The Never Too Early 2021 NHL Entry Draft Discussion

[SeaOfBlue]

Probably could've posted this somewhere else but this is good news. Be easier to watch more prospects we already have or that are available in the upcoming drafts.

Thank goodness... It was such a pain having to watch iffy quality video on OnHockey. I did learn a bit of French watching those Q streams though.

 

[LaPlante94]

Thank goodness... It was such a pain having to watch iffy quality video on OnHockey. I did learn a bit of French watching those Q streams though.

Yup. Some of those streams are not the greatest to watch, especially AHL games.

 

[Morgs]

Maybe I'm alone but I think Samoskevich turns out the best player from the Steel in this draft. Whenever I watched him I got serious William Nylander vibes.

Wouldn't be surprised if he was. The guy had a bit of a disappointing season for his talent and where he was expected to be drafted. Fun player, I'd love him dropping to us.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Probably could've posted this somewhere else but this is good news. Be easier to watch more prospects we already have or that are available in the upcoming drafts.

Never understood why Tsn and sportsnet didn't show more junior hockey. Instead Tsn will show darts

 

[LaPlante94]

Never understood why Tsn and sportsnet didn't show more junior hockey. Instead Tsn will show darts

haha yup. Wouldn't be so bad but what's the point of having 5 TSN channels if they always play the same thing over and over again. Sportsnet too.

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

What is the report on Cole Huckins? How is his skating, does he play physical. Will he be available at 56, or someone that should go later?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

What is the report on Cole Huckins? How is his skating, does he play physical. Will he be available at 56, or someone that should go later?

Definitely later. I have him as a late 3rd round prospect at best.

 

[LaPlante94]

Was watching Scouch stream and he said Dylan Duke would be an interesting pick for Toronto. Said he's the kind of guy we might be looking for and his skating/skill and playmaking ability is there and plays with a lot of energy who is good around the net and a good net front presence on the PP. Huckins was another guy who he said would be a pick that makes sense for the Leafs but he doesn't think he'll be BPA at our 2nd round pick. So maybe we could get a 3rd round pick and scoop him up because he looks like a pretty good power forward prospect.

 

[67Cup]

Scoutch did manage to do videos on four players who ended up as Leafs draftees last year. (Amirov, Hirvonen, Niemela and Ovchenikov). Maybe he has more of a sense of Leafs tendencies than some other gurus.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Scoutch did manage to do videos on four players who ended up as Leafs draftees last year. (Amirov, Hirvonen, Niemela and Ovchenikov). Maybe he has more of a sense of Leafs tendencies than some other gurus.

I imagine he does videos on anyone who is more or less consensus to go in the top 75 (as those first three were) and then Ovchinnikov received a ton of hype last year so he does the odd hype guy as well.

I imagine he has done one on Ilya Fedotov and Danila Klimovich... No idea why either are seen as high end prospects. The former was not even good enough to make the Russian U18 team this year, and the latter's hype comes from scoring 4 goals, mostly on the PP, against Switzerland, who sucked in the U18's. He has Dzierkals written all over him.

 

[67Cup]

Actually Scouch doesn’t do as many prospect videos as you might think. In his review of the Leafs draft he specifically comments, with surprise, on how many videos he did that year on future Leafs draftees.

 

[Smif]

What's the over / under on us making a selection tonight?

What's the over / under on us making 5 selections total this weekend?

 

[Lil Tuzzi Bert]

Not sure what assets we have that we'd be willing to trade that could return a 1st for tn

 

[SprDaVE]

What's the over / under on us making a selection tonight?

What's the over / under on us making 5 selections total this weekend?

We won't be picking tonight and I would imagine we'll make 5 selections by the end of the draft.

I'd say it's a good bet the Leafs drop down with their 2nd round pick and acquire an addition mid round pick. And then the Hyman pick might come into play. So 5 selections seems like a fair assumption.

We're not trading any players worthy of a 1st round pick.

 

[Smif]

I'm going to guess there's a less than 10% chance we pick tonight but a 60% chance we make at least 5 selections this weekend.

