Prospect Info: 2021 NHL Draft Prospects

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Well... ya may have sold me on Eklund over Edvinsson.

I really question Edvinsson's upside. Definitely have him on the lower end of the top 10, possibly in the top 15...

Eklund though, I like him a lot. Surefire top 5 guy for me.

 

[Hoog]

Honestly, the more I watch and read on Fabian Lysell the more I am kind of getting sweet on the guy. If I had faith he could grow and fill out a bit more in the next two years, he would be my #1 guy. Speed, tenacity, good brain, plays his own end, right handed shot, and is ultra creative. As it stands right now, here is how I rank my top 10 prospects:

1. Hughes
2. Power
3. Beniers
4. Lysell
5. Eklund
6. Kent Johnson
7. Guenther
8. Edvinsson
9. Fydor Svechkov
10. Clarke

I don't think I would be pissed if the Wings took any of them. If they went off this board, then I wouldn't be happy.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I really question Edvinsson's upside. Definitely have him on the lower end of the top 10, possibly in the top 15...

Eklund though, I like him a lot. Surefire top 5 guy for me.

I like Svozil more than Edvinsson, he is significantly better defensively and has good offensive upside, despite him not playing much minutes in extraliga this year(more like not playing at all). He is also LD, he could be great second 1st round pick for us and is very fast and agile skater, big dude as well.

 

[deca guard]

 

[lilidk]

Honestly, the more I watch and read on Fabian Lysell the more I am kind of getting sweet on the guy. If I had faith he could grow and fill out a bit more in the next two years, he would be my #1 guy. Speed, tenacity, good brain, plays his own end, right handed shot, and is ultra creative. As it stands right now, here is how I rank my top 10 prospects:

1. Hughes
2. Power
3. Beniers
4. Lysell
5. Eklund
6. Kent Johnson
7. Guenther
8. Edvinsson
9. Fydor Svechkov
10. Clarke

I don't think I would be pissed if the Wings took any of them. If they went off this board, then I wouldn't be happy.

Clarke could be the best defenseman for this draft

 

[Frk It]

Surprised to see Button rank Edvinsson at 3 after the recent comments given on the podcast I listened to that I posted.

• Guenther out of the top 5 is interesting.
• Johnson out of the top 10 is interesting.
• Lysell at 27 is interesting.
• Would like to hear the reasoning behind L'Heureux at 8. Didn't pay as much attention to the Q because I didn't think there was anyone really high end this year.
• I knew he liked Svechkov from the podcast he does with Dean Millard.

 

[lilidk]

Taking Lysell and Johnson in the first round I would be a dream come true. Instantly we became team with the best prospect pool, and lots of fun team

 

[lilidk]

Surprised to see Button rank Edvinsson at 3 after the recent comments given on the podcast I listened to that I posted.

• Guenther out of the top 5 is interesting.
• Johnson out of the top 10 is interesting.
• Lysell at 27 is interesting.
• Would like to hear the reasoning behind L'Heureux at 8. Didn't pay as much attention to the Q because I didn't think there was anyone really high end this year.
• I knew he liked Svechkov from the podcast he does with Dean Millard.

L'Heureux will go to Rangers

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

This draft looks like a bunch of solid players with few stars. If we someone slipping we could get creative with all the picks we have.

 

[Hoog]

This draft looks like a bunch of solid players with few stars. If we someone slipping we could get creative with all the picks we have.

I could see Steve moving around in the first to get Cossa or Wall. Maybe moving up with the Washington pick then back into the first for another player. I'd rather see him moving up then moving out of spots. In the end, I think this draft will be looked at as better than it is right now.

 

[SirloinUB]

I could see Yzerman going with Svechkov at 6.

 

[Frk It]

I could see Yzerman going with Svechkov at 6.

Or Chibrikov, who kind of plays like Kucherov. Would not be surprised if we were much higher than the consensus on either one.

 

[MBH]

I really question Edvinsson's upside. Definitely have him on the lower end of the top 10, possibly in the top 15...

Eklund though, I like him a lot. Surefire top 5 guy for me.

You want to draft another 5'10 winger?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Surprised to see Button rank Edvinsson at 3 after the recent comments given on the podcast I listened to that I posted.

• Guenther out of the top 5 is interesting.
• Johnson out of the top 10 is interesting.
• Lysell at 27 is interesting.
• Would like to hear the reasoning behind L'Heureux at 8. Didn't pay as much attention to the Q because I didn't think there was anyone really high end this year.
• I knew he liked Svechkov from the podcast he does with Dean Millard.

There's some pretty good kids in the Q this year that look like they would be good middle 6 contributor types. Probably moreso than most years. A lot of centers this year that are worth a watch.

