Prospect Info: 2021 NHL Draft: The Home Stretch, Draft July 23-24

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

This past season, Tomas Nosek had 8 goals and 18 points playing 4th line minutes in 38 games, and he regularly starts for a team that perennially goes deep in the playoffs. And he costs them about $1M per year.

Nosek is better than most of our forwards. Which isn't saying much, sure, but he's not worthless.

And when the Kraken's tentacle emerges from the briny depths and snags Givani Smith, or Gustav Lindstrom, I'll feel sick. Especially if it's Smith, I think he has potential.

When you don't have many assets, that's when losing even a small asset really stings.

see, that’s where I’m different I guess. A guy like Nosek or a guy like G. Smith or Lindstrom is totally replaceable. I see them as like Mark Mowers or Darryl Bootland or Stacy Roest or Maxim Kuznetsov level. As in, if you weren’t paying attention to the team when they were on the roster.. you would never know they played for us.

Those type of guys are quite literally the type that you can replace for a league minimum salary in UFA who just happen to be RFA age.

like Ryan Kuffner or Andrej Nestrasil. You need players like that, sure, but if the best player you lose is at best am average 4th liner… I don’t see how you get upset

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Ah yes, who could forget Cody Goloubef.

That made me do a doubletake. Good catch, my man.

TWO Red Wings greats played with Kyle Turris at University of Wisconsin!

 

[RabidBadger]

Still a no for me on that comp. If they didn’t both play Junior A I highly doubt you would use it.

I'm with you on that one, for the most part. I watched plenty of Turris during his Wisconsin tenure. I think the comparable between the two would be on ice decision making in the offensive zone.

What sets them apart, for me, is Johnson's ability to make plays in tight quarters. He is more crafty with the puck than what I saw from KT at that level. Johnson seems to thrive in the greezy areas. I think Johnson could be a real nice player for someone, just not us (sine we're taking Wallstedt).

 

[deca guard]

the top 5 safe pix :
- POWER
- BERNIERS
- GUENTHER
- EDVINSON
- HUGHES

 

[Hen Kolland]

 

[eulatron]

They were surprisingly critical of Johnson.

No surprise there.

 

[MBH]

see, that’s where I’m different I guess. A guy like Nosek or a guy like G. Smith or Lindstrom is totally replaceable. I see them as like Mark Mowers or Darryl Bootland or Stacy Roest or Maxim Kuznetsov level. As in, if you weren’t paying attention to the team when they were on the roster.. you would never know they played for us.

Those type of guys are quite literally the type that you can replace for a league minimum salary in UFA who just happen to be RFA age.

like Ryan Kuffner or Andrej Nestrasil. You need players like that, sure, but if the best player you lose is at best am average 4th liner… I don’t see how you get upset

I think the difference here is that while Nosek isn't something amazing, the dude just put up a season where he scored at better than a 16-20-36 pace for a team quite a bit better than ours.
Nosek now has 257 games to his name and it looks like he'll stick in this league for a few more years.
Mowers, Bootland, Kuffer, Nestrasil - when it's all said and done, I doubt any of them compare to the career Nosek had.

That said, had Nosek stayed in Detroit, my guess he'd not look quite so good

 

[Dotter]

I keep going back full circle to Wallstedt. You have to pick the BPA, and I think at our draft position he's the only elite-level prospect.

Where did Yzerman say he wasn't picking a goalie in the 1st round? I keep seeing people write this, but I never heard him say it.

 

[Gniwder]

I think the difference here is that while Nosek isn't something amazing, the dude just put up a season where he scored at better than a 16-20-36 pace for a team quite a bit better than ours.
Nosek now has 257 games to his name and it looks like he'll stick in this league for a few more years.
Mowers, Bootland, Kuffer, Nestrasil - when it's all said and done, I doubt any of them compare to the career Nosek had.

That said, had Nosek stayed in Detroit, my guess he'd not look quite so good

He wouldn't have been a difference maker for the Wings, but he got to play in the Cup finals and conf finals with Vegas. Good for him.

