Prospect Info: NHL Draft 2018 - Friday...Friday...

[RABBIT]

I'm really warming up to Dobson at 5. Great skating right-handed defenseman that may only need another year or so of development is hard to pass up. Especially since we just locked in Oliver for another 8 years, groom him to be his partner. I'll agree that I feel that we need more offense, but we have a lot of wingers already. Maybe not high-caliber wingers like Wahlstrom, but it is a position of surplus. Tricky decision to be in. I'll say if Zadina is still there at 5, there's no question that you take him. If not, trust your draft board. If Dobson is their best ranked player come our pick, I trust their decision.

 

[Grimes]

With the Hoffman shit show in Ottawa does anyone else thing Tkachuck may look more appealing to them at 4? Fancy name that may impress casual fans, can imagine he is a groomed to be a professional in the league, high floor so it would be a very risk free pick.

 

[RABBIT]

With the Hoffman **** show in Ottawa does anyone else thing Tkachuck may look more appealing to them at 4? Fancy name that may impress casual fans, can imagine he is a groomed to be a professional in the league, high floor so it would be a very risk free pick.

it's a good point for sure.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

This is (Please God) our last real kick at the can of a top 5 pick. Let's take the risk and pick a player with sky high offensive potential.

 

[AZviaNJ]

With the Hoffman **** show in Ottawa does anyone else thing Tkachuck may look more appealing to them at 4? Fancy name that may impress casual fans, can imagine he is a groomed to be a professional in the league, high floor so it would be a very risk free pick.

or Dobson if the plan is to trade Karlsson.

 

[avco]

If Carolina select Zadina with the 2nd OV (has established chemistry with Martin Necas their first round pick from last year's draft) would the Yotes entertain trading the 5th OV plus some other asset to Montreal for the 3rd OV to get Svechnikov.

 

[Grimes]

or Dobson if the plan is to trade Karlsson.

Which also leads back to Hoffman. I think EK and Ottawa have a broken relationship now.

 

[Mosby]

Canes already said they are taking Svech

 

[rt]

How does everyone feel if we announce Dobson's name at 5? Personally I think he's more of a development pick but the raw upside is there. Big RD who can play in both ends in a top 2-4 capacity for 10+ years? I think I could live with that.

As long as we’re patient and give him a very long time to develop, I’m fine with it.

He’s got to work on decision making in his own zone, he’s got to work on not telegraphing his shot, his shot accuracy, building some strength into his frame, and using that to play a much more assertive, less butter soft game.

That’s fine with me though. Every prospect outside of the top two has a lot of stuff they need to work on.

 

[rt]

I'm really warming up to Dobson at 5. Great skating right-handed defenseman that may only need another year or so of development is hard to pass up. Especially since we just locked in Oliver for another 8 years, groom him to be his partner. I'll agree that I feel that we need more offense, but we have a lot of wingers already. Maybe not high-caliber wingers like Wahlstrom, but it is a position of surplus. Tricky decision to be in. I'll say if Zadina is still there at 5, there's no question that you take him. If not, trust your draft board. If Dobson is their best ranked player come our pick, I trust their decision.

If you’re looking for a shorter development path, I wouldn’t look to Dobson. Bouchard would be my answer for that. I view him as significantly more pro ready.

 

[Summer Rose]

Is the fact that today is Oliver Wahlstrom's 18th birthday relevant to this topic?

 

[moosemeister]

I've been all of the place and everything is starting to blend together. But isn't he like one of the youngest players in the top 10 for this draft? That's another reason I wanted to draft him is because he's so young.

 

[SniperHF]

How does everyone feel if we announce Dobson's name at 5? Personally I think he's more of a development pick but the raw upside is there. Big RD who can play in both ends in a top 2-4 capacity for 10+ years? I think I could live with that.

It's a cop out but since the FO hasn't screwed up a first yet I defer to their judgement. Like the Joseph pick, I wasn't mad about it but thought it was a small reach and thought there were some less projecty types on the board at the time. The scouts have been very good at identifying risers before they rise.

 

[SpaceCoyote]

Age Bias in Drafting

Interesting article regarding scouts inaccurately adjusting player assessments based on age.

