HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Redux91]

I trust our scouting team after picks like Slafkovsky, Hutson, F.Xhekaj, Fowler, Beck, Konyushkov, Volokhin, and Eriksson.

Will be excited by whoever they take

It'll be Lindstrom, he will amazingly fall into our laps

And we're all gonna freak out (for good and bad as per usual lol)

But honestly, we'll be laughing

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

If you can't decide between Catton or Lindstrom split the difference and pick Iggy Jr

 

[TheBuriedHab]

If you can't decide between Catton or Lindstrom split the difference and pick Iggy Jr

I still prefer Lindstrom to Iggy, but if they did go that way I wouldn't be upset in the slightest.

 

[Benstheman]

No, 8 years difference.

8 years AND the risk the player we draft doesn’t become a good player.

 

[Habs7631]

Are we really discussing picking Iginla over guys like Levshunov, Buium, Parekh or Dickinson who are having historical draft years for defensemen.

Like what happened about picking BPA and not for fit. Didn’t we learn our lesson with Kotkaniemi.

This board was all about picking BPA last year, but this year we must pick a forward? Like if Demidov and Lindstrom are both gone at 5, that means only 1 of the D got picked, ain’t no way I want us to pick a guy who MAYBE has top line potential for a couple of guys who have franchise D ceiling.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

But you draft the players who can do both. MB missed that part for most of his tenure.

True you get the ones who can do both but I meant the emphasis with those players is they'll be gamers come playoff time. Obviously they arent going to go from 0 pts in the regular season to PPG in the playoffs. But there are some players who have the same level of play in both the regular season and playofffs then those who turn it on blast like Carey Price

 

[Scintillating10]

8 years AND the risk the player we draft doesn’t become a good player.

Take my chances

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I still prefer Lindstrom to Iggy, but if they did go that way I wouldn't be upset in the slightest.

Feel the same, we really need to address the soft issue more than the small issue if we want to be anything more than a speed bump for a 1st round playoff opponent.

No Connor Crisps though!!

 

[Mrb1p]

If you can't decide between Catton or Lindstrom split the difference and pick Iggy Jr

I actually agree I think. Scary to lose the physical specimen or the high offense forward tho

 

[Michoulicious]

Are we really discussing picking Iginla over guys like Levshunov, Buium, Parekh or Dickinson who are having historical draft years for defensemen.

Like what happened about picking BPA and not for fit. Didn’t we learn our lesson with Kotkaniemi.

This board was all about picking BPA last year, but this year we must pick a forward? Like if Demidov and Lindstrom are both gone at 5, that means only 1 of the D got picked, ain’t no way I want us to pick a guy who MAYBE has top line potential for a couple of guys who have franchise D ceiling.

I'd not draft Parekh, but yeah, I'd probably draft the 3 others before thinking about drafting Iginla. I especially like Dickinson and I think he'd be by far our best D prospect if we picked him. He'd make Guhle expendable in the long term, even.

Management seems to like Iginla a lot however, it is rumored they met with him 4 times.

I'd say if you feel the BPA is clearly a LHD, pick him and figure things out later. Beside Celebrini, none of the forwards available would have top 6 impact for at least 3 years anyways, so I'd try to trade for a top 6 forward (Zegras, Necas, etc) at the draft.

Those 2 would play right away in the top 6 and adress one of the team main weakness.

Let's say you trade Guhle for a Zegras/Necas, you then go in next season with a possible top 9 of Matheson, Savard, Hutson, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Kovacevic
Barron, Mailloux, Harris... You can do something with that. Team survived while Guhle was injured.

And you have Dickinson in the CHL getting ready for prime time in 2-3 years.

 

[Deebs]

I'd not draft Parekh, but yeah, I'd probably draft the 3 others before thinking about drafting Iginla. I especially like Dickinson and I think he'd be by far our best D prospect if we picked him. He'd make Guhle expendable in the long term, even.

Management seems to like Iginla a lot however, it is rumored they met with him 4 times.

I'd say if you feel the BPA is clearly a LHD, pick him and figure things out later. Beside Celebrini, none of the forwards available would have top 6 impact for at least 3 years anyways, so I'd try to trade for a top 6 forward (Zegras, Necas, etc) at the draft.

Those 2 would play right away in the top 6 and adress one of the team main weakness.

Let's say you trade Guhle for a Zegras/Necas, you then go in next season with a possible top 9 of Matheson, Savard, Hutson, Reinbacher, Xhekaj, Kovacevic
Barron, Mailloux, Harris... You can do something with that. Team survived while Guhle was injured.

And you have Dickinson in the CHL getting ready for prime time in 2-3 years.

So wait another 3+ years for a guy that's just about the exact same as Guhle....not sure that makes sense for our timeline.

 

[Michoulicious]

So wait another 3+ years for a guy that's just about the exact same as Guhle....not sure that makes sense for our timeline.

Dickinson has way more offensive potential than Guhle IMO.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

No, unless you're talking about the 24-26th one, then yes.

