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

[RABBIT]

This one of those picks where you look back on in a few years and say "what the actual f*** were we thinking?"

or say "why the f*** did I ever question this?"

tough to be happy about this right now, but it's just so hard to project. One thing is for certain, we deserved Svechniov or Dahlin this year, and we didn't get our chance. I hate the draft lottery. Hope we never have to deal with this shit again.

 

[Mosby]

 

[SniperHF]

Okay right now I've got even money we'd have taken him over Svech. Might tilt even more in favor with a few more Craig puff tweets....

 

[XX]

A GM shouldn't cop to being 'obsessed' about a guy. Scouts should be the one comparing him to other players. What good is his 'athleticism' if it doesn't translate into speed or scoring?

 

[_Del_]

I believe we had him over Tkachuk, honestly. Just not the mould.

Craig and Chayka are obviously going to paint him high. Kind of mind blowing we'd have him over Zadina AND Wahlstrom. I could see maybe they didn't like something about Zadina, just hard to believe they had him above all these other names and wouldn't move down a little.

 

[_Del_]

Agree with XX, that I don't want my GM doing the scouting. Little surprised we didn't try to move up from 55 after the Bernhard interview.

 

[XX]

Craig and Chayka are obviously going to paint him high. Kind of mind blowing we'd have him over Zadina AND Wahlstrom. I could see maybe they didn't like something about Zadina, just hard to believe they had him above all these other names and wouldn't move down a little.

The way they are talking about him implies he was the third guy on their list. As in the 3rd best player in the draft. That's crazy.

 

[Ebb]

I was somewhat excited there for a minute when the Sens took Tkachuk. After they picked Hayton, I was like WTF? I was angry for a bit, but once they talked to Zadina, I can sort of see why they didn't pick him (especially with his rather coccy quote about scoring if MTL passed him up). Then the whole suit thing, and I kind of see why they chose not to go with him. In the past season or so, obviously attitude has moved up in terms of determining who to pick.

Of course, apart from Zadina, I would have passed on Boqvist (health concerns) and Hughes (5'9 D-man?), but Bouchard, Wahlstrom, and Dobson seem like better picks. I still trust the scouting (I initially didn't think Keller would do as well as he has) over the rankings, but definitely a bit of a head-scratcher. I think they just project him to be better in the long run (once he develops a bit more) rather than someone who may do well next season but then decline a bit once teams begin to adjust (a la Domi and Duclair)

 

[hbk]

He's a solid player. High hockey IQ, possibly the best playmaker in the draft who is also one of the best defensive players as well. There were about 10 names that were interchangeable after Svechnikov. Yeah I maybe would have liked to trade down a spot or two to grab another pick but I get the sense after hearing a few of the interviews that this was a guy a few teams were hoping to fall to them and the picks and trade proposals were few and far between. I'm okay grabbing "our" guy.

 

[Matias Maccete]

I wish we had taken Zadina, but this kid is impressive. Good shift by shift video here. He impacts the game in a lot of ways despite limited ice time.



Where did you see the ppg increase @_Del_ ? I'd be very interested in seeing some stats when he wasn't buried behind Frost, including TOI.

 

[_Del_]

The way they are talking about him implies he was the third guy on their list. As in the 3rd best player in the draft. That's crazy.

I agree. But I also feel like if they did have him that high, then the right way is to draft him (not at 5, but take him). The draft is too random to rely on a CSB consensus list. Take your guy. I'll only feel good about this if I hear someone else had him top ten and were going to take him (Sharks had Wheeler high, I believe and had a 10-15 range pick).

Definitely not how I thought this draft or our board would look like.

 

[hbk]

I agree. But I also feel like if they did have him that high, then the right way is to draft him (not at 5, but take him). The draft is too random to rely on a CSB consensus list. Take your guy. I'll only feel good about this if I hear someone else had him top ten and were going to take him (Sharks had Wheeler high, I believe and had a 10-15 range pick).

Definitely not how I thought this draft or our board would look like.

McCagg had him at 8 on his list (recrutes). Scored him 1 for hockey IQ, playmaking. 3rd best defensive player.

 

[XX]

 

[KG]

Is he Strome insurance?

 

[_Del_]

@Ultra Mega Chychrun

2018 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Barrett Hayton

Says he had 10 points in the six games where the senior guys went to Worlds. Played below star power on a deep team. Got more ice time and PP time as the season went on.

 

[IPreferPi]

I was somewhat excited there for a minute when the Sens took Tkachuk. After they picked Hayton, I was like WTF? I was angry for a bit, but once they talked to Zadina, I can sort of see why they didn't pick him (especially with his rather coccy quote about scoring if MTL passed him up). Then the whole suit thing, and I kind of see why they chose not to go with him. In the past season or so, obviously attitude has moved up in terms of determining who to pick.

A playful but motivated retort in response to being potentially passed over by Montreal (which was in the news for weeks now) should not be synonymous with "attitude concerns."

 

[DoanStopBelievin]

Still disappointed as a knee-jerk reaction, but with the Keller and Chychrun picks and after taking POJ and seeing his growth towards being probably a higher than an early 20's pick, I'm moving to the trust train.. For reasons we may never know, our organization must see Hayton as a franchise cornerpiece especially as they seem they were hellbent on taking him. Hopefully they are correct.

 

[_Del_]

Kind of get the impression they did try to move down from the end of the Chayka video above.

 

[Ebb]

A playful but motivated retort in response to being potentially passed over by Montreal (which was in the news for weeks now) should not be synonymous with "attitude concerns."

Well, I only know what they showed on the draft. Those 2-3 things and his overall body language seemed like flashing lights to me. Who knows how he acted in an interview? From what I read/saw, he just seemed a bit overconfident, but what the hell do I know? I'm just adding some commentary here. I probably would have preferred him as the pick (definitely over Hayton), but I'm guessing the scouts and organization know more about picking prospects than I do.

 

[IPreferPi]

Initial reaction aside, I'm not at all sold on Hayton's ability to be a 1C but I'll give about even odds he'll develop into a good 2C at this stage. Hard to swallow using a top five pick on a 2C when there's two potential first line wingers and 3-4 defenders with top pairing upside staring at you in the face, but Chayka obviously decided to make his bed with this decision really early on.

Needless to say, going to bat for Hayton will probably become the most consequential decision of his career as GM.

 

[Tad Mikowski]

After I got over the initial shock and disappointment I'm fine with the pick. More Centers is never a bad thing. Gotta hit on a C Prospect eventually right?

 

[DoanStopBelievin]

FWIW hearing GMJC's complete confidence on taking him at 5OA with no questions asked makes me more comfortable. There may be things we minions don't know...

 

[YotesFan47]

It's really not that hard to believe a team could be enamored with him, there is a lot to like. How many players in previous years would go higher in a redraft? As fans we can make educated guesses but it likely won't be as good as a team of scouts.

 

[IPreferPi]

After I got over the initial shock and disappointment I'm fine with the pick. More Centers is never a bad thing. Gotta hit on a C Prospect eventually right?

We haven't had homegrown 30+ goal talent at forward in as long as we haven't had homegrown top six centers. Beggars really shouldn't be choosers.

I get the thinking of drafting premium positions and then later flipping them if need be to fill other needs, but that strategy is not without risk either.

 

[Plub]

When asked for specific things he does that make him a premium, Chayka had nothing to give. He was asked 3 times? And he had nothing that jumped out as to why this player should go that high. Am I the only one that isn't comfortable with that? If you are taking a guy at 5 and saying he can be a foundation for the franchise, you better have something on the guy that you are just ecstatic about. Chayka had nothing other than he's a good 200-foot player. Okay.