GDT: The 2019 NHL Entry Draft | Day 1 | TOR holds 53, 84, 115, 124, 146, 204 & 208

[SeaOfBlue]

My guess for the top 5 this year:

Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko, Bowen Byram, Alex Turcotte, Dylan Cozens. I think it could be in that order, depending on preference.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We're going to likley need to trade up to get Foote as he is likely a late 1st rounder, or early 2nd. Craig Button in his TSN Mock draft had him going 30th.

Nolan plays for my Kelowna Rockets and he is my favourite current player.

He is the other son of Adan Foote, the younger brother of TB who took Callen a couple years back right before we took Liljegren.

He's dropped from there, and never really should have been there in the first place. He's too much of a project to be anywhere above the mid-2nd round IMO. I wouldn't trade up to get him, and I'd have to even think about taking him at 53 at all.

 

[Mess]

He's dropped from there, and never really should have been there in the first place. He's too much of a project to be anywhere above the mid-2nd round IMO. I wouldn't trade up to get him, and I'd have to even think about taking him at 53 at all.

Craig Button's mock draft was last Wednesday June 18th and he had him going #31 to Buffalo as part of the Ryan O'Reilly trade to STL.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/tsn-hockey-mock-draft~1710039

Mock Draft: https://www.tsn.ca/trouba-trade-adds-canadian-content-to-tsn-hockey-s-mock-draft-5-0-1.1321746

On his Final List he had him #48 https://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-caufield-scores-his-way-into-top-5-1.1316942

From his predictions he thinks he is rising not falling.

 

[JEI]

As I get older I know less and less about these young guys coming in...sad in a way...but exciting all the same.

 

[SprDaVE]

One player I'm interested to see where he's drafted is Honka. Could be anywhere from the first round all the way to the 3rd. With that said, I think it's likely the Leafs take him with their 52nd pick if he's still around. Way too much upside there.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Craig Button's mock draft was last Wednesday June 18th and he had him going #31 to Buffalo as part of the Ryan O'Reilly trade to STL.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/tsn-hockey-mock-draft~1710039

Mock Draft: https://www.tsn.ca/trouba-trade-adds-canadian-content-to-tsn-hockey-s-mock-draft-5-0-1.1321746

The highest I've seen him besides Button (at least recently) is #38 to EDM. Multiple places have him going there. I've seen him go lower too.

TBH, I'm not going out of my way to try and get him. He doesn't have elite skill, and he'll need a fair bit of work to even get to a top 6 type level.

 

[Nineteen67]

I’m excited to see some kids fulfill their dreams tonight.
Hopefully there are some trades involving the Leafs but they don’t a lot to offer, at least until they sort out the cap and Marner.

 

[Nineteen67]

We can all send a thank you to Burkie and his make North American hockey players great again approach.

The Don Cherry of GM's.

When have NA hockey players not been great?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

One player I'm interested to see where he's drafted is Honka. Could be anywhere from the first round all the way to the 3rd. With that said, I think it's likely the Leafs take him with their 52nd pick if he's still around. Way too much upside there.

When was the last time he was projected in the 1st round? I think that was before the season started. TBH, in the past couple of months I don't think I've seen him higher than the middle of the 3rd round.

Also, based on what I think Dubas looks for in a defenseman, I'm not even sure Honka would be on his board at all. He's a pure offensive defenseman in a league that I think is going away from those guys just as much as guys who don't know how to move the puck (if not even faster than those guys). You'd have to have an elite offensive skill set to be the exception, and Honka would still need a ton of work defensively to even qualify as one of those exceptions. His defensive IQ is simply not there.

 

[taurine330]

Probably no trades today. Same as other years.

 

[SprDaVE]

When was the last time he was projected in the 1st round? I think that was before the season started. TBH, in the past couple of months I don't think I've seen him higher than the middle of the 3rd round.

Also, based on what I think Dubas looks for in a defenseman, I'm not even sure Honka would be on his board at all. He's a pure offensive defenseman in a league that I think is going away from those guys just as much as guys who don't know how to move the puck (if not even faster than those guys). You'd have to have an elite offensive skill set to be the exception, and Honka would still need a ton of work defensively to even qualify as one of those exceptions. His defensive IQ is simply not there.

He's definitely dropped to the 2nd round in the majority of rankings. I've seen mock drafts where he goes late 1st round.

I completely disagree the 2nd part of this though. Dubas and his staff are all about puck possession and making skilled plays. I haven't seen nearly enough of Honka to suggest he's good or bad in a lot of areas they would covet, but I suspect he's ranked higher on their list compared to most other teams.

