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

[rt]

I wish there was money in hockey coverage in AZ, because I'd love to go back to sports reporting rather than stay at the job I'm at currently.

Pretty sure Morgan also works as faculty at ASU to make it work.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Jankowski should be allowed to participate, which maybe changes the math on the 2020 v 2021 debate a bit.

Yeah, the only concern that I would have on that is if we get a 2020 pick and the decision on Jankowski's part is not the one Armstrong would have made. Again, I do not know how much these two can narrow a list down, as I thought Armstrong would be excluded from all activity. The worst thing we could do is wind up with a player that Armstrong was lower on, because then most trades would already start off on the wrong foot. The other team would get the player they want from us, and we get the pick we like, but if the player chosen doesn't mesh with BA's thoughts, it puts us in a worse position from the start.

I think trades may hold on to 2021 picks, while also getting some prospects who are coming into their own in the NHL. Go for the more ready players now and save picks for tlnext year's draft when the value proposition comes around.

 

[Jakey53]

Yeah, the only concern that I would have on that is if we get a 2020 pick and the decision on Jankowski's part is not the one Armstrong would have made. Again, I do not know how much these two can narrow a list down, as I thought Armstrong would be excluded from all activity. The worst thing we could do is wind up with a player that Armstrong was lower on, because then most trades would already start off on the wrong foot. The other team would get the player they want from us, and we get the pick we like, but if the player chosen doesn't mesh with BA's thoughts, it puts us in a worse position from the start.

I think trades may hold on to 2021 picks, while also getting some prospects who are coming into their own in the NHL. Go for the more ready players now and save picks for tlnext year's draft when the value proposition comes around.

It's the draft with no picks. Even if we get one or two in a trade they won't be very high and at that point it's like playing darts with your eyes closed. I have no worries at all.

 

[rt]

Yeah, the only concern that I would have on that is if we get a 2020 pick and the decision on Jankowski's part is not the one Armstrong would have made. Again, I do not know how much these two can narrow a list down, as I thought Armstrong would be excluded from all activity. The worst thing we could do is wind up with a player that Armstrong was lower on, because then most trades would already start off on the wrong foot. The other team would get the player they want from us, and we get the pick we like, but if the player chosen doesn't mesh with BA's thoughts, it puts us in a worse position from the start.

I think trades may hold on to 2021 picks, while also getting some prospects who are coming into their own in the NHL. Go for the more ready players now and save picks for tlnext year's draft when the value proposition comes around.

Armstrong isn’t narrowing any list down. He’s not going to say a single word to anyone about any 2020 eligible player. But he just hired Jankowski because he trusts him. A lot more than he trusted the guy he just fired. Obviously he feels better about giving 2020 picks to Jankowski than he would have acquiring picks and just going off the list of the guys he just shit canned.

 

[Mosby]

Big fan of Marco Rossi. He's a little more of a finished product than I'd like (has he already reached his ceiling?) but he checks all of the box. Some will say he small, but I'd say thick and powerful. Depending on who takes him I wouldn't be surprised to see him play in NHL next season. Wish we were in a position to draft him. He easily goes top 10 and maybe as high as 4.



He posts a ton of videos like this. He could give Chychrun a run for his money.

 

[RemoAZ]

Here's something to consider about the draft. Say Armstrong has someone in the 1st round he really wants like the player above. Well if he trades for a draft pick and then takes him, that could piss off the NHL because of the agreement with St. Louis. If he has a trade set up with a pick this year, why not just pull it off at the draft after the player is selected? Team selects X player and at the end of the 1st round or whenever, we trade for that player. Satisfies the rules right?

 

[lanky]

Here's something to consider about the draft. Say Armstrong has someone in the 1st round he really wants like the player above. Well if he trades for a draft pick and then takes him, that could piss off the NHL because of the agreement with St. Louis. If he has a trade set up with a pick this year, why not just pull it off at the draft after the player is selected? Team selects X player and at the end of the 1st round or whenever, we trade for that player. Satisfies the rules right?

It does but I doubt the other team would do that to their fans.

