Prospect Info: The 2019 Entry NHL Draft Thread - Part V

[cgf]

Knight is my 1st choice.

Depending on the Sens pick is Byram.

I would rather have Lavoie/Kaliyev/Newhook. LHD if a Forward is selected. Doubt Caulfield would fall to 16th.

He won't. I had him in that 8-12 range before the U18s and he's only moved up since that tourney got underway.

I still think the pick moving in a trade is likely to be our best bet unless our playoff run makes us big players in FA.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Caufield at 4 Heinola at 16.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

I know we need a 2C but I would actually be quite pleased to take Boldy at 4. His style fits this team like a glove.

 

[cgf]

I know we need a 2C but I would actually be quite pleased to take Boldy at 4. His style fits this team like a glove.

Though I like knockoff-Podkolzin, I'm not taking him over Turcotte, Cozens, Caufield...and probably not over Byram or Dach either.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Though I like knockoff-Podkolzin, I'm not taking him over Turcotte, Cozens, Caufield...and probably not over Byram or Dach either.

Cozens is still my #1 and Turcotte is my mentally prepared for choice at 4 but I really like Boldy. He's got speed to burn, plays with high energy, can score goals and isn't terrible in his own end. He would be right at home on the Rants-Soda line in these playoffs

 

[cgf]

Cozens is still my #1 and Turcotte is my mentally prepared for choice at 4 but I really like Boldy. He's got speed to burn, plays with high energy, can score goals and isn't terrible in his own end. He would be right at home on the Rants-Soda line in these playoffs

Oh I don't dislike Boldy, my Podkolzin-knockoff comment was snarky, but not because I don't like Boldy. Just that I think 4 is much too high for him.

 

[Goulet17]

Podkolzin is off to a slow start in terms of offensive production in the U18s. After Russia's 5-1 defeat of Latvia today (Russia earlier beat Slovakia 6-3), Podkolzin has yet to to register a point. He did have a goal and an assist against Canada in a pre-tournament game.

 

[Eltuna]

You never know who still might be there at 16th if that is where we pick. I thought Smith had no business falling to 17th last year, still bummed we didn’t pick him. Especially after seeing what Brannstrom fetched in a trade. Smith could have been a big trade chip to get an impact forward.

 

[cgf]

You never know who still might be there at 16th if that is where we pick. I thought Smith had no business falling to 17th last year, still bummed we didn’t pick him. Especially after seeing what Brannstrom fetched in a trade. Smith could have been a big trade chip to get an impact forward.

I'm still not buying Smith's #s translating at all. Take all of my questions about Byram, magnify them 10-fold, and you get Smith.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

We are obviously picking 31st

 

[Ivan13]

Podkolzin is off to a slow start in terms of offensive production in the U18s. After Russia's 5-1 defeat of Latvia today (Russia earlier beat Slovakia 6-3), Podkolzin has yet to to register a point. He did have a goal and an assist against Canada in a pre-tournament game.

He is not a dynamic offensive talent. A Landeskog type offensively.

 

[Eltuna]

I'm still not buying Smith's #s translating at all. Take all of my questions about Byram, magnify them 10-fold, and you get Smith.

I love Smith, very smart and actually plays good defence. Has a great breakout as well. Maybe not super dynamic, but he’ll produce offensively in the show due to his very high IQ.

I made the argument last summer, that if we wanted an impact forward at 16th overall, that Smith was the way to go. This is because whenever the inevitable high impact forward goes on the block, the team trading him are almost always looking for a top end d prospect in return. We were begging for a prospect like Smith in the Duchene trade for example, and Brannstrom for a signed Stone as another. Smith was almost guaranteed to put up big numbers this year and maintain strong value, if we wanted a winger in Kaut, we could have drafted Smith and flipped him for a winger that’s already as good as Kaut projects to be without any of the risk. Or we could’ve just kept him, as he’s a fantastic prospect.

Hopefully Kaut proves me wrong but this was my yelling at the TV moment that every fan seems to have every few drafts.

 

[SotasicA]

Why is Podkolzin not in the poll? He will be on the board. I don't see the Hawks drafting him.

 

[cgf]

He is not a dynamic offensive talent. A Landeskog type offensively.

He's generally a much more dynamic puck-carrier in transition than Landy & his shot (one-timer in particular) is much more exciting than Landy's was.

