Post-Game Talk: 2021 NHL Draft Lottery | Canucks will pick 9th Overall

[bertuzzi2bure]

Eriksson
Myers
Boeser
9th overall
2022 1st unprotected

for

Laine
signed Jones

 

[Peen]

Eriksson
Myers
Boeser
9th overall
2022 1st unprotected

for

Laine
signed Jones

I don’t think I would do that.

I think you can dump Myers for a minimal positive return because this league is dumb.

Cost to dump Loui should be less than an unprotected 1st.

Boeser and 9 for Jones and Laine?

Idk.

Maybe I’m biased. I’d rather not pile a bunch of assets into one fish and spread evenly relative to needs. We need two defensemen for the top four - not just one. We need two middle six forwards - not just one.

 

[MarkMM]

I don’t think I would do that.

I think you can dump Myers for a minimal positive return because this league is dumb.

Cost to dump Loui should be less than an unprotected 1st.

Boeser and 9 for Jones and Laine?

Idk.

Maybe I’m biased. I’d rather not pile a bunch of assets into one fish and spread evenly relative to needs. We need two defensemen for the top four - not just one. We need two middle six forwards - not just one.

Yeah, not a fan of Myers but upgrading from Myers to Jones and upgrading from Boeser to Laine doesn't feel worth two 1st round picks, I get that part of it is to pay for dumping Eriksson which we'd need to make the cap work but Eriksson's gone in a year anyway so we're paying for the cap go away for one year.

We'd upgrade on the Boeser and Myers positions, but lose two first-rounders and still be a forward or two and one RHD top four short, so not much further ahead from where we are today at the significant expense of our future.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

I agree that Myers is moveable but this management team will never, ever consider it.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Please not Jones, the cost would be astronomical... he might not stay... and if he did stay we'd end up spending ridiculous money for a diminishing asset.

We traded a top pick last year, this is a year to replenish the cupboard.

 

[Grantham]

This rundown might be changing my mind too

Yeah, I don't think I want us drafting him after watching this either.

Btw, how is this Scouching guy not employed by an NHL team? Great detailed analysis as always.

 

[iceburg]

I think this is a fair point, with the caveat that defensemen seem to be judged with less certainty at the draft and so I feel there should always be some pause before prioritizing a defender too high. I would save that as a tie-breaker at least until the second round, and I actually wish the Canucks would load up disproportionately on D-men with mid-round picks – some of them will turn out, and that becomes great asset fodder later, even if some can't make it to your roster.

I think it is very telling that of the 2010-11 Canucks, whose defense lacked a superstar but was rock-solid, the only first-round picks among them were Hamhuis and Ballard. You had mid-round guys like Edler, Bieksa and Ehrhoff making a huge difference, and Salo taken so late he was asked to turn the lights off on the way out. Plus an undrafted rookie in Tanev.

Historically, if you look at teams that do well in the playoffs and win the cup, they have at least very solid 1 through 4 on D and a serviceable bottom pairing. It's interesting that only two of those 10/11 D men were drafted by the team (Bieksa, Edler). Three as free agents (Hamhuis, Rome, Tanev), and four as trades (Erhoff, Salo, Ballard, Alberts). The D was essentially assembled, none were stars before they got here, and the average age was around 29. In other words, it was made up mostly of players that had been around a long time and could fill a needed solid role. The toughness in that crew was also evident. I would say that Erhoff was arguably the only soft player in the bunch. Salo got injured a lot but he was huge.

 

[mriswith]

There is a pathway to Clarke dropping if every team drafts on need (unlikely):

Buf-Power
Sea-Beniers
Ana-Eklund
NJ-Hughes
CBJ-McTavish
Det-Wallstedt
SJS-Johnson
LA- Edvinsson
Van-Clarke

Based on current mocks we're more likely looking at Johson/Guenther out of the *consensus* top 9 but it's not impossible for Clarke to drop.

I think only Power and Beniers are guarantees to not drop, everyone else is a possibility.

 

[Javaman]

Yeah, I don't think I want us drafting him after watching this either.

