Prospect Info: "Because it's never too early" - 2014 NHL Draft discussion

[drumzan]

.... and MacT could just be blowing smoke at the other teams. No point in letting other teams know who you want.

Oh absolutely. Should've made that clear. Still interesting for conversation at least!

 

[CaptainChef]

Get your "Feelers for Ehlers"

If he is still around, I'm getting more & more convinced this is the guy that the Jets will/should pick. Although he doesn't yet make most top 10 lists, he has been sky-rocketing up the charts. Other trade forums (even those in the top 5 -- ie see NYI) rave about him constantly.

I've been trying to dig out a few negatives on this guy & its hard to do. Other than size (5-11, 165 lbs) there just don't seem to be any. Once this guy puts on 15 lbs, he'll be dynamite.

Others have said it & I'm convinced - he's perhaps the best pick in this years draft.
Right now, I'd take this guy over anybody except maybe the standard top 3 -- yes I'd probably take him over Draisaitl & Dal Colle.

Highlighted a few of his most impressive attributes from scouts reports below:


incredibly skilled forward; makes plays at high speeds and doesn’t mind going to the tough areas in order to score; excellent complementary player; depth of intelligence Ehlers possesses for the game allows him to adopt both a shooter and playmaker’s mentality; by far the fastest player in the draft; style of offensive play compared to Peter Forsberg; has an absolute laser of a wrist shot; thing that is going to make him a special player in the future is that he's a leader; sees the ice with an uncanny eye and makes plays for the team, not himself; works the hardest out of most of the players on the team, first to get to training last to leave.

probably the most impressive player in the draft; got the most PPG of any player in the CHL and has a ridiculus +/- of +56; has to work on size and making improvements his defensive game; while not being really big - plays big and is elusive. A very quick player, he is able to see opportunities and take advantage. He is equally adept at finishing plays as he is making them.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Guessing who TNSE has as its top 5 would be tough

I can see Reinhart,Ekblad and Bennett. After that it is a toss up.


The big question mark for Ekblad is does he have offensive upside at the Pro level. I just don't get that argument right now. He is top 5 in points as a D in the OHL. He may not be a 60 point D man in the NHL but 30-40 points is probably where he fits in. He will be a guy you won't be scoring on I think

 

[JC Numminen]

If Ekblad is still available when we pick, I say we take him. Even if my new favorite in Ehlers is still available

A defense of Trouba, Enstrom, Morrissey, Bogosian and Ekblad would just be awesome.

Morrissey-Trouba
Enstrom-Ekblad
Stuart-Bogosian

Yes please

 

[Whileee]

Guessing who TNSE has as its top 5 would be tough

I can see Reinhart,Ekblad and Bennett. After that it is a toss up.


The big question mark for Ekblad is does he have offensive upside at the Pro level. I just don't get that argument right now. He is top 5 in points as a D in the OHL. He may not be a 60 point D man in the NHL but 30-40 points is probably where he fits in. He will be a guy you won't be scoring on I think

I agree that Bennett, Reinhart and Ekblad are likely to be in the Jets top 5, and probably most teams' top 5. I think that things get quite blurry after that and team preferences and evaluation criteria will likely result in very different draft boards this year.

I remember someone indicating that a Jets scout seemed very high on Virtanen and quite unimpressed with Draisatl.

 

[puck stoppa]

I agree that Bennett, Reinhart and Ekblad are likely to be in the Jets top 5, and probably most teams' top 5. I think that things get quite blurry after that and team preferences and evaluation criteria will likely result in very different draft boards this year.

I remember someone indicating that a Jets scout seemed very high on Virtanen and quite unimpressed with Draisatl.

Jets also seem to like guys that do very well at the upcoming under 18 tourney, (Schief, Morrissey) Ill be keeping an eye on who stands out there to see if Jets go off the board again. I know they don't draft guys based on one tourney but they sure find sleepers that do well there.

 

[CaptainChef]

I agree that Bennett, Reinhart and Ekblad are likely to be in the Jets top 5, and probably most teams' top 5. I think that things get quite blurry after that and team preferences and evaluation criteria will likely result in very different draft boards this year.

I remember someone indicating that a Jets scout seemed very high on Virtanen and quite unimpressed with Draisatl.

Agreed. Those three seem to jump off and will be most likely gone in top 5 picks. Beyond that, its a crapshoot, but there is likely to be a franchise player or two in among that latter group. I'd take my chances on Ehlers being that franchise possibility down the road.

 

[drumzan]

If Ekblad is still available when we pick, I say we take him. Even if my new favorite in Ehlers is still available

A defense of Trouba, Enstrom, Morrissey, Bogosian and Ekblad would just be awesome.

Morrissey-Trouba
Enstrom-Ekblad
Stuart-Bogosian

Yes please

That's a lot of money/resources on D, especially the money on that bottom pairing.

 

[Flair Hay]

The more and more I look into it...what can Reinhart do better than Ehlers? Reinhart has a more rounded two way game. And better size. But you can teach good enough defense to a young guy if the rest of his game is dynamic.

Ehlers isn't Ovechkin style lazy on defense. Just not so refined in many North American specific elements of the game. He has the shot, a very well rounded offensive game, ridiculous speed and agility, and it seems like a good team first attitude.

Like was said just above me, what's NOT to like?

 

[JC Numminen]

That's a lot of money/resources on D, especially the money on that bottom pairing.

True, I'm hoping to find a cheaper, serviceable bottom pairing LHD in the future other than Stu though.

