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

[Daisy Jane]

Dach is the big body forward we will be looking for. He could play on the wing with either of our top two lines. Love his compete level and he has an edge to his game.

another forward?

 

[diceman934]

another forward?

If he is the best player available as well we are lacking in this area currently and have D man coming.

 

[Fogelhund]

another forward?

Over the past four seasons... five of our last eight picks, with our first and second pick made, were D men. The forwards picked... Matthews, Marner, Korshkov. So, really, only Korshkov left as a "prospect" Sure, we have a bunch of other guys in the system, but we are well stocked with D men now. This is particularly the case, if guys like Grundstrom, Johnsson, Kapanen end up on the Leafs this season.

Bottom line though, best player available, no matter the position.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Hoping for a good Center prospect

 

[TML1967]

Assuming we are drafting in the 20's (or hopefully 30's) id be down to draft a solid skating C prospect.

Usually this style of player and draft position takes 2 junior seasons and 1-2 AHL season(s) before pushing for a NHL spot full time. That would be the perfect time to have someone prepared to replace Kadri assuming we cant afford him if he keeps playing at a similar pace.

 

[Walshy7]

If he is the best player available as well we are lacking in this area currently and have D man coming.

the only thing we have too much of that maybe we should look elsewhere is small scoring wingers. physical wingers with size and skill is maybe the shallowest part of pool, right there with C

 

[Walshy7]

Assuming we are drafting in the 20's (or hopefully 30's) id be down to draft a solid skating C prospect.

Usually this style of player and draft position takes 2 junior seasons and 1-2 AHL season(s) before pushing for a NHL spot full time. That would be the perfect time to have someone prepared to replace Kadri assuming we cant afford him if he keeps playing at a similar pace.

i's hate to be drafting in the 30's unless its 31, 30th overall I think would suck too much id rather 28th/29th overall

 

[diceman934]

the only thing we have too much of that maybe we should look elsewhere is small scoring wingers. physical wingers with size and skill is maybe the shallowest part of pool, right there with C

He is a center but would make a big a ideal body winger.

 

[93LEAFS]

the only thing we have too much of that maybe we should look elsewhere is small scoring wingers. physical wingers with size and skill is maybe the shallowest part of pool, right there with C

We should just take the absolute best player available. Its reckless to ignore BPA that late in the draft. If our scouts and GM view say Caufield or Pelletier the best player then take them. When you are drafting in the 20's and 30's you just want to keep on producing a solid pool with the best possible players and let it figure itself out. Its one thing when you are drafting at the very top and choosing between say, MacKinnon and Jones, to fix your immediate need with two very comparable prospects, who both have a very high chance of being hits. Although, generally, teams drafting that high have significant needs all over, so they need to generally go BPA also. Starting at 20, you are dealing with odds of 35% to 40% of getting an actual NHLer of value (Top 9F, top 5D or a starter), with the odds just further decreasing as you go.

In the end, you don't care about where you have depth. You want guys who can hopefully push for top 9 or top 4 roster spots in 2 to 3 years, and hopefully achieve beyond that. So, it is generally pointless to fixate on a certain proto-type. In the late 1st. I can see using later picks like the 4th through 7th which are always long-shots to gamble on a certain type over and over and just hope to hit once, but those picks chances of returning anything are so minimal you can risk like that.

 

[Daisy Jane]

you know you're old when Nik Antropov's son is draft eligible this year.

 

[Morgs]

Time for the Leafs to draft Ryan Suzuki so we have the better brother of another one of our rivals.

(He's one of my favourite 2019 prospects even before the trade).

 

[Muston Atthews]

Come on guys you know the strategy. Draft BPA. If there is a guy that fits our needs we draft down and target that player. Seems to be the MO of Dubas

 

[Morgs]

https://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-hughes-easily-tops-first-draft-rankings-1.1170553

Interesting list Craig...

 

[93LEAFS]

https://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-hughes-easily-tops-first-draft-rankings-1.1170553

Interesting list Craig...

Some of the rankings are little off the wall. Not shocked, but was hoping he'd finally move Turcotte into the top 10. That ranking on Broberg seems a little rich right now. Surprised at how low Newhook is and the lack of Cajkovic.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

If Vukojevic goes that late, I'd have no hesitation taking him in he mid to late 20s at this point. I think there's a chance he goes higher if his offensive game breaks out. He's very polished defensively for his age, good size, strength, physical and solid mobility. He started as a bottom pairing D midway into the OHL season and by the second playoff round after injuries occurred he was great as our #2 D playing a shut down role against teams top lines, while contributing some offense. He's the real deal imo, only question I think some will have is how much offensive potential is there. Will he be a legit two way D who is an consistent offensive threat, or is he more of a big, mobile shutdown D with good puck moving ability.

