Draft 2021 NHL Draft and Undrafted Free Agent Thread

[Leetch3]

Wow, Anton Lundell is really making people that wanted to trade up for him cry...

FTFY

 

[Joey Bones]

how does Luke Hughes compare to his brothers specifically Quinn since they are both d men? Luke is 6'2 so he's bigger than his brothers and sounds like he's projected to go pretty high....

I need to watch more of him TBH, but I'd say he's got a very accurate shot. Think speed needs a little work on like power sp, but he's definitely quick-footed if you know what I mean. Definitely not a bad skater.

 

[Leetch3]

I need to watch more of him TBH, but I'd say he's got a very accurate shot. Think speed needs a little work on like power sp, but he's definitely quick-footed if you know what I mean. Definitely not a bad skater.

is he even close to his brothers who are both elite?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Wow, Anton Lundell proving all the haters wrong...

If Lucas Raymond has a game like that, hockey prospect Twitter wouldn't shut up about it but since it's Lundell, a lot of those people are awfully quiet

 

[Edge]

Wow, Anton Lundell proving all the haters wrong...

Well, it all points to why the Rangers had him in their top 6.

 

[Joey Bones]

is he even close to his brothers who are both elite?

ATM, I don't think so offensively. But he could be a solid two-way!

 

[brians1128]

ATM, I don't think so offensively. But he could be a solid two-way!

He’s still rather raw, and only 6 days away from being in the 2022 draft. He has the height, I believe he’s up to 6’2” now, but he does need to add muscle, he’s a great skater with excellent edges but lacks explosiveness in his stride, which can be added in the weight room. Needs to be more consistent, you are spot on in the two-way game. Luke has the potential to be a guy that has great all around skating ability, size to handle bigger forwards, responsible in his own zone, while also being great at the transition game.

 

[brians1128]

And just to add to the Hughes talk, I would think the Rangers would be very happy to draft another defenseman with their pick, which is something that I think a lot on here don't want to hear. If you could end up with one of Hughes, Power, Lambos, and Edvinsson, you are setting the team and back end up long term while having excess defenseman and prospects to land that so desired center. I do believe its how they fall in line but I would think the forwards that would throw a wrench into this mindset would only be Johnson, Raty, Beniers. Thats seven players I would think the Rangers will be high on. You can add Brandt Clark in there as a defenseman who should go early. Wallstedt as the best goalie prospect since Price. Goal scorers Guenther and Lucius (Who's listed as a C but think he ends up in the Vanek mold). Exciting undersized wingers in Lysell, Tuomaala, Poltapov, and Samoskevich. Both Eklund and Olausson have had great starts in the SHL, who are less likely to go top 10 but if they keep it up its not out of the realm of possibilities. Hell there is even names talked already in this thread in Sillinger L'Heureux etc as interesting targets. It will be interesting how the seasons of all leagues unfold this year and where the Rangers end up drafting. Thats 19 players and Im sure im missing more as i either forgot about them or haven't come across them yet.

 

[True Blue]

And just to add to the Hughes talk, I would think the Rangers would be very happy to draft another defenseman with their pick, which is something that I think a lot on here don't want to hear. If you could end up with one of Hughes, Power, Lambos, and Edvinsson, you are setting the team and back end up long term while having excess defenseman and prospects to land that so desired center. I do believe its how they fall in line but I would think the forwards that would throw a wrench into this mindset would only be Johnson, Raty, Beniers. Thats seven players I would think the Rangers will be high on. You can add Brandt Clark in there as a defenseman who should go early. Wallstedt as the best goalie prospect since Price. Goal scorers Guenther and Lucius (Who's listed as a C but think he ends up in the Vanek mold). Exciting undersized wingers in Lysell, Tuomaala, Poltapov, and Samoskevich. Both Eklund and Olausson have had great starts in the SHL, who are less likely to go top 10 but if they keep it up its not out of the realm of possibilities. Hell there is even names talked already in this thread in Sillinger L'Heureux etc as interesting targets. It will be interesting how the seasons of all leagues unfold this year and where the Rangers end up drafting. Thats 19 players and Im sure im missing more as i either forgot about them or haven't come across them yet.

Given where I believe that the Rangers will finish, they will probably have no chance at a Power, Raty or Beniers. Clark may well go first.

Polpatov is someone I like. So too is Pastajov, whom I cannot find on your list. Depending on where they draft and what is available, I would probably not balk at Wallstedt either.

