Speculation: 2020 NHL Entry Draft (June 26th-27th, 2020)

[Adam da bomb]

The draft is likely to have Laf and Byfield go 1 and 2. After that it gets interesting, Drysdale will likely go high I'm guessing in the 3-6 range. I expect Stutzle, Rossi and Raymond to go pretty high as well. So probably something like..

1. Laf
2. Byfield
3. Rossi
4. Drysdale
5. Stutzle
6. Raymond

If we land in that 5-10 range my main targets would be Anton Lundell or Connor Cary.

Lundell is a 6'1, 185lb, center from Liiga. His game is really built around how defensively responsible he is but he has some offensive upside in him for sure. Seems like an ideal 2C but has some 1C upside. And you already know how I feel about Zary. Hendrix Lappiere is another but I'd rather draft him in that 10-15 range. Really solid skater with very high vision and passing skills. Drafting another winger is something we should avoid IMO. We need some guys who actually project as centers. Someone like Raymond or Holtz are always nice to add to the system but with Connor, Laine, Ehlers, Roslovic, Vesalainen and many more it really isn't a need at this point.

What about top d isn't that more a priority than centres?

 

[lanky]

Anyone want to enlighten me on the significance of Lundell's scoring pace in FEL this season? Does it put him in good company? I wonder if he's drifting down most draft lists (now he's consistently rated below 10) because of the injury and missed exposure.

 

[Atoyot]

Anyone want to enlighten me on the significance of Lundell's scoring pace in FEL this season? Does it put him in good company? I wonder if he's drifting down most draft lists (now he's consistently rated below 10) because of the injury and missed exposure.

At a glance it puts him in really good company. I'll do a deeper dig and edit this post.

Recent comparables would be a touch below Laine, touch above Armia for a draft-1 season. Remember that Armia was a big deal at the time.

Well above Kotkaniemi, Puljujarvi, Aho, Teravainen for draft-1.

If we could get him I'd be ecstatic. Loved him at the Juniors last year. Great net front player.

Didn't know Connor Zary was having the season he's having either. What's your report on him @Daximus? I haven't seen him play.

 

[surixon]

The draft is likely to have Laf and Byfield go 1 and 2. After that it gets interesting, Drysdale will likely go high I'm guessing in the 3-6 range. I expect Stutzle, Rossi and Raymond to go pretty high as well. So probably something like..

1. Laf
2. Byfield
3. Rossi
4. Drysdale
5. Stutzle
6. Raymond

If we land in that 5-10 range my main targets would be Anton Lundell or Connor Cary.

Lundell is a 6'1, 185lb, center from Liiga. His game is really built around how defensively responsible he is but he has some offensive upside in him for sure. Seems like an ideal 2C but has some 1C upside. And you already know how I feel about Zary. Hendrix Lappiere is another but I'd rather draft him in that 10-15 range. Really solid skater with very high vision and passing skills. Drafting another winger is something we should avoid IMO. We need some guys who actually project as centers. Someone like Raymond or Holtz are always nice to add to the system but with Connor, Laine, Ehlers, Roslovic, Vesalainen and many more it really isn't a need at this point.

I really liked what I saw out of him at the Hilinka. He would really fit well with our plethora of scoring wingers. Its unfortunate that he has missed a lot of time due to injury this year.

Only worry about Zary is that he is an older birthday in his third year in juniors and really didn't show signs of dominating earlier. Still looks like a solid player but I think some others would have more upside.

 

[Atoyot]

I really liked what I saw out of him at the Hilinka. He would really fit well with our plethora of scoring wingers. Its unfortunate that he has missed a lot of time due to injury this year.

Only worry about Zary is that he is an older birthday in his third year in juniors and really didn't show signs of dominating earlier. Still looks like a solid player but I think some others would have more upside.

My biggest fear about Hendrix Lapierre is that I don't know how much of me liking him is based on me wanting him to succeed because of his name.

Don't even get me started on Mavrik Bourque.

 

[surixon]

My biggest fear about Hendrix Lapierre is that I don't know how much of me liking him is based on me wanting him to succeed because of his name.

Don't even get me started on Mavrik Bourque.

