HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[CristianoRonaldo]

Multiple interviews now he's asked about his game and he thinks his two way game is a strength that doesn't need improvement.

But it's easy to say the right things, according to some...

 

[TheBuriedHab]

I'm listening to Arpon right now and he makes a great point about this managment team drafting as they are building a team that can win in the playoffs.

Their two lottery picks were used on players you see theoretically thriving in the playoffs.

Demidov for example is Uber talented, but they also like him more than Michkov because he plays a more complete game.

Probably why the real debate for them last year was between Reinbacher and Leonard, not Michkov.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Sennecke production:

Last 45 games: 64 points. 1.42 PPG (97 point pace)

Last 25 games: 42 points. 1.68 PPG (114 point pace)

Yeah, that’s exactly the type of offensive progression I want to see from a draft eligible.

For comparison sake, Shane Wright had 26 points in his last 20 games (1.3 PPG) while being surrounded by far better players and people were clamouring to take him 1st overall.

Not to mention he's doing it in the playoffs when you have to battle harder for space and you're playing against the strongest teams.

All teams want players with skill who can also bring it in the playoffs.

 

[Habs Icing]

Thats for sure, but it aint the question here. Only Eiserman is a faller here and he’s not in the convo.

Who cares if he's a riser. All you have to do is watch him play. Before this week I saw mainly highlights of the two players and couldn't decide. Then I saw a few games by each and still can't decide. I see them on par with each other but behind a healthy Lindstrom.

The ideal scenario is we get Lindstrom and move up to get Iginla/Sennecke. Although I love Demigod and Catton, I want to go with the talented size because of the shrimps we have presently on the team.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Slafs rise was from Olympics in January, his liiga production was in that period after that and into the playoffs and culminated with his world championships.

Also, HockeyProspect had some quotes from NHL scouts in December that he was starting to make noise to challenge for #1 .

 

[TheYardMachine]

KK was not only a late riser he was also a reach because we drafted for needs.

He was 8-10 on pre draft rankings.

Sennecke is an interesting player and i can easily understand why they would go with him. Idk yet who i would pick between him and Iginla

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

How would Hab fans feel if HuGo use 5oa to grab Levshunov or Parehk

I would be fine with it, because this year is the right draft to grab a defenseman, unlike the last one...

 

[McGees]

I think last year's angry Michkov fans will be this year's angry Catton fans...

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

https://x.com/MOBeaudoin1/status/1786382481475747946

So Beaudoin is saying

They want to add some size with their pick, but Demidov would supplant that because of his talent level.

Very unlikely to take a defenseman unless the context lends itself to it.

As of now Catton not in their sights due to the size.

Canadiens love Sennecke, he's in the mix. Probably not ahead of Lindstrom or Demidov.

Moar size...

Talent over size, AINEC.

 

[Vachon23]

How would Hab fans feel if HuGo use 5oa to grab Levshunov or Parehk

Would be extremely happy with Levshunov

 

[The Great Weal]

How would Hab fans feel if HuGo use 5oa to grab Levshunov or Parehk

I don't see how you can be mad about drafting Levshunov. When HuGo said they won't draft a dman unless he is clearly the best player available, Levshunov is likely the case if he's somehow available at 5th OA.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

He didn't come into the season as a surefire top 10 player, or potential top 5 pick. He found a fit in Kelowna, his play seemed to take another step once he got regular reps on the 1st PP and finally finished on an even stronger note in the playoffs.

He wasn't in McKenzie's early season top-16 , was 16th in his mid-season rankings and will likely be top10 in his pre-lottery rankings. So in that sense, he is a late riser.

I know he wasn't listed high originally because he had little experience due to his situation. Anyways, I wrote last July that Iginla, Sennecke would be in top 10 by the end (I had Mews, too, but he didn't take that next step that I expected). The lists tend to follow player progression. They're late. So a player gets rated late 1st because he barely played the year before then mid-1st after they see him play the 1st half better than expected then a high ranking after they realize this isn't a short term gain. Being a riser is a good thing.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I think last year's angry Michkov fans will be this year's angry Catton fans...

It depends what you define with 'angry', for instance I wanted Michkov (or Leonard) last year and I also want Catton this year, it does not mean I am angry they passed on Michkov or will be angry if they pass on Catton, I am more dissappointed by it and skeptical it was the right choice because as a fan of hockey I want superstar/high upside players and the Habs seem to value more a specific profile who are harder to find in later portion of the draft (large sized talented players at key positions) but it's quite possible that the habs made the right choice and I will gladly eat crow a couple years from now. I still don't drink the Kool aid (like some other poster here seem to do) though that every player drafted by the Habs were by far the best choice. In the end, every players drafted have their pros and cons, it just seem like the Habs have specific profile of players in mind. Anyway we will have a better idea in june.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I was just listening in to the Arpon live room.

He basically said that outside of Demidov who he knows they have interest in from comments even last year, he's just guessing on the forwards but that they put a premium on players who can be effective in the playoffs.

