Draft and UDFA Thread 2018-19

[Fvital92]

This board, especially its European contingent has some very...unique views when it comes to Hughes, especially as it relates to Kakko.

Can’t say I particularly agree with it, but I admire the passion and don’t think anyone can say they’re not making a solid case.

It's bias towards what they see more frequently, the same with north americans. As a south american you guys should trust me .
But seriously, I would draft Hughes first, for what I've seen it's seems that he has a higher ceiling than Kakko, who has a higher floor in his favor.
Unfortunately, we are the Rangers. We will end up somehow drafting 9th again and will all end up frustrated. It's destiny.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

What Kakko is doing in Liiga is pretty much unheard of except for Barkov. He needs to keep this up though or atleast close to it.

 

[Joey Bones]

Kakko has, indeed, played center in the past and in some games this year. Would be interesting to see what he can show if he gets the opportunity to continue....

I'd still go with Hughes, ATM, because of the Kane-type superstar potential in him. Sure the defensive side of the puck isn't polished, yet, and no one should expect it to be with the USNTDP. Kane still isn't the most solid defensive player in the game and is surely not a liability back in his own end. Time will tell....

 

[Mac n Gs]

I've only caught one or two games of Kakko this year when trying to watch Pajuniemi, so I could totally be off base here: he strikes me more as a player that can get by on individual success rather than elevate the play of everyone around him. Hughes has that ability to dominate while also driving the play for his teammates.

You can't really go wrong selecting either player.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Some other player scoring updates because I've been slacking and haven't caught any CHL games recently:

Cozens: 6-9-15 in 11 GP for Lethbridge. When I saw him earlier in his first few games, he looked fantastic and was a force all over the ice. I'll try to watch tonight when they place Medicine Hat, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. He's currently pacing to have a Cody Glass-esque draft year, but Cozens is a better skater and has more skill than Glass. Glass beat him out with IQ and is one of the smartest players I've seen over the last 5 or so years. I'd expect his scoring to pick up a bit more as the season goes along and he just takes over for Lethbridge.

Dach: 7-15-22 in 12 GP for Saskatoon --> this scoring pace is one of the best ever for a U18 kid in the WHL. The scoring pace is identical to some shmuck named Joe Sakic. It's roughly on pace for a 40G, 85A draft year. Good thing we just beefed up our WHL scouting department.

Kaliyev: 13-9-22 in 12 games. I mentioned before the year that he was my dark horse to be a top-10 pick, and he's followed that up with a goal/game pace. He's my pick for the best pure goal scorer in this draft.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

I've only caught one or two games of Kakko this year when trying to watch Pajuniemi, so I could totally be off base here: he strikes me more as a player that can get by on individual success rather than elevate the play of everyone around him. Hughes has that ability to dominate while also driving the play for his teammates.

You can't really go wrong selecting either player.

I disagree, Kakko is an excellent playmaker and i'm Confident he'll elevate the play of those around him. I Think the reason why you might Think he doesn't is because of the difference in the quality of the Leagues, Liiga is a tough League so it's obviously harder for Kakko to be the one elevating others when he's playing with/against seasoned professionals.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Kaliyev sounds like a Jeff Skinner clone. Not a knock or compliment to him.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I disagree, Kakko is an excellent playmaker and i'm Confident he'll elevate the play of those around him. I Think the reason why you might Think he doesn't is because of the difference in the quality of the Leagues, Liiga is a tough League so it's obviously harder for Kakko to be the one elevating others when he's playing with/against seasoned professionals.

Fair, and I’m admitting it’s based off a very limited sample size. My impression was that he was so good by himself that it was a lot of isolation play. That could’ve just been a bad impression from those games

 

[Trxjw]

Dach: 7-15-22 in 12 GP for Saskatoon --> this scoring pace is one of the best ever for a U18 kid in the WHL. The scoring pace is identical to some shmuck named Joe Sakic. It's roughly on pace for a 40G, 85A draft year. Good thing we just beefed up our WHL scouting department.

Was 2+1 last night including the game winner. His first goal was just him getting to the net on a 2 on 1 and tipping it in, and his assist was a secondary from behind the net on the PP. However he outworked Ty Smith in front of the net on the OT goal. Picked up a rebound with his reach and threw it 5 hole.

He's not going to wow anyone but the hockey sense is high end and he does a great job at creating space for himself with his size and reach.

 

[Joey Bones]

I've only caught one or two games of Kakko this year when trying to watch Pajuniemi, so I could totally be off base here: he strikes me more as a player that can get by on individual success rather than elevate the play of everyone around him. Hughes has that ability to dominate while also driving the play for his teammates.

You can't really go wrong selecting either player.

I can agree with this. When watching Kakko, he does drive the play on his own, but shows little glimpses of setting others up. Like @ManUtdTobbe mentioned, Liiga is a professional league so it is difficult for a 17 year old to really prove that consistently. But when watching Hughes, he's dominant on every aspect offensively. Gets around defenders, opens ice up for himself to make a play, has an excellent shot and passing ability, etc. The only knock is that he's in the USHL (with no college commitment) so playing against men is something he'll have to hurdle, unlike Kakko.

It does seem that Kakko has the higher floor, but Hughes seems to have the highest ceiling. Both will play in the NHL, but who will have the better career? It's tough to gauge. This is where trajectory and development in post draft years come into fruition.

This could definitely hype up to be a Matthews/Laine debate, although I think Hughes/Kakko are two different players stylistically....

