Official 2017 NHL Draft Thread (Part III): FLYERS AWARDED THE SECOND PICK

[Magua]

Yep, I should have given you a mor complete answer, sorry. He's been on the Mittlestadt train all year. It's been Patrick 1 and Mittlestadt 2 in every set of rankings he's put out until this one with the caveat of just wanting to see a clean bill of health on the groin. That's not how you make click bait -- he just loves the kid.

He's been clear that he's higher on Mittlestadt and Erik Brannstrom than the consensus and explained why. Let me see if I can find the specific Mittlestadt > Hischier part for you.

Mittelstadt has crazy good hands and definitely could be a great (sheltered) scorer, but I don't see what he's selling. I would be shocked if he ends up a center. I think Patrick and Hischier for sure should be centers. Vilardi and Glass have that potential too. Mittelstadt is a no way IMO. That right there affects value. He's not head and shoulders more talented than a lot of those guys where you can say a winger is worth more than a center.

As for the other stuff he wrote, similar skill level to Hischier I can probably buy. Skating? Not for me. He's got really quick feet with that Patty Kane shuffle he does, but his actual skating is only OK. Size? Same height, but Mittelstadt is chunkier. For now. But he's not exactly a bruising type anyway who uses that. International resume......I mean 7 points in 5 games for Team Switzerland at the u20s seems a lot more impressive to me than 9 points in 7 games at the u18s on a ridiculously stacked USA team and line with Brown and Yamamoto (granted Mittelstadt was 6 months younger when he did that). Similar Hlinka stats that year too (6 for Nico, 7 for Casey). Mittelstadt has yet to play at the u20s, though I don't doubt he'll do well at them. Even comparing u18 stats, it's hard to pretend that's an equal playing field with their teams.

Really the big difference, back to position a bit, is that I'm not totally sold on Mittelstadt's hockey sense. It's not bad or anything. But I don't know if it's more average range. It's part of why he looked horrible to me at center but fine at wing. Hischier (and those others who I all have above Mittelstadt) I am 100% sold on their high end IQ and 2-way potential.

 

[Psuhockey]

It makes absolutely no sense to trade the only first rate shooter we have on a "maybe in a few years."
We're not in win now mode, but we certainly aren't interested in win someday either.

The only trade that makes sense is to trade one of our three RWs for a LW who is under 25 and already a 40+ point guy with 60 point potential, not some kid who'll probably need 2 more years in junior and 1 in the AHL until he fills out and grows up.

If you are being realistic about this team, they will be bubble at best for the next two years as the defense is changed over. Expecting Morin, Hagg, Sanheim and Myers to have as smooth of a transition to the NHL as Provorov is setting yourself up for disappointment. There will be struggles. Sanheim and Myers might not even be on the team for another year, or two in Myers case.

As discussed one of Schenn or Simmonds will likely be gone in two seasons. So if this team is going to be mediocre during that time, why not plan for the future today. In Simmonds case his trade value will never be higher than this summer with two full years left on his contract. But I think Hextall will resign Simmonds and trade Schenn so the next two summers would be a perfect time to trade him instead of waiting until he has one season left on his contract.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Mittelstadt has crazy good hands and definitely could be a great (sheltered) scorer, but I don't see what he's selling. I would be shocked if he ends up a center. I think Patrick and Hischier for sure should be centers. Vilardi and Glass have that potential too. Mittelstadt is a no way IMO. That right there affects value. He's not head and shoulders more talented than a lot of those guys where you can say a winger is worth more than a center.

As for the other stuff he wrote, similar skill level to Hischier I can probably buy. Skating? Not for me. He's got really quick feet with that Patty Kane shuffle he does, but his actual skating is only OK. Size? Same height, but Mittelstadt is chunkier. For now. But he's not exactly a bruising type anyway who uses that. International resume......I mean 7 points in 5 games for Team Switzerland at the u20s seems a lot more impressive to me than 9 points in 7 games at the u18s on a ridiculously stacked USA team and line with Brown and Yamamoto (granted Mittelstadt was 6 months younger when he did that). Similar Hlinka stats that year too (6 for Nico, 7 for Casey). Mittelstadt has yet to play at the u20s, though I don't doubt he'll do well at them. Even comparing u18 stats, it's hard to pretend that's an equal playing field with their teams.

Really the big difference, back to position a bit, is that I'm not totally sold on Mittelstadt's hockey sense. It's not bad or anything. But I don't know if it's more average range. It's part of why he looked horrible to me at center but fine at wing. Hischier (and those others who I all have above Mittelstadt) I am 100% sold on their high end IQ and 2-way potential.

To be clear, I'm not an advocate for Mittlestadt at 2 either. I just don't like it when anything out of convention is decried as clickbait out of hand (generally, not specific to this thread or any person). There needs to be room for discussion on these topics if one can defend his/her position. This isn't randomly labeling Rasmussen a 40 goal scorer in April. He straight loves Mittlestadt and always has.