 

[newfy]

Surprised to see Button rank Edvinsson at 3 after the recent comments given on the podcast I listened to that I posted.

• Guenther out of the top 5 is interesting.
• Johnson out of the top 10 is interesting.
• Lysell at 27 is interesting.
• Would like to hear the reasoning behind L'Heureux at 8. Didn't pay as much attention to the Q because I didn't think there was anyone really high end this year.
• I knew he liked Svechkov from the podcast he does with Dean Millard.

L'Heureux at 8 stuck out to me as well. I'm hoping hes a guy to get with the caps pick not the wings first pick lol.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Taking Lysell and Johnson in the first round I would be a dream come true. Instantly we became team with the best prospect pool, and lots of fun team

That's kind of a hot take list. Johnson out of the top 10?

 

[SirloinUB]

You want to draft another 5'10 winger?

you don’t get to choose what’s available to you. Drafting for need is how you end up with Hayton instead of Hughes.

If a 5’10 winger is the best player with the highest ceiling you take him.

 

[lilidk]

Or Chibrikov, who kind of plays like Kucherov. Would not be surprised if we were much higher than the consensus on either one.

There is always Russian factor, Russian prospects usually draft later rather earlier. I am not going to surprise if one of them going to be available, Chayka is another one, probably the best Russian prospect this draft

 

[MBH]

you don’t get to choose what’s available to you. Drafting for need is how you end up with Hayton instead of Hughes.

If a 5’10 winger is the best player with the highest ceiling you take him.

Only if you have true confidence he's the best player available.
If the Red Wings draft another Winger in the top 8 this year, they're adding at least another year to their rebuild. it's that simple.

 

[SirloinUB]

Only if you have true confidence he's the best player available.
If the Red Wings draft another Winger in the top 8 this year, they're adding at least another year to their rebuild. it's that simple.

It really isn’t “that simple.” Drafting a C or D could bump the timeline back just as much if they don’t turn into a productive top line player.

Your black and white outlook on this is counterproductive.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

On topic but also off topic, I really miss Yannick's youtube channel. His video scouting was really insightful. I would have loved to hear what he has to say about this year's draft.

 

[Fyodorov]

Only if you have true confidence he's the best player available.
If the Red Wings draft another Winger in the top 8 this year, they're adding at least another year to their rebuild. it's that simple.

And if they reach for a C or D who ends up being a nonfactor at the NHL level, that adds a lot more than one year to the rebuild

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

And if they reach for a C or D who ends up being a nonfactor at the NHL level, that adds a lot more than one year to the rebuild

Exactly.

If we draft one of Eklund, Guenther or Johnson in the first round it's not the end of the world. If and/or when they are ready to step into a top 6 role and we look thin at another position then we look to trade from our position of strength (wing) for a position of weakness.

Yzerman turned Drouin into Sergachev. And after Mantha for Vrana + Panik + 1st + 2nd trade I'm confident that he'd be able to turn any of Berggren/Zadina/Raymond/Bertuzzi/Fabbri into a filled need.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Everyone's least trusted prospect columnist did a mailbag this week, and with the discussion surrounding Eklund recently, I figured I would share a few.

NHL prospects mailbag: Expectations for the Kings and Sabres; targets in the 2021 draft

"As a Swede watching prospect rankings, I think that a lot of European prospects on the lists are very undervalued. Is it the lack of available information or nationality bias that is the issue? I sometimes feel like if William Eklund had been Canadian or American he’d be the consensus No. 1. — Lars T
Some NHL scouts feel like Eklund is in the No. 1 mix. Most don’t and I have my reservations but when you really break his game down his only real flaw is his size, which should concern you if you can’t find anything else wrong. His performance with the national team recently is moving the needle a bit in his favor too."

"How do you view the top defensemen compared to last year’s Drysdale/Jake Sanderson? Would you rather Lucas Raymond or Guenther/Eklund? — Timothy H
I think Power and Luke Hughes are comparable to both of them at the same time and I would lean to the 2021 guys, but Drysdale’s season has been so good I may rate him as the best of the bunch right now.
It’s close enough to be a three-way tie. I think Guenther offers the most, but I know scouts who would take one of the Swedes as the best of the three."

"Aside from Luke Hughes, who are the other ELITE skaters in this draft? Where does Hughes stack up against recent elite skating prospects? — Jeremy F
He’s the best skater in the class considering his size. Other guys who would be in the discussion are William Eklund, Olen Zellweger, Jimi Suomi, Justin Robidas. Re-entry guy but Miguel Tourigny in Blainville can fly too."

 

[FMichael]

Will Hughes fully recover from his achilles tendon repair?

Don't want a EK65 like situation here.