I haven't seen any of russia's U18 games yet, so I've got nothing about that. But, even though the Landy comp has plenty of merit to it, it also lacks some pretty big elements of Pod's game/toolbag that make him so enticing. He's certainly got some Landy to him, but there's also some Alfredsson there with his sniping...and even a little Radu; though his hands aren't on that level nor does he have Sasha's insane ingenuity, the way he blends skill & intelligence with tenacity & physicality when carrying the puck reminds me a lot of why I first fell in love with Sasha.

Mind you I don't think I've ever loved a prospect as much as I loved Landy; I was praying that we'd tank for him while the SJ series was still going on & still scold my sister for not having wifed him when she still lived around there; and Pod doesn't have all of Landy's strengths to the same extent that Gabe did. So I'm not saying I like Pod more than I did Landy; just that there are some big distinctions between them that are why folks have had such a tough time finding a really good 1-for-1 comp for Vasya.

 

[S E P H]

He is not a dynamic offensive talent. A Landeskog type offensively.

This is a bit disingenuous as Podkolzin absolutely has dynamic ability, but doesn't use it every time and in every game which could be a cause for concern.

 

[henchman21]

Pods has shown in this tournament the exact questions to his game. Average to below average play for most of the game then 2 plays that get scouts talking.

 

[Balthazar]

Pods has shown in this tournament the exact questions to his game. Average to below average play for most of the game then 2 plays that get scouts talking.

Sounds like Rantanen.

 

[S E P H]

Sounds like Rantanen.

You're going to have to explain because this is definitely not even in the same realm. Mikko during his WJC U20 as a draft eligible prospect was very good on a very average Finnish team. The coach was terrible and the entire team was filled with grinders. Next year's team with the Aho - Pajamas - Laine line stole the show in the WJC and that's were Rantanen was okay but not great. Even then, he scored some huge goals for Finland in that tournament.

 

[Balthazar]

You're going to have to explain because this is definitely not even in the same realm. Mikko during his WJC U20 as a draft eligible prospect was very good on a very average Finnish team. The coach was terrible and the entire team was filled with grinders. Next year's team with the Aho - Pajamas - Laine line stole the show in the WJC and that's were Rantanen was okay but not great. Even then, he scored some huge goals for Finland in that tournament.

Talking about Rants at the NHL level. He had a lot of questionable games where everyone in the GDT would be mad and wondering what's wrong with him then he'd score a clutch goal or make an awesome play and we'd all agree he's a superstar.

 

[Foppberg]

Caufield at 4 Heinola at 16.

Sarcasm?

 

[cgf]

Not saying I'd take him at 4, but Landy - MacK - Caufield would be absurdly dominant.

 

[BobRossColton]

So is our pick now in the 18-20 range?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Sarcasm?

Nope. Caufield is a reach at 4.... but I really think he could go that high and of it was us taking him I'd be on board with it.


He should be well inside the Top 10 now though. Size is the only concern about this kid. He'll probably set the goal scoring record at the u18s right now.

 

[Balthazar]

So is our pick now in the 18-20 range?

No.

 

[AvsMakar08]

I love Smith, very smart and actually plays good defence. Has a great breakout as well. Maybe not super dynamic, but he’ll produce offensively in the show due to his very high IQ.

I made the argument last summer, that if we wanted an impact forward at 16th overall, that Smith was the way to go. This is because whenever the inevitable high impact forward goes on the block, the team trading him are almost always looking for a top end d prospect in return. We were begging for a prospect like Smith in the Duchene trade for example, and Brannstrom for a signed Stone as another. Smith was almost guaranteed to put up big numbers this year and maintain strong value, if we wanted a winger in Kaut, we could have drafted Smith and flipped him for a winger that’s already as good as Kaut projects to be without any of the risk. Or we could’ve just kept him, as he’s a fantastic prospect.

Hopefully Kaut proves me wrong but this was my yelling at the TV moment that every fan seems to have every few drafts.

Keep posting ElTuna. You got some interesting thought going on there. I hope Kaut will hopefully make a top 2nd line winger for us next year. Maybe he is one of the missing puzzle piece that we need in order for us to be contenders. All we are missing are a top 2nd line Center and consistent top 2 line wingers. That is all we need. On defense we should be all set.