Prospect Info: NHL Entry Draft Discussion Thread - Looking Ahead to 2020

[Ja Sports]

New hype reel for Quinton Byfield this one was my favourite to make so far

Hit the like or subscribe button if you guys enjoy!

More videos are coming soon

 

[Prominence]

While watching a video on youtube, I found this website that looks at junior league pairings. It’s pick224 dot com.

Apparently, jack quinn has more points with Mitchell Hoescher than with Marco Rossi.

 

[Canada4Gold]

1. Lafreniere
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2. Stutzle
3. Byfield
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4. Rossi
5. Raymond
6. Drysdale
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7. Lundell
8. Holtz
9. Askarov
10. Perfetti
11. Quinn
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I feel really bad putting Byfield 3rd because I'm a huge fan, and I preach not overeacting to a bad U20 which this probably looks like(it's not) but I just love Stutzle.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

1. Lafreniere
---------------
2. Stutzle
3. Byfield
---------------
4. Rossi
5. Raymond
6. Drysdale
---------------
7. Lundell
8. Holtz
9. Askarov
10. Perfetti
11. Quinn
---------------

I feel really bad putting Byfield 3rd because I'm a huge fan, and I preach not overeacting to a bad U20 which this probably looks like(it's not) but I just love Stutzle.

I think if Stutzle projected to be a legit center in the NHL, he may have had a shot to overtake Byfield, but I think the attractiveness of having a huge center who just brings so much to the table will be too hard for a team to ignore... Unless they are like the Devils or Leafs where they already have two first overall centers down the middle. And I think the Devils would just move Hughes over to the wing where he probably should end up anyways.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Haven't been following much this year due to no pick, but who do we want if we lose in the play-in round and get a pick?

 

[Canada4Gold]

Haven't been following much this year due to no pick, but who do we want if we lose in the play-in round and get a pick?

Best our pick can be without winning the lottery is 11th so it goes to Carolina. If we win the lottery then Lafreniere, Byfield, Stutzle or Drysdale probably

 

[I am Canadian]

I hope we stop trading first so we can have something to look forward to every summer.

Looking for some 2way centers and RHD this year.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

I hope we stop trading first so we can have something to look forward to every summer.

Looking for some 2way centers and RHD this year.

Why are people so obsessed with having a 1st every year? Yea we shouldn't hand them away like candy, but the two we traded were neccessary and this team is set up really well with our high end talent signed and still some really good prospects coming along.

I feel like people want a perrenial rebuild.

We did really well in the draft last year without a 1st, we just need to repeat that kind of performance this year.

 

[Knies iT]

Thought guys?

I think the most prototypical Dubas-style pick in the 2nd round, based on his draft history, would be Luke Evangelista.

Elite passing/IQ, but far from reaching his genetic potential and needs to add overall strength to improve his shot, acceleration and balance. Huge growth from year 1-year 2 with the potential trajectory to explode in his D+1.

Side note: he's the 2nd cousin of Brendan Shanahan.

 

[stickty111]

This is unlikely, but if there is one person who can pull this off, it's Dubas.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

This is unlikely, but if there is one person who can pull this off, it's Dubas.

Brackett would be an amazing add. Our scouting in the USHL and US in general has sucked for years, he would be a major improvement there.

I doubt he comes here as he should be wanting a bigger role, but money always talks.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I hope we stop trading first so we can have something to look forward to every summer.

Looking for some 2way centers and RHD this year.

We have about as many RD in our pool as LD. Really we need both. We should be able to get a good one with our 2nd round pick, and possibly another couple later on, but it's mostly just average.

I think if you are looking for solid but unspectacular centers, I think you have to hope for a guy like Pytlik, Smilanic, Peterson, Finlay or Slaggert, but these guys are going to go higher than they should simply due to lack of alternatives. I am looking at my board right now and I would say almost half of the guys I originally listed as centers hardly even played center last year, and even more do not project to play center in the pros (while there are not many guys I originally listed as wingers who could play center). Then take out the ones who are not likely going to be two-way guys or good fit for the Leafs from an IQ/character standpoint, and the pool is very thin...