Likewise I'm hoping Smith is left exposed, I'd rather see him in a Kraken jersey than healthy scratched by Blash.

 

[jkutswings]

I keep going back full circle to Wallstedt. You have to pick the BPA, and I think at our draft position he's the only elite-level prospect.

Where did Yzerman say he wasn't picking a goalie in the 1st round? I keep seeing people write this, but I never heard him say it.

There was an online interview with Ansar Khan, I believe. Towards the end he asked Yzerman about his draft board and whether he thought one position was of greater need. Yzerman had a very generic response, something along the lines of, "they have all the different positions included in their top ten, except maybe not goalie, but I dunno." (paraphrasing)

It was a VERY off-the-cuff exchange, and I think it's been blown way out of proportion in terms of whether Detroit COULD take Wallstedt at 6. I mean, Yzerman also asked Khan what HIS top 3 rankings were, but I don't think the Wings will do anything with that tidbit either.

 

[Zetterbeer]

I keep going back full circle to Wallstedt. You have to pick the BPA, and I think at our draft position he's the only elite-level prospect.

Where did Yzerman say he wasn't picking a goalie in the 1st round? I keep seeing people write this, but I never heard him say it.

Don't believe he's ever said this. They really liked Askarov last year, even at 4.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him take Wallatest this year, they certainly aren't apposed to taking a goalie high if he's top of their list.

 

[lilidk]

Guy is brilliant

 

[Killerjas]

the top 5 safe pix :
- POWER
- BERNIERS
- GUENTHER
- EDVINSON
- HUGHES

Edvinsson a safe pick? He is probably with Johnson the least safe pick in the top 10....

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Draft-related URLs:

• Button's Final Ranking: Will post link when dropped this week
• McKenzie's Final Ranking: Will post link when dropped next week
• hockeyprospect.com Black Book: 2021 NHL Draft Black Book (PDF Instant Download) - HockeyProspect.com
• eliteprospects draft guide: The EliteProspects 2021 NHL Entry Draft Guide
• FC Hockey Guide: Guide - FCHockey
• Brock Otten's top 50 OHL players with write-ups: (1-10) OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft - Part 4: 10-1
• Brock Otten's top 50 OHL players with write-ups: 11-30: OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11

Article from Pronman with quotes from scouts/executives on top prospects: NHL Draft Confidential: Inside what scouts and executives really think about the top prospects (paywall)

Awesome, Frk. Thanks for the links.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Here are a few I've bookmarked as well:

2019.11 | Craig Button (TSN)
2019.12 | Josh Bell (The Hockey Writers)
2020.02 | Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) [paywall]
2020.04 | Tony Ferrari (Dobber Prospects)
2020.04 | Raw Charge
2020.08 | Jokke Nevalainen (Dobber Prospects)
2020.09 | Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) [paywall]
2020.09 | Ashley Glover (Recruit Scouting)
2020.09 | Josh Bell (The Hockey Writers)
2020.09 | Draft Prospects Hockey
2020.10 | Ryan Quinley (Broad Street Hockey)
2020.10 | Corey Pronman (The Athletic) [paywall]
2020.10 | Alex Taxman (Future Scope Hockey)
2020.10 | Gabriel Foley (Last Word On Sports)
2020.11 | Tony Ferrari (Dobber Prospects)
2020.11 | Neutral Zone
2020.11 | Hockey Prospect
2020.11 | Will Scouch (Scouching)
2020.11 | Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet)
2020.11 | Josh Tessler (Smaht Scouting)
2020.12 | Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) [paywall]
2020.12 | Tyson Quibell (The Painted Lines)
2020.12 | Austin Brass (Die by the Blade)
2020.12 | Bob McKenzie (The Sports Network)
2020.12 | Colin Cudmore & Ary M (Silver Seven)
2021.01 | David Ciss (The Puck Authority)
2021.01 | Alex Taxman (Future Scope)
2021.01 | Peter Baracchini (The Hockey Writers)
2021.01 | J.D. Burke (Elite Prospects)
2021.01 | Cam Robinson (Dobber Prospects)
2021.01 | Mike Morreale (NHL.com)
2021.02 | Brock Otten (McKeen's Hockey)
2021.02 | Matthew Zator (The Hockey Writers)
2021.02 | Corey Pronman (The Athletic) [paywall]
2021.02 | Josh Tessler (Smaht Scouting)
2021.02 | Andrew Forbes (The Hockey Writers)
2021.02 | Dan Stewart (Draft Prospects Hockey)
2021.02 | Will Scouch (Scouching)
2021.02 | Recruit Scouting
2021.03 | Peter Harling (Dobber Prospects)
2021.03 | Steve Kournianos (The Draft Analyst)
2021.03 | Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) [paywall]
2021.03 | Tony Ferrari (Dobber Prospects)
2021.03 | Peter Baracchini (The Hockey Writers)
2021.03 | Tyson Quibell (The Painted Lines)
2021.03 | Corey Pronman (The Athletic) [paywall]
2021.04 | Matthew Zator (The Hockey Writers)
2021.04 | Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet)
2021.04 | Hockey Prospect
2021.04 | Curtis Schwartzkopf (The Charging Buffalo)
2021.04 | On The Forecheck
2021.04 | Dan Stewart (Draft Prospects Hockey)
2021.04 | Bob McKenzie (The Sports Network)
2021.04 | Brock Otten (McKeen's Hockey)
2021.04 | Mike G. Morreale (NHL.com)
2021.04 | Ryan Kennedy (Sports Illustrated)
2021.04 | Josh Bell (FC Hockey / Sporting News)
2021.04 | Larry Fisher (UFFS)
2021.05 | Craig Button (TSN)
2021.05 | Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet)
2021.05 | Andrew Forbes (The Hockey Writers)
2021.05 | J.D. Burke (EP Rinkside)
2021.05 | Steve Kournianos (The Draft Analyst)
2021.06 | NHL Central Scouting
2021.06 | Will Scouch (Scouching)
2021.06 | Chris Peters (Hockey Sense) [paywall]
2021.06 | Tony Farrari (Dobber Prospects)
2021.06 | Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) [paywall]
2021.06 | Corey Pronman (The Athletic) [paywall]

Beautiful stuff, thank you.

 

[newfy]

I keep going back full circle to Wallstedt. You have to pick the BPA, and I think at our draft position he's the only elite-level prospect.

Where did Yzerman say he wasn't picking a goalie in the 1st round? I keep seeing people write this, but I never heard him say it.

After the draft lottery he had a press conference and basically said he thinks the top 10 is filled with every position except for probably goalie. That Pronman article with quotes from scouts/executives doesnt exactly praise Wallstedt either. Its going to be a classic goalie falls out of the top 10 and everyone is surprised even though they never get drafted that high anymore

 

[Frk It]

Here is the final free top 32 ranking from hockeyprospect.com:

(considered putting Sillinger at this spot recently, glad to see someone else agree)
2021 NHL Draft Rankings - HockeyProspect.com

