Prospect Info: Mid-Season Mock Draft

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
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I was bored so I decided to put together a mock draft. Mod's feel free to merge with the 2018 Draft thread if you like, but thought it might be nice to get a separate discussion going on wants/needs for the upcoming draft.

Mid-Season Mock Draft

1 - Bouchard/Smith/Dobson/Hughes
2 - Alexander Khovanov - C, QMJHL
2 - Blake McLaughlin - C, USHL
3 - Nicolas Beaudin - D, QMJHL
3 - Phillip Kurashev - C, QMJHL
4- Sean Durzi - D, OHL
6 - Tyler Madden or Jack Drury - C, USHL
6- Riley Damiani - C/W, OHL
7 - Pavel Gogolev - LW, OHL

Others considered: Cam Hillis, Milos Roman, Calen Addison, Stanislav Demin, Cole Fonstad, Rasmus Sandin, Curtis Hall,
 
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Redder Winger

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May 4, 2017
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I was bored so I decided to put together a mock draft. Mod's feel free to merge with the 2018 Draft thread if you like, but thought it might be nice to get a separate discussion going on wants/needs for the upcoming draft.

Mid-Season Mock Draft

1 - Bouchard/Smith/Dobson/Hughes
2 - Alexander Khovanov - C, QMJHL
2 - Blake McLaughlin - C, USHL
3 - Nicolas Beaudin - D, QMJHL
3 - Phillip Kurashev - C, QMJHL
4- Sean Durzi - D, OHL
6 - Tyler Madden or Jack Drury - C, USHL
6- Riley Damiani - C/W, OHL
7 - Pavel Gogolev - LW, OHL

Others considered: Cam Hillis, Milos Roman, Calen Addison, Stanislav Demin, Cole Fonstad, Rasmus Sandin, Curtis Hall,


Too early for me.
I need my draft guides to start reading up.
I don't think Tyler Madden will be around in round 6.
 

njx9

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Feb 1, 2016
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All Ds and Cs in the early rounds sounds great to me.

Just looking at the 4 guys you listed in round one, are those the BPAs you're expecting to see at our pick, or are they guys you think would particularly fit the team/specific needs?
 

Zetterberg4Captain

Registered User
Aug 11, 2009
13,725
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Detroit
I only want den and centres with one goalie taken as well

So easy to find commentary wingers in free agency and trade

But high end dmen and centres, the positions you must have in order to win, impossible

Draft draft draft
 
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Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
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All Ds and Cs in the early rounds sounds great to me.

Just looking at the 4 guys you listed in round one, are those the BPAs you're expecting to see at our pick, or are they guys you think would particularly fit the team/specific needs?

I try and do a combo of both, it’s too hard to do BPA this far out where we don’t even know what the draft order is yet.

Moreso it’s the guys I like most in the 1st rounder group, 2nd/3rd round range, and then 4th round and beyond. But even that’s tough, there aren’t many rankings that go beyond a top 30/60/100. So it’s some guessing, but I do it mostly for fun.

Just wanted to see what people were thinking, even if they didn’t have a list of their own.
 
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Marky9er

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Jan 30, 2008
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I came across this random name on elite prospects....Andrej Kukuca. I couldn't find any info about this kid except he's 6'2" and puts up numbers. All I'm saying is that might be the kind of random European player you'd love to see in round 5. I know virtually nothing about him, but I think I'd take a chance on him over many of the known commodities that are leftover that deep into the draft. I'm sure he's well known within NHL circles but to the media he's a long way from the spotlight. I think you need to leave the fairway to find a diamond in the rough.
 

HisNoodliness

The Karate Kid and ASP Kai
Jun 29, 2014
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I don't know enough about the late round guys to comment. I like your group of 4 D for the first round, but feel like Evan Bouchard would be a reach. He strikes me as a 15-25 OA player. What's your impression of him that makes him worth a top ten pick? His numbers are decent and he plays the type of game I think we'd target, but I wonder if that elite upside is there. Smith, Hughes and Dobson all seem worthy of a top ten pick. Bouchard is the type of guy I'd like to target if we can get another first and end up going with a forward with our high first.

Reading about the rest of the picks, I like them. They seem sensible and to have good numbers. I don't know a ton though so that's a pretty uninformed opinion.
 
