Prospect Info: 2020 NHL Entry Draft (Round #1 - 10/6/20 @ 7pm ET)

[BUX7PHX]

Don't be surprised if we go defense at 41 or trade back and take a defenseman. Probably a RH.

We have traded POJ and Bahl, but must be comfortable enough on the left side with Bergkvist making strides in Kitchener and I think Callahan may be a potential bottom pairing lefty to use on the PK. Still have Capobianco as well, but it wouldn't hurt to look there or better, the right side.

We have the best prospect on the right side in Soderstrom, but then our next best is Crotty and/or Dineen, correct?

The more I go through the draft, I think there is far more forward depth than defense and moves will be made, especially in the 3rd and 4th rounds to move up for defensemen. We only have a 4th round pick and would need more capital to take advantage of that broad range of players between about 50 and 110 where I think most teams are going to move in and around for.

Just my hot take on the draft structure.

 

[Jakey53]

Don't be surprised if we go defense at 41 or trade back and take a defenseman. Probably a RH.

We have traded POJ and Bahl, but must be comfortable enough on the left side with Bergkvist making strides in Kitchener and I think Callahan may be a potential bottom pairing lefty to use on the PK. Still have Capobianco as well, but it wouldn't hurt to look there or better, the right side.

We have the best prospect on the right side in Soderstrom, but then our next best is Crotty and/or Dineen, correct?

The more I go through the draft, I think there is far more forward depth than defense and moves will be made, especially in the 3rd and 4th rounds to move up for defensemen. We only have a 4th round pick and would need more capital to take advantage of that broad range of players between about 50 and 110 where I think most teams are going to move in and around for.

Just my hot take on the draft structure.

This draft really doesn't matter. If the social distancing is not lifted by fall EVERY sports franchise will go BK. They can't operate under these stupid conditions.

 

[hbk]

This draft really doesn't matter. If the social distancing is not lifted by fall EVERY sports franchise will go BK. They can't operate under these stupid conditions.

Plans arent to start next season until Dec or Jan at the earliest.

 

[Jakey53]

Plans arent to start next season until Dec or Jan at the earliest.

That's hockey, what about the rest of the sports? These teams can not last that long without fans.

 

[rt]

This draft really doesn't matter. If the social distancing is not lifted by fall EVERY sports franchise will go BK. They can't operate under these stupid conditions.

But this is the draft thread. If you feel the draft is irrelevant, why visit and post in this thread?

Additionally, this is "Hockey's Future" boards. It's a prospect website, first and foremost. It's a place for NHL draft enthusiasts as much as anything else. Just sayin'...

 

[Mosby]

Button sees Rossi as a 1C. Wow. I like Rossi a lot but a top-line centre? Maybe more of the fringe-type, Duchene variety.

 

[Heldig]

It is hard to get excited about the draft with Arizona having so few picks. 5 in total. no 1st no 3rd. By comparison Ottawa has 9 picks in the first 3 rounds including 3 1st rounders (including 2 top 5).

 

[Mosby]

I get what you saying but we are a different stage in the lifecycle than the Senators. I do think we should be moving out spare parts for mid-round picks though.

 

[rt]

Button sees Rossi as a 1C. Wow. I like Rossi a lot but a top-line centre? Maybe more of the fringe-type, Duchene variety.

If Rossi has only Duchene offensive ability, but adds to that all of the skills that make him a superior pure center, and potentially an elite defensive center, that’s a hell of a player.

 

[Heldig]

Check out this draft ranking list from TheHockeyProspects

If the draft goes anything like this I can see the potential to make trades into the 1st round. A team drafting around low teens may be interested in a player to help NOW and the Coyotes can land a top C prospect. Mercer at 18. Zary at 20.

 

[Mosby]

Both would be home runs but I see Mercer at wing long term

 

[rt]

Check out this draft ranking list from TheHockeyProspects

If the draft goes anything like this I can see the potential to make trades into the 1st round. A team drafting around low teens may be interested in a player to help NOW and the Coyotes can land a top C prospect. Mercer at 18. Zary at 20.

I like lists like that. I bet NHL lists look a lot more like that than the fan lists that are 90% just “consensus” averages of all the other public lists that mostly just mimic eachother.

I could absolutely see a guy like Jarvis top seven on a real NHL list. I could absolutely see Ridly Greig ahead of Connor Zary on a real NHL list. I could totally see a team that values skating and offensive creativity putting Lundell 25th or lower. But you’d never see any of that on 9/10 public lists. I bet the private ones are all over the map.

 

[rt]

I haven’t watched nearly enough junior hockey this season to make a real list, but my paper scout, gut feeling list looks something like this:

1. Lafreniere
2. Byfield
3. Rossi
4. Stutzle
5. Jarvis
6. Raymond
7. Drysdale
8. Quinn
9. Holtz
10. Perfetti

 

[RemoAZ]

I don't follow these prospects at all. Say the world is about to end and we win the lottery. Does Chayka go with the center over the LW because of need or is Lafreniere so good he takes the winger? Also, is Lafreniere or any of the top guys considered generational? In the prospect write ups and reading, I'm not seeing generational.

 

[hbk]

I don't follow these prospects at all. Say the world is about to end and we win the lottery. Does Chayka go with the center over the LW because of need or is Lafreniere so good he takes the winger? Also, is Lafreniere or any of the top guys considered generational? In the prospect write ups and reading, I'm not seeing generational.

Nobody is generational in this draft. That being said Lafrenniere is going first. He’s clearly in a tier by himself currently and without games being played to prove otherwise it’s not changing.

if we win any lottery pick we would get a very good player. Ideally we would prefer a C but judging by Lafrienniere’s chemistry with Hayton at the World Juniors we would be foolish not to pick him if we have the first pick.