 

[rt]

Here's something to consider about the draft. Say Armstrong has someone in the 1st round he really wants like the player above. Well if he trades for a draft pick and then takes him, that could piss off the NHL because of the agreement with St. Louis. If he has a trade set up with a pick this year, why not just pull it off at the draft after the player is selected? Team selects X player and at the end of the 1st round or whenever, we trade for that player. Satisfies the rules right?

Armstrong respects the Blues and was hired for his integrity, among other things.

Armstrong trusts Jankowski and hired him because he respects his ability to draft players, among other things.

Armstrong is wiling to trust Jankowski with a first round selection. He wouldn’t have hired him otherwise.

Armstrong will in no way do a single thing to subvert his agreement with the Blues. Not a single thing. Nothing. It’s not going to happen. He hasn’t even considered for a second and he won’t at any point. Period. There is zero gamesmanship here. It’s 100% above board without question. He’s neither very stupid nor very unethical. So I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[RemoAZ]

It does but I doubt the other team would do that to their fans.

Not sure if it happens in hockey but I've seen it happen at the NFL draft before where guys were getting interviewed and someone comes over and takes their hat and gives them the one for the new team right there in the interview.

I like the idea of knowing who you got rather than hoping someone is there you like when you pick. This way you can back out of the deal if the player you want isn't there.

 

[rt]

Not sure if it happens in hockey but I've seen it happen at the NFL draft before where guys were getting interviewed and someone comes over and takes their hat and gives them the one for the new team right there in the interview.

I like the idea of knowing who you got rather than hoping someone is there you like when you pick. This way you can back out of the deal if the player you want isn't there.

Doesn’t happen in hockey. Maybe once like 20 years ago. Same thing for sign and trades. Never happened in modern times.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Armstrong isn’t narrowing any list down. He’s not going to say a single word to anyone about any 2020 eligible player. But he just hired Jankowski because he trusts him. A lot more than he trusted the guy he just fired. Obviously he feels better about giving 2020 picks to Jankowski than he would have acquiring picks and just going off the list of the guys he just shit canned.

I understand that. But, these would be two different people and two different people can create two different lists.

It could be the Strome-Marner-Hanifin type of situation, where we take the player who also wound up with the longest path in getting to the NHL.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Not sure if it happens in hockey but I've seen it happen at the NFL draft before where guys were getting interviewed and someone comes over and takes their hat and gives them the one for the new team right there in the interview.

I like the idea of knowing who you got rather than hoping someone is there you like when you pick. This way you can back out of the deal if the player you want isn't there.

Thats actually an NBA thing. Far more draft day trades of picks. It is actually a tradition for the players to exchange hats in front of everyone.

 

[BUX7PHX]

It's the draft with no picks. Even if we get one or two in a trade they won't be very high and at that point it's like playing darts with your eyes closed. I have no worries at all.

That's my exact concern. If we pick up a pick in the late 1st round (25th or later), a lot of players fall into a similar grouping. This could be the Strome/Marner/Hanifin question all over again. The difference? Those guys were all predominantly in the top 5, specifically from 3 to 5. At the late 20s, 10-12 players could all be in that same list. 4 with a career trajectory like Hanifin, 4 with a career trajectory like Marner, and 4 with the trajectory of Strome.

Why get a pick only so someone else can decide it, and you have no say? That does not make sense to me at all, regardless of how much you know about and trust the other scout. Or we could be like the Rangers and give a scout the pick as a send-off, and they wind up picking Lias Andersson. They put that pick in the trust of their scout. Look what that did.

 

[_Del_]

We should just trade all of our picks between now and eternity because I'd never trust a pick to a scout

 

[rt]

That's my exact concern. If we pick up a pick in the late 1st round (25th or later), a lot of players fall into a similar grouping. This could be the Strome/Marner/Hanifin question all over again. The difference? Those guys were all predominantly in the top 5, specifically from 3 to 5. At the late 20s, 10-12 players could all be in that same list. 4 with a career trajectory like Hanifin, 4 with a career trajectory like Marner, and 4 with the trajectory of Strome.

Why get a pick only so someone else can decide it, and you have no say? That does not make sense to me at all, regardless of how much you know about and trust the other scout. Or we could be like the Rangers and give a scout the pick as a send-off, and they wind up picking Lias Andersson. They put that pick in the trust of their scout. Look what that did.