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Rzombo4 prez

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May 17, 2012
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Mid-Season Mock Draft

1 - Bouchard/Smith/Dobson/Hughes
2 - Alexander Khovanov - C, QMJHL
2 - Blake McLaughlin - C, USHL
3 - Nicolas Beaudin - D, QMJHL
3 - Phillip Kurashev - C, QMJHL
4- Sean Durzi - D, OHL
6 - Tyler Madden or Jack Drury - C, USHL
6- Riley Damiani - C/W, OHL
7 - Pavel Gogolev - LW, OHL

Others considered: Cam Hillis, Milos Roman, Calen Addison, Stanislav Demin, Cole Fonstad, Rasmus Sandin, Curtis Hall,

I like where your head is at with your first rounders. I would actually take them in reverse order, but I am guessing you were just listing them as a group. I love Khovanov and would consider Dellandrea or McShane (McBain if he slides) with our first, 2nd-round pick (Tychonick if we go with a forward in the first). With the second, second rounder I like Curtis Hall (don't see McLaughlin as a center), Ylonen, Fonstad and Vallati. In the third I like some combo of Xavier Bouchard, Nate Dunkley, Xavier Bernard, JBD, Gavin Hain and Axel Andersson. After that I like a bunch of longshots and have no idea where they fit by round (Ty Emberson, Justin MacPherson, Jaxon Nelson, David Levin, etc.) I will be the first to admit that my understanding of Euros this year is very poor, which is why they are under represented.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
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I like where your head is at with your first rounders. I would actually take them in reverse order, but I am guessing you were just listing them as a group. I love Khovanov and would consider Dellandrea or McShane (McBain if he slides) with our first, 2nd-round pick (Tychonick if we go with a forward in the first). With the second, second rounder I like Curtis Hall (don't see McLaughlin as a center), Ylonen, Fonstad and Vallati. In the third I like some combo of Xavier Bouchard, Nate Dunkley, Xavier Bernard, JBD, Gavin Hain and Axel Andersson. After that I like a bunch of longshots and have no idea where they fit by round (Ty Emberson, Justin MacPherson, Jaxon Nelson, David Levin, etc.) I will be the first to admit that my understanding of Euros this year is very poor, which is why they are under represented.

Yeah, I’m completely in the dark on the Euro’s... hopefully @ChadS can help out there.

I like McShane, just not sure if his skating will hold him back? I was looking at Dunkley and Blade Jenkins, they’re interesting to me because they’re scoring almost all their pts at ES. Could see them having big +1 seasons if they get a bigger PP role, maybe.
 

Rzombo4 prez

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May 17, 2012
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Yeah, I’m completely in the dark on the Euro’s... hopefully @ChadS can help out there.

I like McShane, just not sure if his skating will hold him back? I was looking at Dunkley and Blade Jenkins, they’re interesting to me because they’re scoring almost all their pts at ES. Could see them having big +1 seasons if they get a bigger PP role, maybe.

Yeah, his skating is pretty average and could be an issue at his size (though Khovanov is pretty average too). I really like the IQ and skill though and am probably willing to bet on that. This is a really ugly OHL class in my opinion. I was trying to think of other draft-eligibles who had impressed me and the list was damn short.

I think we will have a lot of options with Ottawa's 2nd round pick. I am sure some guys projected to go in the first will drop to day two. It will also be interesting to see what Green fetches at the deadline. Tampa's first is effectively another 2nd and they have two other second-round picks this draft (not saying that Tampa is my preferred destination for him).
 
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Voodoo Glow Skulls

Formerly Vatican Roulette
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1st: Wahlstrom
(hopefully) 1st: K. Miller
2nd: Dellandrea
2nd: A. Erikkson
3rd: Bernard-Cocker
3rd: Giles
4th: Axel Andersson
6th: Dostal
6th: Goldowski
 
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Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
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1st: Wahlstrom
(hopefully) 1st: K. Miller
2nd: Dellandrea
2nd: A. Erikkson
3rd: Bernard-Cocker
3rd: Giles
4th: Axel Andersson
6th: Dostal
6th: Goldowski

Miller seems like he could be one of those guys in 2-3 years where you wonder how the hell he was taken so late. Especially since he’s going to play for Granato at Wisconsin, that will probably help his development a lot.

