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

[flyfysher]

No he is not ready and already stated he is going to Boston College I believe but I think he has the most upside other then Pods of who is left and he has 2 or 3 years left in Russia I believe. I also think Turcotte is the closest of who is left as well.

I don't see the Avs drafting Pods because he's too small like Jost and I like Jost. I just think the need for a strong two way C serves the team's longer term need. Could see the Hawks taking Pods but just depends on how comfortable they are with their D corps. To me, Byram seems to make sense as a potential replacement for Keith. I read somewhere in their history it showed the Hawks aren't wedded to their first round draft picks.

 

[VikingAv]

No he is not ready and already stated he is going to Boston College I believe but I think he has the most upside other then Pods of who is left and he has 2 or 3 years left in Russia I believe. I also think Turcotte is the closest of who is left as well.

Turcotte is going to Wisconsin. With Caufield...

 

[cgf]

Unfortunately, I don't think the Wild would be open for trading down from #12 given the rivalry.

No specific player in mind, it's just one pick ahead of Florida.

Maybe the Kings will trade the Panthers the #5.

Jost + #31 for Zucker + #12?

 

[cgf]

I don't see the Avs drafting Pods because he's too small like Jost and I like Jost. I just think the need for a strong two way C serves the team's longer term need. Could see the Hawks taking Pods but just depends on how comfortable they are with their D corps. To me, Byram seems to make sense as a potential replacement for Keith. I read somewhere in their history it showed the Hawks aren't wedded to their first round draft picks.

6'1" 190 is too small?

 

[flyfysher]

6'1" 190 is too small?

Poorly phrased. More like my concern with Jost not strong enough on the boards and with the puck coming into the NHL. Don't you think the Avs need for a strong two way C on the second line is a priority over a RW even though that's a need too?

 

[cgf]

Poorly phrased. More like my concern with Jost not strong enough on the boards and with the puck coming into the NHL. Don't you think the Avs need for a strong two way C on the second line is a priority over a RW even though that's a need too?

Not getting into the positional debate because I don't think we need a 2C any more desperately than we do a top 6 winger. But I don't see a comparison to Jost at all, Pod is bigger than average while Jost is smaller than average, Pod is faster than most while Jost is slower, & Pod plays a position that has lower skating requirements. So none of the major concerns with Jost are applicable to Podkolzin

 

[Patagonia]

Jost + #31 for Zucker + #12?

Who is #31?

We have another draft pick or Grubs?

 

[henchman21]

People bashing Podkolzin, but I haven't seen any negativity for Cozens. I love the guy, but he's having a terrible U18 thus far - forcing so many plays, trying to think about what to do instead of doing it.

Different levels and I don't think many actually watch U18s, they stat watch. Cozens for his struggles, is producing and is a part of Canada winning even if he isn't playing his best hockey. Pods for his struggles is a big part of why Russia is struggling. Pods hasn't even been a top 5 player on Russia. So it is really a matter of levels... yeah Cozens is struggling, but it isn't hurting the team and he is still chipping in to their winning. Pods struggling is hurting the team.

 

[Veritas0Aequitas]

Different levels and I don't think many actually watch U18s, they stat watch. Cozens for his struggles, is producing and is a part of Canada winning even if he isn't playing his best hockey. Pods for his struggles is a big part of why Russia is struggling. Pods hasn't even been a top 5 player on Russia. So it is really a matter of levels... yeah Cozens is struggling, but it isn't hurting the team and he is still chipping in to their winning. Pods struggling is hurting the team.

Someone in another prospects forum did some interesting research. Every top prospect that has played in a U18 and done as poorly as Pod has, has never planned out in the NHL. Just keep that in mind.

I would avoid Pod, he's trending down. You want the guys in the draft who are trending up not trending down.

Third post down:
RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin - SKA-Neva St.Petersburg, VHL (2019 Draft)

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Sounds like Pod might go in the 5-10 range now.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I'd probably avoid Pod like the plague at this point. To me this really is a big tournament for the draft and setting up for the future. Its the best opportunity to see a lot of the best players go head to head before the draft as well as being a solid indicator of how they project into the future.