Do you know what has kept him out most of the year?

 

[puck stoppa]

Good posts around here. I really like Perfetti, he’s the player I’d love to have after the top 2. I love players with high hockey IQ and he can pass and shoot the puck with the best of them. I know people knock him for his skating but he kind of reminds me of Mark Stone that way, not the prettiest skater but in tight near the net he’s a playmaker with finish.

 

[Atoyot]

Do you know what has kept him out most of the year?

"Upper-body" is all I've been able to find.

 

[surixon]

Good posts around here. I really like Perfetti, he’s the player I’d love to have after the top 2. I love players with high hockey IQ and he can pass and shoot the puck with the best of them. I know people knock him for his skating but he kind of reminds me of Mark Stone that way, not the prettiest skater but in tight near the net he’s a playmaker with finish.

Big fan of his game as well. I haven't noticed that big of an issue with his skating. He's no burner but he moves around quite well.

 

[lanky]

If we can draft one of Lundell, Zary or Holloway, I'll be very happy.

If we can win a playoff round or two instead I'll be even happier.

 

[Daximus]

What about top d isn't that more a priority than centres?

The defencemen are pretty weak in this draft IMO. There's Drsydale and then a massive step down to a plethora of guys that you could pretty much roll the dice on to see who becomes the best. No one really steps out to me so if we draft in that 5-10 range and Drysdale is on the board I'd have zero issues with picking him up. See him as more of a 2-3 kind of guy but he does have limited #1 upside. Other than that I likely wouldn't touch another dman until the middle to late 1st where guys like Schneider, Wallinder and Guhle would be my targets. There's just to many good forwards at the top of the 1st round to not take, regardless of need.

 

[Daximus]

At a glance it puts him in really good company. I'll do a deeper dig and edit this post.

Recent comparables would be a touch below Laine, touch above Armia for a draft-1 season. Remember that Armia was a big deal at the time.

Well above Kotkaniemi, Puljujarvi, Aho, Teravainen for draft-1.

If we could get him I'd be ecstatic. Loved him at the Juniors last year. Great net front player.

Didn't know Connor Zary was having the season he's having either. What's your report on him @Daximus? I haven't seen him play.

Love his game. He's one of those Brandon Tanev types where he is just always moving, always in the play, puck hungry types of players. But he has a lot more skill to go along with it. Solid two-way player, PKs a lot, very sneaky with his reads and finds open ice well. High end vision, always looking to set guys up and has slick hands and decent finishing ability to go along with it. I see his ceiling as a top 6 center. Likely more of a 2C in his prime on a good team. Type of guy that can play that down low spot on the PP, PK lots and will be a responsible playmaker type.

 

[Daximus]

I really liked what I saw out of him at the Hilinka. He would really fit well with our plethora of scoring wingers. Its unfortunate that he has missed a lot of time due to injury this year.

Only worry about Zary is that he is an older birthday in his third year in juniors and really didn't show signs of dominating earlier. Still looks like a solid player but I think some others would have more upside.

Yeah Lappiere as looked really solid in most of the games I've seen him in, amazing playmaker, great hands, vision and passing skills. But he's had some major issues this year. His 3rd concussion in just 8 months. He may be trending into the do not draft category for a lot of teams with the uncertainty of him even coming back to play.

Zary is slightly on the older side for sure but he had a great showing at last years Hlinka and this years Top Prospects game. His production is only slightly below Kirby Dach's, who played on a much much muuuuuch better team last year.

 

[Daximus]

"Upper-body" is all I've been able to find.

3rd concussion in 8 months. Out indefinitely at this point. Some speculation he may never return but I feel like he will. Will likely drop heavily in a draft where he was trending to be a lock for a top 15 pick.

 

[Daximus]

If we can draft one of Lundell, Zary or Holloway, I'll be very happy.

If we can win a playoff round or two instead I'll be even happier.

I don't know if one or two rounds is really worth it outside of padding the Jets pocket book with that sweet sweet playoff money. Unless we make a finals a high pick is easily the better option in terms of team building.

