The Never-Too-Early 2019 NHL Entry Draft - Were not picking at 31

[Peasy]

Any information on who played well last night at the prospects game?

Had an early morning so I was only able to watch the first.

 

[93LEAFS]

Any information on who played well last night at the prospects game?

Had an early morning so I was only able to watch the first.

Krebs and Byram were probably the most impressive players in my eyes. Byram did end up on the wrong side of a highlight reel though. Nicholas Robertson and Kaliyev had good games playing with Krebs. Soogard was pretty good. Team Cherry's D was horrific in the closing minutes, most notably Constantinou, Robertson, and Vukojevic. Graeme Clarke had a highlight reel goal. Pelletier had flashes. Suzuki showed why he is insanely frustrating.

 

[Kiwi]

I'm curious to see how Bob's list looks tomorrow. That will give me more ideas about consensus than rankings lists. I'm intrigued by Seider and Soderstrom for example who I've seen in the 20's in certain places but are top 20 here.

Bob's list is out 93LEAFS

What do you think of the boys in the 20's, I like Sieder but I doubt he's still on the board when we pick

 

[93LEAFS]

Bob's list is out 93LEAFS

What do you think of the boys in the 20's, I like Sieder but I doubt he's still on the board when we pick

Seider and Brink are the most intriguing at first glance. I want to watch some more Dorofeyev, people I trust really like him but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion.

 

[Kiwi]

Seider and Brink are the most intriguing at first glance. I want to watch some more Dorofeyev, people I trust really like him but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion.

There were a few CHL kids in the 20's, any opinions on those boys?

 

[93LEAFS]

There were a few CHL kids in the 20's, any opinions on those boys?

Pelletier's intriguing. I'm not sure he has the skill level required to be a line driver at the NHL level, which makes me qustion his fit. I'd be fine with taking him, but I'm not sold.

Harley: has impressive offensive tools but a sieve in his own end. A lot of issues from competiting to positioning.

Leason: Very impressive tool kit, but how much do we knock him for lack of prior production. His numbers this year are on par with a top 20 pick still in junior (although, the best graduate early). You can't ignore what he did, but you also can't ignore how long it too him to get here. Another guy I would be fine with but not really ecstatic about. He's also a guy you are drafting in the hope he helps you soon, but he doesn't fill a team need at all due to our RW depth

Foote: Not a fan. Disappears for long stretches, and I don't think he's high enough IQ or skilled to fit a good complimentary LW role.

Poulin: Not really a fan. 1st round forwards in the Q should be producing better. I also don't think he stands out that much when he's put with better players at events like Top Prospects or Hlinka.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Pelletier's intriguing. I'm not sure he has the skill level required to be a line driver at the NHL level, which makes me qustion his fit. I'd be fine with taking him, but I'm not sold.

Harley: has impressive offensive tools but a sieve in his own end. A lot of issues from competiting to positioning.

Leason: Very impressive tool kit, but how much do we knock him for lack of prior production. His numbers this year are on par with a top 20 pick still in junior (although, the best graduate early). You can't ignore what he did, but you also can't ignore how long it too him to get here. Another guy I would be fine with but not really ecstatic about. He's also a guy you are drafting in the hope he helps you soon, but he doesn't fill a team need at all due to our RW depth

Foote: Not a fan. Disappears for long stretches, and I don't think he's high enough IQ or skilled to fit a good complimentary LW role.

Poulin: Not really a fan. 1st round forwards in the Q should be producing better. I also don't think he stands out that much when he's put with better players at events like Top Prospects or Hlinka.

I will say that his list is pretty close to what mine would look like. I would move around some guys, but it's closer to what I think the midterm rankings should be.

I agree about Foote. That's pretty much how I would classify him, but I still think Foote goes in that range. I like to think of him being a "blocker" for a good prospect, because there are teams that are going to fall in love with him and let a better fitting prospect drop to us. Same with Leason. I do not see the Leafs selecting him in the 1st round, but some other team might fall in love with a guy who should be closer to being NHL ready than anyone else around him.

Harley, you are right about, but he's still going to be good enough to be selected before I think the Leafs have a chance to take him. Even then, I doubt they do. I thought he had a lot higher IQ than he did, but I fact-checked and I was wrong. Must be confusing him with someone else. That being said, I think someone still takes him in the 20's.

I do not totally agree about Poulin though. I do not have disputes about the production or maybe even being drafted in the 1st round, since I can see him dropping, but I think he deserves to be ranked as one of the top 31 players in the draft. He's strong in both ends of the ice and he can do a lot with a little. He is even capable of driving his lines from the wing in the Q. I do not think that translates to the NHL, but much like how everyone is saying we need a Ferland, Simmonds, Ritchie, Comtois, Grundstrom, etc. type, I think Poulin can provide much of that. He is kind of an example where he does not provide a lot of the flash you want out of a 1st round pick, but has all of the substance you want and do not often get outside of the top end of drafts.

 

[TML1967]

Really hope the Leafs take another d man.
Kap AJ Matthew's marner Nylander, all young and likely to have at least 10 good years in them.
Not including kadri, brown, Moore and the other Marlies.

D on ELCs would be super helpful in a few years.

 

[93LEAFS]

Really hope the Leafs take another d man.
Kap AJ Matthew's marner Nylander, all young and likely to have at least 10 good years in them.
Not including kadri, brown, Moore and the other Marlies.

D on ELCs would be super helpful in a few years.