#1 - He hired Jankowski because he trusts him and respects his draft opinions. He said as much. He told Morgan he's confident with him running the draft and would be happy to get him extra picks. Jankoswki has been a director of scouting before in the NHL and an AGM. Just like BA and much like Plandowski.

#2 - GMBA is done being an AGM. He's done being a director of amateur scouting. He's got a lot on his plate and he's not going to be able to spend the requisite time scouting amateur player moving forward. That's his old job. He's the head-honcho now and he's delegated. Of course he'll inform selection decisions, but General Managers have ALWAYS traditionally leaned on the Jankowski's and Plandowski's and (formerly) Armstrong's of the world to make the final calls on picks. The last draft hat Armstrong is truly going to run for a long time was the last one.

Handing the keys to Jankowski now is not all that different from what he's going to do next year anyway.

 

[rt]

We should just trade all of our picks between now and eternity because I'd never trust a pick to a scout

Exactly. It's as if he didn't have time to fire Hofford and Co and had to trust them. That's not the case. He has their list but he's also got Sullivan and Jankowski and others now. BA has said himself he's happy to get 2020 picks and give them to Jankowski. I don't understand why people are having such a hard time believing it. He seems to mean what he says, has conviction when he says it, and in this case, it just makes a whole lot of logical sense anyway.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Exactly. It's as if he didn't have time to fire Hofford and Co and had to trust them. That's not the case. He has their list but he's also got Sullivan and Jankowski and others now. BA has said himself he's happy to get 2020 picks and give them to Jankowski. I don't understand why people are having such a hard time believing it. He seems to mean what he says, has conviction when he says it, and in this case, it just makes a whole lot of logical sense anyway.

I get it - it is the equivalent of sending your spouse to look at a house that you are interested in purchasing, and you were unable to make it tot he showing. After the visit, spouse starts getting things together for an offer. You either trust your spouse to do the right thing, or you want to be involved in helping with that process... Sounds like BA is fine with it then. All that I am suggesting is that if this is your first opportunity to make a good impression, maybe using it at a time when you can be involved is better than when you are not involved.

 

[rt]

I get it - it is the equivalent of sending your spouse to look at a house that you are interested in purchasing, and you were unable to make it tot he showing. After the visit, spouse starts getting things together for an offer. You either trust your spouse to do the right thing, or you want to be involved in helping with that process... Sounds like BA is fine with it then. All that I am suggesting is that if this is your first opportunity to make a good impression, maybe using it at a time when you can be involved is better than when you are not involved.

At the moment, the stakes are extraordinarily low. Pick 111 isn't make or break.

 

[BUX7PHX]

At the moment, the stakes are extraordinarily low. Pick 111 isn't make or break.

I was more referring to if we were to acquire a 1st rounder this year - a little higher stakes.

 

[lanky]

I was more referring to if we were to acquire a 1st rounder this year - a little higher stakes.

I'm sure he trusts Jankowski but I still think he targets 2021 picks primarily.

 

[hbk]

f*** it. I hope we take Lapierre with the pick we get for Keumper.

 

[BUX7PHX]

I'm sure he trusts Jankowski but I still think he targets 2021 picks primarily.

That is my thought exactly. While there is trust there, I think that if you are ultimately in charge of the recipe, it may not be in the best interest to have someone else cook it the first time the opportunity arises to prepare it.

 

[rt]

f*** it. I hope we take Lapierre with the pick we get for Keumper.

Don’t mind swinging for the fences. We have to get lucky some time.

 

[RemoAZ]

Thats actually an NBA thing. Far more draft day trades of picks. It is actually a tradition for the players to exchange hats in front of everyone.

Happens in the NFL too. Maybe the most famous one was when Eli Manning got drafted by the Chargers after telling them not to take him. In fact he got criticized for just holding up the jersey and not putting the hat on at the podium. Then of course the Giants eventually made the deal with the Chargers and swapped Phillip Rivers for him.

 

[Mosby]

f*** it. I hope we take Lapierre with the pick we get for Keumper.

He’s so tantalizing. He’ll win the Q scoring race this year if healthy. 1C upside for sure but an extensive concussion and a spinal injury is terrifying.