But you are right, its a lot to tie up in just defense.

 

[CaptainChef]

Smart, hard-working, leader, not scared to go into dirty areas, very fast skater with an extremely good shot.

I really don't understand why this guy (Ehlers) isn't rated a lot higher, but I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't make it to us on draft day

 

[Gm0ney]

Smart, hard-working, leader, not scared to go into dirty areas, very fast skater with an extremely good shot.

I really don't understand why this guy (Ehlers) isn't rated a lot higher, but I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't make it to us on draft day

I bet he is a lot higher on some teams' lists.

He's only 5'11" / 165 lbs though - so he's smaller than Reinhart. You can't teach size!

 

[Flair Hay]

Smart, hard-working, leader, not scared to go into dirty areas, very fast skater with an extremely good shot.

I really don't understand why this guy (Ehlers) isn't rated a lot higher, but I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't make it to us on draft day

Yeah...short of being 6'3 with huge reach what more do you want in a hockey player?

Don't get me wrong, Reinhart would be a perfect addition for us as well. We need all the forward help we can get. I just can't see what Ehlers doesn't have that the top five guys do besides...size?

He sounds like the type of guy that could use another year in CHL to round out his game while he grows physically, but does that even deter teams much nowadays?

Reinhart is starting to look - to my untrained eye anyway - a lot like Couturier in '11. The sure thing that doesn't do anything wrong, but has others beneath him in rankings make ridiculous improvements in a matter of months.

 

[JetsFan815]

Us giving up a 4-0 lead with 22 mins to go yesterday and losing, today Carolina beating Pittsburg 4-1 with 5 mins to go in the 3rd. The draft gods are smiling at us. We just gotta do our job and lose in regulation tonight, that will tighten our grasp around that 6th overall pick with Vancouver, Senators and Carolina going on a bit of run lately

 

[ps241]

I agree that Ehlers stock seems to be taking off but I can't help but wonder if he is as good as a kid like Nylander or Kapanen or if he just has more exposure in a league that is easier to get a read on prospects? I am going to try to PVR games at the U18's to specifically get a read off these two euro's, all three of the aforementioned have serious skills. However I just can't see TNSE goings this way with the 1st round pick especially if it is 6 or 7 but you never no.

 

[Duke749]

I'd be surprised if the Jets didn't go NA with the first pick. Would be interesting if they went with a Euro. There are some absolute gyms overseas.

 

[drumzan]

True, I'm hoping to find a cheaper, serviceable bottom pairing LHD in the future other than Stu though.

But you are right, its a lot to tie up in just defense.

Well, there's still that Clitsome guy on contract for a couple more years.

 

[ps241]

I'd be surprised if the Jets didn't go NA with the first pick. Would be interesting if they went with a Euro. There are some absolute gyms overseas.

I have seen Nylander on quite a few top 5 lists but I would be suprised if they (Ehlers Kapanen Nylander) were top 5 on our list.

 

[drumzan]

Carolina won tonight, against Pittsburgh better yet. Islanders won, so long shot for 5th spot isn't out of question yet. Toronto won as well...they were creeping towards the Jets too.

This is all good news for draft positioning.

 

[JetsFan815]

I have seen Nylander on quite a few top 5 lists but I would be suprised if they (Ehlers Kapanen Nylander) were top 5 on our list.

This draft will be proove whether there is an anti-European bias with Chevy. Clearly the BPA around when we draft is most likely to be a Euro (Draisaitl, Nylander, Ehlers) but if he still takes a NA player then ughhh just ugghhhhh

 

[jetkarma*]

This draft will be proove whether there is an anti-European bias with Chevy. Clearly the BPA around when we draft is most likely to be a Euro (Draisaitl, Nylander, Ehlers) but if he still takes a NA player then ughhh just ugghhhhh

That is really connecting dots that aren't there.

 

[Sweech]

This draft will be proove whether there is an anti-European bias with Chevy. Clearly the BPA around when we draft is most likely to be a Euro (Draisaitl, Nylander, Ehlers) but if he still takes a NA player then ughhh just ugghhhhh

Uh sorry but still no. There's a lot of good NA talent available at that point as well. If someone says that if we don't take a Euro with our first pick that it means Chevy is biased I would say they're fishing.

 

[Aela*]

I want Bennett or Dal Colle if we pick from NA - maybe Ho-Sang too although I see a lot wrong with his game.

I still really really want freaking Goldobin though.

 

[Duke749]

Chevy's bias in the same way every GM is bias. They all have their preferences.

 

[QuietContrarian]

I agree that Ehlers stock seems to be taking off but I can't help but wonder if he is as good as a kid like Nylander or Kapanen or if he just has more exposure in a league that is easier to get a read on prospects? I am going to try to PVR games at the U18's to specifically get a read off these two euro's, all three of the aforementioned have serious skills. However I just can't see TNSE goings this way with the 1st round pick especially if it is 6 or 7 but you never no.

It is a tough thing to argue.

When people who are against Ehlers and Pro Nylander or Kapanen voice why, they always say because these two play in mens leagues in the Allsvenskan, SEL and FEL respectively.

I then always say, Ehlers played 18 games in the Swiss mens league NLA as a 16/17 year old. 11 were during the lockout, and the rest in the PO.

He was +1 and 1+4 for 5pts. And played on the top lines.

For some reason, this is always neglected when people argue for Nylander and Kapanen.

Btw. Ehlers is 6'0' now. His father was also 6'0' and 190lbs. So not far fetched if Ehlers would reach that.