 

[brians1128]

Given where I believe that the Rangers will finish, they will probably have no chance at a Power, Raty or Beniers. Clark may well go first.

Polpatov is someone I like. So too is Pastajov, whom I cannot find on your list. Depending on where they draft and what is available, I would probably not balk at Wallstedt either.

Yea its all dependent on where they finish, Pastujov falls into the etc of players that have been talked about in this thread.

 

[Savant]

Wow, Anton Lundell proving all the haters wrong...

I don’t buy into this. It still takes two to tango. Rangers may have tried to go up, and they other teams said no - just like in 2017. Can’t be too mad after getting Lafreniere either. This draft had a very clear top 12 and Lundell was in it. Rangers got the Top 1 though.

 

[brians1128]

I don’t buy into this. It still takes two to tango. Rangers may have tried to go up, and they other teams said no - just like in 2017. Can’t be too mad after getting Lafreniere either. This draft had a very clear top 12 and Lundell was in it. Rangers got the Top 1 though.

Its 100% the reality, If the Rangers could of had their way you're probably looking at a team with Buchnevich in Edmonton and Zegras as a Ranger top prospect. As in this draft if they wanted Lundell and there was no deal to be made you cant get your guy, but they did move up a manageable amount and still got one of their guys in Schnieder who wasn't as high on the Rangers list as Lundell but they didn't need to break the bank to get him either.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I don’t buy into this. It still takes two to tango. Rangers may have tried to go up, and they other teams said no - just like in 2017. Can’t be too mad after getting Lafreniere either. This draft had a very clear top 12 and Lundell was in it. Rangers got the Top 1 though.

I don't think he's saying the Rangers should've traded up for him, I think he's just saying that all the talk about how Lundell wasn't very good offensively before the draft wasn't right

 

[Joey Bones]

I don't think he's saying the Rangers should've traded up for him, I think he's just saying that all the talk about how Lundell wasn't very good offensively before the draft wasn't right

^ This.

 

[Joey Bones]

Updated mocks...

2021 NHL Mock Draft & Simulator | Tankathon

1 (14) LW/RW: Samu Tuomaala (FIN)(5'10"/165lbs. Shot: Right, Karpat/Liiga)

2021 NHL Mock Draft | 2021 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

1 (21) C: Zachary Bolduc (CAN)(6'1"/174lbs., Shot: Left, Rimouski/QMJHL)

2021 NHL Mock Draft - NHL - DraftSite.com

1 (19) LW/RW: Sasha Pastujov (USA)(6'0"/174lbs., Shot: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *21/22 U. of Notre Dame Commit*
3 (67) C: Samuel Helenius (FIN)(6'6"/183lbs., Shot: Left, JYP/Liiga)
3 (83) C: Oleksii Myklukha (SVK)(5'10"/157lbs., Shot: Right, Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL)
4 (97) C: Caden Brown (USA)(5'11"/170lbs., Shot: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *21/22 U. of Wisconsin Commit*
4 (115) LW: Zack Ostapchuk (CAN)(6'3"/187lbs., Shot: Left, Vancouver/WHL)
5 (147) C/RW: Kai Uchacz (CAN)(6'1"/190lbs., Shot: Right, Spruce Grove/AJHL) *On Loan from Seattle/WHL*
6 (179) C/LW: Lorenzo Canonica (SUI)(5'11"/163lbs., Shot: Left, Lugano U20/U20-Elite) *On Loan from Shawinigan/QMJHL*
7 (211) C/RW: Billy Norcross (USA)(6'2"/181lbs., Shot: Right, Islanders HC/NCDC) *22/23 Boston College Commit*

2021 Consensus Mock Draft - NHL - DraftSite.com
1 (19) D: Daniil Chayka (RUS)(6'3"/183lbs., Shot: Left, CSKA/KHL) *On Loan from Guelph/OHL*
3 (67) D: Oscar Plandowski (CAN)(6'0"/190lbs., Shot: Right, Charlottetown/QMJHL)
3 (83) D: Daniil Sobolev (RUS)(5'10"/154lbs., Shot: Right, Windsor/OHL)
4 (97) D: Ethan Del Mastro (CAN)(6'3"/187lbs., Shot: Left, Mississauga/OHL)
4 (115) LW: Zack Ostapchuk (CAN)(5'11"/170lbs., Shot: Left, Vancouver/WHL)
5 (147) D: Viljami Juusola (FIN)(5'10"/165lbs., Shot: Left, Karpat U20/SM-sarja)
6 (179) G: Edwin Mustafic (SWE)(6'1"/192lbs., Catches: Left, Karlskoga J20/J20 Region)
7 (211) LW: Sam Lipkin (USA)(6'1"/181lbs., Shot: Left, Chicago/USHL) *22/23 Quinnipiac U. Commit*

 

[Joey Bones]

I'll be honest, I really haven't been paying close attention this year than I have in previous years. I'll be sure to throw my opinion out there once everything gets going again (which hopefully does happen without harming the lives of others).

