Panthers 2015 Draft Talk

[spacemanatee]

EDM: McDavid - No brainer
BUF: Eichel - Consolation prize
ARI: Strome - Already have an ace on defense, but no potential #1C
TOR: Marner - Toronto is stupid and will pick offense (what they believe is BPA)
CAR: Hanifin - Carolina sees Hanifin drop, take him and run
NJD: Crouse - Big, powerful Lamoriello type guy
PHI: Provorov - They pick based on needs as well and they're very skinny on defense
CBJ: Rantanen - Another huge foward with top-six potential, fits with Johansen down the road (Finnish GM will take the Finnish stud in the top 10)
SJS: Werenski - Like their depth at foward, but need to add more on defense
COL: Barzal - Won't allow a talent like Barzal to drop any further, plus they probably think they need scoring.
FLA: -------> Imo, we should choose one of Pavel Zacha (CZE), Timo Meier (SUI) and Travis Konecny (CAN)

switch barzal & werenski and you got a very soild mock right there.
also, i think rantanen is devils bound.

I'd be surprised if he went passed 5.

oops, i actually meant 5th (carolina), was a little to quick, sry.

 

[MillarWithASave]

Just read the news that the Oilers won, has to be the worst possible outcome of all of this. So so so so stupid.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

Not us

I hope its Arizona,
But I'm gonna say the damn Oilers win!

If Columbus wins I'll laugh, cause if lost the last game we would had their position..

I ****ing knew it. I'm so pissed. The Yotes deserved it. Noe Oilers have had 4 of the last 6 1st OA picks (Even though they've only won 3 lotteries). Proves again how much injustice there is in this would.

The should trade Draisaitl for some young talented d-man.

The only good thing about Oilers winning is that McDavid goes west.

 

[spacemanatee]

I ****ing knew it. I'm so pissed. The Yotes deserved it. Noe Oilers have had 4 of the last 6 1st OA picks (Even though they've only won 3 lotteries). Proves again how much injustice there is in this would.

The should trade Draisaitl for some young talented d-man.

The only good thing about Oilers winning is that McDavid goes west.

he'd be going there if he went to arizona also. i feel so bad for the yotes fans and i'm so upset that the ****ing oilers won the lottery. again.
happy the sabres didn't win tho, i can't stand them.

 

[Juggernaut27]

Some early mocks are out.

Button has us taking Connor and passing on Barzal and Meier.

Damien Cox has us taking Zboril and passing on TK, Connor, Barzal and Zacha.

Bleacher Report has us with Werenski and passing on TK, Meier and Connor.

 

[FrolikFan67]

Some early mocks are out.

Button has us taking Connor and passing on Barzal and Meier.

Damien Cox has us taking Zboril and passing on TK, Connor, Barzal and Zacha.

Bleacher Report has us with Werenski and passing on TK, Meier and Connor.

i hate craig button and bleach report sucks. bob mackenzie is the only guy thats credible in my eyes

 

[tooncesmeow]

EDM: McDavid - No brainer
BUF: Eichel - Consolation prize
ARI: Strome - Already have an ace on defense, but no potential #1C
TOR: Marner - Toronto is stupid and will pick offense (what they believe is BPA)
CAR: Hanifin - Carolina sees Hanifin drop, take him and run
NJD: Crouse - Big, powerful Lamoriello type guy
PHI: Provorov - They pick based on needs as well and they're very skinny on defense
CBJ: Rantanen - Another huge foward with top-six potential, fits with Johansen down the road (Finnish GM will take the Finnish stud in the top 10)
SJS: Werenski - Like their depth at foward, but need to add more on defense
COL: Barzal - Won't allow a talent like Barzal to drop any further, plus they probably think they need scoring.
FLA: -------> Imo, we should choose one of Pavel Zacha (CZE), Timo Meier (SUI) and Travis Konecny (CAN)

;___; hey man dont bully Toronto like that

(We'll probably take Marner anyway cause our Director of Amateur Scouting is the guy that drafted Marner on the Knights. But I hope for Hanifin [and for Kessel to visit you guys for 8 years while we sneak away with some prospects and picks] )

I hope you guys get Meier all things considered, he gets me salivating the way he plays, definitely going to be a good player in the NHL <3

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

Yeah I don't see how we pass on Meier.


On the other side I want DT to make some PMD picks in the later rounds. So far we have Kuli, Matheson, and Weegar.

 

[spacemanatee]

i'm all about meier. don't really want anybody else right now.
if he's gone i'd like konecny/connor which would be likely to still be up for grabs if meier is gone by 11th.

of possible fallers it's rantanen/crouse/barzal with rantanen as my first choice and any of crouse & barzal.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

Some early mocks are out.

Button has us taking Connor and passing on Barzal and Meier.

Damien Cox has us taking Zboril and passing on TK, Connor, Barzal and Zacha.

Bleacher Report has us with Werenski and passing on TK, Meier and Connor.

