2021 NHL Draft Thread: Brackett and Friends

[57special]

It's pretty bad PR for the league to be vaccinating players before front line health workers and senior citizens.

 

[fentonsbrainchild]

It's pretty bad PR for the league to be vaccinating players before front line health workers and senior citizens.

I agree. However, bad PR hasn't detered Bettman in the past

 

[MuckOG]

My bet is that the NHL will make a push to get their players vaccinated only AFTER all those considered "vulnerable" have been taken care of. Realistically, I could see the players being vaccinated by the time the playoffs start in May.

 

[AKL]

Ride out the jeers to get Beniers?

 

[guitarhunterdude]

Ride out the jeers to get Beniers?

Nobody to boo if the arenas are empty. Perfect year to get the tank in gear.

 

[fentonsbrainchild]

Pittsburgh meltdown? I will be thinking of Matty Beniers every PIT loss

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

this would be the perfect year to tank and then draft a future middle pair defensemen with our highest pick in franchise history

 

[fentonsbrainchild]

this would be the perfect year to tank and then draft a future middle pair defensemen with our highest pick in franchise history

Luke Hughes will be a top pair defenseman tho...

 

[TaLoN]

this would be the perfect year to tank and then draft a future middle pair defensemen with our highest pick in franchise history

Too good to tank. Gotta bank on Pittsburgh.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Too good to tank. Gotta bank on Pittsburgh.

Short seasons throw everything onto the table.

 

[DANOZ28]

im worried boston has several injuries and could help pens get in playoffs. hey from the wjc next draft i'll have my eye on 2 finns that 6'6" helenius & viro (fast & smooth) both looked fantastic. i still want another 1st pick center. oops viro already drafted by wings.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Let's complete this mf rebuild. Two top 10 picks incoming. how are we gonna do it? Pittsburgh is gonna be bad, and San Jose is going to put on the burners and beat us out for the last playoff spot. We'll end with the 13th pick, and trade one (maybe a couple) of the 2nds we acquire this year to move up. Ok maybe that's all too much of a fantasy considering this draft will be so unpredictable as is. However, I think we can add some really nice pieces as Brackett is king. It's nice, also, that we can cheer for the Coyotes to be bad because if they finish behind us they don't havre a pick.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Let's complete this mf rebuild. Two top 10 picks incoming. how are we gonna do it? Pittsburgh is gonna be bad, and San Jose is going to put on the burners and beat us out for the last playoff spot. We'll end with the 13th pick, and trade one (maybe a couple) of the 2nds we acquire this year to move up. Ok maybe that's all too much of a fantasy considering this draft will be so unpredictable as is. However, I think we can add some really nice pieces as Brackett is king. It's nice, also, that we can cheer for the Coyotes to be bad because if they finish behind us they don't havre a pick.

I don't think San Jose is going to be able to outscore their defensive/goaltending issues.

Vlassic has lost 95% of his foot speed and is a turnstile now. Karlsson and Burns could never really defend well, but now that they aren't scoring at 70+ point paces their offense no longer hugely outweighs their defensive shortcomings.

To top that off, their goalies are Dubnyk and Jones....

It's a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[keppel146]

this would be the perfect year to tank and then draft a future middle pair defensemen with our highest pick in franchise history

Let Rossi develop over seas. I’m just worried about KK97!

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I don't think San Jose is going to be able to outscore their defensive/goaltending issues.

Vlassic has lost 95% of his foot speed and is a turnstile now. Karlsson and Burns could never really defend well, but now that they aren't scoring at 70+ point paces their offense no longer hugely outweighs their defensive shortcomings.

To top that off, their goalies are Dubnyk and Jones....

It's a disaster waiting to happen.

If they're healthy, I think they could. Not with Dubnyk in net, but if Jones gives them a .905 save percentage they have a shot at making the playoffs

 

[ThatGuy22]

If they're healthy, I think they could. Not with Dubnyk in net, but if Jones gives them a .905 save percentage they have a shot at making the playoffs

Nah. They get shelled. Jones put up bad numbers, but he also had one of the toughest jobs in the leagues. He had the 2nd lowest expected save percentage of all goalies that played and the sharks had the highest scoring chances against in the league last year.