RANK	LAST	FIRST	TEAM	LEAGUE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POS
1	Power	Owen	Michigan	NCAA	6'06"	214	LD
2	Eklund	William	Djurgardens IF	SHL	5'10"	176	LW
3	Edvinsson	Simon	Vasteras	Allsvenskan	6'04"	198	LD
4	Beniers	Matthew	Michigan	NCAA	6'01"	174	C/LW
5	Sillinger	Cole	Sioux Falls	USHL	6'00"	201	LC
6	McTavish	Mason	Peterborough	OHL	6'01"	207	LC
7	Cossa	Sebastian	Edmonton	WHL	6'06"	210	G
8	Guenther	Dylan	Edmonton	WHL	6'02"	175	RW
9	Johnson	Kent	Michigan	NCAA	6'01"	165	LW
10	Clarke	Brandt	Barrie	OHL	6'02"	185	RD
11	Hughes	Luke	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'02"	184	LD
12	Coronato	Matt	Chicago	USHL	5'10"	183	LW
13	Knies	Matthew	Tri City	USHL	6'03"	210	C/LW
14	Svechkov	Fyodor	Lada Togliatti	VHL	6'00"	187	C/LW
15	Wallstedt	Jesper	Lulea HF	SHL	6'03"	214	G
16	Lucius	Chaz	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'01"	185	RC
17	Othmann	Brennan	Flint	OHL	6'00"	175	LW
18	Heimosalmi	Aleksi	Assat	U20 SM-sarja	5'11"	170	RD
19	Lambos	Carson	Winnipeg	WHL	6'01"	197	LD
20	Dean	Zachary	Gatineau	QMJHL	6'00"	176	LW
21	Bourgault	Xavier	Shawinigan	QMJHL	6'00"	172	RW
22	Fedotov	Ilya	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod	MHL	6'01"	176	RW
23	Rosen	Isak	Leksand	SHL	5'11"	156	LW
24	Olausson	Oskar	Sodertalje	Allsvenskan	6'01"	180	RW
25	Lysell	Fabian	Luela HF	SHL	5'10"	172	RW
26	Boucher	Tyler	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'01"	200	LW
27	Pinelli	Francesco	Kitchener	OHL	6'00"	185	LC
28	Bolduc	Zachary	Rimouski	QMJHL	6'01"	175	LW
29	Grushnikov	Artyom	Hamilton	OHL	6'02"	198	LD
30	Mailloux	Logan	London	OHL	6'03"	215	RD
31	Chibrikov	Nikita	SKA St.Petersburg	KHL	5'10"	172	LW
32	Chayka	Daniil	CSKA Moskva	KHL	6'03"	187	LD

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[deca guard]

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Here is the final free top 32 ranking from hockeyprospect.com:

(considered putting Sillinger at this spot recently, glad to see someone else agree)
2021 NHL Draft Rankings - HockeyProspect.com

RANK	LAST	FIRST	TEAM	LEAGUE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POS
1	Power	Owen	Michigan	NCAA	6'06"	214	LD
2	Eklund	William	Djurgardens IF	SHL	5'10"	176	LW
3	Edvinsson	Simon	Vasteras	Allsvenskan	6'04"	198	LD
4	Beniers	Matthew	Michigan	NCAA	6'01"	174	C/LW
5	Sillinger	Cole	Sioux Falls	USHL	6'00"	201	LC
6	McTavish	Mason	Peterborough	OHL	6'01"	207	LC
7	Cossa	Sebastian	Edmonton	WHL	6'06"	210	G
8	Guenther	Dylan	Edmonton	WHL	6'02"	175	RW
9	Johnson	Kent	Michigan	NCAA	6'01"	165	LW
10	Clarke	Brandt	Barrie	OHL	6'02"	185	RD
11	Hughes	Luke	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'02"	184	LD
12	Coronato	Matt	Chicago	USHL	5'10"	183	LW
13	Knies	Matthew	Tri City	USHL	6'03"	210	C/LW
14	Svechkov	Fyodor	Lada Togliatti	VHL	6'00"	187	C/LW
15	Wallstedt	Jesper	Lulea HF	SHL	6'03"	214	G
16	Lucius	Chaz	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'01"	185	RC
17	Othmann	Brennan	Flint	OHL	6'00"	175	LW
18	Heimosalmi	Aleksi	Assat	U20 SM-sarja	5'11"	170	RD
19	Lambos	Carson	Winnipeg	WHL	6'01"	197	LD
20	Dean	Zachary	Gatineau	QMJHL	6'00"	176	LW
21	Bourgault	Xavier	Shawinigan	QMJHL	6'00"	172	RW
22	Fedotov	Ilya	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod	MHL	6'01"	176	RW
23	Rosen	Isak	Leksand	SHL	5'11"	156	LW
24	Olausson	Oskar	Sodertalje	Allsvenskan	6'01"	180	RW
25	Lysell	Fabian	Luela HF	SHL	5'10"	172	RW
26	Boucher	Tyler	USNTDP U-18	NTDP	6'01"	200	LW
27	Pinelli	Francesco	Kitchener	OHL	6'00"	185	LC
28	Bolduc	Zachary	Rimouski	QMJHL	6'01"	175	LW
29	Grushnikov	Artyom	Hamilton	OHL	6'02"	198	LD
30	Mailloux	Logan	London	OHL	6'03"	215	RD
31	Chibrikov	Nikita	SKA St.Petersburg	KHL	5'10"	172	LW
32	Chayka	Daniil	CSKA Moskva	KHL	6'03"	187	LD