We wont draft a defenseman. We need a goalscorer like Meier, or maybe Konecny. Barzal having a strong U18 so far..

 

[SoupyFIN]

Well at least the NHL proved that the draft lottery isn't rigged.

Can't imagine a worse outcome for the league than this.

It's a great outcome for us though. McDavid goes out west and to a team that's already loaded with forwards with poor d-core & goaltending.

Also:

Edmonton, just so that we get to see what they're going to do with all those 6M forwards.

 

[Dread Clawz]

There's nothing wrong with Connor. He's being underrated here. Very creative, dynamic forward with a high skill level who competes hard and plays good D. Yeah, where do I sign?

We're good. Any of Connor, Meier, Konecny, Zacha, Rantanen, or Crouse would be huge for this franchise.

 

[LUUUUUIS]

Doing a quick unscientific survey of mock drafts it seems like Meier and Zacha are the names I see most.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Well, whatever happens it's going to be a fun draft again. I'd say there is 50% chance that we trade the pick. Either way, should get a good player.

 

[JP Mick]

Anyone else planning on going to the draft?

 

[IceManCat]

Anyone else planning on going to the draft?

I am. Curious about the cost

 

[16Skippy]

A lot of mock drafts have us taking another defensemen. Not sure if I'd laugh or cry at everyone's reaction if that happens.

 

[FlaPanthers11]

Anyone else planning on going to the draft?

I'll be there.

 

[Dread Clawz]

A lot of mock drafts have us taking another defensemen. Not sure if I'd laugh or cry at everyone's reaction if that happens.

Well, it's a good draft for defensemen. So a lot of them are ranked highly. So probably in some people's eyes, they are just putting us down for the BPA. But I see Tallon really targeting a winger, he's made it clear that's what he wants most in the draft, even going back to last draft. But last year there were no wingers in the top tier. Unless Provorov falls. Then I could see Tallon being conflicted. Ekblad +Provorov= total lockdown.

 

[RogerRoger]

Well, it's a good draft for defensemen. So a lot of them are ranked highly. So probably in some people's eyes, they are just putting us down for the BPA. But I see Tallon really targeting a winger, he's made it clear that's what he wants most in the draft, even going back to last draft. But last year there were no wingers in the top tier. Unless Provorov falls. Then I could see Tallon being conflicted. Ekblad +Provorov= total lockdown.

I think it would be very hard to pass over Provorov or Werenski. If we draft a dman, it just mean that Tallon has to trade for the like of Sharp. If we draft Provorov, we could then trade Matheson for Sharp (not sure about value). We could use our defense depth to improve the wings.

 

[Android 16]

There's nothing wrong with Connor. He's being underrated here. Very creative, dynamic forward with a high skill level who competes hard and plays good D. Yeah, where do I sign?

We're good. Any of Connor, Meier, Konecny, Zacha, Rantanen, or Crouse would be huge for this franchise.

If I were a scout I would look at video of every single goal scored by those kids at their respective amateur levels and determine which one has the best possible chance to blossom into a prolific sniper at the NHL level. For example, I'd steer clear of a guy who has a lot of tap-ins, rebound goals or the beneficiary of a great pass/play. We already have so many gritty guys who can do that like Trocheck, Rau and Hawrlyuk. We need to take risks with a Johnson or a Kucherov. Stevie Y was the guy who had the set to draft a "selfish" Russian. Dale needs to step out of his lame comfort zone and start thinking about drafting high-ceiling, high-skilled guys. We need it to keep up with all of these talented teams in the playoffs. Look around, there's so much talent everywhere it's crazy.

I'm looking for the guy who creates the goal all by himself with either a fantastic shot or a dangle. It's risky because the kid's moves might never translate to the NHL, but if the shot is hard enough and accurate enough, then I think there's great potential there and that's my guy.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Yeah I don't see how we pass on Meier.


On the other side I want DT to make some PMD picks in the later rounds. So far we have Kuli, Matheson, and Weegar.

On the MEIER bandwagon as well.

We have Ekblad, he's a PMD in his own right and should only get better as he plays more. I'd like one of our 3rd round picks to be a goalie.

1st - RW
3rd - LW
3rd - G

 

[FlaPnthrsPunk]

Anyone else planning on going to the draft?

I'll be there just like I was in 2001. Fans just showed up and sat wherever they wanted with no cost. I'm guessing fans will have assigned seats once you reserve tickets, but wonder if it'll be free again.

 

[Android 16]

Anyone else planning on going to the draft?

Absolutely not, I'm afraid I will go and pay to see a couple more franchise players go away from Florida and leave without seeing any blockbuster trades or any exciting moves that will make our team stronger for October.

 

[SoupyFIN]

A lot of mock drafts have us taking another defensemen. Not sure if I'd laugh or cry at everyone's reaction if that happens.

I'm pretty sure most of the people (outside of Bob) doing mock drafts only know a couple of (mainstream) teams and what their prospect depth looks like.

So basically they're just going with the BPA and justifying the pick with that.