NHL 2021 Draft Thread

[BlackFrancis]

If you want a banger who might turn into something more, don't waste #20. Just pick Kalle Vaisanen later on and hope for the best. At least he's legit huge.

 

[Smitty93]

THN has him rated at 36, not sure the Tom Wilson comp is good as Boucher is only 6'1 and 200 lbs.
From what I have read, he loves to compete and is a great fore checker / has an aggresive edge to his game.
Too bad we traded our second pick, maybe DS can get one by draft day?
It would be too much of a reach to grab him at 20....aka ZS, there are better players available.

I included Tom Wilson as a situation comp, not necessarily a player comp. Wilson hadn't shown much offense until the 2012 OHL playoffs, and you could partially blame that on opportunity. I remember at the time that he was looked at more as a 3rd liner and there was a question about if he'd provide enough offense to be anything more. I look at Boucher similarly, where you've got a small sample size of offensive production this year, and if you're taking him with a top 20 pick, then you must think that he has more offensive potential.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

A full year of this and he’s a first-round selection without question. Boucher isn’t the bottom-six type you think he is. Even then, someone is going to take him there I think. The fact that Bobby Mac has him No. 29 in such a small sample is telling in itself. Had he not been injured I’d be pounding the table for him.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

I included Tom Wilson as a situation comp, not necessarily a player comp. Wilson hadn't shown much offense until the 2012 OHL playoffs, and you could partially blame that on opportunity. I remember at the time that he was looked at more as a 3rd liner and there was a question about if he'd provide enough offense to be anything more. I look at Boucher similarly, where you've got a small sample size of offensive production this year, and if you're taking him with a top 20 pick, then you must think that he has more offensive potential.

That's similar logic to what they used when they drafted Senyshyn. With Seny it was "look what he did as a bottom 6 guy on a deep team, surely he'll do more with more ice time". I'm generally not a fan of drafting in the first round with that mentality. Drafting is already such a crapshoot. Why make it even more of a gamble by taking a guy based on how you project or hope he'll grow his offensive game with more opportunity when you can often take a guy who is already producing prior to being drafted?

Sometimes this can pay off, but in general I don't like taking those kinds of risks with first round picks unless the potential reward is massive.

 

[BlackFrancis]

A full year of this and he’s a first-round selection without question. Boucher isn’t the bottom-six type you think he is. Even then, someone is going to take him there I think. The fact that Bobby Mac has him No. 29 in such a small sample is telling in itself. Had he not been injured I’d be pounding the table for him.

Looks bottom six to me. The shot he scored the goal with in that Youngstown game was a cookie. And every time there was a big defensive zone play or a backcheck, it was one of his linemates.

Also got away with a blatant elbow to the face.

Simply not a fan. Beecher is bigger, faster, meaner and has more upside.

 

[Son of Donegal]

Nary a mention of the victim...nor an apology. Kid is toast.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Nary a mention of the victim...nor an apology. Kid is toast.

What happened?

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

My big fear is Boston, knowing this draft has so much uncertainty, ends up drafting a massive reach in the first round. Like someone you’re totally scratching your head about.

Like a Lorhei type “who?????” But on a greater magnitude. Ranked in the 4th/5th round type.

So: since I don’t have confidence they pick someone ranked higher than 20 that falls, or ranked around 20, please don’t go crazy off the board.

 

[TSBruins13]

What happened?

has a criminal conviction in in sweden for potential sexual assault.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

has a criminal conviction in in sweden for potential sexual assault.

Yikes.

 

[Son of Donegal]

My big fear is Boston, knowing this draft has so much uncertainty, ends up drafting a massive reach in the first round. Like someone you’re totally scratching your head about.

Like a Lorhei type “who?????” But on a greater magnitude. Ranked in the 4th/5th round type.

So: since I don’t have confidence they pick someone ranked higher than 20 that falls, or ranked around 20, please don’t go crazy off the board.

