Confirmed with Link: Canadiens Will Pick 5th (Hughes Presser in OP) NO POLITICS

[Ozmodiar]

Definitely. Can't wait to see who we pick.

It's looking like Smith, Michkov or Leonatd. But Reinbacher, Dvorsky, and Benson are still possibilities.

Dvorsky right there with Leonard in the Bobby rankings … plus they have Slaf and Mesar there already.

I wouldn’t rule him out.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Its interesting that all of HFBoards non-Habs fans desperately want the Habs to pass on Michkov. Creating conspiracy theories and sowing seeds of doubt as to why the Habs would pass.

I get the feeling that Michkov is the prize of the draft and could go as early as 3OA.

 

[waffledave]

Swinging for a prospect like Michkov is much more forgivable than purposefully skipping him and seeing him thrive elsewhere. It's not even debateable.

Ending up with no NHL player after picking 5th overall is not forgivable, period.

 

[The Real Timo]

Ending up with no NHL player after picking 5th overall is not forgivable, period.

Try 1OA

 

[ReHabs]

Ending up with no NHL player after picking 5th overall is not forgivable, period.

Busts happen all the time. Every team drafts busts, every draft rank has a bust and will have a bust. It's not a distinguishing feature.

Try 1OA

We'll soon see.

 

[waffledave]

To each their own. I'm ready to swing for the fences. Tired of mediocrity.

I mean that's great if it works out but better be ready for lots more mediocrity if it doesn't.

Busts happen all the time. Every team drafts busts, every draft rank has a bust and will have a bust. It's not a distinguishing feature.


We'll soon see.

This pick is going to be a defining cornerstone of our rebuild. You can't afford for it to miss. Slaf neither.

 

[Milhouse40]

Was that really Molson or Therrien and Bergevin?

Molson too apparently when the whole hospital thing came out......

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

In how many days we will get dissapointed?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Molson too apparently when the whole hospital thing came out......

Which isn't proof of anything

 

[WeThreeKings]

Well said.

I won't be mad if we skip Michkov but I do want him. Part of why is because I trust Hughes so if we do pick him it's because they got good answers to those question marks.

Exactly, I don't get why the discourse has to be they are stupid if they pass on him. It's far more likely that they didn't like the information they had on the multitude of risk factors.

No one thinks Michkov is a bad prospect.

Its interesting that all of HFBoards non-Habs fans desperately want the Habs to pass on Michkov. Creating conspiracy theories and sowing seeds of doubt as to why the Habs would pass.

I get the feeling that Michkov is the prize of the draft and could go as early as 3OA.

I will quit HF if Columbus stays at 3 and picks Michkov

 

[Runner77]

Dvorsky right there with Leonard in the Bobby rankings … plus they have Slaf and Mesar there already.

I wouldn’t rule him out.

Is Dvorsky right there? Where is the tier drop off and how steep is it once the likes of Dvorsky become an option?

 

[Rapala]

God I can't believe that scouts have actually convinced themselves to pick the guy with 30% fewer points than his linemate at 1st overall. If this guy with 75pts has such great "tools" and "upside", isn't it a problem that he finished 30 points behind his linemate???? Don't they know these players are linemates so that means the guy with 105 points is better??????????
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The funny thing is they are neck and neck in the playoffs. I don't want to talk to anybody who looks strictly at points. Kent Hughes took time out at the combine to discuss what goes into player assessment. While he did mention skill there were many other aspects he clearly felt were just as important.
Some people here might want to go back and revisit that track. It's immediately after he talked about Michkov and what he would do if players were seen as equals. I found it hugely significant that he brought it up at that point.

 

[Runner77]

I will quit HF if Columbus stays at 3 and picks Michkov

You’re not f***ing doing that — you’re one of the sharpest hockey minds in here. Your contributions are uniquely interesting and always well thought out.

If I were putting up a hockey ranking site, you’re the guy I’d have running it (assuming you wouldn’t want to do it yourself). I’d call it Rebukes (or Re-pukes if you prefer) just to set the record straight on all the cockamamie takes by that other guy with the poorly managed and irreversible anger issues.

Although, there’s next to zero chance of Columbus doing what you put up, I just hate it when posters put their accounts on the line over outcomes that are out of their control.

Instead of that, why not just do the Larry David thing and quit for one day only:

Now, if you did this fishing for compliments, you f***ing got me!

Just know you’re appreciated and quit the damn ultimatums.

 

[skidcells]

Is Dvorsky right there? Where is the tier drop off and how steep is it once the likes of Dvorsky become an option?

Dvorsky and Leonard tied on Bob’s sampling both getting 5 5th place votes. Similar to last year when slaf and Wright split first place votes and Bob correctly predicting we’ll take Slaf

 

[Runner77]

Dvorsky and Leonard tied on Bob’s sampling both getting 5 5th place votes. Similar to last year when slaf and Wright split first place votes and Bob correctly predicting we’ll take Slaf

That’s half of the scouts polled, not a clear majority. That tells me there is a tier drop off but not certain how extensive it might be.

 

[The Great Weal]

I just hope they get it right. I don't see the superstar potential that we need in guys outside the "Big Five", but I'll trust that they did their homework to know that Michkov won't come or that his game won't translate to the NHL if they don't pick him. They better be right with whoever the choice is.

 

[Gravity]

Exactly, I don't get why the discourse has to be they are stupid if they pass on him. It's far more likely that they didn't like the information they had on the multitude of risk factors.

No one thinks Michkov is a bad prospect.



I will quit HF if Columbus stays at 3 and picks Michkov

Columbus has explicitly said they're taking a C. The only hope for Michkov before us is SJ.

