going into the AHL next season. We just picked up F Heinen and D Djoos as well as F Milano, a former first round pick. There's a plethora of talent in the first two rounds to be had and it's difficult to be mad b/c we don't know the outcome for years.

You're asking for, "When will then be now?"

All I can say is... "Soon."

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Yeah, I’m thinking Drysdale is the guy for us if we don’t get Lafreniere. At first I wanted a guy like Byfield thinking he can be mentored by Getz but he’s starting to look risky and more of a projection pick. Then I started liking the idea of having a Barzal type speed demon in Stutzle. But when you see the impact of Dmen like Heiskanen, Makar, and Hughes being so critical in getting their team into the playoffs... Drysdale might biggest need. But we would need to pick in the top 3 to guarantee to get him. I think teams that really need defense like NJ, Kings, and the Wings might even dare to take him #2.

I think we can all find reasons to like any of those picks. heh There's also Raymond and Holtz. That's a lot of talent to be had and be happy with.

Drysdale may fall because he's on the shorter side on height for a defenseman. It's easier to get away with height for a forward. But with the addition of Djoos and RHD Axel, our need for a defenseman has changed from high emergency to let's select BPA. Drysdale may still be our BPA, but we aren't pigeon-holed to grab him.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

When you draft as high as we will be, you absolutely have to go BPA.

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

I think we can all find reasons to like any of those picks. heh There's also Raymond and Holtz. That's a lot of talent to be had and be happy with.

Drysdale may fall because he's on the shorter side on height for a defenseman. It's easier to get away with height for a forward. But with the addition of Djoos and RHD Axel, our need for a defenseman has changed from high emergency to let's select BPA. Drysdale may still be our BPA, but we aren't pigeon-holed to grab him.

Except djoos was an ahler who couldn’t crack Washington’s line up and axel was Boston’s 11th rated prospect who’s putting up weak numbers in junior

 

[bsu]

Except djoos was an ahler who couldn’t crack Washington’s line up and axel was Boston’s 11th rated prospect who’s putting up weak numbers in junior

Djoos played through caps Stanley cup run....

 

[Opak]

Anyone have any idea who those 2 defenseman could be?

I think that's some sort of weird smoke screen, probably to give the fans something to get excited about until the draft lotto, after which presumably people would just forget about the thing entirely. "Two defensemen from Germany in the draft" can be interpreted in 2 ways -- two draft-aged Dmen from the German leagues, or two draft-aged German Dmen from any league on planet Earth.

The whole thing is set up like a wild goose chase IMO.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Except djoos was an ahler who couldn’t crack Washington’s line up and axel was Boston’s 11th rated prospect who’s putting up weak numbers in junior

Perspectives. I agree with what you said, which is why both were made expendable. But those perspectives on both players were in Washington. In Anaheim, we have several fans complaining about the lack of depth on defense. Are you saying both don't have any affect in our system at all? Washington's trash is Anaheim's treasure b/c we are lacking talent developing after our top-4 (Lindholm, Manson, Fowler, and Guds).

Here's the ranking order of present talent
--- NHL ---

• Djoos
• MDZ
• Irwin

--- AHL ---

• Larsson
• Guhle
• Hakanpaa (RHD) [27 years old, to be 28 years old at the end of March]
• Mahura
• Benoit
• Axel (RHD) [20 years old, going to AHL next season, 2nd round pick in 2018]

--- Juniors/NCAA ---

• LaCombe (freshman)
• Thrun (freshman)

Djoos pushes everyone down a notch at the NHL level. We don't have to rush both Larsson and Guhle. I remember when Shea Theodore couldn't crack our NHL lineup because we possessed so many established players ahead of Theodore. Look at Theodore now. (I know, it's the greatest of examples, but it's an example of a talented player being held at bay because of other talents ahead of him.)

With Axel, we have a RHD in the AHL next season. Our exciting defense talents are in the NCAA as freshmen this year (age 18). From a physical standpoint, Axel is further along than LaCombe and Thrun. Axel can help us sooner, which is a boon because that is depth we can count on if a bevy of injuries hit our defense once again. Axel has been on our scouts' radar for five years or more, according to GM Murray. While he may or may not pan out, that talent is going to be at the pro level (AHL/NHL) probably after his junior season ends this year.

Another terrible example: a lowly rated prospect that rose to prominence was RHD Manson. No one thought much of Manson and then boom! He's a mainstay at the NHL level. (I actually see Thrun as a mini-Manson. ha!) Before this last little bit, none of us took a liking to Larsson and Guhle. I even cried when trying to find another defenseman than Guhle to bring up when injuries piled up! Nope. It was Guhle only.

Outside of Hakanpaa, we don't have a RHD prospect! Now, we do. Having RHD Axel in our system and here next year at the AHL level is a boon! Axel is now our #1 RHD prospect. I do expect the Ducks to draft at least one RHD in this year's draft. Yet, that pick will be years away from helping us at the NHL level. Since we're stacked at our top-4, possibly top-5 if we retain Djoos, then Axel can slowly be brought along to become a bottom pairing RHD. We don't need a top-4 guy today. We need a developing NHL player in the near future that can shoot right-handed. If Axel can rise above a bottom pairing and into a 2nd pairing role, then great!

There could be a possibility we extend Guds a few more years and retain Djoos on a multi-year contract. Then we could be set with our top-5 for another four years. If this is the long term plan, then the Ducks aren't beholden to draft a RHD early. They can now take BPA at both first round picks and high second round pick. One of those might still be a RHD, but we aren't pigeon-holed into drafting one now. We could use a scoring dynamo with the top first round pick this draft. (Comtois struggled scoring goals most of the season at the AHL and Tracey hit a wall with his new team.) We have a sure thing in passing phenom in Zegras, but we are still lacking that top end finisher at the moment. We aren't forced to take RHD Drysdale ahead of other prospects now if a forward prospect we like more falls (like D Broberg was selected before us and we ended up with Zegras). And if we do take Drysdale, then we know he was rated higher than any scoring forward. It's a win-win (at least at the time of the draft b/c we don't know how the future will pan out).

There's so much good that our organization benefits from Djoos playing well and Axel in our system today. Djoos alone helps us tremendously! I hope he can continue to play well in a Ducks uni.

 

[dracom]

I think that's some sort of weird smoke screen, probably to give the fans something to get excited about until the draft lotto, after which presumably people would just forget about the thing entirely. "Two defensemen from Germany in the draft" can be interpreted in 2 ways -- two draft-aged Dmen from the German leagues, or two draft-aged German Dmen from any league on planet Earth.

The whole thing is set up like a wild goose chase IMO.

Honestly, you’re most likely overthinking it. There’s most likely two German defenseman he and the scouts like, that’s it.

 

[Opak]

Honestly, you’re most likely overthinking it. There’s most likely two German defenseman he and the scouts like, that’s it.

That can also be the case. The thing is, if this is indeed legit and there are some draftees he likes, why does he give that info away? What value is to be gained from doing that?

 

[Opak]

Another kid who's recently rocketing up the rankings: Seth Jarvis. Future Considerations has him currently at 16, although there's still time for him to sneak into the top-10.