Draft and UDFA Thread 2018-19

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Button just gave his top 5 for the 2019 draft on NHL Network....

1. Jack Hughes
2. Dylan Cozens
3. Philip Broberg
4. Kaapo Kakko
5. Vasili Podkolzin

This is highly Hlinka based, but what do you all think?

Based on Hlinka, sure. I don't think the numbers 2 through 5 are the same in 2 months.

 

[Joey Bones]

Based on Hlinka, sure. I don't think the numbers 2 through 5 are the same in 2 months.

Yeah I really don't see Cozens being up that high come June. Kirby Dach might, though. I think he's been Canada's best player outside of Lafreniere.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't think Cozens at 2 is anywhere near as egregious as Broberg and Podkolzin in the top 5. 99% of people who follow the draft knew nothing about Broberg two weeks ago. Podkolzin was not considered a top 5 guy, very few considered him a top 10 guy. I would not regard what Button says. This happens every big tournament that a player gets temporarily very overrated for up to a month or two, and then their draft ranking falls back to about where it should be.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I like how Canada is allowed to win the event, but the tournament organizer admits that they lost in the semi-final.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I like how Canada is allowed to win the event, but the tournament organizer admits that they lost in the semi-final.

What happened for this to be the case?

 

[Irishguy42]

What happened for this to be the case?

Something about how they didn't have equal video capabilities at each location, so no video review period.

So in Canada's game vs the US, their goal that was scored after time had expired couldn't have been challenged or reviewed. They then went on to win in OT and then won tonight.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What happened for this to be the case?

 

[Harbour Dog]

That's brutal.

Inexcusable to have such a high profile tourney without video review. I feel bad for the refs that had to try to make that call.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Canada in hockey is as annoying as New Zealand in rugby. All the questionable calls that change the outcome of a game go their way. It's ridiculous.

I remember a Rugby Sevens tournament where NZ played with 8 for over a minute, they scored and that won them the game

Here's the overhead camera:

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Most Canadian fans are sensible, like Harbour Dog, despite there being a few "bragging idiots" on the main boards. Those are the types of people that actually make me want to care about this tournament that I don't really care about. I can acknowledge an error and not make too big of a deal over it, but don't try to rub it in my face. I guess every fan base has a few idiots though. Whats funny is that the Russian, Swedish, Finnish, Czech fans on the main boards took this as a chance to go after Canada, just like you are doing. This is Christmas morning for fans of other countries.

And I don't think the Canadian players are an issue either. They didn't do anything wrong. The tournament is the problem. No video review when you have it in the arena is plain dumb. I also find it to be an issue to allow officials from one of the two countries playing in the game. When I heard that on the broadcast early in the tournament, I didn't like it. I don't think they wanted to effect the result of the game, but in a situation like that where the referees will decide the game and its a hard call, what are the actual chances they will decide against their home country? I think it would probably be psychology proven that emotions take over in that type of moment and you are more likely to lean towards your own personal rooting interest.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

20 best from the tournament in my opinion. No particular order.

Lucas Raymond, Alex Holtz, Philip Broberg, Nic Robertson, Kasper Simontaival, Vasili Podkolzin, Yaroslav Askarov, Justin Barron, Alexis Lafreniere, Dylan Cozens, Daniil Gushchin, John Farinacci, Martin Chromiak, Simon Knak, Kirby Dach, Bowen Byram, Peyton Krebs, Jakob Pelletier, Josh Williams, Robert Mastrosimone

I'd probably pick Raymond as the player of the tournament because of how bad Sweden was without him and Holtz. If there was an actual player of the tournament award, I'm sure Lafreniere won because Canada won. He was great, as well

One player who stood out in particular, although not enough to win player of the tournament, was the Russian keeper Yaroslav Askarov. He's a 2020 draft eligible. Born in 2002. He's supposedly the next big goalie prospect out of Russia. He was great. Athletic and composed with decent size. Best goalie at the tournament. Potential first round pick in 2020. 2018 was a really weak goalie draft. 2019 and 2020 might have first round pick goalies with Knight and Askarov.

 

[Joey Bones]

I didn't watch most of the tournament, but the players I liked on each semis team....

Canada: Kirby Dach, Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram, Matthew Robertson, Alexis Lafreniere (2020 Draft)

I thought Lafreniere was their best player. Just bullying opponents with his speed and physicality. I think he's the closest player to Crosby, ATM. Dach was reliable in every facet. Defensively sound and always around the net. Physical, too. Can't wait to watch more from him!! Cozens is a workhorse and has a ton of speed. Think he's slightly frail, still, but that'll change as he matures. Byram was a force and is incredibly smart. He faked out so many PKer's when on the PP. He's also got an edge, along with good edge work. Robertson showed great composure under pressure and has a beautiful shot from the point. Really liked what I saw from him.

