Speculation: The 2020 Draft Thread: Part 1

[SundherDome]

Okay... so a few ground rules:

1) No tank talk, even implied or attempts at humor.
2) No need to rehash the lottery.
3) No slagging the team. The thread is to discuss upcoming candidates for the 2020 NHL draft, which early press and observation seems to indicate is both very talented and fairly deep.

So with that in mind there are a few early rankings already up.

Alexis Lafreniere: LW; Rimouski, QMJHL; Just won the Q league MVP despite being in his D-1 season. Was tied for top point getter at last year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup with 2019 draftee Podkolzin, captaining the gold medal winning Canadian squad that was dripping with high-end 2019 draftees (Dach, Byram, Cozens, Pelletier, Poulin). He's been long considered the front runner for this draft and with good reason. He had an 42-goal, 80-point season as a 16-year old in the Q, then followed that with a 105 point season as a 17-year old.

There are a bunch of other players to discuss along with Lafreniere. Quinton Byfield is a giant, fleet skating center for Sudbury of the OHL. The Swedes have a their usual inclusion for top pick consideration with Lucas Raymond on Frölunda's J20 team. Anton Lundell is the obligatory Finn prospect, playing for HIFK in the Liiga and drawing some parallels to fellow countryman Alexander Barkov.

There is also more international flare in the early reviews.

Want some other Swedes? Alexander Holtz, Zion Nybeck, and Noel Gunler.
Want some Czech? Jan Mysak
How about a German? Tim Stuetzle (C)
Swiss? Theo Rochette (C, playing in the Q)
How about Russian drama? Vasily Ponomaryov, micro-sized Marat Khusnutdinov, and perhaps the best goalie in the running Yaroslav Askarov.

Canadians? How about defensemen Jamie Drysdale (go watch him skate... kid's a dream) or Justin Barron. Or centers like Byfield Marco Rossi or Cole Perfetti?
You want 'Merican? Dylan Petersen (C), Ty Smilanic (C), and Tyler Kelven (D)

The Hlinka is coming up which is very much a showcase for this year's draftees, as are the U20 selection camps which sometimes see interesting performances from draft eligible players.

What about Mexican born?

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I want pure skill with our first pick, but I would love for them to draft in the second a skilled big bodied PITA winger that can develop into a Tom Wilsonesque player

 

[Der Jaeger]

I’m about BPA by tier, but it’s be a good draft if Botterill comes away with Zary in the first and Tuch in the second.

 

[Chainshot]

I want pure skill with our first pick, but I would love for them to draft in the second a skilled big bodied PITA winger that can develop into a Tom Wilsonesque player

The issue is finding someone like that.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

The issue is finding someone like that.

Yep that is the issue and from checking this year's prospects I'm not seeing anyone with a strong dose of truculence running through their veins.

 

[Chainshot]

Yep that is the issue and from checking this year's prospects I'm not seeing anyone with a strong dose of truculence running through their veins.

And then of course there is the whole matter of who this scouting staff is likely to select. Speed, skill, aggression... not really their hallmark so far.

 

[tsujimoto74]

The issue is finding someone like that.

Yeah, guys who are both physically dominant and skilled enough to play in your top 6 are basically unicorns. Most teams don't have anyone like that. Outside of lucking into a 1st round talent of that sort (a la the Tkachuks, Wilson), I think the best you can really do is keep taking guys like Pekar in the mid-late rounds and hope for the best.

 

[is the answer jesus]

And then of course there is the whole matter of who this scouting staff is likely to select. Speed, skill, aggression... not really their hallmark so far.

Hoglander was an ideal fit for this team and instead we took Johnson... I've gotta look a little deeper into this draft to see who might fit the bill for when our 2nd pick rolls around. Just so I can get good and aggravated as Botterill bypasses that player as well.

 

[Chainshot]

Hoglander was an ideal fit for this team and instead we took Johnson... I've gotta look a little deeper into this draft to see who might fit the bill for when our 2nd pick rolls around. Just so I can get good and aggravated as Botterill bypasses that player as well.

That's where I am at as well - I'm back to just watching draft prospects for the joy of it rather than having an eye toward what I hope this shit sack of a franchise will do.