Doesn't know if they love Demidov enough to try to trade aggressively to secure him. But mentioned Lindstrom and Iginla in his article and when asked about Sennecke he also mentioned he has those qualities and that he embodies exactly what the profile is of their last two picks.

They want talent, that's the emphasis but they want talent that can thrive when it counts.

Also continued to mention that they really don't want a defenseman and that it's more likely the defense go high than a run on forwards. Feels the organization has a number of forwards they'd be ecstatic to get.

Doesn't see a situation where they'd move the pick for Zegras and that it's hard to gage how much interest they actually have in him as he doesn't fit traditionally what they are looking for.

 

[Jaynki]

Moar size...

Talent over size, AINEC.

Yes indeed

But having size does not equal having less talent.

Also, there is a premium for size whether we like it or not.

Talent with size over small talent AINEC.

 

[absolute garbage]

I fail to see why Poirier wouldn't be a great choice with Winnipeg's pick. Exactly the kind of high upside pick you want to make at that range.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[WeThreeKings]

I fail to see why Poirier wouldn't be a great choice with Winnipeg's pick. Exactly the kind of high upside pick you want to make at that range.

Because you can get players with talent that don't have as many questions. Hutson went round 2. Dumais went round 3. Stankoven round 2. The Colorado pick is the earliest opportunity where it makes sense to take a 5'8 guy who's a great sniper but the rest of his game isn't developed and may not be dimensional at the NHL level.

I really like the kid but there's no way I'm taking him over a Hage, Boisvert, Greentree, Letourneau etc that's bound to be kicking around.

 

[McGees]

It depends what you define with 'angry', for instance I wanted Michkov (or Leonard) last year and I also want Catton this year, it does not mean I am angry they passed on Michkov or will be angry if they pass on Catton, I am more dissappointed by it and skeptical it was the right choice because as a fan of hockey I want superstar/high upside players and the Habs seem to value more a specific profile who are harder to find in later portion of the draft (large sized talented players at key positions) but it's quite possible that the habs made the right choice and I will gladly eat crow a couple years from now. I still don't drink the Kool aid (like some other poster here seem to do) though that every player drafted by the Habs were by far the best choice. In the end, every players drafted have their pros and cons, it just seem like the Habs have specific profile of players in mind. Anyway we will have a better idea in june.

I'm mostly talking about the fans that were shocked and posted 20+ angry rants about it despite the writing on the wall for several weeks that we weren't going to pick him.

 

[The Great Weal]

We really should be trading up for him. The teams ahead of us except for Columbus all need dmen badly. I'm not sure what the cost of trading up from 5/6 to 2 would be.

 

[Hins77]

Hypothesis question here.
If you could choose either have only one of those players: Demidov, Catton, Lindstrom or Iginla
OR
Have 2 of those players: Connelly, Helenius, Eiserman or Sennecke.

What option would you choose ?

For example: Demidov vs Helenius + Eiserman.

You won’t get 2 top 12 picks for the 5th pick. This is irrationnal lol cause if you can. You do it.

 

[Trabdy2]

I was sort of hoping that the Winnipeg pick might land in the low 20's and we could use the Colorado 2nd to move up a bit to land Sennecke. But the Winnipeg pick won't be that high, and Sennecke's draft stock seems to be rising too much for that possibility.

I like Sennecke a lot, but I'm just not sure he's worth 5th overall. At the same time, if we can't be assured we'll get him by trading down a few spots, then he's probably worth the 5th. Like with Reinbacher, I imagine Hughes will be examining this possibility in great depth if they really like Sennecke.

 

[Leto]

We really should be trading up for him. The teams ahead of us except for Columbus all need dmen badly. I'm not sure what the cost of trading up from 5/6 to 2 would be.

Not that it means much, but there was mention of a recent Silayev interview in his prospect thread on the main boards, where Silayev noted that he got a lot of interests from Columbus and Utah scouts. So, maybe Columbus is also on the D-man bandwagon.​

 

[The Great Weal]

Not that it means much, but there was mention of a recent Silayev interview in his prospect thread on the main boards, where Silayev noted that he got a lot of interests from Columbus and Utah scouts. So, maybe Columbus is also on the D-man bandwagon.​

I just don't see where they would have the room. Jiricek was already upset earlier this year that there was not enough room for him to play. Werenski/Jiricek/Mateychuk/Severson are projected to be their top 4 dmen for a while. Sure Severson sticks out, but they clearly like him a lot with that monstrous contract he got so he won't be going anywhere soon.

 

[Hannibal]

I just don't see where they would have the room. Jiricek was already upset earlier this year that there was not enough room for him to play. Werenski/Jiricek/Mateychuk/Severson are projected to be their top 4 dmen for a while. Sure Severson sticks out, but they clearly like him a lot with that monstrous contract he got so he won't be going anywhere soon.

The previous regime liked him a lot. Babcok/Jarmo dynamique duo