 

[Leafs Fan 12]

If Vukojevic goes that late, I'd have no hesitation taking him in he mid to late 20s at this point. I think there's a chance he goes higher if his offensive game breaks out. He's very polished defensively for his age, good size, strength, physical and solid mobility. He started as a bottom pairing D midway into the OHL season and by the second playoff round after injuries occurred he was great as our #2 D playing a shut down role against teams top lines, while contributing some offense. He's the real deal imo, only question I think some will have is how much offensive potential is there. Will he be a legit two way D who is an consistent offensive threat, or is he more of a big, mobile shutdown D with good puck moving ability.

I agree. I think he will have a big jump in his offensive numbers as he will actually get some PP time, whereas last year he got virtually none. I would love for the leafs to grab him, he is an all around beast.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Just starting to get into the draft for next June. Is Spencer Knight a guy worth taking in the first? Is he as good as Samsonov or Vasilevsky were?

 

[hockeynorth]

I agree. I think he will have a big jump in his offensive numbers as he will actually get some PP time, whereas last year he got virtually none. I would love for the leafs to grab him, he is an all around beast.

Reminds me lots of Sergachev, he won't be there at 31, if I had to gamble, I'd say he doesn't even make it to a playoff team.

 

[93LEAFS]

Just starting to get into the draft for next June. Is Spencer Knight a guy worth taking in the first? Is he as good as Samsonov or Vasilevsky were?

Those guys were more accomplished at the same age, but Knight looks to be legit. I wouldn't take him in the 1st though due to the high-risk nature of goalies in that range. I'd rather just throw mid-round picks at a goalie each year and hope to eventually hit. They are by far the hardest position to predict. In the late 1st, it seems easiest to hit on wingers.

 

[Kiwi]

Those guys were more accomplished at the same age, but Knight looks to be legit. I wouldn't take him in the 1st though due to the high-risk nature of goalies in that range. I'd rather just throw mid-round picks at a goalie each year and hope to eventually hit. They are by far the hardest position to predict. In the late 1st, it seems easiest to hit on wingers.

I'd prefer to pick a goalie in the 3rd or 4th every 2 or 3 years and take a flyer on someone in the 6th or 7th in between

 

[Daisy Jane]

Come on guys you know the strategy. Draft BPA. If there is a guy that fits our needs we draft down and target that player. Seems to be the MO of Dubas

ugh. i hate trading down.
just get who you want when you're up.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

ugh. i hate trading down.
just get who you want when you're up.

But they traded down and still got the guy they would have wanted at 25 (most likely). And they could have selected Veleno or Alexeyev or Berggren as well, who was also probably on their list at 25 as well.

Personally, all 4 of those guys (Sandin, Veleno, Alexeyev and Berggren) were better options for the Leafs than the guys that went ahead of them (Bokk, Lundkvist, JBD and Beaudin). And for doing that they were also able to get SDA.

 

[Daisy Jane]

But they traded down and still got the guy they would have wanted at 25 (most likely). And they could have selected Veleno or Alexeyev or Berggren as well, who was also probably on their list at 25 as well.

Personally, all 4 of those guys (Sandin, Veleno, Alexeyev and Berggren) were better options for the Leafs than the guys that went ahead of them (Bokk, Lundkvist, JBD and Beaudin). And for doing that they were also able to get SDA.

yah. so you're gonna risk this every year?
identify who your guy is.
get the guy where you are.
why risk it and you lose out?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

yah. so you're gonna risk this every year?
identify who your guy is.
get the guy where you are.
why risk it and you lose out?

Because maybe they had more than one guy they identified as a great pick and would rather pick up some extra assets while still getting a great guy later on. Unless someone you really liked was in an entirely different tier and dropped to you, it can be quite difficult to distinguish who exactly is the best guy. If you can make a trade which still lets you get one of those great guys and picks you up another asset at the same time, then that's a deal you have to strongly consider.

At the same time, if you can make a deal that may cost you an asset to move up and get a guy that you may have liked at a higher tier, then that's another thing to consider as well. For example, I would not have hated if the Leafs traded the Durzi and Hollowell pick (which is likely all it would have taken) to jump up a couple of spots and take a chance on Akil Thomas.

 

[Muston Atthews]

yah. so you're gonna risk this every year?
identify who your guy is.
get the guy where you are.
why risk it and you lose out?

You don’t do it every year but it’s much more likely occur where we’re (likely to be) picking. Unless there’s a standout why not get those extra assets