I just hope they get it right. I don't see the superstar potential that we need in guys outside the "Big Five", but I'll trust that they did their homework to know that Michkov won't come or that his game won't translate to the NHL if they don't pick him. They better be right with whoever the choice is.

If whoever they draft turns out to be an average complimentary top 6er, not only will it set the rebuild back but also really stain Hughes/Gorton/Bobrov/Lapointe's ability to draft and conduct a rebuild.

 

[Sterling Archer]

If Philly ends up with Michkov and Habs with Reinbacher, the Caufield and York karma will have come full circle and I will be very sad.

 

[26Mats]

I mean that's great if it works out but better be ready for lots more mediocrity if it doesn't.



This pick is going to be a defining cornerstone of our rebuild. You can't afford for it to miss. Slaf neither.

Most recent Stanley cup champions missed on high picks.
Vagas missed on Glass,
Tampa missed on Drouin (3). Koekkoek (10), and Connolly (6).

 

[Gravity]

I think we can all agree that you don't win cups without superstars. If they don't draft one this year, they sure as shit hope they get one next year but there aren't any on the roster or pool.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

You might not.. but I can guarantee you this board will absolutely hold it against them.

"f***ing idiots burned a 5th OA in a deep draft on a player we all knew wasn't coming over!"

I would be pissed. NGL.

 

[26Mats]

Exactly, I don't get why the discourse has to be they are stupid if they pass on him. It's far more likely that they didn't like the information they had on the multitude of risk factors.

No one thinks Michkov is a bad prospect.



I will quit HF if Columbus stays at 3 and picks Michkov

Columbus has explicitly said they're taking a C. The only hope for Michkov before us is SJ.


If whoever they draft turns out to be an average complimentary top 6er, not only will it set the rebuild back but also really stain Hughes/Gorton/Bobrov/Lapointe's ability to draft and conduct a rebuild.

No need to quit HF if Columbus takes Michkov. A team is allowed to change their mind after doing a full analysis.

But highly, highly unlikely Columbus doesn't take Fantilli, Carlsson, or Smith - like less than 1%

 

[sampollock]

If Philly ends up with Michkov and Habs with Reinbacher, the Caufield and York karma will have come full circle and I will be very sad.

better not be

get Leonard

 

[Gravity]

No need to quit HF if Columbus takes Michkov. A team is allowed to change their mind after doing a full analysis.

But highly, highly unlikely Columbus doesn't take Fantilli, Carlsson, or Smith - like less than 1%

0%. They haven't had a real 1C in franchise history. They're aren't passing on Fantilli/Carlsson.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Exceptions are exceptions. It’s not reasonable to dismiss any criticism or doubt about your preferred player just because you’ve convinced yourself you prefer him.

It's not an exception, it's an example made to illustrate a point. Prospects going higher than linemates/teammates or guys from the same league with higher point totals happens all the time. Drafting is about projecting transferrable skills, not just ordering the entire class by NHLe or point totals. This doesn't just apply to Leonard either, the same principle is why Smith is a lock to go 5th overall and potentially as high as 3rd, while Perreault who outscored Smith is likely to go somewhere between 9th and the mid-teens because Smith has the better profile and projectable tools.

Six forwards from the US NTDP went in the first round of the 2022 draft, ordered by when they were drafted:
- Logan Cooley: 2nd in team scoring (75P), drafted 3rd overall.
- Cutter Gauthier: 5th in team scoring (65P), drafted 5th overall.
- Frank Nazar: 3rd in team scoring (70P), drafted 13th overall.
- Rutger McGroarty: 4th in team scoring (69P), drafted 14th overall.
- Jimmy Snuggerud: 6th in team scoring (63P), drafted 23rd overall.
- Isaac Howard: 1st in team scoring (82P), drafted 31st overall.

In 2022, Mississauga teammates Owen Beck (51P, drafted 33rd) and Luca Del Bel Belluz (76P, drafted 44th) went in the 2nd round. Yes, DBB was technically an overager but Beck is only 3 months younger. In 2021, C Kent Johnson (27P) outscored his Michigan teammate C Matty Beniers (24P), and went 5th overall while Beniers went 2nd. Kaliyev was 1st in goals and points among draft-eligible OHLers yet he was the 5th OHLer taken in 2019 (this is probably your easiest rebuttal, as Kaliyev is currently trending better than the forwards taken ahead of him). In 2018, our pal Jeff Gorton traded up to take NTDP defenceman K'Andre Miller and his 29P in 58 games at 22nd overall, while 6'3 NTDP defenceman Bode Wilde and his 41P in 61 games slipped all the way to 41st. Domi and Horvat were London Knights teammates in 2013, Domi outscored Horvat 87P to 61P, yet Horvat went 9th while Domi dropped to 13.

I'm not dismissing the criticism, I've explained in detail why it's not a concern to me. You can't have three perimeter playmakers on a cohesive line, so Leonard played in the F1 role because his 30lb lighter linemates couldn't, and there's only one puck for 3 guys. It would be a concern if all of Leonard's tape looked like Gallagher, but that simply is not the case. We have ample evidence of Leonard making skilled plays and east-west passes, using his speed off the rush, showing impressive hands around the net, and playing a conventional skill/rush offence game. In terms of comparables, Leonard is not as strong of a passer as Benson but is much closer in style to something like a bigger, faster, and more trigger happy Zach Benson than he is to all these bizarre comparisons to third line grinders.

I thought it was Reinbacher, now it’s Leonard huh?

My preferred player was and remains Michkov. Putting myself in the big chair "I" would take Michkov over Smith, Leonard, Reinbacher, etc. based on what we know publicly, and I would only go elsewhere if Carlsson dropped. I prefer Reinbacher over Leonard in the scenario where Michkov is ruled out, but I don't have a strong preference between the two.