 

[TheBloodyNine]

They all had good games!! Beniers with 2 dingers and Johnson with an assist too!!

As ass as this draft is gonna be, Power is literally the exact player we need to round out the D corp. him with Trouba would be unreal. Not gonna hold my breath (or be greedy after this past draft) but still would be awesome.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I expect the team to be around the same record as last year, hopefully they can move up with the lottery to grab a center or LD

 

[Edge]

Its 100% the reality, If the Rangers could of had their way you're probably looking at a team with Buchnevich in Edmonton and Zegras as a Ranger top prospect. As in this draft if they wanted Lundell and there was no deal to be made you cant get your guy, but they did move up a manageable amount and still got one of their guys in Schnieder who wasn't as high on the Rangers list as Lundell but they didn't need to break the bank to get him either.

For reference purposes, the Rangers had Lundell at 6 and Schneider at 12.

 

[True Blue]

2021 NHL Mock Draft - NHL - DraftSite.com

1 (19) LW/RW: Sasha Pastujov (USA)(6'0"/174lbs., Shot: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *21/22 U. of Notre Dame Commit*
3 (67) C: Samuel Helenius (FIN)(6'6"/183lbs., Shot: Left, JYP/Liiga)
3 (83) C: Oleksii Myklukha (SVK)(5'10"/157lbs., Shot: Right, Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL)
4 (97) C: Caden Brown (USA)(5'11"/170lbs., Shot: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *21/22 U. of Wisconsin Commit*
4 (115) LW: Zack Ostapchuk (CAN)(6'3"/187lbs., Shot: Left, Vancouver/WHL)
5 (147) C/RW: Kai Uchacz (CAN)(6'1"/190lbs., Shot: Right, Spruce Grove/AJHL) *On Loan from Seattle/WHL*
6 (179) C/LW: Lorenzo Canonica (SUI)(5'11"/163lbs., Shot: Left, Lugano U20/U20-Elite) *On Loan from Shawinigan/QMJHL*
7 (211) C/RW: Billy Norcross (USA)(6'2"/181lbs., Shot: Right, Islanders HC/NCDC) *22/23 Boston College Commit*

No problem at all with Pastujov as being the pick. If they could wind up with him and Paltopov, that's a great couple of picks

 

[Leetch3]

 

[Savant]

As ass as this draft is gonna be, Power is literally the exact player we need to round out the D corp. him with Trouba would be unreal. Not gonna hold my breath (or be greedy after this past draft) but still would be awesome.

So Rangers are drafting in the Top 3 again? I could see Johnson and Power as the Top Two honestly.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

So Rangers are drafting in the Top 3 again? I could see Johnson and Power as the Top Two honestly.

I’d bet against it but third time is, as they say, a charm.

 

[eco's bones]

To me rounding out our defense or goalie more might be ideal. I think Shesterkin should be an elite goalie but I'm wondering what kind of a work load he can handle. If we were to come up with another top notch goalie prospect--say Wallstedt--and those two share our goaltending it's just going to be awesome and there won't be any off nights where opponents are facing a weaker goalie. It also would give us insurance if one of the two got injured the other could just carry the load until the injured goalie got back. We have front line offense locked down between Panarin, Zibanejad, Lafreniere, Kakko, Kreider etc. the Rangers are going to have no problem scoring goals and we've got a slew of great young defenders.

 

[True Blue]

As ass as this draft is gonna be, Power is literally the exact player we need to round out the D corp. him with Trouba would be unreal. Not gonna hold my breath (or be greedy after this past draft) but still would be awesome.

I fear that is but a day dream. Power goes top-5 and may well go 1OA. Much as I believe that the Rangers will be a bubble team, competing for the last playoff spots, if they are a lottery team then something has gone drastically wrong.