2024 NHL Draft: Play with no weenie, for Celebrini

[Wonderful Tacos]

Yakemchuk is not considered slow, at all. He is also very physical.

I'm watchin a shift by shift video of him playing for the hitmen. He doesnt look that fast and much of the balance/agility/decision making he shows when play is slowed up in the teams o-zone is gone. looks awkward skating with the puck in the neutral zone which is rare (edit: what i mean is its probably rare for him to be skating thru neutral with the puck bc he prob typically passes to someone who skates with better handles to be clear)

I feel like I'm looking at a 6th/7th defenseman clg

Edit: setting aside our mutual affection for the Wild this feels like something to bet for bragging rights over. whoever's guy is the better player in 5 years gets to gloat or something (not betting real money ofc lets not be silly lol)

 

[Circulartheory]

I'm watchin a shift by shift video of him playing for the hitmen. He doesnt look that fast and much of the balance/agility/decision making he shows when play is slowed up in the teams o-zone is gone. looks awkward skating with the puck in the neutral zone which is rare (edit: what i mean is its probably rare for him to be skating thru neutral with the puck bc he prob typically passes to someone who skates with better handles to be clear)

I feel like I'm looking at a 6th/7th defenseman clg

Edit: setting aside our mutual affection for the Wild this feels like something to bet for bragging rights over. whoever's guy is the better player in 5 years gets to gloat or something (not betting real money ofc lets not be silly lol)

For me, one of the best looking mix of size, skating, and reach is Jiricek. The questions that come though is his injury and that he started slow this year and because of the injury, never was able to come back and show improvements. But I still have him high.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

For me, one of the best looking mix of size, skating, and reach is Jiricek. The questions that come though is his injury and that he started slow this year and because of the injury, never was able to come back and show improvements. But I still have him high.

I like him too, especially for where the Wild are. Seems like he's destined for the mid to late teens so if he becomes the best option and they feel like they can I'd like to see the Wild trade back a couple spots and pick up a 3rd or something if thats the route theyre going. Maybe thats getting a bit greedy though. I just want a defenseman to be really high level intelligence and skating and atleast mediocre size to be a top 4 guy and Jiricek looks like he could pass those tests.

 

[Circulartheory]

I like him too, especially for where the Wild are. Seems like he's destined for the mid to late teens so if he becomes the best option and they feel like they can I'd like to see the Wild trade back a couple spots and pick up a 3rd or something if thats the route theyre going. Maybe thats getting a bit greedy though. I just want a defenseman to be really high level intelligence and skating and atleast mediocre size to be a top 4 guy and Jiricek looks like he could pass those tests.

I haven't watched enough to gauge the IQ test but on the surface, he's got top 10 skills. Skating, size, puck skills etc so he's one I'm going to focus down a bit more over the next few months because he's a realistic pick for us.

 

[keppel146]

Like go watch whatever yakemchuk thing you want. get yourself 100% yakemchuk-pilled.

then watch this:



both are the usual goal highlights but who do you think is getting to the puck first? who do you think is making the nice outlet pass to the open player?

One other thing is Yakemchuck is like as old as possible to be a D-0 for this draft. September birthday = about half a year older than parekh

Too bad the Wild f***ed themselves and prob won’t get a top pair dman anymore.

 

[57special]

I don't know how you can judge a guy that has barely played this year.

Yakemchuk's weakness, according to some, is his decision making defensively. He is one of the most physical players in the draft, has size, good puck skills, and skating. The only thing that scares me a bit about him is his hockey IQ, but some say the same thing about Levshunov, another big, toolsy, RHD.

If Yakemchuk is there at #15 I'd be all over him, but i don't think he will be. I could see Parekh dropping, maybe?

 

[BagHead]

I don't know how you can judge a guy that has barely played this year.

Yakemchuk's weakness, according to some, is his decision making defensively. He is one of the most physical players in the draft, has size, good puck skills, and skating. The only thing that scares me a bit about him is his hockey IQ, but some say the same thing about Levshunov, another big, toolsy, RHD.

If Yakemchuk is there at #15 I'd be all over him, but i don't think he will be. I could see Parekh dropping, maybe?

From watching Yakemchuk, I share the game-sense concern. His passes are sometimes... interesting. I'd like to ask him what he was thinking in those moments. His positioning was sometimes off in the defensive zone, but wasn't THAT bad, from what I saw, maybe because he has the size to compensate. That said, I think he'll be an NHL player, he has lots of good tools and uses them all liberally. I doubt he'll be there at 13-15th.