I do agree with Kournianos that playing in the CHL is an advantage at this point. Yes you still have the light questioning of the Q, but the visibility for the majority of the media and hardcore fans is invaluable when it comes to hype and the resulting outrage to their placement on lists. The vast majority of even hardcore fans haven't watched more than a handful of USHL games this year if that. Even smaller is the amount who have seen Minnesota High School hockey. On a personal note, I'm more likely to watch the USHL or a small market Q team than something like London-Eerie because I trust the disseminated information significantly more on the latter.

Anyway, on Mittlestadt specifically, I'm more sold on him than you are, but I do see him as likely a Wing for some of the reasons you mentioned. I always find it more difficult to do a straight 1v1 comparison when you have a Forward I expect to win at the next level with his lower body vs one I expect to win with his hands. That takes us into some idyllic and system/role-specific grounds where we all have predilections. I don't remotely see the two as comparable skaters either. I see it as Mittlestadt is more likely to produce when in position and Hischier more likely to get there, but I also think I'm lower on Hischier's hands than most. I actually have Patrick 1 and I never expected to end up there. I'll still be thrilled with either, of course.

 

[Lotusflower]

Wayne Simmonds?

Nah. Picture Simmonds skating down the wing with the net to look at. What are your thoughts? Mine sure as hell arent "That goalie's in trouble."

I dont think Ive ever even seen Simm take a one timer either

 

[tade]

I still can't believe that we are most likely gonna pick either Hischier or Patrick, I will bellieve it at the draft, I guess, when I see it... oh my.

Exciting times ahead of Flyers fans. **** YES

 

[Curufinwe]

Nah. Picture Simmonds skating down the wing with the net to look at. What are your thoughts? Mine sure as hell arent "That goalie's in trouble."

I dont think Ive ever even seen Simm take a one timer either

I think Giroux has a plus wrist shot and one timer, but his accuracy level was down for most of the past season.

These are all his 15-16 goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJrdN3Bw03Q

 

[Striiker]

As far as having a plus shot goes, I'd say...

Schenn
Konecny
Giroux
Simmonds

... are the forwards on the team last year who would count. Then, if next years roster looks like I expect, you could add Lindblom, Laughton, and 2nd overall to that list.

 

[Larry44]

Nah. Picture Simmonds skating down the wing with the net to look at. What are your thoughts? Mine sure as hell arent "That goalie's in trouble."

I dont think Ive ever even seen Simm take a one timer either

Simmonds handles the puck like the bubble hockey RW with the really long stick. Brutal.

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

Nah. Picture Simmonds skating down the wing with the net to look at. What are your thoughts? Mine sure as hell arent "That goalie's in trouble."

I dont think Ive ever even seen Simm take a one timer either

Simmer one times pucks all the time. It's usually from about 30 inches from the goal crease when Voracek does a cross ice pass to him

 

[Guy Gadowsky]

Flyers should draft Denis Smirnov in the 106-108 range and I'm not just saying that because I'm Guy Gadowsky

Hes was the leading freshman scorer this year. He's pretty odd.

 

[McNasty]

I think Giroux has a plus wrist shot and one timer, but his accuracy level was down for most of the past season.

These are all his 15-16 goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJrdN3Bw03Q

Giroux has a good shot, he just doesn't have the quickest release so he can't get it off in traffic as consistently as upper echelon scorers are able to.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Flyers should draft Denis Smirnov in the 106-108 range and I'm not just saying that because I'm Guy Gadowsky

Hes was the leading freshman scorer this year. He's pretty odd.

I'll tell you what, bud, I have posted some weird shnizz in this forum, some out-there, random, head-scratching, try-hard nonsense, but that may be the most random collection of words I have ever seen. No offense.

 

[Larry44]

Flyers should draft Denis Smirnov in the 106-108 range and I'm not just saying that because I'm Guy Gadowsky

Hes was the leading freshman scorer this year. He's pretty odd.

Smirnov is a buddy of Provorov's too...

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Flyers should draft Denis Smirnov in the 106-108 range and I'm not just saying that because I'm Guy Gadowsky

Hes was the leading freshman scorer this year. He's pretty odd.

Strong handle/post synergy, Guy.

I'd absolutely draft Smirnov in the 4th, especially in this draft.

But the guy is tiny -- no way he's as tall as his listed 5'10".

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

OH! I get it now. And not a moment too soon.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Something else to look forward to: it looks like they may unveil the new Adidas sweaters during the draft.

 

[Magua]

Don't know what you guys watch but Simmonds snipes it down the wing with his wrist shot as often as anyone on the team.

 

[Striiker]

Type in "Simmonds goal" and this is the 3rd video (the first two are full game highlights).

 

[FatTugboatFlahr]

Don't know what you guys watch but Simmonds snipes it down the wing with his wrist shot as often as anyone on the team.

1:40

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Closed.

A new thread is open: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2346487