Prospect Info: #5 OA - Barrett Hayton - Center - Back to the OHL

[rt]

It doesn't look like the insane reach it did at the draft. I've also been impressed by what I've seen of Hayton. I wonder more and more about an attitude or personality concern with Zadina after hearing that Vancouver preferred Hughes.

At the time the pick was announced I was livid, now even if we could swap Hayton for Zadina I'm not sure I would. This will be a really interesting pick to follow.

I still wouldn’t have Hayton in the top ten.

 

[Jakey53]

Right - for some reason I thought that the reason that Chayka became "obsessed" with this particular player was due to the fact that Bernhardt had been keeping an eye on him since Hayton was 16, and that the information on Hayton and his game really resonated with Chayka starting with last season. Once he kept getting good video of Hayton, Chayka's "obsession" started. "Was Bernhardt the scout that keyed Chayka to Hayton?" or not is the question.

I think you are correct that Bernhardt had been watching Hayton since he was 16.

 

[SniperHF]

We already knew of three, right? Yet the McKenzie poll had him outside the top ten.

I think when one says they "looked hard" it doesn't mean they were actually going to take him at the podium if the draft before them went differently.
It doesn't seem that abnormal to me for teams picking in the late 10's to look at guys more projected publicly in the 11-20 range, especially to see if the consensus is wrong. Due diligence, etc.
And of course the premium position factor.

I'm sure many players who went later than 10 were considered, probably even strongly by a few teams. Especially with how divergent the various draft reporters said team's lists were. They just didn't get picked that high so no one is going around asking about where they were looked at.

 

[XX]

In Latest Full60 Pronham indicates 4 teams in Top 10 were looking hard at Hayton.

He was the 2nd best center available, I hope teams would take a 'hard look' at him. Means nothing. The goal is to be the team that doesn't reach.

It doesn't look like the insane reach it did at the draft. I've also been impressed by what I've seen of Hayton.

Was not impressed at all with his camp or scrimmage given his draft pedigree.

 

[hbk]

He was the 2nd best center available, I hope teams would take a 'hard look' at him. Means nothing. The goal is to be the team that doesn't reach.



Was not impressed at all with his camp or scrimmage given his draft pedigree.

Reading between the lines it's clear we weren't the only team that wanted him and that's why we werent willing to trade down.

Also on the broadcast was clarity on how secret teams lists are.

 

[Jakey53]

He was the 2nd best center available, I hope teams would take a 'hard look' at him. Means nothing. The goal is to be the team that doesn't reach.



Was not impressed at all with his camp or scrimmage given his draft pedigree.

This development camp or what ever it was called means NOTHING. Let's wait for main camp and see how he looks, as this will give all a better idea of his talent and how far away from playing in the NHL.

 

[rt]

He’s the least productive CHL forward drafted in the top ten in nearly a decade. Definitely a projection pick. Goes against the numbers. Fingers crossed.

 

[hbk]

He’s the least productive CHL forward drafted in the top ten in nearly a decade. Definitely a projection pick. Goes against the numbers. Fingers crossed.

Chayka has definitely made a statement with this pick. I would have preferred for Bernhardt to still be active in our leadership as he would be the fall guy if this blows up in AZ's face (still has skin in the game) but the easy pick was Zadina. Nobody would have questioned them. For the Yotes to veer into this path they have reasons and/or metrics they utilize that pointed to Hayton. Honestly, I'm buying the OHL package this year (on top of my season tickets to the Pats) mainly just to watch Hayton (although Flint is going to be watched a lot as well this year to see if Busby should have gone in 2nd round were it not for his injury and to get a better feel for Jenik). They chatted a great deal on the Hayton pick on the fUll 60 podcast. That's why I brought it up.

 

[Heldig]

This team has done so poorly in the draft - the main reason they are a perennial bottom dweller. They are due for a "hit".

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

We got our "hit" with Keller & Chychrun...this year we should have drafted Zadina, because next year is the year with an abundance of C that are all better than Hayton

 

[lanky]

We got our "hit" with Keller & Chychrun...this year we should have drafted Zadina, because next year is the year with an abundance of C that are all better than Hayton

Those guys won't be available where we're drafting.

 

[rt]

Those guys won't be available where we're drafting.

Centers that might be as good or better:
Hughes
Newhook
Krebs (expected to play C this year)
Dach
Cozens
Lavoie (expected to play C this year)
Zegras
Suzuki
Murray

Hayton might be 10th just among centers in 2019. I’d trade him for any of those first five today. In a second, without hesitation. I asked Brock Otten whether he’d take Murray or Hayton and he really couldn’t say for sure. Awfully close. Blake Murray is projected to go in the middle of the first round.

