Prospect Info: The 2016 NHL Entry Draft

[S E P H]

Might be a couple weeks early, but European hockey currently under preseason games, KHL should be starting soon, and preseason for the CHL is starting at the beginning of September.

2016 NHL Draft will be at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York


MOCK DRAFTS
http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/
http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2016/


BOB McKENZIE'S RANKING
Preliminary: http://www.tsn.ca/elite-prospect-matthews-tops-mckenzie-s-ranking-1.364099
Mid Term: http://www.tsn.ca/tsn-mid-season-draft-rankings-topped-by-big-three-1.435206
Final:


PLAYERS
http://www.eliteprospects.com/draftcenter.php?year=2016
NHL CSS (Jul): http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=774278
NHL CSS (Jan): http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=797902

CRAIG BUTTON'S RANKING
September - http://www.tsn.ca/auston-matthews-is-just-that-good-1.358947
October - http://www.tsn.ca/matthews-still-golden-en-route-to-nhl-draft-1.377863
November - http://www.tsn.ca/forwards-dominate-top-of-2016-nhl-prospect-race-1.391662
December - http://www.tsn.ca/button-s-post-world-juniors-mock-draft-1.418389
January - http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-can-t-go-wrong-with-puljujarvi-laine-1.421415
February - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/tradecentre-button-s-mock-draft~818345
March - http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-canadian-teams-will-fare-well-with-this-class-1.457738

Colorado Avalanche Draft Picks
1st round: Kept
2nd round: Re-acquired
3rd round: Kept
4th round: Traded [To Maple Leafs for Matthias]
5th round: Kept
6th round: Kept
7th round: Kept
​

***Avs re-acquired their 2016 2nd rounder and 2017 6th rounder picks from the San Jose Sharks by trading pick 31st (Jeremy Roy), which they got from Buffalo from the O'Reilly trade, for 39th (AJ Greer) and these picks in the 2015 entry draft. Avs would have had another 6th rounder from Boston, but it was traded back to the Bruins for the rights to Soderberg before July 1st.***



I like this draft, it isn't as good as 2013 or 2015, but teams should be getting an NHL calibre player in the 1st round from 1st to 30th. Some really highly talented forwards, but the defensemen are looking better than a couple months ago. A great showing from the USNTDP with the likes of Matthews, Tkachuk, Max Jones, Krys, Keller, Lindgren, McAvoy, Pastujov, and Kirwan. Really strong draft from Finland's point-of-view with Puljujarvi, Laine, Juolevi, and Niemelainen. Russia's two headed dragon in Sokolov and Abramov. Canada's strong defensive prospect consisting of Chychrun, Clague, Fabbro, Bean, and Lajoie. And some good forward prospects I was talking about before with Steel, Benson, Bellows, Logan Brown,Grundstrom, Alex Nylander, Howden, Gauthier, Asplund, Jost, Duggan, Michael McLeod, Hajek, Dube, DeBrincat, etc. Actually this is going to be a fantastic year for goalers; Fitzpatrick, Hart, Sawchenko, Marmenlind, Sarthou, Kubic, and Lafontaine.

Click to read more...

 

[Gabe the Babe]

I'd be cool with Logan Brown. I like his game a lot. But no way we pick 6th like they have us at. I think low 20s is likely.

Personally I want Gauthier but I think he moves into the top 10 by the end of the year. I expect a big season from him.

 

[JWK]

#Tank4Matthews

 

[henchman21]

Bellows is my jam this year. He might sneak late into the top 10, but really is more of a ~12-23 sort of pick... going to be a hell of a player. Gauthier will probably somebody the Avs have their eye on.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Nice to see this up SEPH, never too early to talk draft and prospects.

For me probably another big winger to add to the stable. I dont have any strong opinions yet but those who have caught my eye are the two big Finns, Sokolov. I've seen a lot of Tyler Benson, maybe not exactly what the Avs are looking for but I like him. Also heard good things about McLeod, he had a good Ivan Hlinka and could be moving up.

 

[henchman21]

Nice to see this up SEPH, never too early to talk draft and prospects.

For me probably another big winger to add to the stable. I dont have any strong opinions yet but those who have caught my eye are the two big Finns, Sokolov. I've seen a lot of Tyler Benson, maybe not exactly what the Avs are looking for but I like him. Also heard good things about McLeod, he had a good Ivan Hlinka and could be moving up.

He will be one of the big risers this year. I've seen him bantered around in the late 20s. I expect him to be a lot closer to 10 than 20.

 

[Avsboy]

Run to the church for Chychrun

 

[landy92mack29]

Nice to see this up SEPH, never too early to talk draft and prospects.

For me probably another big winger to add to the stable. I dont have any strong opinions yet but those who have caught my eye are the two big Finns, Sokolov. I've seen a lot of Tyler Benson, maybe not exactly what the Avs are looking for but I like him. Also heard good things about McLeod, he had a good Ivan Hlinka and could be moving up.

If the Avs are picking around the same spot he's my early fav for our pick. Personally think he'll work his way into the top 5 though.

 

[bromando]

We have all of our picks right?

I'd like to see a similar draft to this year tbh.
1st-winger/center
2nd-defense
3rd-forward
4th-goalie
5th-7th anyone

I could be persuaded to draft a goalie in the 3rd depending on how Martin and Pickard play this year and if Will/Pajpach don't make a big jump. I'd prefer to draft goalie later though

 

[tigervixxxen]

If the Avs are picking around the same spot he's my early fav for our pick. Personally think he'll work his way into the top 5 though.

I've seen him all over the place in the first. I think some other guys are going to get a lot more hype. Vancouver probably won't be great again and Benson will have to really, really put up points on his own to get that high.

We have all of our picks right?