Sweden: Alexander Holtz (2020 Draft), Lucas Raymond (2020 Draft), Hugo Alnefelt, Philip Broberg

Their best players were Raymond and Holtz and that's incredible seeing that they're not eligible until the 2020 Draft. Both are explosive skaters that get around guys and score goals. I would say Holtz is more of a sniper and less physical than Raymond, but Raymond out muscles guys and can still snipe. I think they could both play in the SHL this season!! Alnefelt looked really solid and sound, positionally. At times he lost sight of the puck and was a little slow going post to post, but all-in-all he was pretty good. Broberg can skate like the wind for a big kid and can maneuver himself in ways that Rasmus Dahlin could. Offensively, he's a threat and defensively, he battles hard. There were at times, though, when he was pressured going up the ice and coughed the puck up, resulting in a breakaway the other way. With this said, however, he back checks hard and broke away the attempt. Really want to see how he does with AIK this year. His skating, alone, is 1st round talent.

Russia: Vasili Podkolzin, Ilya Nikolayev, Yaroslav Likhachev, Yaroslav Askarov (2020 Draft)

Podkolzin, easily, was Russia's best player!! Was an absolute bull with the puck. Closest thing to Malkin I've seen from a prospect in every zone. The only knock I had on him in this tournament is that when he was skating through players, his head was down looking at the puck every time. If he did that against Radko Gudas, his head would be off his body. Gotta keep your head up, otherwise, he should get some KHL action this year. Nikolayev looked like a poor man's version of Podkolzin. Skated through guys like nothing and possesses a pretty good wrister. Big boy and can hit the body. Likhachev can dangle!! Like crazy dangle!! Reminded me of a tiny Maxim Afinogenov. A playmaker that can be speedy and show strides of defensive capability. I'm curious to see how he does in the QMJHL. Askarov was solid. I didn't think Askarov was that good as @Pavel Buchnevich mentions, but it's just one tourney. You can see that he's being coached right, though. Tracked the puck well and swallowed up rebounds. Played very well laterally and post-to-post. Will definitely keep tabs on him going forward.

USA: John Farinacci, Robert Mastrosimone, Nicholas Robertson

I'll be honest, I thought the US were crap in this tournament and it didn't help the matter when they got robbed of the finals. But there were a few bright spots. Farinacci was all over the ice creating plays and shooting the puck. He's physical and can play great defensive hockey. TBH, I thought he was a defenseman, at times, because the defense was that bad. Mastrosimone can snipe and dangle, but his defense was lackluster. Hoping he's not like that fully, but he is very good offensively. Robertson, like Mastrosimone, is a sniper, but he's a little more sound for the physical game. Intrigued to see more from him.


I think that Raymond was the best player in the semis. Kid is a workhorse and looked like the Swedish MacKinnon. Crazy draft year for 2020!!

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Podkolzin will be the next European player the team hones in on for the 2019 draft

 

[Joey Bones]

Podkolzin will be the next European player the team hones in on for the 2019 draft

He's also in SKA's system!!

 

[Joey Bones]

@Andy Lehoux 's draft risers after the Hlinka....

Can definitely agree on the ones he mentions, although, I would've switched Podkolzin with Broberg. I think Broberg is definitely a 1st round talent, but the best defensemen in the draft remains to be seen, IMO. Bowen Byram looked really good, too. I think it's his title to lose, ATM. Will definitely keep an eye on Broberg, though. Podkolzin definitely is a top 15 talent as of now!!

 

[Joey Bones]

Some Broberg Highlights....

 

[Joey Bones]

Here's a Vasili Podkolzin compilation of goals from the Hlinka....

 

[The Crypto Guy]

That's brutal.

Inexcusable to have such a high profile tourney without video review. I feel bad for the refs that had to try to make that call.

Yea that's something that will change the next time around. Poor refs, nothing they could do there, it was in 3/10th of a second after it hit zero so there is no way they could have known on the ice.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Here's a Vasili Podkolzin compilation of goals from the Hlinka....

Wow, very impressive skill set and speed.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Button having Broberg as a top 5 lock and Podkolzin in the top 5 right now is everything that's wrong with scouting today, extreme overreaction to a short international tourney in the middle of summer.

It's possible both players keep building off this and end up top 10 (5) players but to call them that right now (based purely on Hlinka) is silly and stupid imo. If you saw them play last season and/or go by their numbers from earlier then that's another thing, but we all know this was the first time Button noticed them.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

I just got a little bit of relief. Podkolzin would be a nice consolation prize if we miss out on Kakko.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Podkolzin will be the next European player the team hones in on for the 2019 draft

I would 100% support that. Spending a first round pick on a high-risk, high-reward player 3 years in a row is gutsy, but increases your chances of finding that potential elite player outside the top-5.

If we get Podkolzin and add him to our system, we have a lot of options offensively. Sure, we could use that defensive stud, but I think those are easier to find than elite top-line forwards

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think a lot are overreacting to Podkolzin's performance at that tournament. He's been one of the best scouted players in his draft year. No one had the guy top 10, very few had him top 10, prior to this tournament. 11-20 range guy, in my opinion. Don't see dynamic ability to be a top 5 pick, especially considering he's a winger.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I was surprised that the guy from CSS disagreed, but I thought Kaliyev was the best US forward.

 

[Joey Bones]

I was surprised that the guy from CSS disagreed, but I thought Kaliyev was the best US forward.

Meh, he was spotty. There were times he took the game on his stick and others where he just coasted. I think USA's best player was Farinacci. Kid hustled every shift and was a force on both sides of the ice.