Pods question marks, instead of being silenced, are just getting louder and louder.



On another note, what Hughes is doing at this tournament should finally put some perspective on just why he's been the consensus #1 overall in this years draft for essentially 2 years now. Playing his peers and he is absolutely dominating both on the stat sheet and the eye test. Best player in the tournament by far.


Caufield has actually been the 2nd most impressive from the games I have saw. He's absolutely made a good case to go Top 10. The combine will likely be important for him as teams with size concerns will want to see what his exact height and weight comes in at and then whether he has much opportunity to build more muscle or perhaps get another inch or two in height over the next couple years.

 

[cgf]

I know I haven't watched the U18 games yet, so don't know just badly Pod has struggled, but we're still only talking about 4 games. He's played almost 70 this year -- after playing just 40-something games last year -- and performed well in the majority of them. His skillset hasn't gone anywhere, nor has how far he's progressed in the past year disappeared just because he didn't take yet another step this season. So bust talk seems silly to me unless there's something in his skillset that you think will prevent him from continuing the massive progress that he's made over the past 12 months; which lead to his many promotions this season.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I know I haven't watched the U18 games yet, so don't know just badly Pod has struggled, but we're still only talking about 4 games. He's played almost 70 this year -- after playing just 40-something games last year -- and performed well in the majority of them. His skillset hasn't gone anywhere, nor has how far he's progressed in the past year disappeared just because he didn't take yet another step this season. So bust talk seems silly to me unless there's something in his skillset that you think will prevent him from continuing the massive progress that he's made over the past 12 months; which lead to his many promotions this season.

That's the hard part though, has he actually performed well? A lot of the justifications for him being Top-3 were in regards to his underlying numbers and one tournament where he blew it up. I'd still be all for picking him if he fell to our pick because of his potential upside though.

 

[henchman21]

I know I haven't watched the U18 games yet, so don't know just badly Pod has struggled, but we're still only talking about 4 games. He's played almost 70 this year -- after playing just 40-something games last year -- and performed well in the majority of them. His skillset hasn't gone anywhere, nor has how far he's progressed in the past year disappeared just because he didn't take yet another step this season. So bust talk seems silly to me unless there's something in his skillset that you think will prevent him from continuing the massive progress that he's made over the past 12 months; which lead to his many promotions this season.

I'll just say... you should make more of a point to watch the tape from this year and the U18s are a continuation. Your eyes might tell you something new.

 

[cgf]

That's the hard part though, has he actually performed well? A lot of the justifications for him being Top-3 were in regards to his underlying numbers and one tournament where he blew it up. I'd still be all for picking him if he fell to our pick because of his potential upside though.

I guess that depends on how you value the eye test & /60 #s for guys who aren't playing on a scoring line with much PP-time. But I've watched most of his MHL, VHL & WJC games, and that's what's left me impressed...not having seen much from either of the tourneys that he tore up (the Hlinka & the WJAC).

 

[cgf]

I'll just say... you should make more of a point to watch the tape from this year and the U18s are a continuation. Your eyes might tell you something new.

I'm keeping an open mind for whenever I will be able to get around to the U18s, but what I've seen from him this year to this point is the backbone of my interest in him...as you know I'm not a big scouting-by-the-#s guy

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I guess that depends on how you value the eye test & /60 #s for guys who aren't playing on a scoring line with much PP-time. But I've watched most of his MHL, VHL & WJC games, and I'm impressed...not having seen much from either of the tourneys that he tore up (the Hlinka & the WJAC).

I'll take your word for it. I'll be the first one that will admit I haven't seen much of him. The scouting report is intriguing, but there appear to be so many question marks that I'd be upset if they took him over a Turcotte/Byram and even Cozens.

 

[Goulet17]

Podkolzin is a polarizing prospect. His lack of production in this tournament is a perhaps a concern, although short tournaments can sometimes receive too large of an emphasis. On the other hand, I feel like much of the rating for Podkolzin stems from his performance at the Ivan Hlinka tournament last summer.

I know that some individuals are defending him based on how he looks at the tournament, even without the offensive number production. Some are saying that his teammates are not able to finish or play with him.