I have only seen highlights of Parekh, so it's hard for me to say anything more than "he looks super skilled and slick in the offensive zone". I've heard his defense isn't good, but I have no idea in which ways. I haven't gotten to see more than, like, two neutral zone transitions all year. I'd love to watch video of him, but have lacked the time lately. Maybe someone who has actually watched full games or game shifts of him can chime in?

 

[Sweetnut]

This Celebrimbor dude, does he have any grit? Is he big? Can he fight? Is he a prankster? If no, don't need him.

 

[57special]

This Celebrimbor dude, does he have any grit? Is he big? Can he fight? Is he a prankster? If no, don't need him.

It's Celeborn, and yes, i've heard that behind the scenes he's quite the prankster. Eggs in shoes, Ben Gay in the undies...he's the whole package.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

The top 15 of this draft is really good. I like Greentree a lot. Connelly might be a top 5 talent. It’ll be super interesting to see where he lands.

 

[57special]

The top 15 of this draft is really good. I like Greentree a lot. Connelly might be a top 5 talent. It’ll be super interesting to see where he lands.

I really haven't watched hardly any of Connelly. He might be BPA at the time we pick, but also WPA. Even if a GM is fine with picking him, it's a guarantee that 20-30% of the fanbase will not be, and probably 5% who will not renew ST's because of him. Tough to sign up for that.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Is there more with Connelly than just the swastika thing?

 

[57special]

Is there more with Connelly than just the swastika thing?

Yes, and potentially more troubling. There was an article in the Athletic about it. Urinating on teammates, leaving teams(or being asked to leave) after only a few weeks, allegations of on ice racial abuse, bullying amongst teammates, etc.

If it was just the Swaztika thing, then I might give him the benefit of the doubt. According to them, he took a pic of something a Jewish teammate did and posted it(have not heard from them). Throw in the rest and it starts to point to guy who might be a problem, over and above the normal jock behavior.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Is there more with Connelly than just the swastika thing?

There’s a lot of pretty awful stuff that is detailed more here: Who will draft Trevor Connelly? Inside the NHL's evolving scrutiny of top prospects

 

[DANOZ28]

maybe he will be this years riley heidt we can scoop up in the 2nd? or are you saying you wouldn't even pick him in the 7th?

 

[57special]

maybe he will be this years riley heidt we can scoop up in the 2nd? or are you saying you wouldn't even pick him in the 7th?

Most think he will be picked sometime in the 1st round.

 

[Sweetnut]

Well, Bruins is my guess. They have done stupid stuff before, and have a morally bankrupt rat as a captain.

 

[NHL1674]

If everyone calling the hawks getting bedard wasn't enough, if it happens again you know this stupid game is on some level is rigged.

I was going with the Hawks again, but now think that Bettman will give him to Salt Lake City.

 

[Wabit]

I was going with the Hawks again, but now think that Bettman will give him to Salt Lake City.

Hawks picking 1st again would lock them out of 1oa until the '28 draft.

 

[57special]

Well, Bruins is my guess. They have done stupid stuff before, and have a morally bankrupt rat as a captain.

Captain's don't make picks, and the team more or less rebelled and made Sweeney rescind the offer to Miller. They won't make the same mistake again.

I can see a team like STL or NSH, with fairly strong dressing rooms and organizations, taking him. Midwest, somewhat conservative places away from the noise of the coasts might be the best place for him.

We are picking at 12-15. In that spot, we can do better than him. One of Yakemchuk/Parekh will be available, and a forward like Greentree/Iginla/Lindstrom(?).

 

[TaLoN]

There’s a lot of pretty awful stuff that is detailed more here: Who will draft Trevor Connelly? Inside the NHL's evolving scrutiny of top prospects

This kid is just a continuous red flag. Too many things to be coincidence.

 

[MuckOG]

This kid is just a continuous red flag. Too many things to be coincidence.

If he drops to our 2nd round pick, would you take him then?

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I legit would take Will Zellers before I took Connelly, off of hockey ability alone.

 

[MNRube]

Rossi easily hits 50+ points if he gets any PP1 time and better 5v5 linemates. He plays a strong defensive game and is by all accounts a workhorse in the offseason.

Why on earth would we trade him? If it’s for a guy like Jiricek in a legitimate hockey trade, that’s one thing. But so many posters here seem committed to just dumping him to the highest bidder. Complete lunacy IMO

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

But so many posters here seem committed to just dumping him to the highest bidder.

Havent seen that at all