Yeah, his skating is pretty average and could be an issue at his size (though Khovanov is pretty average too). I really like the IQ and skill though and am probably willing to bet on that. This is a really ugly OHL class in my opinion. I was trying to think of other draft-eligibles who had impressed me and the list was damn short.

Thoughts on Evan Bouchard?
 

Voodoo Glow Skulls

Formerly Vatican Roulette
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I like Bouchard... I think he might be the 2nd defenseman taken.

If the Wings were hell bent on taking a defenseman, I wouldn't hate the pick in the 1st round.
 

lilidk

Registered User
Mar 4, 2008
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this team badly needs center . Larkin is #2 center , Rasmussen god knows if he stays healthy and he is not playmaker . I like to see we got Oliver Wahlstrom

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 

Rzombo4 prez

Registered User
May 17, 2012
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Thoughts on Evan Bouchard?

Might be the best of them once inside the offensive zone. I just wish he skated a bit better because we need defensemen who can get up in the play in transition (not just start transition) and I don't see Bouchard being that sort of guy at the next level. I won't be upset if we end up taking him, but I prefer others (namely Hughes and Dobson)
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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I want a D and you all know who I really want if we don't win #1 overall.

Still I will say I will not be bothered in the slightest if we wind up with Svechnikov, Zadina or Tkachuk. I know they are wingers, but my God are they talented.
 

HisNoodliness

The Karate Kid and ASP Kai
Jun 29, 2014
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this team badly needs center . Larkin is #2 center , Rasmussen god knows if he stays healthy and he is not playmaker . I like to see we got Oliver Wahlstrom

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
While Wahlstrom, Tkachuk and the other top wingers in this drafted are occasionally listed as centers... They are wingers. Also I think that a blue chip defense prospect should be the priority still. Besides Hronek and Cholo we don't have any defense prospects that could potentially play on the first line and I think both are going to be more second line guys. They could be #2D but we still really need that #1D.

This draft is extremely week at C and strong at D so it only makes sense to address that need this year and our need at C next year. All of Dobson, Hughes and Smith (Maybe Bouchard but I don't know) would be excellent choices with our early first if we're looking for D. If we walk away with a winger I'll be disappointed but Wahlstrom, Zadina and Tkachuk are really good so it wouldn't be the end of the world.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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I like Wahlstrom, but I like what Jack Hughes is doing for him. I am wary of him rising because of Jack Hughes joining the U18 team. He is blowing what Matthews and Eichel did out of the water currently so his linemates will benefit. Still I keep looking at the top 10 this year and thinking how can you mess this up. I know that could be Hugh Jessiman level stupidity but still.... How can we mess this up!
 

PelagicJoe

Registered User
Mar 20, 2012
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St. Louis, MO
I only want den and centres with one goalie taken as well

So easy to find commentary wingers in free agency and trade

But high end dmen and centres, the positions you must have in order to win, impossible

Draft draft draft


Agreed. I will accept taking a winger if we are getting someone guaranteed to be the second coming of Brett Hull or Jagr, otherwise, C and D are the top priorities.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
I like Wahlstrom, but I like what Jack Hughes is doing for him. I am wary of him rising because of Jack Hughes joining the U18 team. He is blowing what Matthews and Eichel did out of the water currently so his linemates will benefit. Still I keep looking at the top 10 this year and thinking how can you mess this up. I know that could be Hugh Jessiman level stupidity but still.... How can we mess this up!

Nah. Wahlstrom has been putting up numbers and was a top 10 guy well before Hughes joined. And really, he’s probably had a worse center up until now than most USNDP wingers in recent years.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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Nah. Wahlstrom has been putting up numbers and was a top 10 guy well before Hughes joined. And really, he’s probably had a worse center up until now than most USNDP wingers in recent years.

I know he was a top 10 guy. I was saying if he continued climbing up the board now I would be wary of that. I have a hard time listing him higher up than where he is on most lists is all.

Totally agree but if you look at recent years you have the greatest run on centers in the program since founding it and for Americans at the position since sometime in the 80s in my opinion.
 

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