Proposal: Get MN a top 6 C

[keppel146]

Kaliyev is so gifted, but he probably has the worst compete/defensive awareness package of a top prospect since Yakupov. I have real doubts about if he’ll workout in this league

We don’t need every player to play defense. We need guys who can score on the PP and put pucks in the net. Risky for sure, but gotta hope for the reward

 

[AKL]

We don’t need every player to play defense. We need guys who can score on the PP and put pucks in the net.

He's a rich mans Sokolov. He has an excellent shot arsenal, he's average everywhere else, his skating isn't great, he is completely useless on his teams 100 feet of ice. He doesn't have a work ethic.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

We don’t need every player to play defense. We need guys who can score on the PP and put pucks in the net. Risky for sure, but gotta hope for the reward

You could be the best hockey player in the world, but if you’re not helping your team win games, you shouldn’t be in the ice. If he scores 80 points a year, but I’d directly responsible for 100 goals against a year, he’ll be out of the league.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

You could be the best hockey player in the world, but if you’re not helping your team win games, you shouldn’t be in the ice. If he scores 80 points a year, but I’d directly responsible for 100 goals against a year, he’ll be out of the league.

I believe early on Ovi got benched for not playing defense.

 

[57special]

Kaliyev is not the answer to anything.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'd be really nervous trading down from 1. I'm not sure we need a $10M center with Laf, Fiala, Kaprizov and Boldy on the wings (or could, capwise), but we definitely need a couple guys that can skate and think with that group. It should be possible to find them with Pittsburgh's 1st and/or Dumba. Khovanov might already be one. Boldy might actually be one.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I'd be really nervous trading down from 1. I'm not sure we need a $10M center with Laf, Fiala, Kaprizov and Boldy on the wings (or could, capwise), but we definitely need a couple guys that can skate and think with that group. It should be possible to find them with Pittsburgh's 1st and/or Dumba. Khovanov might already be one. Boldy might actually be one.

I'd be okay with 3+5 or 2+Turcotte.

Byfield/Stutzle + Rossi/Holtz/Raymond
or
Byfield/Stutzle + Turcotte

 

[57special]

I'm with you, DB. Don't know if LA would play ball, but it's a twon that loves stars, and Laffy would be one almost instantly. Byfield will take a while, and might also never be more than a 2C. His potential is off the charts, though, and IMO is worth betting on, especially considering he plays C.

I'd take Rossi/Perfetti at #5, on the hope that they will be C's in the NHL. Solving our C problems for the next 10 years or so in one draft would be amazing.

Worse comes to worse you take Lafreniere, and have two, if not three, elite wings on the team. All three can handle the puck extremely well, so a guy like Ek in the middle to do the dirty work wouldn't be the worst thing, and I would bet that just playing with such talents would elevate his game, while we frantically hope that Khovanov develops, or make a trade for a decent offensive C.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I'd be really nervous trading down from 1. I'm not sure we need a $10M center with Laf, Fiala, Kaprizov and Boldy on the wings (or could, capwise), but we definitely need a couple guys that can skate and think with that group. It should be possible to find them with Pittsburgh's 1st and/or Dumba. Khovanov might already be one. Boldy might actually be one.

You make a good point. All you need are centers who can get the puck in the hands of these guys well. That’s personally why I like RNH. Without giving up a defenseman, though, this looks like a great top 6 to me:
Lafreniere-Strome-Fiala
Boldy-Staal/Khovanov/Ek-Kaprizov

 

[DeagleJenkins]

You make a good point. All you need are centers who can get the puck in the hands of these guys well. That’s personally why I like RNH. Without giving up a defenseman, though, this looks like a great top 6 to me:
Lafreniere-Strome-Fiala
Boldy-Staal/Khovanov/Ek-Kaprizov

actually looks like a scary top 6. as long as our centers can win faceoffs.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

actually looks like a scary top 6. as long as our centers can win faceoffs.

We will have some big time cap issues down the line should be not be able to dump Zuccarello and Parise somewhere else

 

[DeagleJenkins]

We will have some big time cap issues down the line should be not be able to dump Zuccarello and Parise somewhere else

im sure we could find a way to make it work if that is our top 6 we can try to get a really cheap bottom 6 and overplay those 6 until we can solidify a proper 3rd line.

 

[DANOZ28]

I'm with you, DB. Don't know if LA would play ball, but it's a twon that loves stars, and Laffy would be one almost instantly. Byfield will take a while, and might also never be more than a 2C. His potential is off the charts, though, and IMO is worth betting on, especially considering he plays C.

I'd take Rossi/Perfetti at #5, on the hope that they will be C's in the NHL. Solving our C problems for the next 10 years or so in one draft would be amazing.

Worse comes to worse you take Lafreniere, and have two, if not three, elite wings on the team. All three can handle the puck extremely well, so a guy like Ek in the middle to do the dirty work wouldn't be the worst thing, and I would bet that just playing with such talents would elevate his game, while we frantically hope that Khovanov develops, or make a trade for a decent offensive C.

perfetti & rossi on the rocks. if christmas comes early to mn having 3- 30 goal scorers wouldn't be all that bad to work with.