I'd like to see a similar draft to this year tbh.
1st-winger/center
2nd-defense
3rd-forward
4th-goalie
5th-7th anyone

Yes. I agree its a good formula and they probably do want a young goalie in the system from this class.

I'm sure what people will be talking about all year is what's going to happen with Sean Day.

 

[henchman21]

We have all of our picks right?

As of now we do (same for 17 and 18 down the road).

I've seen him all over the place in the first. I think some other guys are going to get a lot more hype. Vancouver probably won't be great again and Benson will have to really, really put up points on his own to get that high.

I have him pegged somewhere in the mid 1st right now. I think 2016 is a tad underrated right now, but the 'first round' quality depth isn't 40-45 deep like 2013 or 2015. I might actually peg the mid 1st round (12-18) a touch better than 2015, but it falls off quicker. Still a bit early to be sure at this point though.

Day is going to fall like a rock... he might still be a first rounder, but it will be late if he is. Tubby is going to need to get into game shape quick.

 

[S E P H]

I updated the OP concerning our picks for this year!

Also Day sucks, nothing new about this. Canada just granted him exceptional status so he would choose to play for them concerning international tournaments.

Nice to see this up SEPH, never too early to talk draft and prospects.

For me probably another big winger to add to the stable. I dont have any strong opinions yet but those who have caught my eye are the two big Finns, Sokolov. I've seen a lot of Tyler Benson, maybe not exactly what the Avs are looking for but I like him. Also heard good things about McLeod, he had a good Ivan Hlinka and could be moving up.

Really? To me, he seems like a perfect player for the Avs offencive core. Curious, why you think this? I would say that Sam Steel is the perfect Pracey and now non-Avs agenda player IMO.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Just give me a goalie, a decent goalie like Spencer Martin. WE NEED A JUNIOR GOALIE BACK IN THE SYSTEM DAMMIT.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Really? To me, he seems like a perfect player for the Avs offencive core. Curious, why you think this? I would say that Sam Steel is the perfect Pracey and now non-Avs agenda player IMO.

Not big enough. he's not small by any means of course. Still think they want a traditional power forward type too. I understand it's tough to be that specific with a first especially and kind of have to work with what's on the board but I think they want a PF for the left side. Now I know Benson has a lot of those attributes, I'm definitely not talking my way away from him.

 

[landy92mack29]

Just give me a goalie, a decent goalie like Spencer Martin. WE NEED A JUNIOR GOALIE BACK IN THE SYSTEM DAMMIT.

Nik Amundrud

 

[henchman21]

IMO the Avs would look Gauthier's way before they thought about Benson... though I hope the Avs really don't have a shot at either (I want the Avs to be drafting in the mid to late 20s ).

 

[Tweaky]

I could see us right in the middle of the rounds. Which puts us in decent position for Patrik Laine. Big Finnish winger with good hands and shot.

 

[S E P H]

Not big enough. he's not small by any means of course. Still think they want a traditional power forward type too. I understand it's tough to be that specific with a first especially and kind of have to work with what's on the board but I think they want a PF for the left side. Now I know Benson has a lot of those attributes, I'm definitely not talking my way away from him.

I understand he's not 6'3"+, but you know that he is already very well developed physically for a 17 year old kid. He isn't going to get pushed around in the NHL by any means. I understand he doesn't play a bull shop mentality like Landeskog, but he is easily as talented as him and the reads the game higher than him IMO, while having close to the same body size. I don't think he will be a top 5 prospect, but good enough that if he's there at 15th or 19th, Avs should definitely consider him (I doubt he falls to 19th barring any major injury problems).

I could see us right in the middle of the rounds. Which puts us in decent position for Patrik Laine. Big Finnish winger with good hands and shot.

It depends on which Patrik Laine shows up for majority of the season though....

Are we going to get the one who is that intense* 6'4" and 209 pound powerforward that possesses that "killer" goal scoring instinct?! If so that Laine has top 10, even top 5, and arguably top 3 potential. Certain Finnish journalists think he is a better player than Puljujarvi. For me, I am noit one of them, I think Puljujarv currently is the 3rd best player for me in this draft easily.

*= Just look at his Eliteprospect picture.

Or are we going to get the Patrik Laine that one year ago in the Ivan Hlinka tournament, he made death threats and flipped off his own coach (I believe it had to do with being benched)?! Resulting he was kicked off the team, it might have been a one time thing, but those are serious infractions. This attitude problem Patrik Laine would fall in the draft and perhaps even out of the 1st round. But knowing how GMs draft, someone would probably gamble on him as a late 1st rounder.

 

[Tweaky]

Had not heard about that. Or had not associated it with him, anyhow. It would certainly drop his draft position, and explain why his ranking is all over the place. I could see the Avs being the one to take a shot on him, given some recent history and rumors.

 

[agentblack]

All of these legacy names in these upcoming drafts sound like they were made up in an NHL GM Mode--Kristian Reichel, Keiffer Bellows, Matthew Tkachuk, Jakob Chychrun, Nolan Patrick, hehe

Kind of neat actually for an old timer like me.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Winger, would be nice to get more quality wingers w Landeskog&Rantanen.

 

[S E P H]

If anybody is hockey deprived, watch the Champions Hockey League, some solid hockey going on now. But on the topic of Laine, he scored a pretty beautiful goal today against Robin's Djurgarden.



Gotta love that Red Wing type interference there.

 

[AvsRobin]

Yeah, that Laine kid really bossed it. Best "man" on the ice as a 17 year old.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Were you able to attend the game?

Yeah I heard Laine looks better this summer than puljujarvi.

 

[AvsRobin]

Were you able to attend the game?

Yeah I heard Laine looks better this summer than puljujarvi.

Yeah, i didnt even knew who he was before the game I admit.