 

[LaPlante94]

I'm going to guess there's a less than 10% chance we pick tonight but a 60% chance we make at least 5 selections this weekend.

Getting 5 picks should be easy. Just depends if it's worth it in this draft being so unpredictable. I think it could be worth it because I feel like we'll see more players drop because teams will pick players they are familiar with and got to see more of and some of those players who usually rise up the rankings late in the year due to play/draft combine didn't really get a chance to do that this year.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I'm going to guess there's a less than 10% chance we pick tonight but a 60% chance we make at least 5 selections this weekend.

Not sure about 5 selections, but I think we are going to acquire one at some point.

It won't be a 1st though. I don't think the Leafs value a 1st all that much this year for some reason.

 

[Mess]

Getting 5 picks should be easy. Just depends if it's worth it in this draft being so unpredictable. I think it could be worth it because I feel like we'll see more players drop because teams will pick players they are familiar with and got to see more of and some of those players who usually rise up the rankings late in the year due to play/draft combine didn't really get a chance to do that this year.

Dubas is well known for trading back to accumulate picks with only 6 picks in the next 2 drafts = 32nd and fewest in the NHL.

 

[Mess]

Not sure about 5 selections, but I think we are going to acquire one at some point.

It won't be a 1st though. I don't think the Leafs value a 1st all that much this year for some reason.

Leafs traded their 1st in 2019 for Muzzin, their 1st in 2020 with Marleau for cap space, and their 1st in 2021 for rental Foligno.

Dubas is 3 for 3 since taking over on dealing 1sts.

It might be more likely Dubas deals away Leafs 1st in 2022 to add a roster player perhaps to replace Hyman on the top line, rather than acquire a 1st. IMO

Leafs are buyers of players and sellers of draft picks.

 

[Morgs]

Not sure about 5 selections, but I think we are going to acquire one at some point.

It won't be a 1st though. I don't think the Leafs value a 1st all that much this year for some reason.

Might have something to do with the quality of players after ~20 drops off exponentially, but I know you disagree.

 

[Smif]

Leafs traded their 1st in 2019 for Muzzin, their 1st in 2020 with Marleau for cap space, and their 1st in 2021 for rental Foligno.

Dubas is 3 for 3 since taking over on dealing 1sts.

It might be more likely Dubas deals away Leafs 1st in 2022 to add a roster player perhaps to replace Hyman on the top line, rather than acquire a 1st. IMO

Leafs are buyers of players and sellers of draft picks.

He's 3 for 4, not 3 for 3. He drafted Sandin in 2018. Technically, it's 2 for 4 since he acquired one last year.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Might have something to do with the quality of players after ~20 drops off exponentially, but I know you disagree.

Based on his press conference, I would think it has more to do with not being able to scout guys properly.

Top 15 is average. It doesn't have the Matthews or McDavid obviously, but I don't think it is any worse than Hischier/Dahlin/Hughes. However if you want a goalie, then there is Cossa and Wallstadt there for me.

I would probably be comfortable trading down if I was in the late teens. Don't think those guys are much better than the guys you get in the early 20's.

The rest of the 20's and 30's are average or even above average.

I would trade out of the 40's if possible, unless someone drops. I don't think there is much of a gap between those guys and the guys you can get in the 50's and 60's. That would be my first large deviation in this draft.

Lots to like in the 50-80 range. I think it could be stronger than most drafts. Maybe not a ton of game changers, but a lot of solid NHL potential in there.

Then after that it is probably average. Maybe a bit below. Could be average if you are willing to take a chance on some guys who don't have much of a resume this year, like some OHLers.

 

[daethfromabove1979]

Wouldn't mind seeing the Leafs draft Ben Boyd late, plays on Charlottetown. He's big, works hard and is not fun to play against, big time trash talker too. Probably limited offensive upside but he looked quite good his 2019-20 midget year.

 

[TheFactor]

Where's the best place to watch the draft in Toronto? Do they do something at maple leaf Square?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Where's the best place to watch the draft in Toronto? Do they do something at maple leaf Square?

I don't think they do anything, and especially won't do anything this year.