Btw, how is this Scouching guy not employed by an NHL team? Great detailed analysis as always.

Funny, I had the opposite reaction lol.

The whole time I was watching the video, I kept thinking to myself that Johnson's galaxy brain just needs more experience and context to unlock his potential. His plus traits are things you just can't coach while his minus traits are things you can coach/train, IMO. I can't help but wonder how he'd do with players who can think the game well enough to make it to the NHL.

I'm not going to start hyping him at this point, but I don't think I'd be disappointed if the Canucks take him ahead of the other players who might still be available at #9. The potential is there for something special, which might be the best you can hope for in a pandemic draft.

But I absolutely agree with what Scouch was saying about being patient with his development. I have little faith the current Canucks regime could manage Johnson's development correctly.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Agreed, McTavish has all those Benning hallmarks - competes hard, gets in on the forecheck, rips the puck, is big, etc. He also torched the U-18s and Benning was there and we all know. If he's there I'm sure we'll take him, and that's fine. Personally I have the prospects in 3 tiers:

1: Clarke/Beniers/Power
2: Hughes/Eklund/Johnson/McTavish/Lysell
3: Guenther/Edvinsson

I'll be annoyed if we grab someone from pot 3 if anyone from 1+2 are available, but it's not the end of the world.

Knowing Benning, I'll be really surprised if Johnson/Eklund/Lysell are on his radar, but you never know.

You mean the same GM who drafted Petersson, Hughes, and Hoglander?

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

Yeah, I don't think I want us drafting him after watching this either.

Btw, how is this Scouching guy not employed by an NHL team? Great detailed analysis as always.

As a big pro-draft Johnson guy I get Goldobin vibes from this video..... I think Guenter moves up on my forward list and bumps Johnson down a few spots.
Still really like him though now I am torn

 

[logan5]

If Benning traded a massive package for Jones it would be easily the dumbest thing he's done as a gm. Jones is not a guy who would re-sign here, and not because he wanted to but Jim ran out of time.

Somebody needs to make a fantasy bad trade thread, where you can dream up countless ridiculously bad trades that Benning could possibly make. I mean there are so many posts like this, the thread would reach a thousand posts in no time.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

0 busts. Pretty crazy.

JB- “hold my beer”

 

[logan5]

Would like to the Canucks become a heavier and harder team to play against, so I wouldn't be disappointed to see McTavish picked, and maybe because he is Russian, Svechkov could possibly fall to early 2nd round. He's good defensively, which I like. If he's still available after the 1st round, maybe a trade to switch draft positions with Buffalo or somebody to get him.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

0 busts. Pretty crazy.

So...you could say we're due...

 

[Gstank]

You mean the same GM who drafted Petersson, Hughes, and Hoglander?

ThOsE ArE BrAcKeTt PiCKs

 

[chum]

Agreed, McTavish has all those Benning hallmarks - competes hard, gets in on the forecheck, rips the puck, is big, etc. He also torched the U-18s and Benning was there and we all know. If he's there I'm sure we'll take him, and that's fine. Personally I have the prospects in 3 tiers:

1: Clarke/Beniers/Power
2: Hughes/Eklund/Johnson/McTavish/Lysell
3: Guenther/Edvinsson

I'll be annoyed if we grab someone from pot 3 if anyone from 1+2 are available, but it's not the end of the world.

Knowing Benning, I'll be really surprised if Johnson/Eklund/Lysell are on his radar, but you never know.

knowing benning, he'd pick someone from pot 4.

 

[Nucklehead Supreme]

So if the tried to pick to "balance things" how would that have worked out better?

In their position, you draft Yakupov then trade him for what you need (or you trade the pick for what you need). People forget that Yakupov actually started well, 17G in 48 games during his first season, at that point they probably could have traded him for a guy like Seth Jones. Instead, their management made the decision to trade Hall for Larsson...when your team makes bad trade decisions, you are doomed regardless of your drafting.

I don't think they regret drafting Draisaitl and McDavid in 2014 and 2015, at C after picking Yakupov and RNH in 2011 and 2012. Under your theory, they would've taken Hadyn Fleury over Draisaitl ...obviously they take McDavid no matter what.

