2022 NHL Draft Lottery - May 10th - 3:30 p.m. PT / 6:30 p.m. ET

[The Marquis]

Don't like it if Devils go for a D-man? OR if they pick a forward?

If they pick a forward. I don’t like choosing between Nemec and Jiricek. I’d like one of em gone before we pick.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

If Seattle had to pick 4th, Devils leap frogging them was the best possible scenario, imo.

With Jerey drafting 2nd, I can see them taking a RHD as that is their systems biggest need.

That leaves Wright/Slafkovsky/Cooley available... hopefully.

Yeah, either that or one of the defenseman for me.
Though, I really doubt they'll let a guy like Slafkovsky slip.

A speculation thread for 4 OA? Sure, create a new one.

That’s pretty much it. We’ll at least get one of those and all of those are great options. Arizona’s pick is the biggest ?, but New Jersey could decide not to go after a D-man and give us the choice of D-men. I kind of don’t like that honestly.

I think Arizona will take the guy not taken by New Jersey out of Slafkovsky or Cooley.
They also have loads of time and can keep the player in Europe given that they're not going to compete next year as well, IMO.

Sure New Jersey could do that but one of those two defenseman will be great for us, IMO, even though we'll have to wait at least one year on them.

Should also help Francis in his decision making knowing that the top pick most likely won't play for us next season.

 

[Irie]

If they pick a forward. I don’t like choosing between Nemec and Jiricek. I’d like one of em gone before we pick.

Personally I would not even consider Jiricek in the top 5. He has tools, but everything about his decision making and movement with and without the puck is a red-flag risk to me. The desirable ceiling may be there, but the floor isn't. Seattle isn't really in a position to take risks with a top 5 pick imo. Not yet, anyhow.

I'd be ecstatic if the Devils took him at 2. I think there is a reason why many scouts have him down closer to 10 than in the top 5.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Personally I would not even consider Jiricek in the top 5. He has tools, but everything about his decision making and movement with and without the puck is a red-flag risk to me. The desirable ceiling may be there, but the floor isn't. Seattle isn't really in a position to take risks with a top 5 pick imo. Not yet, anyhow.

I'd be ecstatic if the Devils took him at 2. I think there is a reason why many scouts have him down closer to 10 than in the top 5.

I think Francis would play it safer to go with Nemec as well. If Nemec is gone by then, I expect he picks one of the 3 forwards left.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Personally I would not even consider Jiricek in the top 5. He has tools, but everything about his decision making and movement with and without the puck is a red-flag risk to me. The desirable ceiling may be there, but the floor isn't. Seattle isn't really in a position to take risks with a top 5 pick imo. Not yet, anyhow.

I'd be ecstatic if the Devils took him at 2. I think there is a reason why many scouts have him down closer to 10 than in the top 5.

By that logic we should've also stayed away from Edvinsson last year, if we hadn't moved up a spot and gotten Beniers, and we'd be looking pretty foolish doing so.

Going the "safe route"(at least as safe as 18 year old kids can be) is a way to build a solid team but you do need to take some risks to actually get those difference makers.

Though, I do expect Francis to go the more "safe route" given the way he's acted in Seattle and Carolina.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Personally I would not even consider Jiricek in the top 5. He has tools, but everything about his decision making and movement with and without the puck is a red-flag risk to me. The desirable ceiling may be there, but the floor isn't. Seattle isn't really in a position to take risks with a top 5 pick imo. Not yet, anyhow.

I'd be ecstatic if the Devils took him at 2. I think there is a reason why many scouts have him down closer to 10 than in the top 5.

My guess:

Habs: Wright
Devils: Nemec/Slaf
Coyotes: Nemec/Cooley
Kraken: Nemec/Cooley/Slaf -> whichever is available.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

By that logic we should've also stayed away from Edvinsson last year, if we hadn't moved up a spot and gotten Beniers, and we'd be looking pretty foolish doing so.

Going the "safe route"(at least as safe as 18 year old kids can be) is a way to build a solid team but you do need to take some risks to actually get those difference makers.

Though, I do expect Francis to go the more "safe route" given the way he's acted in Seattle and Carolina.

Yeah. I think its easier to take a chance when you are picking outside the top-5 because there is less pressure. More so if you already have some skill in your team or prospect pool. With Francis, I just don't see him make high risk picks when picking high. All bets are off in the 2nd round though.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

My guess:

Habs: Wright
Devils: Nemec/Slaf
Coyotes: Nemec/Cooley
Kraken: Nemec/Cooley/Slaf -> whichever is available.

Yeah.

Unless one of those two in front of us love Nemec it will be interesting what Francis does.

Does he take the defenseman, that potentially could be a #1 RHD?
Or does he really like those underlying numbers of Lambert or Savoie's creativity?

 

[Irie]

By that logic we should've also stayed away from Edvinsson last year, if we hadn't moved up a spot and gotten Beniers, and we'd be looking pretty foolish doing so.

Going the "safe route"(at least as safe as 18 year old kids can be) is a way to build a solid team but you do need to take some risks to actually get those difference makers.

Though, I do expect Francis to go the more "safe route" given the way he's acted in Seattle and Carolina.

If you go back and look at the 2021 draft thread, you will see that I was a huge supporter of Edvinsson.