Lol cmon this doesnt even come close to getting Keller who would instantly be our best player and under a steal of a contract,our 1st would be alot closer in value matter fact those talks have been going around since last summer for our 5th overall

 

[jiboy]

Keller is worth much more than a 5 overall pick

Look what Debrincat got and multiply by 2 (when he went from chicago to ottawa)

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Dickinson has way more offensive potential than Guhle IMO.

the only way i would be interested in dickinson is if they package Guhle and 1st in a trade for a Byfield, Leonard, etc. (former top 10 pick 23 years old or younger)

 

[Vachon23]

It would be extremely hard for me to pass on Levshunov If he’s available when we pick

 

[Mrb1p]

It would be extremely hard for me to pass on Levshunov If he’s available when we pick

Levshunov would solidify the top 4. Makes Mailloux a good trade piece too. We'd have 3 players in the same mold and Hutson, literaly Josi, Ekholm, Subban and Ellis 2.0. With a better 1C than they ever had, a better 2C than they ever had, Slaf = FF9, we'd just be missing an elite goaltender to get to the bigs.

 

[Vachon23]

Levshunov would solidify the top 4. Makes Mailloux a good trade piece too. We'd have 3 players in the same mold and Hutson, literaly Josi, Ekholm, Subban and Ellis 2.0. With a better 1C than they ever had, a better 2C than they ever had, Slaf = FF9, we'd just be missing an elite goaltender to get to the bigs.

If where going with the BPA mentality, I have a hard time seing someone better then him at 5/6 and like you said with Mailloux + 1st WIN or MTL/CGY 2025 1st we can easily get a good top 6

 

[Habs7631]

It would be extremely hard for me to pass on Levshunov If he’s available when we pick

If Demidov and Lindstrom are both gone in the top 4 and Levshunov is still there... Not sure how you pass on him.

Even then, let's say Levshunov is available at 5, we probably gonna receive a shitload of calls from team below us looking to move up to secure him just like with Reinbacher at 5 like last year.

Draft him, and you can probably trade him for a top tier forward prospect and ask for more on top.

Worst case scenario you draft him and this is your defense in a 2-3 years

Guhle - Levshunov
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

And you figure out the rest later.

 

[Vachon23]

If Demidov and Lindstrom are both gone in the top 4 and Levshunov is still there... Not sure how you pass on him.

Even then, let's say Levshunov is available at 5, we probably gonna receive a shitload of calls from team below us looking to move up to secure him just like with Reinbacher at 5 like last year.

Draft him, and you can probably trade him for a top tier forward prospect and ask for more on top.

Worst case scenario you draft him and this is your defense in a 2-3 years

Guhle - Levshunov
Hutson - Reinbacher
Xhekaj - Mailloux

And you figure out the rest later.

If he’s still there, it’s probably because those guys are gone.

And that would probably be the best defensive group in the NHL.

 

[Mrb1p]

If where going with the BPA mentality, I have a hard time seing someone better then him at 5/6 and like you said with Mailloux + 1st WIN or MTL/CGY 2025 1st we can easily get a good top 6

The thing that scares me with Levshunov is his ceiling is all over the place. I have a hard time seeing where it lands. Sometimes he gives me hopes that he's a potential #1 D, and other times he looks like he might be a #4 with limited offense. I'm not sure he has the IQ to be a great player. He's a good shooter but he hasn't shown that Mailloux-like elite shooting that would make me say "He's a stud for sure" and of course he doesn't have the playmaking, or at least not always. He's also pretty old, very developped physically and very raw at the same time.

 

[Vachon23]

The thing that scares me with Levshunov is his ceiling is all over the place. I have a hard time seeing where it lands. Sometimes he gives me hopes that he's a potential #1 D, and other times he looks like he might be a #4 with limited offense. I'm not sure he has the IQ to be a great player. He's a good shooter but he hasn't shown that Mailloux-like elite shooting that would make me say "He's a stud for sure" and of course he doesn't have the playmaking, or at least not always. He's also pretty old, very developped physically and very raw at the same time.

The fact that he’s already a freaking stud in the NCAA means a lot to me. My only real concern is like you said how much good will he really be ? Will he become a Jaccob Slavin type or can he put more offensive numbers than him ?

 

[Mrb1p]

The fact that he’s already a freaking stud in the NCAA means a lot to me. My only real concern is like you said how much good will he really be ? Will he become a Jaccob Slavin type or can he put more offensive numbers than him ?

Don't think he'll ever be as steady as Slavin, he has some wild, wild swings in performances lol. He's a wild horse.

Also needs to work on explosion, he's rather sluggish on his first steps, but when he gets going he flies.

 

[Vachon23]

Don't think he'll ever be as steady as Slavin, he has some wild, wild swings in performances lol. He's a wild horse.

Also needs to work on explosion, he's rather sluggish on his first steps, but when he gets going he flies.

Of course it was more a style comparaison

 

[Habs7631]

The fact that he’s already a freaking stud in the NCAA means a lot to me. My only real concern is like you said how much good will he really be ? Will he become a Jaccob Slavin type or can he put more offensive numbers than him ?

Funny enough Levshunov defense is what really needs work not his offense. He has the 2nd highest PPG for a rookie defenseman in the NCAA in the last 20 years I think (someone correct me if I’m wrong).

Zeev Buium is a freaking alien for scoring well above 1PPG as a rookie in the NCAA as a defenseman so let’s just ignore him lol