Leafs may take a shot on a guy like Theo Rochette. He is the kind of the Leafs would like with big time pedigree, but has struggled a lot and would likely be available with one of their many mid-late round picks.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think the most prototypical Dubas-style pick in the 2nd round, based on his draft history, would be Luke Evangelista.

Elite passing/IQ, but far from reaching his genetic potential and needs to add overall strength to improve his shot, acceleration and balance. Huge growth from year 1-year 2 with the potential trajectory to explode in his D+1.

Side note: he's the 2nd cousin of Brendan Shanahan.

Yes, Evangelista would be high on the list. Only thing is he is a winger, not that it really matters a whole lot.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Brackett would be an amazing add. Our scouting in the USHL and US in general has sucked for years, he would be a major improvement there.

I doubt he comes here as he should be wanting a bigger role, but money always talks.

Our USA scouting is a lot better now than it was. A lot of issues come down to philosophy. You can have some terrible scouts, but if your philosophy (and the people who make them) sucks, then it does not matter. As long as you have guys who are smart and know their region, then the philosophy does the rest. The Leafs have some of the most respected people in the USA hockey circles and a much better philosophy, so things should be much better.

Also, keep in mind that we have not drafted much out of the USA since Burke and Nonis have left. That does not necessarily mean you have poor scouting, because it could have been that they pushed a certain guy really hard, but the guys making the decisions decide to go in another direction. That is why having a solid philsophy is important.

All you need to know is that John Lilley, a USA scout who has been here since 2005, was one of the few guys to survive the scouting purge (while all of the other USA scouts were fired), and was our Head USA scout is now our Director of Amateur Scouting. He is the guy who makes it all happen these days, and is one of the guys who is in charge of making the drafting philosophy. I would say, so far, his drafts have not been too bad and we've been able to pick up a couple of really solid American prospects (Abruzzese and Koster, who was likely scouted by new Minnesota area scout Scott Bell).

I guess we could fit in another scout, but this guy was a Head of Amateur Scouting. What job can we offer him that he would take? We have a Head Scout, Director of Amateur Scouting, etc. who are all really good, so unless someone leaves/retires, we make him a Co-Head Scout (which is still a downgrade) or we offer him a crap load of money to take a worse job, then what do we have to entice him?

 

[Cor]

This is unlikely, but if there is one person who can pull this off, it's Dubas.

Sounds like he wants draft control where ever he goes (like Hunter had).

Im not sure Dubas would give him that.

He’s responsible for some really good Canuck drafts, so it’d be a good addition, but I’d say it’s extremely unlikely

 

[Canada4Gold]

Any chance Peterka, Reichel, Barron or Mysak fall to our pick in the 2nd round?

 

[Ja Sports]

Fresh hype reel for Marco Rossi - who finished with the highest PPG of this draft class

Enjoy guys!

 

[hockeynorth]

I think the most prototypical Dubas-style pick in the 2nd round, based on his draft history, would be Luke Evangelista.

Elite passing/IQ, but far from reaching his genetic potential and needs to add overall strength to improve his shot, acceleration and balance. Huge growth from year 1-year 2 with the potential trajectory to explode in his D+1.

Side note: he's the 2nd cousin of Brendan Shanahan.

I'd like this, it makes sense

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Any chance Peterka, Reichel, Barron or Mysak fall to our pick in the 2nd round?

Yes. Not a great chance, but it's possible one of them drops. Most likely, they'll be taken late 20's or early 30's though.

 

[Prominence]

Zion nybeck drops to leafs in 2nd round?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Zion nybeck drops to leafs in 2nd round?

Likely not unless teams are totally avoiding small wingers, but considering a lot of players in that range are small wingers and he is one of the better ones, I doubt he will make it to the Leafs. Also, unless he is significantly better than everyone else, I doubt the Leafs take him over some of the other alternatives out there.

 

[Ja Sports]

Fresh new hype reel for Connor Zary - absolute workhorse of a player

Hope you guys enjoy

 

[stickty111]

https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-2020-mock-draft-recap/
Would you guys be okay if this is who we ended up with in the draft?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-2020-mock-draft-recap/
Would you guys be okay if this is who we ended up with in the draft?

