Early Top 5 Craig's List for the 2019 Draft

[93LEAFS]

Not an article, but a quick video segment. Here is Button's top 5 for 2019.

1: Hughes
2: Cozens
3: Broberg
4: Kakko
5: Vasili Podkolzin

Broberg had a strong tournament, but that is quite high for him. While, I would re-arrange other aspects of the list (I think Turcotte is a top 5 pick), I can't argue against it too much.


https://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/video/early-top-5-craig-s-list-for-the-2019-nhl-draft~1459629

Click to read more...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Shocking.

The guy who had Poehling #4 after the Hlinka ranks two mid/late first round prospects in the top five after they had great Hlinka tournaments.

TSN is doing their viewers a disservice having Button as their main expert. I'd much sooner hire 75% of the posters in this section than Button to be the TSN expert.

 

[D0ctorCool]

Shocking.

The guy who had Poehling #4 after the Hlinka ranks two mid/late first round prospects in the top five after they had great Hlinka tournaments.

TSN is doing their viewers a disservice having Button as their main expert. I'd much sooner higher 75% of the posters in this section than Button to be the TSN expert.

I give full credit to Button for going on record and making picks this early out. I actually really like what Button brings to the table, and appreciate that he doesn't mind going against concensus on things. TSN already has a Bob McKenzie to reel things back in.

 

[93LEAFS]

Shocking.

The guy who had Poehling #4 after the Hlinka ranks two mid/late first round prospects in the top five after they had great Hlinka tournaments.

TSN is doing their viewers a disservice having Button as their main expert. I'd much sooner higher 75% of the posters in this section than Button to be the TSN expert.

Who is the 2nd? I think the other 4, even if you didn't think they were top 10, had strong arguments for top 10 entering the tournament. To be fair to Button, every single player in his top 5 outside of Broberg was already a top 6 picks in his mind in November.

https://www.tsn.ca/19-names-for-the-2019-nhl-draft-1.918703

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Who is the 2nd? I think the other 4, even if you didn't think they were top 10, had strong arguments for top 10 entering the tournament. To be fair to Button, every single player in his top 5 outside of Broberg was already a top 6 picks in his mind in November.

https://www.tsn.ca/19-names-for-the-2019-nhl-draft-1.918703

Broberg and Podkolzin.

Hughes, Cozens and Kakko all are obviously top 10 players. I wouldn't even make that big of a deal if someone had Podkolzin back-end of the top 10, but there are so many overreactions to this tournament. Podkolzin has apparently jumped like 15 spots from the consensus two weeks ago because he had a good tournament, despite being one of the most visible players in this age group against high level competition prior to this tournament.

 

[93LEAFS]

Broberg and Podkolzin.

True, I've seen Podkolzin ranked as a top 10 guy elsewhere entering the tournament, so I don't view that one as too extreme or reactionary. The issue with him is that outside of international events, there really isn't much to go on. He played in the Russian U-17 this year and not the MHL, so people are going to primarily rank him on the U-17 challenge where he was also strong and now this.

 

[G0bias]

Shocking.

The guy who had Poehling #4 after the Hlinka ranks two mid/late first round prospects in the top five after they had great Hlinka tournaments.

TSN is doing their viewers a disservice having Button as their main expert. I'd much sooner hire 75% of the posters in this section than Button to be the TSN expert.

Broberg maybe but Podkolzin has been highly regarded by some for quite some time. Edwards had him 9th in their preliminary 2019 rankings, which they released back in early June.

But Button can sometimes overdo it with some of his favourites. Gotta take some and leave some with him.

He played in the Russian U-17 this year and not the MHL, so people are going to primarily rank him on the U-17 challenge where he was also strong and now this.

People also have the U18s to go by, where he maybe wasn't lights out like he was this week but managed to leave a good impression.

 

[Frk It]

Cozens is a freaking stud.

 

[Vide]

Newhook doesn't play in the Hlinka = not ranked on Craig's list. Shocker...

I wonder if Broberg hadn't played the Hlinka if he would've been on Craig's radar at all. I question whether he'd even heard of the kid prior to this tournament.

Maybe his ranking will turn out to be good in the long run but it's hard to take someone's list seriously when it so obviously reactionary to one single international tournament.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Newhook doesn't play in the Hlinka = not ranked on Craig's list. Shocker...

I wonder if Broberg hadn't played the Hlinka if he would've been on Craig's radar at all. I question whether he'd even heard of the kid prior to this tournament.

Maybe his ranking will turn out to be good in the long run but it's hard to take someone's list seriously when it so obviously reactionary to one single international tournament.

I was actually bracing for Hughes not to be #1 as he didnt play in this tournament.

 

[toxic poster]

Button is ridiculous. Turcotte and Newhook are very clearly a top5 pick but they aren't @ Hlinka so they're completely ignored. Whether he believes it or just hypes up whoever is on the broadcast he consistenly evaluates talent terribly.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Still pretty early to rank these guys ,other than J. Hughes. Broberg's stock rose through this tournament . Podkolzin really stood out so more eyes will be on him as well. 2019 and 2020 are shaping up to be excellent drafts.

 

[Curley]

I think the criticism of Button is overdone.

Judging by the end of the scouting season, non-conventional opinions of his that I remember:

2011: High on Huberdeau and Kucherov. #8 for Couturier where posters had him much higher.
2012: High on Filip Forsberg and Matthew Dumba.
2014: Low on Jake Virtanen (2nd round)
2017: Lower on Owen Tippett than most.

I hear the Poehling example. But, that was his early read and he didn't rank him that high by the end of the season.

For the 2017 draft, he was really high on Eeli Tolvanen then by end of the year dropped him closer to where he was drafted. But, his early take may have been right. We'll see.

I look at all these examples and I think he has a fairly valuable opinion to listen to.

Bryan

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Poehling is gonna be a friggin stud.

 

[penaltykiller]

I don't understand the comparisons between Button and Mackenzie's rankings. On one hand, you have one man's ranking and on the other you have an aggregate of several lists. Of course Button is bound to have more outliers...

 

[UNITEDSTATESOFHOCKEY]

It's not uncommon for the canadian media outlets to put too much emphasis on this event. Its August and they need hockey content. The media's ability to influence the Draft rankings is always fascinating to me! They kind of try to pick their #1,2 and 3 and for whatever reason people and the internet just kind of fall in line with that. Russia and Canada brought solid teams but it was many other teams "B" squads. The NDTP gets the U18 WC so USA hockey uses this event to showcase prospects in other leagues. Craig doesn't see these kids 10-15 times a year anymore but he's well connected and has a good pulse on where teams rankings are at. Having said that, No Newhook or Turcotte is rather interesting, but to each their own I guess. I know i'll be interested to see where those two end up in his rankings come next June! seems a bit like "the flavor of the week" top 5 to me! Time will tell.

 

[Lays]

Poehling is gonna be a friggin stud.

If by “stud” you mean solid middle 6 C, I agree with you

 

[Rebels57]

Poehling is gonna be a friggin stud.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

If by “stud” you mean solid middle 6 C, I agree with you

He's on schedule to be a #2C and has the upside to be more.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He's on schedule to be a #2C and has the upside to be more.

Maybe. And absolutely not.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Maybe. And absolutely not.

lol like you're the oracle on Poehling. You've been misreading this guy since day 1.

 

[OldScool]

I thought the TSN broadcast was very misleading. They had the tournament directors and on air personalities go on and on about how this tournament is "Best on Best" and the only other format like that is the World Jr/Olympics - that isnt accurate at all and totally misleading. The best USA players are on the U18 NDTP team and are not sent to the Hlinka. The USA team that plays in the Hlinka is the Select Team taken from the pool of players at the US Development camps. It Canada's best vs USA's "B" team - and USA beat them. For TSN to mislead viewers is crap. At least be honest.

 

[WeThreeKings]

lol like you're the oracle on Poehling. You've been misreading this guy since day 1.

What's more logical.. placing a third line upside on a C prospect who can't score from distance.. or proclaiming after a summer showcase that he's the best C prospect not in the NHL.

 

[Castle8130]

Broberg is rated way too high. Podkolzin is a stud though and I think that is an appropriate spot to put him momentarily. Everything else seems right or close to it.

 

[Frk It]

I thought the TSN broadcast was very misleading. They had the tournament directors and on air personalities go on and on about how this tournament is "Best on Best" and the only other format like that is the World Jr/Olympics - that isnt accurate at all and totally misleading. The best USA players are on the U18 NDTP team and are not sent to the Hlinka. The USA team that plays in the Hlinka is the Select Team taken from the pool of players at the US Development camps. It Canada's best vs USA's "B" team - and USA beat them. For TSN to mislead viewers is crap. At least be honest.

It doesn't look good for the tournament to point that out, so of course they aren't going to do that. All about making $$$, bud... like it or not.