 

[RangerBoy]

John Beecher is some player. He has made some nice plays against Harvard. Big and strong. He can skate. Beecher showed his strength overpowering the older Harvard player in the neutral zone and setting up the 2nd goal on the same play. Great patience on the 3rd goal. Two primary assists.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Didn't catch the games, but Dach has 2 secondary assists yesterday and Cozens had a goal.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Dach's line is

 

[TheBloodyNine]

I for one would be extremely happy to walk away from this draft with Cozens.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I for one would be extremely happy to walk away from this draft with Cozens.

Checks all the boxes for the Rangers.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Everyone's new favorite prospect that won't even be picked in the 2019 draft, Patriks Zabusovs, played in a couple of games against Loko Yaroslavl in the MHL over the weekend.

In the first game he was pointless as Riga got shut out for the third game in succession and lost 0-2.

He had a better game on Sunday as he scored 1 even strength goal, had 5 SOG and +/- 0 in Riga's 2-3 loss against Loko Yaroslavl.

He now has 9+3 in 18GP on a team where apparently nobody else is capable of scoring whatsoever.

 

[Edge]

I can agree with this. When watching Kakko, he does drive the play on his own, but shows little glimpses of setting others up. Like @ManUtdTobbe mentioned, Liiga is a professional league so it is difficult for a 17 year old to really prove that consistently. But when watching Hughes, he's dominant on every aspect offensively. Gets around defenders, opens ice up for himself to make a play, has an excellent shot and passing ability, etc. The only knock is that he's in the USHL (with no college commitment) so playing against men is something he'll have to hurdle, unlike Kakko.

It does seem that Kakko has the higher floor, but Hughes seems to have the highest ceiling. Both will play in the NHL, but who will have the better career? It's tough to gauge. This is where trajectory and development in post draft years come into fruition.

This could definitely hype up to be a Matthews/Laine debate, although I think Hughes/Kakko are two different players stylistically....

I think you hit the nail on the head and it's something I touched on earlier in this thread.

Kakko is an amazing talent, so ranking him second isn't a knock on him or reflective of something he's not doing. I also think he'd be the kid who gets out of the gate fastest in the NHL.

But the thing that separates Hughes from others is his ability to impact the players around him. It's not just what he does on the ice, it's the way that impacts his linemates, the centers playing behind him, the shifts when he's not on the ice, etc.

Kakko is dominant on the ice, but I feel like Hughes' influence on a game is felt even when he's sitting on the bench between shifts --- because the rest of the team falls in line around him. Hughes demonstrates the potential to make everyone around him significantly better. His ability to do so is in elite company.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[Joey Bones]

Still very gung-ho over Broberg. He's adjusted well to Allsvenskan, but still very raw and slow in decision making. Turcotte dropping is due to injury, IMO. Can't see how Newhook and York are dropping, yet Warren and Harley move up .

Boldy, Kaliyev and Kakko deservedly move up!!

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

#6 on craig’s list, #1 in my heart

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Pavel Dorofeyev is my dark horse to sneak into the top-15. I think that kid will surprise a lot of people

 

[Joey Bones]

Pavel Dorofeyev is my dark horse to sneak into the top-15. I think that kid will surprise a lot of people

Agreed, 10,000%. His teammate, Spiridonov (who is now, also, with Magnitogorsk) could rise, too!!

 

[Edge]

The Turcotte and Newhook drops are a bit surprising.

There are definitely a number of guys who have come out of the gate strong and they deserve to be ranked where they are. But to drop Turcotte and Newhook clear into the 20s seems drastic.

Cozens and Dach will continue to be an interesting debate — and frankly it reminds me of the debate I expected to see around Turcotte and Newhook in roughly the same spot.

Boldt is having a strong season and it’ll be interesting to see if he is this draft’s Matthew Tkachuk in terms of role and rising power.

Lavoie is still a kid I would be hesitant to put in the top 10 right now.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Agreed, 10,000%. His teammate, Spiridonov (who is now, also, with Magnitogorsk) could rise, too!!

There are a few Russian kids I am checking out the next few weeks.

Ilya Nikolayev (Yaroslavl)
Sasha Chery (CSKA)
Semyon Astashevsky (Omsk)
Danil Zinovyev (Belye)

And then there's 2nd year eligible Danila Galenyuk. I am still surprised he went undrafteed but he has had a good season so far.

 

[Joey Bones]

The Turcotte and Newhook drops are a bit surprising.

There are definitely a number of guys who have come out of the gate strong and they deserve to be ranked where they are. But to drop Turcotte and Newhook clear into the 20s seems drastic.

Cozens and Dach will continue to be an interesting debate — and frankly it reminds me of the debate I expected to see around Turcotte and Newhook in roughly the same spot.

Boldt is having a strong season and it’ll be interesting to see if he is this draft’s Matthew Tkachuk in terms of role and rising power.

Lavoie is still a kid I would be hesitant to put in the top 10 right now.

Button gonna Button....

Turcotte still lingering with some unknown injury. Some have mentioned it was a hip flexor or lower abdomen injury, but it wasn't major. Hopefully he's back in the lineup soon.

Can't see how Newhook drops out of the top 15, let alone top 10. He's nearly at 1.5 PPG and has a relentless motor. Is it the league he's playing in? Can't really tell Button's reasoning behind that.

Lavoie has a great shot and skating ability. He sort of looks like Chytil out on the ice. Can skate strong 1-vs-1 and can board out the defender playing on him while stick handling and maintaining possession. What he makes offensively on his own, though, he lacks in passing, physical play and positioning (for a winger). Also, not a very stop-and-go type of player. I've noticed he lackadaisically forechecks then proceeds to turn with no momentum going the other way. He doesn't jam his edges into the ice and I don't think his acceleration, ATM, would translate to pro hockey, let alone the NHL. I'm seeing more negatives than positives to his game right now, but I still think he's a 1st round talent in a project pick sense.