First of all, Lohrei is looking a lot better as a prospect now than when he was taken. I don't see too many players taken after him that would trade him for without some hesitation. He has a long road ahead, but he appears to have all the tools you'd want to see in a top 4 2-way D with PP upside.

Second of all, I think this is the year we will see several teams, especially after the 15th or so pick, start going off "the board" or at least well out of the conventional top 32. Keep in mind, there are hundreds of players in the CHL that never had the opportunity to play more than a few games last season.

Craig Button has Xavier Bourgault at 21...right where the Bruins pick. He is probably a sure fire 3rd line center in the NHL. Would you rather the Bruins go after him....or a guy like Logan Stankoven, who is ranked as low as 46th, but could be Brad Marchand as a center?

I think the Bruins need to pick best player available, but, as we have seen, their lists are different than most. Likewise, there has been a ton of movement on these "lists". I doubt there is much difference in value between pick 21 and pick 41. There will be plenty of good players taken in the mid to late rounds based off of a lack of in-person viewings.

At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if a "really good player" falls to the Bruins...and later busts!

So...I would advise a bit of patience this year. If folks saw the Lohrei highlight reel from this past season ahead of the draft, folks would have been a lot less angry on draft day.

 

[Jim]

has a criminal conviction in in sweden for potential sexual assault.

Man, you over-blew that. Sexual assault? He showed his teammates sex pictures. He was charged and fined….you know, kind like you get when you blow a red light? Take it easy.

 

[Gee Wally]

comparing it to running a red light is pure horseshit.


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10007984-nhl-prospect-logan-mailloux-charged-with-distributing-photo-from-sexual-encounter
Multiple NHL teams have placed draft prospect Logan Mailloux on their "do not draft" lists after he was charged in Sweden for allegedly "taking and distributing an offensive photo without consent during a consensual sexual encounter," according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.
Mailloux was a member of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights, but he was playing on loan for SK Lejon of Sweden's third division when OHL operations were shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Per Seravalli, an investigative report from Sweden’s North Region Police Authority alleges that the photo was taken on Nov. 7, 2020, during a consensual sexual encounter between Mailloux (then 17) and an 18-year-old woman.
Mailloux allegedly photographed the woman while the pair were engaging in oral sex and later distributed the picture to his teammates in a group chat on Snap Chat. Police say he also provided a screenshot that showed her online profile, including her photo, first name and age.
He was eventually charged with defamation and offensive photography and ordered to pay 14,300 Swedish krona (roughly $1,650) through a criminal injunction that kept the matter out of court.

 

[DKH]

A full year of this and he’s a first-round selection without question. Boucher isn’t the bottom-six type you think he is. Even then, someone is going to take him there I think. The fact that Bobby Mac has him No. 29 in such a small sample is telling in itself. Had he not been injured I’d be pounding the table for him.

Boucher makes sense

he may not even be there

 

[DKH]

Draft riser for good reason.

I asked Woodlief specifically about him and he said if he wasn’t hurt he’s likely first round - and they even mocked him at 25. He’s 36 in Hockey News and 29 Bobby Mac

Donny ‘no guts no glory’

 

[PB37]

Ok, I'm on the Boucher train

 

[Son of Donegal]

I wonder if Detroit would take JDB, #21 and maybe another small piece for #23 and #37.

Detroit's prospect pool is gigantic and, once again, they are loaded with a full deck of picks. With Bertuzzi possibly heading out of town, I could see JDB behind Vrana on the left side.

Bruins slide back just a tad and pick up a 2nd rounder.

 

[BlackFrancis]

I wonder if Detroit would take JDB, #21 and maybe another small piece for #23 and #37.

Detroit's prospect pool is gigantic and, once again, they are loaded with a full deck of picks. With Bertuzzi possibly heading out of town, I could see JDB behind Vrana on the left side.

Bruins slide back just a tad and pick up a 2nd rounder.

Yzerman's a trading hard ass like Gorton. I'm not sure we really want Sweeney negotiating with him.

I'd like them to have a 2nd this year, though.

 

[Gee Wally]

Please continue here:

NHL - 2021 Draft Thread II