Russia has scored 20 goals in 5 games and Podkolzin has two assists. He has not registered a point on 90% of Russsia's goals to date in this tournament.

I don't necessarily want to knock him as a prospect, but I just have potential issues with thinking that he is without a doubt a top-5 prospect in this draft.

 

[henchman21]

I'm keeping an open mind for whenever I will be able to get around to the U18s, but what I've seen from him this year to this point is the backbone of my interest in him...as you know I'm not a big scouting-by-the-#s guy

I'm not a numbers guy either... Pods hasn't been as bad as his stat line indicates, but he's be a far, far reach away from somebody you'd expect to be picked in the top 5. All the concerns I have with his game have been clearly evident in this tournament. He looks like a guy you'd select in the middle of the first. Huge flashes and a number of desirable traits, but it just isn't there yet and a longer development path is needed.

 

[lonelybadger]

I'm not a numbers guy either... Pods hasn't been as bad as his stat line indicates, but he's be a far, far reach away from somebody you'd expect to be picked in the top 5. All the concerns I have with his game have been clearly evident in this tournament. He looks like a guy you'd select in the middle of the first. Huge flashes and a number of desirable traits, but it just isn't there yet and a longer development path is needed.

His numbers and recent performance coupled with the russian contract make him an easy pass for me for the Avs at 4. They are in a place where their window is opening and for that reason I think Cozens or Turcotte will be their choice. I am now on the Turcotte train because I think he would fit this team perfectly but I understand the allure of Cozens.

 

[S E P H]

His lack of production in this tournament is a perhaps a concern, although short tournaments can sometimes receive too large of an emphasis.

Of course short tournaments should be taken with a percentage of a grain of salt, but I've noticed that players who have amazing U18 performances tend to be draft higher and become more impactful players than non-U18 players or no shows. It's definitely more of an important tournament for me in regards to scouting players than any single game of the U20. That's because you want to see which players dominate their age group, which ones step up their game in high-stress situations, and which underagers step their game up for the future drafts as we're seeing with Holloway for Canada and Beniers for the USA to name a very few. It is their last chance to make an impactful impression on scouts and why this tourney is becoming more and more important.

 

[cgf]

I'm not a numbers guy either... Pods hasn't been as bad as his stat line indicates, but he's be a far, far reach away from somebody you'd expect to be picked in the top 5. All the concerns I have with his game have been clearly evident in this tournament. He looks like a guy you'd select in the middle of the first. Huge flashes and a number of desirable traits, but it just isn't there yet and a longer development path is needed.

That I agree with and I think is part of where the disconnect comes from; or rather how much importance we place on that...the other being the destination at the end of that road, which probably plays a part in why the former separates us as well.

I fully acknowledge that he has a longer road ahead of him than some of the other options in the top 5...it's actually one of the bigger reasons why I don't stress about his current totals; which don't bother me because of his youth & inexperience prior to this season. But the combination of his skillset, maturity, and how well he has adapted to promotion-after-promotion this year, make me confident in him progressing along that path in time...which is why he reminds me of Makar in ways beyond their maturity & self-awareness in interviews.

That longer road pushed an equivalent talent (Heiskanen) over Makar for me two years ago, and a similar consideration could push Turcotte ahead of Pod this year, whenever I catch up on the U18s, but in the bigger picture that longer road doesn't bother me much. We're not getting a 2019/2020 solution now that we've missed out on Hughes or Kakko, anyways, so we need immediate reinforcements whether we have to wait a year or two for our pick to arrive.


Now we also disconnect on Pod's ultimate upside, and that's probably why I'm much more content to wait a little longer for him than we'd have to for Dach / Cozens / Byram / Krebs...and the real crux of our disagreement.

 

[avsfan09]

Turcotte #4
Newhook or Lavoie#16
#47 solid LHD or Puistola ,Cajkovic

I like Cajkovic too depending on who is still left around at that pick. Definitely if he's at our 3rd.

 

[missionAvs]

Who is #31?

We have another draft pick or Grubs?

It's our 1st after we win this cup thingy in about a month .

 

[Patagonia]

It's our 1st after we win this cup thingy in about a month .