 

[RemoAZ]

Nobody is generational in this draft. That being said Lafrenniere is going first. He’s clearly in a tier by himself currently and without games being played to prove otherwise it’s not changing.

if we win any lottery pick we would get a very good player. Ideally we would prefer a C but judging by Lafrienniere’s chemistry with Hayton at the World Juniors we would be foolish not to pick him if we have the first pick.

So no chance Chayka takes like the 8th rated prospect #1?

 

[hbk]

So no chance Chayka takes like the 8th rated prospect #1?

Not at 1. Possibly at 2. I like Rossi as well. He’s likely in my top 4

 

[rt]

I don't follow these prospects at all. Say the world is about to end and we win the lottery. Does Chayka go with the center over the LW because of need or is Lafreniere so good he takes the winger? Also, is Lafreniere or any of the top guys considered generational? In the prospect write ups and reading, I'm not seeing generational.

It would be insane to take anyone other than Lafreniere first overall.

 

[rt]

I had a dream that Thomas Bordeleau magically fell to 41 and Chayka took him. I’d be quite pleased with such an outcome.

Could definitely see Bordeleau being one of those guys that Chayka has rated in the teens because he’s possession monster, a shot production factory, and a center that loves controlled zone entries.

I could also see him being a guy that drops because he’s a 5’9 center that’s already filled out physically and is going the longer college route to Michigan. Could see him suffer from the “projection game” and due to impatience.

He’s like a poor man’s Marco Rossi.

 

[BUX7PHX]

I had a dream that Thomas Bordeleau magically fell to 41 and Chayka took him. I’d be quite pleased with such an outcome.

Could definitely see Bordeleau being one of those guys that Chayka has rated in the teens because he’s possession monster, a shot production factory, and a center that loves controlled zone entries.

I could also see him being a guy that drops because he’s a 5’9 center that’s already filled out physically and is going the longer college route to Michigan. Could see him suffer from the “projection game” and due to impatience.

He’s like a poor man’s Marco Rossi.

Whenever using that draft simulation tool that you provided, if you put the randomness up around 70% (which I think is distinctly possible), there are some surprise fallers to 41. I have seen Bordeleau there a few times. Once, I have seen Jacob Perreault. Mavrik Bourque is also a name that shows up at 41 every so often. Foerster as well.

I really doubt these specific players make it to #41, but these are the types of names that if they are on the board, I can't see us trading back unless none of these players is on our list where they are at and we outright surprise everyone with names later on.

 

[rt]

The final Bob McKenzie NHL scouting poll comes out at 8am AZ time.

For anyone who doesn’t know, he polls scouts and GMs from 10 actual NHL teams, then he averages out the results and creates a consensus ranking. It’s by far and away the best predictor of how the actual draft will unfold.

 

[rt]

Anyone know how to stream in the states?

 

[rt]

Bob McKenzie's Final Ranking: Lafreniere the surest thing in most uncertain draft year - TSN.ca

 

[lanky]

Chromiak at 75 seems low. Great production on a weak Kingston team. He's an August bday.

 

[rt]

Chromiak at 75 seems low. Great production on a weak Kingston team. He's an August bday.

Chromiak, Stranges, and Wisdom all in the mid-70s, all in a row, is pretty surprising. I'd be happy enough to walk way from the draft with those as my only three picks, lol.

As it stands, based on Bob's list, I'm really hoping for one of Wiesblatt (not likely because Chayka HATES the WHL) or Thomas Bordeleau. Really, really hoping we can nab Bordeleau. It would feel (at least to me) like we had a 1st round pick, if we get a kid of that caliber with our 2nd. He seems like a late 1st round pick to me, not a early to mid 2nd.

It's amazing that by far and away the best forward on the USNTP squad is ranked 4th among USNTP forwards. I really think it's because he's short (and won't get any taller, based on how many of the men in his family played pro hockey, all at 5'10), and already filled out physically, with a powerful build. I think scouts really like projecting what will happen to prospects when they change drastically from a physical standpoint. A 6'2 string-bean like Ty Smilanic who had only 7g and 22p gets ranked ahead of Bordeleau BECAUSE he's a 6'2 string-bean. Then there's bean-pole Dylan Peterson who's 6'4 and ranked ahead of Bordeleau despite putting up 8g and 25p. Bordeleau had literally twice as many goals and twice as many assists in the same number of games. Bordeleau is five days older.

Goals and points aren't everything. But by all accounts Bordeleau plays an extremely well-rounded, 200ft game, and plays on the top PK unit. He's also a center who does all the center things well, and projects to actually play center at the next level. I heard his coach interviewed about him and it was very telling, concerning how automatic Bordeleau is when it comes to his pro-style approach, and consistency from game to game and shift to shit.

Scouts might think his game is too simple. Not enough upside. But I see a kid who hounds the puck, creates turnovers, carries the puck with speed, gains the zone with control, and either takes the puck directly to the net, or throws the puck to the front of the net where a teammate should be to have a good scoring opportunity. I love simple, direct players.

It could be that being a Coyotes fan has poisoned my brain. But I just see that usually pucks and people to the net equals goals. I watch Connor Garland play how he plays and Clayton Keller play how he plays. I like Garland better.

When Nick Schmaltz is actually playing well, and actually putting up points, its because he's taking the puck to the net, or throwing the puck toward the net. When Schmaltz is bad, and unproductive, it's because he skates in big loops, makes fancy plays, and accomplishes nothing.

When I watch the highlights and read the scouting reports on Bordeleau, that's what I take away. That he plays like Nick Schmaltz, when Nick Schmaltz is playing well.