Prospect Info: Martin Kaut RW (2018 #16 overall) l ELC signed 7/5/18

[Pokecheque]

Why do we put so much stock in "draft lists"? If Sakic and Co think he's just what we need at #16, he's worth the 16th pick. I'm quite stoked tbh. He has a great attitude and plays the game with enthusiasm. I take our scouting departments view of Kaut over any analyst. I'm cautiously optimistic but ultimately optimistic. Living in Loveland, I can't wait to see this kid on the ice for the Eagles.

There's nothing wrong with "taking stock" in lists from people who put in the work, no one is treating it as scripture. It's just one guide created by one guy, he qualifies it as such. Picks/predictions go awry all the time, but it makes for fun debate. All I can say is I think better players were on the board at the time, but again, that's my opinion, influenced by what I've read/heard over the past few months. And even if that's true, that doesn't make it a bad pick. It's only a bad pick if the player doesn't pan out.

 

[Pacman33]

Where is everyone? No henchy or bender giving their thoughts on kaut or gtg giving the 411 on the grubauer deal. Probably got too annoyed with site crashing earlier lol

 

[Pokecheque]

Side note--this is the first draft where I actually read up a little on the prospects in this draft. This was definitely the draft to do that because it kinda went off the rails in terms of consensus picks vs. what teams actually did.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Side note--this is the first draft where I actually read up a little on the prospects in this draft. This was definitely the draft to do that because it kinda went off the rails in terms of consensus picks vs. what teams actually did.

I'd say we made one of the most consensus picks in the entire first round lol. I do like that it wasn't a completely safe pick, though I do feel like we picked a player with a higher floor than we could have. Teams went and picked the safer guys ahead of us though with Farabee gone. I wanted Veleno, but after seeing how far he fell I can't help but question my own evaluation there. Bokk is probably the guy I'll follow wondering if..

 

[cgf]

I'd say we made one of the most consensus picks in the entire first round lol. I do like that it wasn't a completely safe pick, though I do feel like we picked a player with a higher floor than we could have. Teams went and picked the safer guys ahead of us though with Farabee gone. I wanted Veleno, but after seeing how far he fell I can't help but question my own evaluation there. Bokk is probably the guy I'll follow wondering if..

I don't agree with it & would've taken my countrymen instead; but I can see why Joe wouldn't want to swing for the fences with this pick as much, given that we no longer have a surplus of picks this year & that we went so homerun-swing heavy last year.

...but we better be taking big ass swings again next year and as this draft moves on. Not just cause safe-is-death, but also because our pipeline still needs bluechip talents more than anything.

 

[Ivan13]

I like Kaut the player, but his heart does make me uneasy a bit.

 

[CalderKing21]

I like the pick. Like I said before, I wasn't really married to any one player this year but I felt we would end up with a good one and we did.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

He looks like he's pushing 30's

 

[PAZ]

Had Bender's draft guide on the laptop, had to scroll waaaaaaay down to find him at #40.

Tool-wise he's precisely what the Avs need, a guy who plays a 200-foot game and doesn't hesitate to head into the greasy areas to make plays. Also a good skater and isn't a beast, but has some size.

That said this feels like a "need" draft pick than a "best player available." Still, I like the kid and sure hope Hepple & Co. made the right choice.

I feel like if we went with a 'need' draft pick we would've drafted Bokk, IMO a player like Bokk is a greater need than Kaut. I think the Avs went with their BPA on their list, with the exception of maybe Smith (and I can understand if they ranked Smith a bit higher but they still went with their next player on the list).

I'd say we made one of the most consensus picks in the entire first round lol. I do like that it wasn't a completely safe pick, though I do feel like we picked a player with a higher floor than we could have. Teams went and picked the safer guys ahead of us though with Farabee gone. I wanted Veleno, but after seeing how far he fell I can't help but question my own evaluation there. Bokk is probably the guy I'll follow wondering if..

I think it's pretty clear there's some red flags with Veleno. This isn't another Barzal situation where there were some questionable drafting teams that could've picked him (NJ, San Jose, Florida, Dallas, Boston). Veleno fell through almost every team in the league, there has to be a reason for that. Reminds me of Kylington, who was high-touted heading into his draft season and disappointed. He was still ranked in the mid/late 1st but fell all the way to 60th overall. Still looks like he could become a decent player, but not a player teams are kicking themselves for passing on.