 

[Daximus]

Good posts around here. I really like Perfetti, he’s the player I’d love to have after the top 2. I love players with high hockey IQ and he can pass and shoot the puck with the best of them. I know people knock him for his skating but he kind of reminds me of Mark Stone that way, not the prettiest skater but in tight near the net he’s a playmaker with finish.

My main issues with him are skating, which when you really start to look at it, it's weak. But can be improved. He is a lot more likely to be a winger at the NHL level IMO. Just doesn't possess the skating and two-way game to be a centerman in the NHL, though I have been proven wrong and right about that so who knows. And he could be yet another goalscoring winger on a team that is loaded with them. Obviously if we draft in a range where he is a faller and best guy on the board by far then I wouldn't hate the pick.

 

[Adam da bomb]

I don't know if one or two rounds is really worth it outside of padding the Jets pocket book with that sweet sweet playoff money. Unless we make a finals a high pick is easily the better option in terms of team building.

But it’s fun winning and only 2 teams make the finals so from a fan perspective I’d say it’s better to win 2rounds in the playoffs.

 

[Huffer]

I'd like to know more about Holloway if anyone has seen him play?

 

[Daximus]

But it’s fun winning and only 2 teams make the finals so from a fan perspective I’d say it’s better to win 2rounds in the playoffs.

But then if you only win 2 rounds you are losing the 3rd round and have absolutely nothing to show for it. It was fun the one time, because we had never done it. Now if we dont make a finals I'd rather have a high pick. Winning is fun until you lose and losing sucks so let's build a team that wins a lot more than they lose.

 

[Daximus]

I'd like to know more about Holloway if anyone has seen him play?

I can do a write up when I wake up. Just heading to bed now. Gotta love the night shift.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The defencemen are pretty weak in this draft IMO. There's Drsydale and then a massive step down to a plethora of guys that you could pretty much roll the dice on to see who becomes the best. No one really steps out to me so if we draft in that 5-10 range and Drysdale is on the board I'd have zero issues with picking him up. See him as more of a 2-3 kind of guy but he does have limited #1 upside. Other than that I likely wouldn't touch another dman until the middle to late 1st where guys like Schneider, Wallinder and Guhle would be my targets. There's just to many good forwards at the top of the 1st round to not take, regardless of need.

Whats your assessment of Schneider Dax? Would you take a winger over him?

 

[Joe Hallenback]

If we select in that 7 to 10 range it will be interesting what we decide to do. One of the more interesting things is which teams really will want Askarov. There is a chance he goes earlier in the draft but I think the top 5 or so picks are pretty locked into Laferniere,Byfield,Stutzle,Raymond and Drysdale. You have some guys like Rossi,Perfetti,Holtz and Lundell that should go after.

Lets say those top 5 guys are gone and you are at 7. There has to be some teams that want Askarov badly enough to move up to get him. I think this is the ideal spot to add some assets and move back and pick up some extra draft picks. Maybe you slid back to a mid round pick and draft one of those centers like Zary,Lapierre,Bourque,Perreault or Pytlik. Maybe you target a D like Schnieder,Guhle, or Poirier.

 

[Rheged]

Is Askarov more highly regarded than Knight was?

If you're outside the obvious top of the class trading back should always be a goal I think, lots of small big time scorers in this draft.

 

[Adam da bomb]

If we select in that 7 to 10 range it will be interesting what we decide to do. One of the more interesting things is which teams really will want Askarov. There is a chance he goes earlier in the draft but I think the top 5 or so picks are pretty locked into Laferniere,Byfield,Stutzle,Raymond and Drysdale. You have some guys like Rossi,Perfetti,Holtz and Lundell that should go after.

Lets say those top 5 guys are gone and you are at 7. There has to be some teams that want Askarov badly enough to move up to get him. I think this is the ideal spot to add some assets and move back and pick up some extra draft picks. Maybe you slid back to a mid round pick and draft one of those centers like Zary,Lapierre,Bourque,Perreault or Pytlik. Maybe you target a D like Schnieder,Guhle, or Poirier.

One perrault is enough.

 

[JetsFan815]

NHL should change the lottery rules so that the team with the worst xG% has the best lottery odds. We'd be shoe in for a top pick then.