 

[sabrebuild]

Yeah, guys who are both physically dominant and skilled enough to play in your top 6 are basically unicorns. Most teams don't have anyone like that. Outside of lucking into a 1st round talent of that sort (a la the Tkachuks, Wilson), I think the best you can really do is keep taking guys like Pekar in the mid-late rounds and hope for the best.

Ya those Big tough skilled tough guys are rare and flunk development at achieving the level of skill needed, like Foligno.

I would strategize to use basically all of my not top ten selections for forwards, on guys that are in the 5'9" to 5'11" size, who play like scummie grinders with high intensity and pace. I have done zero research, but I feel like there is a lot of good outcomes from going for that type rather than soft or inconsistent talent.

I know on some level size is nice and in general just pick the best player, but in reality we all overestimate our ability to pick the best player. The raw numbers of youth players and draft eligible guys are going to be smaller than the average nhl height. So technically the smaller guys talent pool is deeper.

This is a pipedream, but I would love it if teams would do something like this and find ways to take their hubris, out of the equation.

 

[Chainshot]

At least a bit on the rugged side, but able to play, Will Cuylle.



Random highlight package with gaming console background music:

 

[Jim Bob]

NHL Mock Draft: Lafreniere and the rest - ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports

7. Minnesota Wild – Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa 67s (OHL)

8. New York Rangers – Anton Lundell, C, HIFK (Liiga)

9. Montreal Canadiens – Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

10. Buffalo Sabres – Jake Sanderson, D, USNTDP U18 (USHL)
While GM Jason Botterill broke his anti-CHL bias last year with the first round selection of Dylan Cozens, he only touched those leagues the one time and I am not buying that he is fully in on the CHL just yet. I am also not ready to see him drafting from Russia, as his next Russian draftee will be his first. Instead, we will allow Buffalo to stay in their comfort zone. Last year, they selected a big USNTDP blueliner whose father had a long NHL career in Mattias Samuelsson, son of Kjell. Now we can give them another big (although not as big) USNTDP blueliner whose father had a long NHL career in Jake Sanderson, son of Geoff. Sanderson is more likely to grow into a first pairing defender than Samuelsson is, with his combination of above average skating and advanced hockey IQ. He will require some patience (likely two years of school at North Dakota), but the payoff could be special.

11. Nashville Predators – Yaroslav Askarov, G, SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL)

12. Chicago Blackhawks – Connor Zary, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

13. Winnipeg Jets – Dawson Mercer, C, Chicoutimi Saugeneens (QMJHL)

If the Sabres end up in a slot like this (right after a big drop off in a talent tier), I would hope that they just go for the big roll of the dice with Askarov.

 

[Duddy]

God that would suck.

 

[Jame]

NHL Mock Draft: Lafreniere and the rest - ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports



If the Sabres end up in a slot like this (right after a big drop off in a talent tier), I would hope that they just go for the big roll of the dice with Askarov.

Brutal... Sanderson over Zary and Mercer is so Botterill though

 

[is the answer jesus]

NHL Mock Draft: Lafreniere and the rest - ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports



If the Sabres end up in a slot like this (right after a big drop off in a talent tier), I would hope that they just go for the big roll of the dice with Askarov.

No thanks. If the draft unfolds like that it's Zary all day for me there.

 

[Chainshot]

So we’re getting in-depth analysis that they should take a tall USNTDP defenseman with a father who played pro because they took a tall USNTDP defenseman with a father who played pro? That’s like all of the “they should draft more tall defenseman because they took Tyler Myers” from 10 years ago. Weak analysis.

 

[Chainshot]

@Brock has a better one : 2020 NHL DRAFT: MID-SEASON MOCK DRAFT

 

[hizzoner]

NHL Mock Draft: Lafreniere and the rest - ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports



If the Sabres end up in a slot like this (right after a big drop off in a talent tier), I would hope that they just go for the big roll of the dice with Askarov.

No D and no goalies please.

 

[Jim Bob]

@Brock has a better one : 2020 NHL DRAFT: MID-SEASON MOCK DRAFT

Ottawa fans have to love that one.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Chainshot]

Another member of DEL's Team Full Cage from the U20's: