Prospect Info: Magua's 2019 NHL Draft Preseason Top 31 Write-Up

[Magua]

I know some of you asked me to write it as a post, but it was a little too long, and I'm not looking to have people scroll for 40 days and 40 nights. So, I'm doing the PDF thing again -- booooooo! -- because it's cleaner and easier to read in a couple sittings, if need be.

Been writing this and mulling over the rankings for the last month; obviously prospect watching for longer. I feel reasonably comfortable with where I'm at in my evaluating; maybe the most comfortable in August/September since I've been doing this. You know me: I write what I think and will call my shots.

I start with a Gretzky-Hlinka report (sorted by country), which covers much of my top 31 (which I roughly tiered this time), along with additional players of note. Then I finished it up with blurbs for the rest of my top 31, by rank, who didn't play at the Hlinka. Obviously things change, and it'll be interesting to check back, but I remember when I did it last year, albeit in shorter form, it was a good resource for me too and a lot of my summer thoughts actually strengthened with time.

Click to read more...

 

[Tripod]

Looks like I have some reading to do later. Looks great and appreciate the work and effort!

 

[Chinatown88]

 

[Magua]

Here's just the list for convenience sake:

I get that many people haven't dug in yet on the prospects for this year's class, besides knowing a few names, but I think this is a good primer to acclimate yourself with the players and their games. And now you know what I think of them. You can certainly find games/highlights on YouTube (or elsewhere). The body of video work for lay fans has improved immensely over the last year or so. So, I get that this might seem a little gibberish right now for some, but I think it's something you can come back to a month or three from now. It's easy enough to search for and find.

 

[CapnZin]

Here's just the list for convenience sake:

I get that many people haven't dug in yet on the prospects for this year's class, besides knowing a few names, but I think this is a good primer to acclimate yourself with the players and their games. And now you know what I think of them. You can certainly find games/highlights on YouTube (or elsewhere). The body of video work for lay fans has improved immensely over the last year or so. So, I get that this might seem a little gibberish right now for some, but I think it's something you can come back to a month or three from now. It's easy enough to search for and find.

Wonderful write-up! You show clear insight into each prospect. I’m surprised that you’re not as high on cozens. I thought he’d be your favorite prospect. If I had to take a guess on you list come 2019 draft....

Broberg switches with turcotte, cozens moves into 6-8 range, and newhook will slip into the top 10

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

If Turcotte shot up to 6’1”-6’2” like USA Hockey lists him as now it would be hard to imagine him falling out of the top five. He already checked off a lot of boxes before that but now he has the size that NHL teams really covet in pivots.

 

[Magua]

Wonderful write-up! You show clear insight into each prospect. I’m surprised that you’re not as high on cozens. I thought he’d be your favorite prospect. If I had to take a guess on you list come 2019 draft....

Broberg switches with turcotte, cozens moves into 6-8 range, and newhook will slip into the top 10

Thank you kindly.

I don't think Cozens is THAT low haha. He's 11, and it's basically a tie from 9-11 (even 7-11, though I think Suzuki is my favorite of the 3 centers). He's basically a top 10 player for me. I love his physical game, skating, motor, completeness, IQ.......you're right, if you know me, I'm a sucker for that. He's very projectable. I just wish he had better hands and am not sure he's high enough ceiling to be quite that high. Draft day is a different matter though. Like if you told me he'd be a 25-30 goal, 50-60 point do everything 2C, that's great, and I'd believe it. Just not sure how much higher his ceiling goes.

Broberg switching with Turcotte (you didn't even mention the controversial Zegras at #3 over Turcotte), sure, why not? I think people are reluctant to put Broberg too high based on the Hlinka, but he looks legit. I had him at 3, 4, and 5 at various points the last month, and he's my favorite defenseman right now. Those 3 players I went back and forth on. I went with Turcotte's track record though.

Newhook? I'm one of the only guys who doesn't think he's a top 5-7 pick at this stage. I wouldn't be surprised to move him up a few spots, and I considered it already, but I'd just as soon bet others drop him a little too. I'm not sure he's quite as dynamic or center projectable as others. Krebs is another guy, like Newhook, I was lower on. I think Newhook is more skilled than Krebs though. Krebs might be smarter though.

 

[Magua]

If Turcotte shot up to 6’1”-6’2” like USA Hockey lists him as now it would be hard to imagine him falling out of the top five. He already checked off a lot of boxes before that but now he has the size that NHL teams really covet in pivots.

I'm still waiting on seeing if Caufield is actually 5'8.

He looked at least 6 ft last year, so I don't think Turcotte was ever small, and he was really stocky and strong too. I'd be surprised to see him not top 5 though. Those 4 after the Golden Child are a cut above. Zegras too "measured" at 6ft, which seemed close to last year by the eye test. I'm not sure he goes this high or even above Turcotte who I had tied, but he's someone people are sleeping on big time in that program behind Hughes/Turcotte. He's amazing.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

I have to say that's a poor class when it comes to hockey names.

 

[G0bias]

I'm still waiting on seeing if Caufield is actually 5'8.

He looked at least 6 ft last year, so I don't think Turcotte was ever small, and he was really stocky and strong too. I'd be surprised to see him not top 5 though. Those 4 after the Golden Child are a cut above. Zegras too "measured" at 6ft, which seemed close to last year by the eye test. I'm not sure he goes this high or even above Turcotte who I had tied, but he's someone people are sleeping on big time in that program behind Hughes/Turcotte. He's amazing.

Big fan of Zegras. I totally get if someone has him among that 2nd tier behind Hughes - from an offensive perspective, his mix of high-end skill, skating and IQ is as good as any. I'm too chicken shit to put him that high, though he's in my top 10.

It's gonna be extremely tough for him to be even close to that ranking though, playing behind Hughes and Turcotte or as one of their wings.

 

[CapnZin]

Thank you kindly.

I don't think Cozens is THAT low haha. He's 11, and it's basically a tie from 9-11 (even 7-11, though I think Suzuki is my favorite of the 3 centers). He's basically a top 10 player for me. I love his physical game, skating, motor, completeness, IQ.......you're right, if you know me, I'm a sucker for that. He's very projectable. I just wish he had better hands and am not sure he's high enough ceiling to be quite that high. Draft day is a different matter though. Like if you told me he'd be a 25-30 goal, 50-60 point do everything 2C, that's great, and I'd believe it. Just not sure how much higher his ceiling goes.

Broberg switching with Turcotte (you didn't even mention the controversial Zegras at #3 over Turcotte), sure, why not? I think people are reluctant to put Broberg too high based on the Hlinka, but he looks legit. I had him at 3, 4, and 5 at various points the last month, and he's my favorite defenseman right now. Those 3 players I went back and forth on. I went with Turcotte's track record though.

Newhook? I'm one of the only guys who doesn't think he's a top 5-7 pick at this stage. I wouldn't be surprised to move him up a few spots, and I considered it already, but I'd just as soon bet others drop him a little too. I'm not sure he's quite as dynamic or center projectable as others. Krebs is another guy, like Newhook, I was lower on. I think Newhook is more skilled than Krebs though. Krebs might be smarter though.

I don’t think, at least in my opinion, that Zegras spot is controversial lol. I think he’s a sleeping top talent. In my own internal rankings, I have him around 3-4. People really only mention the top 5–> Hughes, Turcotte, Kakko, Broberg, and Podkolzin. From what I’ve seen those seem to be everyone’s top 5 while Cozens rounds out to be in the top 10. I think Cozens will be the best player in the draft taken outside the top 5. He’s my favorite prospect. Part of me wants him to slow down this year so he can fall to the flyers lol. He reminds me of a rich mans Alex Tuch. Tuch was my favorite prospect of the 2014 draft. I also liked Foegel in that draft (sorry if I misspelled his name).
Newhook is a solid 6-10 prospect in my book. He’s the new NHLs top 6 forward. He will slot in nicely. He’s a safe pick like Barret Hayton in this years past draft.
Turcotte, although I don’t know as much about him as the others, just like newhook, is the new breed of NHL players. He just seems to be better at this new style of hockey. I love low maintenance players, and he seems to be that, but Zegras takes my book that regard. Maybe he will be like Alfie lol.