A cheap high-end complimentary left-winger would too. Our LW depth is pretty bad throughout the organization. If we found a natural left shot winger who could drive the net, win battles down low, and have some finish (hopefully Grundstrom is this, but another would be useful), that is something this organization lacks. Now, the Leafs are not in a scenario where this likely matters, but its why I personally would lean Boldy over Zegras and Byram for us, and why I would have taken B. Tkachuk over Zadina for us (although, I probably would have taken Dobson for us if I was in a position were all 3 were available last year).

I'm not saying draft for need, but projecting guys skill sets among relatively equal tiers is key, and how they fit into your make-up. Although, these close to sure things don't exist in the 20's so its better to go with who you think has the best chance of reaching a realistic high-end upside.

To be honest, looking at drafts since 2005 in the 20-31 range, the best value found there is scoring wingers. For whatever reason, teams have trouble identifying future #1 D, which is why so many of the NHL's elite defenders have been drafted in the 2nd round. To put it in perspective, of the 9 players to win the Norris since the full season lockout, only 2 have been top 10 picks (Doughty, Hedman), compared to 4 taken in the 2nd round or later (Lidstrom, Chara, Keith and Subban). When you look at the Hart Trophy in that time period which almost always goes to a forward (and for the purposes of this I'll remove Price from the discussion) over the same time frame of the 9 forwards to win it, none were taken in the 2nd round, and 6 were taken first overall, and the other two were taken top 3. Now, this is looking at a very exclusive clubs. But, even when you take a neutal list of the top 20 centers, top 20 wingers, and top 20 D-men you get similar breakdowns. Elite centers outside the top 10 are near impossible to find, elite wingers can be found all over the draft, but there is still a heavy emphasis on first round, whereas D tend to be able to be found anywhere. I have some theories on why this is true for why each position breaks down like this. But, it just seems to be the way the league is. So, I think if we are trying to address D, it doesn't need to be in the first, but going at high-upside guys in the 2nd and 3rd may be more beneficial, while getting a more sure-thing winger in the late first being the better option.

 

[ChazzMichaelMichaels]

Seider and Brink are the most intriguing at first glance. I want to watch some more Dorofeyev, people I trust really like him but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion.

Those are the 2 I'm eyeing up as well.

 

[ChazzMichaelMichaels]

Really hope the Leafs take another d man.
Kap AJ Matthew's marner Nylander, all young and likely to have at least 10 good years in them.
Not including kadri, brown, Moore and the other Marlies.

D on ELCs would be super helpful in a few years.

We could really use some C prospects to come through.

 

[Morgs]

Brink could be a steal in the late round. Guy has borderline top-10 production from a statistics standpoint.

 

[93LEAFS]

Brink could be a steal in the late round. Guy has borderline top-10 production from a statistics standpoint.

His numbers are probably a top 10 pick. At least in this draft (the CHL guys outside of Kaliyev and Pelletier don't really have that impressive counting stats). Although, the kid can't seem to stay healthy (he missed Hlinka, and is missing time again), and that won't put those size concerns to rest.

 

[Macallan18]

Just started looking at the prospects for the next draft.
How does this year stack up? Looking deep, shallow? Any particular position looking good?
Thanks.

 

[HOCKEYGOON]

We could really use some C prospects to come through.

Agreed.... getting a center is like having a switch hitter in baseball.

You can usually drop them on the Wing and it helps that they can win face offs better than a natural winger if need be.

We’ll need a cheap replacement for Kadri eventually and are always looking for a 4th line C it seems.

 

[realgoodleafs]

I watched the first two periods of the CHL top prospects game the other day. Lassi Thomson seemed like a smooth puck moving RHD.

 

[horner]

Would love to find a Gallagher or a Comtois type of forward from the 2 ns to the 5rd.

Hit anything in site and agitator.

Someone that puts other teams of there game.

Remember when Tucker was on our team . other teams were to busy trying to kill him.

Any players like that out there.

 

[Stand Witness]

The USHL is a lot more comparable to the CHL now isn't it?

It seems more and more like a point producer from the USHL would probably produce similar in the CHL.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Agreed.... getting a center is like having a switch hitter in baseball.

You can usually drop them on the Wing and it helps that they can win face offs better than a natural winger if need be.

We’ll need a cheap replacement for Kadri eventually and are always looking for a 4th line C it seems.

McMichael would be a great add still IMO. On top of being a really good two way player, he seems to be working on his craft at center. Was 43% on the draw last year, but he's up to 54% this season. Can play the PK and PP and should be one of the better players in the OHL next season.

 

[justafan22]

The USHL is a lot more comparable to the CHL now isn't it?

It seems more and more like a point producer from the USHL would probably produce similar in the CHL.

USHL is the one area I'd like to see the Leafs draft/scout better at

 

[Leaf Lander]

right now were picking 24 th overall

 

[Stand Witness]

I didn't realize Leason was 2 times removed from a draft, going into his 3rd. Scares me a bit more then it did before.

 

[Mess]

Nolan Foote

LW 6-3" 200 lbs. 44 games 24 goals 20 assists 44 points

Ranked #37 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #18 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #19 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #26 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #27 by TSN/McKenzie

We missed out on big brother Cal Foote, and so we could go with the younger Foote of former NHLers Adam's boys.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

McMichael would be a great add still IMO. On top of being a really good two way player, he seems to be working on his craft at center. Was 43% on the draw last year, but he's up to 54% this season. Can play the PK and PP and should be one of the better players in the OHL next season.

He's probably someone the Leafs are going to have near the top of the board. Does not exactly have the highest end skill, but is near the top in terms of IQ. Essentially the center version of Sandin in this draft, and I would say that he makes a case to be a guaranteed 1st rounder now (especially since he's now playing center more than RW as he did earlier in the season).

 

[Warden of the North]

From Bob's list. One of these is likely a future Leaf (trade aside, of course)