We're not talking about a Dubnyk situation where a goalie has the easiest situation in the league, and was terrible. Jones had a tough job, and didn't do particularly well in it.

He'd need to be like .915 to make it. If he had .905 last year, they'd still have had a -35 goal differential. the 30ish games missed by Hertl/Couture combined certainly aren't going to fix that gap if they stay healthy this year.

Side note: just think about what Dubnyk will do in the games he plays under that workload...

 

[thestonedkoala]

It's going to be a strange season;

Should be lock:
Colorado
St Louis
Vegas

I honestly could think that any of Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose or Arizona could fight for a playoff spot. Arizona doesn't have enough offense, but their goaltending could make them contenders. Anaheim has Zegras coming in after a scorching WJC. They could bounce back. San Jose could also bounce back. Los Angeles' president or GM said they were done rebuilding and could compete.

I'd say the division ends up:
Colorado
Vegas
St. Louis
Minnesota
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Arizona

 

[ThatGuy22]

It's going to be a strange season;

Should be lock:
Colorado
St Louis
Vegas

I honestly could think that any of Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose or Arizona could fight for a playoff spot. Arizona doesn't have enough offense, but their goaltending could make them contenders. Anaheim has Zegras coming in after a scorching WJC. They could bounce back. San Jose could also bounce back. Los Angeles' president or GM said they were done rebuilding and could compete.

I'd say the division ends up:
Colorado
Vegas
St. Louis
Minnesota
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Arizona

Anaheim and Arizona I could see. Gibson's bad season is more likely to be flukey than Jones/Dubnyk/Quick obvious multi year decline. Arizona also should be able to get stable net minding from Kuemper/Ranta split.

Any team that can get .915 goaltending will be in it. I'll be shocked if LA/SJ get it with their lineup problems on top of subpar goaltending.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Brandt Clarke, potential 1OA in 2021, has started playing in the Slovakian men's league. I have no idea his usage or how he looks, but he's got 0 points in 4 games. On the other hand, Simon Nemec, who probably goes in the 20-40 range in 2022, has 4 points in 13 games. Due with that what you will. I'd advise people to not overreact to initial production as Clarke is a pretty dynamic offensive defenseman. He's not my favorite this year, but a surefire top 10 pick.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Corson Cuelemans, AJHL, is an interesting player. Wisconsin bound next year. I would take a look at him with our second first. Other player's I'd look at, merely from stat watching and not actually viewing, are Chibrikov, Lysell, Olausson, Robertsson, and Coranato.

 

[57special]

Beniers or bust!

 

[molotce]

Brandt Clarke, potential 1OA in 2021, has started playing in the Slovakian men's league. I have no idea his usage or how he looks, but he's got 0 points in 4 games. On the other hand, Simon Nemec, who probably goes in the 20-40 range in 2022, has 4 points in 13 games. Due with that what you will. I'd advise people to not overreact to initial production as Clarke is a pretty dynamic offensive defenseman. He's not my favorite this year, but a surefire top 10 pick.

Who are your fav picks ?

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Who are your fav picks ?

I like Beniers, Hughes and Johnson. Granted I haven’t watched Hughes too much. Just love the size and skating package and am willing to bet the production will be there too

 

[molotce]

I like Beniers, Hughes and Johnson. Granted I haven’t watched Hughes too much. Just love the size and skating package and am willing to bet the production will be there too

Jave you been able to watch a good amount of johnson ? His game seems like a lot of highlight, but is it there to translate ? (Have only seen a couple of his)

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Jave you been able to watch a good amount of johnson ? His game seems like a lot of highlight, but is it there to translate ? (Have only seen a couple of his)

Hard to say with Johnson. He reminds me of Zegras so much I. The elite creativity and passing ability. His hands are terrific as well but I haven’t seen great foot speed from him. I’m also skeptical of his pace of play. He seems like he has star potential, but he has things to work on to get there, specifically pace, so he’s not a sure thing. The hope is that it comes with time, and it might.