 

[Grimes]

But is Blake Muarry a premium person?

 

[Heldig]

Those guys won't be available where we're drafting.

Unless the Coyotes win the lottery!

 

[PuckLife]

Centers that might be as good or better:
Hughes
Newhook
Krebs (expected to play C this year)
Dach
Cozens
Lavoie (expected to play C this year)
Zegras
Suzuki
Murray

Hayton might be 10th just among centers in 2019. I’d trade him for any of those first five today. In a second, without hesitation. I asked Brock Otten whether he’d take Murray or Hayton and he really couldn’t say for sure. Awfully close. Blake Murray is projected to go in the middle of the first round.

Hughes is the only Center I anticipate will be better than Hayton, maybe Newhook. The fact that you have listed 2 guys that aren't playing Center rn is a joke.
I kind of wish you would just move on and let us all just wait and see. Every year there is a ton of hype for the new draft class in August.

 

[rt]

Hughes is the only Center I anticipate will be better than Hayton, maybe Newhook. The fact that you have listed 2 guys that aren't playing Center rn is a joke.
I kind of wish you would just move on and let us all just wait and see. Every year there is a ton of hype for the new draft class in August.

Lavoie played some center last year and is expected to play C full time this year. I believe there has been quotes from coaching staff about Krebs playing C this year. They don’t play for the Greyhounds, though. That’s true.

I'd have Hayton between 11-14 in this last draft and likely between 11-14 in the next draft. The difference is there would be only one (Kotkaniemi) or maybe two (Dellandrea) centers I’d have ranked ahead of Hayton in the last draft. In the next draft, there would be seven or eight of them. Meanwhile, in the last draft we could have had the best D available.

 

[cobra427]

Lavoie played some center last year and is expected to play C full time this year. I believe there has been quotes from coaching staff about Krebs playing C this year. They don’t play for the Greyhounds, though. That’s true.

I'd have Hayton between 11-14 in this last draft and likely between 11-14 in the next draft. The difference is there would be only one (Kotkaniemi) or maybe two (Dellandrea) centers I’d have ranked ahead of Hayton in the last draft. In the next draft, there would be seven or eight of them. Meanwhile, in the last draft we could have had the best D available.

But we took Hayton, might as well move on. Too hard to predict results from drafts this year let alone next year. Take BPA every year and Chayka might have more analysis on players then you or any of us.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

We're just going to pick centers with our top draft pick until one pans out. Then we can go back to our usual behavior of picking poorly at forward.

 

[Jakey53]

But we took Hayton, might as well move on. Too hard to predict results from drafts this year let alone next year. Take BPA every year and Chayka might have more analysis on players then you or any of us.

Exactly. The draft is a crap shoot anyways. Hayton might be the steal of the draft, or he could be he biggest bust of the draft. These are kids we are talking about, and they develop at different stages. There is no might about it, Chayka has more analysis, information than all of us put together.

 

[rt]

Went back 12 years. Nino Niederreiter, Bo Horvat, Jake Virtanen and Pavel Zacha are the only CHL forwards drafted in the top ten without being at least 1ppg in their draft season plus playoffs combined. Horvat and Virtanen missed by one point and each had 40 or more goals. Niederreiter alsobhad greater than 40 goals. Both he and Zacha were rookie imports from Europe.

 

[cobra427]

We're just going to pick centers with our top draft pick until one pans out. Then we can go back to our usual behavior of picking poorly at forward.

In todays NHL draft order should be a C, most important position, quicker development time then a D. Next we take a D, not as high ranked as a C because development time is longer. Wingers can break in right away, but aren't difference makers like a C/D. This is partly why so many teams past on Zadina.

 

[Jamieh]

In todays NHL draft order should be a C, most important position, quicker development time then a D. Next we take a D, not as high ranked as a C because development time is longer. Wingers can break in right away, but aren't difference makers like a C/D. This is partly why so many teams past on Zadina.

So you would have taken Dubois over Laine?

 

[rt]

So you would have taken Dubois over Laine?

I have no idea what this means. Laine was one of the most productive draft prospects in the modern history of his nation. Dubois also had very impressive production. Much more so than Hayton. I’d take either over Hayton.

 

[Jamieh]

I have no idea what this means. Laine was one of the most productive draft prospects in the modern history of his nation. Dubois also had very impressive production. Much more so than Hayton. I’d take either over Hayton.

The post I quoted suggested you always take the C first, then the D, and don't really worry about wingers. It's never that simple.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

We're just going to pick centers with our top draft pick until one pans out. Then we can go back to our usual behavior of picking poorly at forward.

The good news is that if we suck this year, we almost can't lose in the top-10 of next year's draft when it comes to center prospects.