 

[IPreferPi]

Age Bias in Drafting

Interesting article regarding scouts inaccurately adjusting player assessments based on age.

Given Chayka's propensity to draft younger players so far, I'm sure he and the scouts do adjust age accurately.

 

[RABBIT]

It's a cop out but since the FO hasn't screwed up a first yet I defer to their judgement. Like the Joseph pick, I wasn't mad about it but thought it was a small reach and thought there were some less projecty types on the board at the time. The scouts have been very good at identifying risers before they rise.

Tolvanen.

 

[IPreferPi]

I've been all of the place and everything is starting to blend together. But isn't he like one of the youngest players in the top 10 for this draft? That's another reason I wanted to draft him is because he's so young.

He's one of the youngest, although Kotkaniemi is younger by a few weeks. I believe Boqvist is the youngest overall with a general top 10 ranking (August birthday).

 

[IPreferPi]

How does everyone feel if we announce Dobson's name at 5? Personally I think he's more of a development pick but the raw upside is there. Big RD who can play in both ends in a top 2-4 capacity for 10+ years? I think I could live with that.

Dobson has the edge for me among the non-Dahlin defenders (which wasn't the case until after Boqvist had his second concussion). I think he has a pretty safe floor as a #3-4 shutdown D but he's definitely a project pick who will likely need 3 seasons of development. Bouchard is more NHL-ready although he certainly has holes in his game too.

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

Peronally speaking, like others above have said, I'd be ok with whoever the Yotes have decided to go with. I'll keep my trust in them and hold out any judgement.

However, I just don't get super excited about Dobson as a prospect in comparison to some of the others. Not an expert at all on these things but I just don't get excited like I would for others at that spot. If the Yotes took him, I'd find a way I'm sure haha.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I'm ok w/Dobson, but I'd rather get more offense...our defense was really good after the horrific start. Let's see what type of numbers they could put up with some decent forwards. Svech, Zadina or Wahlstrom for me. All 3 of those guys will be in the pros within 2yrs

 

[AZviaNJ]

Which also leads back to Hoffman. I think EK and Ottawa have a broken relationship now.

I heard on Sirius today (Laughlin/O'Sullivan) that the Sens knew about this situation since November. They didn't elaborate, but to your point I think we'll see EK in Vegas next season.

 

[ParisSaintGermain]

Really happy with whoever we draft at 5, I trust our scouts, I trust Chayka to make the most of that pick. No need to trade up, no need to trade down. No need to trade it.

I really hope we find a way of getting an additional late first or an early second because it feels there is a chance of getting someone there who could be significant.

Deep draft.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I heard on Sirius today (Laughlin/O'Sullivan) that the Sens knew about this situation since November. They didn't elaborate, but to your point I think we'll see EK in Vegas next season.

I understood that to be speculation.

???

 

[Ebb]

Still have no idea what we'll do, but I'm guessing we keep the pick.

My preference (if available):

1. Zadina
2. Wahlstrom
3. Bouchard
4. Kotkaniemi
5. Valeno
6. Dobson
7. Hughes

I haven't done much in the way of research, but what are thoughts on some of the following Euro skaters that fall between Boqvist and Kotkaniemi:

• Kravtsov (#3--6'3 | 184 lbs | RW-LHS)
• Kaut (#4--6'2 | 176 lbs | RW-RHS )
• Ginning (#5--6'4 | 206 lbs | D-LHS)

And a few other NA skaters I haven't heard much about:

• Hayton (#9--6'1 | 190 lbs | C -LHS)
• Noel (#10--6'5 | 204 lbs | RW-RHS

 

[rt]

Man. Dobson lost 100% of all board battles in the Memorial Cup. Guy has no battle at all in him along the boards. Rewatched the 3rd period against the SC Broncs and the 1st period against the Pats, just now. You go into the corner with Noah Dobson and you have a complete guarantee that you will come out with the puck.

I’m going to finish this Pats game and go back to rewatching some Tkachuk and Hughes at the WJC.

EDIT: he’s so freaking good at high speed and when he gets separation. Intriguing project. Make no mistake, Dobson is a project in that classical sense of the word.