I guess we should also note that taking the BPA doesn't guarantee success.

Of course they don't and that wasn't my point, and yah Drai was an outlier not gonna deny that. In terms of Yakupov, Murray, Lindholm and Dumba all would have been better picks, your right they should have traded it away.

 

[Nucklehead Supreme]

Wallstedt wouldn’t be in my top 9, so not BPA.

But if he were the clear BPA, I would be fine with them taking him.

Lots can happen before he’s ready to play in the NHL. By taking BPA you’re at least taking your best chance at getting a quality NHLer out of that pick, which also carries trade value.

Goalies carry very little in terms of trade value, we all know that. It would be wasting a pick in hopes that it somehow either turns into another Demko, which at this stage is redundant especially with DiPietro in the pipeline, so we draft BPA in hopes we can trade him in the future and get no where near value for him, cool.... rather have a useful player to this team at least in the near future than a wildcard that we might be able to trade in 5 years.

 

[Tonystretcher]

Why does Benning get so much credit for the work of his scouting staff? If he’s some genius talent evaluator then why is his pro scouting record so god awful? Why would he draft a guy like Virtanen 6th when there were such obvious red flags? He wouldn’t have enough time to scout 200+ draft eligibles anyway. Hate that narrative so much.

 

[Ita]

There is a pathway to Clarke dropping if every team drafts on need (unlikely):

Buf-Power
Sea-Beniers
Ana-Eklund
NJ-Hughes
CBJ-McTavish
Det-Wallstedt
SJS-Johnson
LA- Edvinsson
Van-Clarke

Based on current mocks we're more likely looking at Johson/Guenther out of the *consensus* top 9 but it's not impossible for Clarke to drop.

I think only Power and Beniers are guarantees to not drop, everyone else is a possibility.

This would be the best case scenario, but I don't think LA will pass up on Clarke. This leaves us picking Edvinsson, which is an effing nightmare for me because he has the highest chance to bust imo..

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

I think when it comes to the draft forecast, we make up a lot of fears over Benning selecting some obscure meat and potatoes tall guy, the reality is he has made some very solid picks during his time here, the Juolevi and Virtanen picks were both the wrong choice, we all knew that on the day of the draft ( there were better players ) but both those guys were ranked exactly where they were taken so we haven’t had a Patrick White situation in the 1st round
I am not concerned about a Clarke or Hughes etc being available and having Benning pick somebody weird
I think he is more than aware of our cap situation too, and will be undoubtedly drafting at 9 instead of moving that piece, unless it’s part of a bigger deal like Schmidt and a 1st
I honestly am more excited for this draft than many in the past ( Zegras/Podkolzin) aside

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

Eriksson, Myers, Boeser, 9th overall, 2022 1st unprotected for Laine, signed Jones

I will counter with Eriksson, Horvat and Schmidt for Laine, signed Jones and the 5th overall.

Both teams get what they need ( and get rid of what they don't need).

Canucks Draft McTavish or Clarke at 5th overall and Kent Johnson or Ceulemans at 9th overall.

Canucks sign RNH to backfill for Horvat or play Podzilla at Centre and then the last place Canucks are set to challenge (with the other 31 teams) for a coveted 2022 playoff spot as is the ambition of their ownership and management.

Fine print: Don't tell the Media or Fans, every team challenges for a playoff spot.

 

[DFAC]

Honestly, it's a pretty weak draft year. Kinda reminds of 2012 with how D heavy it is at the top.

If Benning can trade this year's pick to 2022 or 2023 he should absolutely do it, those are stacked draft classes

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Got bored at work and looked through the last 25 NHL entry drafts. Only twice in that span have 4 defensemen gone in the first 8 picks (most recently in 2012, when 6 went!), so there's a fairly good chance that one of Power/Brandt/Edvinsson/Hughes fall to us.

Ignoring whether they’re the best in class or not, there’s usually also a surprise (or even two) in the upper parts of the draft. And with this draft class being so different in terms of how teams were able to scout, I wonder if we are in for more surprises than we normally would be.