 

[rdogg]

I'm ready to see the Leafs trade into the first round today

 

[SeaOfBlue]

He's definitely dropped to the 2nd round in the majority of rankings. I've seen mock drafts where he goes late 1st round.

I completely disagree the 2nd part of this though. Dubas and his staff are all about puck possession and making skilled plays. I haven't seen nearly enough of Honka to suggest he's good or bad in a lot of areas they would covet, but I suspect he's ranked higher on their list compared to most other teams.

I think puck skills are very important too, but there are a ton of guys with great puck skills and skating ability. However below average hockey IQ is not a quality that you find really in any good NHLer, if they can even make it that far in the first place.

Personally, I think it is a deal breaker. I probably would not even have Honka on my board at all. Many may not feel that strongly about it, but hockey IQ is foundational for any hockey player, and it is not something that is taught. It only gets worse as you play tougher competition.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I'm ready to see the Leafs trade into the first round today

Who exactly are you going to offer to get a 1st round pick?

 

[Magic Man]

A safe guess at what will happen at the draft.

Nothing on day #1. The Leafs will pick 7 or 8 high upside prospects all on day #2. I'm sure Dubas will attempt to move down for an extra pick in the draft at some point like he usually does, probably after the 2nd rd. pick given they don't have a 1st.

They should have a Brown move completed by the end of the draft. That would give them another 8 days before FA and a Marleau trade to focus on moving Zaitsev. If we know where we are after Zaitsev and Brown trades, it will probably take some pressure off a Marleau trade from the perspective of needing to move cap for the RFA's to needing the extra cap for some UFA and trade upgrades. Ideally, a trade for Marleau is also worked out in advance of July 1st to give the team some idea of what they can spend on day #1.

I think coming out of the draft with at least the Brown trade completed would be a good place to start.

 

[hamzarocks]

connor brown should be spending his last day as part of this organization. Dubas must atleast complete his trade. He will go for a 2nd at best or a 3rd and a 5th/6th. Pull the trigger on the deal today and get one thing off your checklist. Dubas has no excuses for not being able to deal him for picks at the draft. His value is quite clear and he doesn't have a bad contract like Zaitsev/PM.

 

[ToneDog]

Who are the best players in the Soo this year ???

 

[LaPlante94]

Josh Williams is someone we should be all over with that 84th or 115 and 124th picks. Probably one of the best shots in this draft and looked good at the Hlinka Cup.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Said it before for me this particular draft isn't about drafting it's about getting a piece, they need to leave Vancouver with a player that improves the roster , be it Miller, Hamonic , Brodie , Jack Campbell or somebody else.- I don't really care who or what it is but they need to do something , they need to find a piece

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Just so there is someone who posts a sort of mock draft on here.


C Jack Hughes


RW Kaapo Kakko


C Alex Turcotte


LD Bowen Byram


C/RW Dylan Cozens


LD Philip Broberg

C Kirby Dach​

LW Matthew Boldy


C Trevor Zegras


RD Moritz Seider


RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin


LD Cam York


G Spencer Knight


C Alex Newhook


RD Victor Soderstrom

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Who are the best players in the Soo this year ???

Cole MacKay, Joe Carroll and Jacob LeGuerrier. At best they are 4th round talents. MacKay may get into the late 3rd round.

After that, they may have their goalie Ethan Taylor taken, but it's too deep of a draft for goalies so I doubt it. Maybe last year he would have been taken.

The rest should go undrafted.

 

[ITM]

Just so there is someone who posts a sort of mock draft on here.


C Jack Hughes


RW Kaapo Kakko


C Alex Turcotte


LD Bowen Byram


C/RW Dylan Cozens


LD Philip Broberg

C Kirby Dach​

LW Matthew Boldy


C Trevor Zegras


RD Moritz Seider


RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin


LD Cam York


G Spencer Knight


C Alex Newhook


RD Victor Soderstrom

No Caufield? I’d be surprised if he makes it past Edmonton.

 

[ITM]

These latter picks are going to be very important. With our cap allocation going forward, these are the picks that are going to roster our support players.

There’s going to be value found. There’s some interesting goalie prospects to be had. Not to mention a few forwards that may fit our ongoing needs.

There’s always cause for interest come Draft Day...Besides the imminent seismic roster shift that must take place.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

No Caufield? I’d be surprised if he makes it past Edmonton.

The other options are better.

And as much as people think it will not be an issue in the NHL, the size is always going to be a factor. He'd be one of the first names to come up in the next part of the draft, like Peyton Krebs, but remember that while his numbers are impressive and he is often compared to DeBrincat, DeBrincat put up huge numbers in the OHL. The USDP is not comparable in terms of competition.

 

[MyBudJT]

I’m starving for news!!!