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Seriously. Cossa over Wallstedt? Sillinger at 5 while Clarke is at 10 and Hughes is at 11?

Oof.

Well, if things shake out that way that makes it easier for us to draft any combination of...

Wallstedt/McTavish/Svechkov/Clarke at #6
Olausson/Pinelli/Rosen/Kisakov/Bolduc at #23(22)

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

New scouching for Brandt Clarke! It's about damn time...

 

[19 for president]

After the draft lottery he had a press conference and basically said he thinks the top 10 is filled with every position except for probably goalie. That Pronman article with quotes from scouts/executives doesnt exactly praise Wallstedt either. Its going to be a classic goalie falls out of the top 10 and everyone is surprised even though they never get drafted that high anymore

I just feel like its really hard to justify taking a goalie in the top 10, unless they are an almost generational prospect. Even then its tricky because even the really good ones like say a Carey Price, tend to have their ups an downs. Also in a cap world, you don't really get that ELC payoff that you do drafting dmen and forwards early since it usually takes so long for goalies to fully develop.

I'm not against Wallstedt, but from what I've read it doesn't sound like he has quite the talent an Askaraov or Knight did. He sounds like more of a surefire eventual starter than per say a top 5 goalie. If Yzerman and team think he is a step above the positional prospects at 6 then take him, but if things are even then I take the F/D over the goalie.

 

[Frk It]

Seriously. Cossa over Wallstedt? Sillinger at 5 while Clarke is at 10 and Hughes is at 11?

Oof.

Well, if things shake out that way that makes it easier for us to draft any combination of...

Wallstedt/McTavish/Svechkov/Clarke at #6
Olausson/Pinelli/Rosen/Kisakov/Bolduc at #23(22)

Don't see the issue, but OK. People are so conditioned into there being this "consensus" that doesn't actually exist.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Don't see the issue, but OK. People are so conditioned into there being this "consensus" that doesn't actually exist.

I could care less about consensus here. I have watched full games of Wallstedt in the SHL and I've watched whatever footage I could of the Edmonton Oil Kings for Guenther and incidentally saw Cossa, plus some of his shift by shift videos. I am very confident Wallstedt will be a much, much better goalie at the NHL level.

EDIT: And regarding some of the other rankings, I like Cole Sillinger but taking him in the top 5 would make a few other teams happy because that means someone else fell. If NJD took Sillinger then you're looking at Edvinsson maybe falling and CBJ snaps their eventual Werenski replacement up, etc.

 

[deca guard]

22 - pinelli / cossa / svechkov

 

[Frk It]

I could care less about consensus here. I have watched full games of Wallstedt in the SHL and I've watched whatever footage I could of the Edmonton Oil Kings for Guenther and incidentally saw Cossa, plus some of his shift by shift videos. I am very confident Wallstedt will be a much, much better goalie at the NHL level.

Yeah, I don't disagree with everything they have. I have Hughes way higher than they do. But they watch and have access to more than I do, and have a pretty good track record. So I will listen to what they have to say.

I think Sillinger in particular will look really good in a few years, and people will try to say they were higher on him than they were. Kudos to people who plant their flag ahead of time. We will have to see if they are good or bad takes.

I tend to fall on the same side of things with Wallstedt vs Cossa. I definitely prefer Wallstedt. But just because Wallstedt looks better now, doesn't mean he will in 3-4 years. The projection part of it is really hard sometimes.