For those who don't want to read:

50th: Jaromir Pytlik
112th: James Hardie
117th: Ian Moore
148th: Ryder Rolston
174th: Dylan Garand
178th: Zach Uens
184th: Grant Slukynsky
189th: Axel Kumlin
198th: Landon Kosior
216th: Michal Gut

I am okay with Pytlik. I am not sure he is the absolute best guy out there (Wiesblatt, Villeneuve and Sourdif could arguably be better), but he was probably the best center left available. I am almost starting to think it would be a better idea just to trade down though... I am somewhat disappointed with what I am finding out about a lot of the depth in this draft. Even many of the guys that are going 10-20 picks higher than Pytlik are average at best for a what you would expect out of a pick in the top 50.

Hardie is solid. Not sure he is worth a 4th round pick despite being a 34 goal scorer on a team that struggled to score, because he does have a fair bit to work on outside of offense and is not huge (5'11", 176). I don't think a 4th is a steal for him, but it's not a reach either. However, there are a lot of good alternatives taken right after him (Clang, Peterson, Miller, Dufour, Rochette, Nikishin, etc.) who may be considered better options.

I don't know a ton about Ian Moore outside of pretty much what was said on his profile: Good sized, RD puck mover. He's also regarded as the best prep-school player in this draft by far. I wouldn't be surprised to see him taken earlier than the 4th, but at the same time who really knows

I would not take Rolston earlier than the 5th, because his upside is limited. Looking at the mock draft, there does not seem to be anyone better.

As for the rest, Garand, Uens and Gut are the only ones I think are worthy picks. Garand could be a steal, Uens has good upside for a 6th rounder, while Gut at the end of the draft is solid value even though he needs a ton of work.

In terms of value, I would give the draft a C+/B-. TBH, there is not a lot coming out of there. However, even if you were to draft the best guys at every spot, I still don't know if I would give it an A. There just is not enough talent in this draft.

 

[stickty111]

For those who don't want to read:

50th: Jaromir Pytlik
112th: James Hardie
117th: Ian Moore
148th: Ryder Rolston
174th: Dylan Garand
178th: Zach Uens
184th: Grant Slukynsky
189th: Axel Kumlin
198th: Landon Kosior
216th: Michal Gut

I am okay with Pytlik. I am not sure he is the absolute best guy out there (Wiesblatt, Villeneuve and Sourdif could arguably be better), but he was probably the best center left available. I am almost starting to think it would be a better idea just to trade down though... I am somewhat disappointed with what I am finding out about a lot of the depth in this draft. Even many of the guys that are going 10-20 picks higher than Pytlik are average at best for a what you would expect out of a pick in the top 50.

Hardie is solid. Not sure he is worth a 4th round pick despite being a 34 goal scorer on a team that struggled to score, because he does have a fair bit to work on outside of offense and is not huge (5'11", 176). I don't think a 4th is a steal for him, but it's not a reach either. However, there are a lot of good alternatives taken right after him (Clang, Peterson, Miller, Dufour, Rochette, Nikishin, etc.) who may be considered better options.

I don't know a ton about Ian Moore outside of pretty much what was said on his profile: Good sized, RD puck mover. He's also regarded as the best prep-school player in this draft by far. I wouldn't be surprised to see him taken earlier than the 4th, but at the same time who really knows

I would not take Rolston earlier than the 5th, because his upside is limited. Looking at the mock draft, there does not seem to be anyone better.

As for the rest, Garand, Uens and Gut are the only ones I think are worthy picks. Garand could be a steal, Uens has good upside for a 6th rounder, while Gut at the end of the draft is solid value even though he needs a ton of work.

In terms of value, I would give the draft a C+/B-. TBH, there is not a lot coming out of there. However, even if you were to draft the best guys at every spot, I still don't know if I would give it an A. There just is not enough talent in this draft.

Thanks for the thoughts. I don't know enough about the draft, so getting any information is good.
I'm okay with Pytlik, all though I prefer a more skilled option, but he's solid.
I like Garand a lot as a goalie in this draft. Hardie is good too. The rest I don't know a lot about about.