I said "I'd be thrilled if Francis drafted him, but he is probably more of a risk than Francis will contemplate to take at #2, given that Seattle can't afford to bust their first pick".

Drafting D in the top 5 is riskier than drafting forwards. They develop later, so you are farther away from seeing the finished product.

Edvinsson's game was raw, but his hockey sense, positioning, and reads were night and day better than Jiricek's is now. to me they are not even close in terms of the same risk factor.

That is not to say that Jiricek may not develop into the better player, but Edvinssons floor was a lot higher imo, and therefore, much less risky.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Yeah.

Unless one of those two in front of us love Nemec it will be interesting what Francis does.

Does he take the defenseman, that potentially could be a #1 RHD?
Or does he really like those underlying numbers of Lambert or Savoie's creativity?

I feel that Francis is more likely to go with Kemell than Lambert or Savoie because of Kemell being safer. Probably not popular opinion but if he feels that Savoie/Lambert/Kemell are going to make it, drop a few spots to the 6-8 range.

 

[Irie]

I know quite a few of you have Speculated on this before, but do you think there is a chance Francis passes on Cooley due to size?

I could honestly see it being in the discussion, but I have absolutely zero read on what he would ultimately decide if Cooley slipped to 4th.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

@Irie
Fair points.

Also, I doubt Francis will pass on Cooley because of size.
I think he's listed at 5'11 which is about two inches shorter than Beniers and shouldn't be a problem.

Though, Savoie's probably a guy that might not be that high on their list because of that.

I feel that Francis is more likely to go with Kemell than Lambert or Savoie because of Kemell being safer. Probably not popular opinion but if he feels that Savoie/Lambert/Kemell are going to make it, drop a few spots to the 6-8 range.

Well, Lambert's the guy that was supposed to challenge Wright for the #1 spot and all the metrics and underlying numbers seem to suggest that he's still pretty good.

And given all the focus on analytics of our front office I could see an outside chance of this happening.

Though, I do expect it to be one of those four mentioned.

 

[GrungeHockey]

My guess:

Habs: Wright
Devils: Nemec/Slaf
Coyotes: Nemec/Cooley
Kraken: Nemec/Cooley/Slaf -> whichever is available.

Except (imo) Jirichek is better than Nemec so throw that into your mix

Pretty anti climactic lottery. I guess Jersey was the "winner" and Seattle and Arizona losers, but still top 5 so whatever. Hard to say exactly which of the top picks will be the best anyway.

Bottom half of that draft was like why bother?

 

[The Marquis]

Definitely liked that it wasn’t Chicago. It actually lost Chicago and Vegas their picks to teams I’d much rather have success. But of course there’s always next year.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Except (imo) Jirichek is better than Nemec so throw that into your mix

Pretty anti climactic lottery. I guess Jersey was the "winner" and Seattle and Arizona losers, but still top 5 so whatever. Hard to say exactly which of the top picks will be the best anyway.

Bottom half of that draft was like why bother?

I thin Jiricek has higher upside. That is pretty much unanimous. Problem is that there is an inherent risk involved with that pick in the top-5 when Nemec is a much safer pick with a higher floor but slightly lower ceiling. I just don't see Francis taking a risk at #4.

I personally don't consider us losers in this draft. I said this a few weeks back and genuinely don't see much difference between the top-4 at this time. How their NHL careers pan our remains to be seen but I would not be upset if we were #1 overall and went with any of those 4.

 

[Irie]

Definitely liked that it wasn’t Chicago. It actually lost Chicago and Vegas their picks to teams I’d much rather have success. But of course there’s always next year.

Betman was going to give the pick to Chicago until one of his henchmen reminded him that if he did, Chicago's pick next year would go to Columbus, so he would not be able to send Bedard there next draft, so they had to scrap the whole plan at the last minute and quickly replace the lottery software with a version from the stack of drives they had on hand from the past 5 drafts, so there was a two in five chance it was going to New Jersey......

 

[GrungeHockey]

I thin Jiricek has higher upside. That is pretty much unanimous. Problem is that there is an inherent risk involved with that pick in the top-5 when Nemec is a much safer pick with a higher floor but slightly lower ceiling. I just don't see Francis taking a risk at #4.

I personally don't consider us losers in this draft. I said this a few weeks back and genuinely don't see much difference between the top-4 at this time. How their NHL careers pan our remains to be seen but I would not be upset if we were #1 overall and went with any of those 4.

I don't see it as "risk" but rather that he might take a little longer development wise, but in our case that's okay as the whole team will take time.
"Losers" only in the technical sense. There was very little movement but in the end we did fall. Jersey the big winner. But no really huge winner. Kind of pointless really.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Betman was going to give the pick to Chicago until one of his henchmen reminded him that if he did, Chicago's pick next year would go to Columbus, so he would not be able to send Bedard there next draft, so they had to scrap the whole plan at the last minute and quickly replace the lottery software with a version from the stack of drives they had on hand from the past 5 drafts, so there was a two in five chance it was going to New Jersey......

So I guess we'll only have to talk Gary into how great that 2024 #1 OVR pick will be and have a shot at Bedard?

 

[Irie]

So I guess we'll only have to talk Gary into how great that 2024 #1 OVR pick will be and have a shot at Bedard?

The trick is to convince Betman that the financial well-being of the NHL depends on him bestowing high picks on the Kraken franchise.

If Francis can do that, we are golden.....