 

[MarkT]

From what I've read about Kaut I wonder if the strategy this year is to pick guys who will be NHL-ready sooner rather than later so that the whole team is peaking at the same time in ~2-3 years.

 

[Iceberg]

I wanted Veleno, but i like the pick. Just hope wearing 18 for one night doesnt hurt the kid's career with the Avs before it begins.

 

[tucker3434]

I like Kaut the player, but his heart does make me uneasy a bit.

My wife provided the most unlikely NHL draft commentary last night. But she’s a CRNA and has/had a similar condition. The second they mentioned it on tv, *bam* medical encyclopedia.

It’s a minor condition that’s corrected by a relatively minor procedure where they go through a vein or artery in the leg, up to the heart, and burn a section. Once they’ve had the procedure, it’s usually taken care of, and they’re 100% good to go with no additional side effects.

Heart condition is a scary phrase, but this type is the best you can have.

 

[lonelybadger]

I like this pick the best because of the AHL availability. New AHL team will need some new bodies . Also much easier to predict NHL success based on AHL performance.

 

[HugeMetalFan]

I like this guy, especially surprised by his defensive awareness. They even played him on PK.

 

[LTC Pain]

From Pro Hockey Rumors. Get me excited about Kaut

16. Colorado – F Martin Kaut, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)
Kaut is one of the safest picks of this draft class due to his next-level hockey IQ. The big Czech winger plays smart, mistake-free hockey all while staying active on offense. He can win battles along the boards and excels at using space and finding offensive opportunities. He also has a developed two-way game and forechecking ability. Kaut will never be a super-skilled player and surrenders some scoring upside by not taking risks with the puck, but at the end of the day is a near-guaranteed future NHLer.

 

[Foppberg]

A less physical Landeskog type dude?

 

[MarkT]

From Pro Hockey Rumors. Get me excited about Kaut

16. Colorado – F Martin Kaut, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)
Kaut is one of the safest picks of this draft class due to his next-level hockey IQ. The big Czech winger plays smart, mistake-free hockey all while staying active on offense. He can win battles along the boards and excels at using space and finding offensive opportunities. He also has a developed two-way game and forechecking ability. Kaut will never be a super-skilled player and surrenders some scoring upside by not taking risks with the puck, but at the end of the day is a near-guaranteed future NHLer.

So basically the kind of player every good team needs in it's middle 6 forward group. Great

 

[Arcade Fire]

Dude looks like he can already grow a mean PO beard. Definitely a plus in my books.

 

[Goulet17]

 

[LTC Pain]

I have a deep admiration for athletes who not only excel themselves but make their teammates better as well.

 

[shadow1]

He sounds like a Jere Lehtinen type to me.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Yeah it's a solid pick. Could have swung for the fences a little more and went after Bokk. But at the same time a player who thinks the game as well as Kaut does and who plays with such energy as well is a player who can have quite the upside as well simply from that work ethic and drive.



One thing I dont love about him is the fact he's one of the oldest players in the draft. Always wonder how that factors in compared to his peers around him that were born in 2000 and have that year less of development still pretty much.



That said, the fact he's willing and even eager to come over and play with the Eagles in the AHL next year is also awesome. The Eagles are going to be a fun team to watch next year and should also be a very good one as well.


Shvy, Timmins, Francouz, Kaut, Greer, Meloche, Lewis, Barron, Dickinson, Beaudin, Anderson... A lot of young guys on that team that will be competing to earn a taste of the NHL action next year. Should make for a good but competitive environment for the Eagles first season.

 

[The Pwnerer]

Love that he can play in the AHL next year, fits more with our timeline and could see some time with the big club as soon as year 2. To me it sounds like he plays a Palat like game. Im excited to follow his progress next year.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

So basically the kind of player every good team needs in it's middle 6 forward group. Great

Exactly, and it's the perfect type of pick to make at that range in a draft like this. I know some here are enamored with a swing for the fences approach but no team will base their whole draft strategy on that philosophy. The NHL is a results-driven business.

I can get behind riskier picks in later rounds and weaker drafts (like last year) but I'll always be on the more cautious side when it comes to drafting.

 

[BleedWell]

One thing I dont love about him is the fact he's one of the oldest players in the draft. Always wonder how that factors in compared to his peers around him that were born in 2000 and have that year less of development still pretty

I have the same concern. Little bit. But then again it was the same thing with Rantanen and he's been "ok".