Speculation: Who do the Habs Pick, at the 2018 Draft??

[WeThreeKings]

You say we need skill, I say a guy like Tkachuk will make our skill guys better.

We don't have any and the ones we do, aren't allowed to play a skilled game due to coaching and systems.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

We don't have any and the ones we do, aren't allowed to play a skilled game due to coaching and systems.

That isn't even true...

 

[WeThreeKings]

That isn't even true...

You're right.. our most skilled player was put on the fourth line, kept from his best position.. and is all likelihood being traded this off-season.. and he had... what.. 51 points?

Epic.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

You're right.. our most skilled player was put on the fourth line, kept from his best position.. and is all likelihood being traded this off-season.. and he had... what.. 51 points?

Epic.

He wasn't handcuffed on the ice from playing his game... also why do you think he's going to be traded? You guys have been saying this over and over for years... this is just pure media driven BS...

 

[Deebs]

I'm not letting the Tkachuk smear campaign taint me...he's got some skill & talent.

He's an excellent player and will have a solid career, but there's no denying there are other players with much higher offensive upside. I won't be upset if we do get him, but if I had a choice, there would be others I'd take ahead of him given our current situation.

 

[Hins77]

if you like matthew tkachuk, you will like brady. Maybe he has a worst shot than walhstrom, but overall. he brings size, caracter and he plays where its hurts.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I'm not letting the Tkachuk smear campaign taint me...he's got some skill & talent.

Just to let you in on the joke, I think the lowest any of the regulars have Busty Tkasuck is like..10th or 11th. Nobody actually thinks he sucks.

 

[The Great Weal]

I just don't see the Matthew in Brady. Otherwise, he would be my favourite prospect since I absolutely love Matthew.

 

[GREMLIN]

We don't have any and the ones we do, aren't allowed to play a skilled game due to coaching and systems.

Our players just aren’t that good, that is the main explanation. The ones with a high skill level ALL have huge warts to their game. I completely agree that MT and CJ aren’t the type to give a lot of leash to young players but if we draft a Brayden Point for example, a truly elite player that is not a liability on the ice, he will get all the opportunities in the world under any coach. Drouin, Chucky, they’re talented players, but they bring just as much downside if not more than the positive they bring.

Coaches like Julien are extremely stiff on play without the puck and not turning it over in key areas when you have it, any NHL coach will ask for that, other than that you’re pretty much free to do whatever you want with it, the truly good players in the league can do that and are given a lot of leash, see Marchand and Pastrnak under Julien, Drouin and Chucky can’t do that.

And really, all year Drouin got all the opportunities in the world even if he was a turnover machine and terrible defensively, he still got PP1, plenty of icetime.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

If we pick 4 it's Wahlstrom, if he isn't available, then it means Zadina is available so that's who we are picking.

HABS wish list 2018

Dahlin
Svechnikov
Zadina
Whalstrom
Tkachuk
Boqvist
Dobson
Bouchard
Hughes

My own list is very different.

- Dahlin
- Svech
- Boqvist
- Hughes
- Wahlstrom
- Zadina
- Bouchard
- Smith
- Dobson
- Tkachuk

Something about Zadina. His goals are almost exclusively from both faceoff circles. He's a dangler like Kovy. It's not a limitation, still he seems to be locked in that box making/finishing set-up plays. That's why I prefer Wahlstrom.

Although I have to admit, like Timmins, I'm not all that great at picking forwards, but I do have, imo, a great eye for Ds. Hughes and Boqvist are sure shots imo. That's why I put them above other Ds, whom I don't see as sureshots.

 

[danyhabsfan]

As Ive said earlier Tkachuk is producing on par with a late 1st pick last year (Bowers) while being 2 months younger. He's the oldest player in the draft.

 

[jaffy27]

My own list is very different.

- Dahlin
- Svech
- Boqvist
- Hughes
- Wahlstrom
- Zadina
- Bouchard
- Smith
- Dobson
- Tkachuk

Something about Zadina. His goals are almost exclusively from both faceoff circles. He's a dangler like Kovy. It's not a limitation, still he seems to be locked in that box making/finishing set-up plays. That's why I prefer Wahlstrom.

Although I have to admit, like Timmins, I'm not all that great at picking forwards, but I do have, imo, a great eye for Ds. Hughes and Boqvist are sure shots imo. That's why I put them above other Ds, whom I don't see as sureshots.

When the draft order comes out, my list will move around a bit.....but pretty much the same players but in different order. Will revisit that later

 

[David Suzuki]

Skating and defensive play are big time concerns.

Dobson is very good. His floor is a top 4 defenseman IMO but he isn't a game breaker. I'd still prefer him to Bouchard though.

 

[Runner77]

Montreal need size, so i could see a good fit with brady tkachuk if they pick 4th. He will bring net presence. And difficult to push from the net. This is what montreal need. Make some place for good players

This team can't score. And Pacioretty is rumored to be traded, who knows what we'll get.

We need scoring, pure and simple.

 

[the]

Who has the best attitude amongst those prospects? It should be our 1# priority, get the player with the best attitude this year.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Dobson is very good. His floor is a top 4 defenseman IMO but he isn't a game breaker. I'd still prefer him to Bouchard though.

Thats why id prefer Boqvist or Hughes over Dobson and Bouch. Smith is intriguing though.

 

[David Suzuki]

Thats why id prefer Boqvist or Hughes over Dobson and Bouch. Smith is intriguing though.

Yeah I'm starting to really like Hughes.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Yeah I'm starting to really like Hughes.

Boqvist is a better dangler and better shooter, while Hughes is better at controling the play and a better playmaker, but besides that they're very similar.

 

[Runner77]

Boqvist is a better dangler and better shooter, while Hughes is better at controling the play and a better playmaker, but besides that they're very similar.

As argued earlier in the thread, Hughes doesn't own a lethal shot but Boqvist does and that should give him the edge IMHO.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I think I'd take Hughes as high as 3rd overall.

I mentioned before how I think he'll step in and have Barzal like success just due to the eliteness of his skating which will translate Day 1, but another quality he has like Barzal is that he uses a long stick, much longer than you'd typically see from someone sub 6 foot. Folks get too caught up in height, when height doesn't matter nearly as much as stick range. Hughes long stick has him essentially with the range of a 6'1" type player out there. Combine the stick length with his skating and he really is tough to contain.

*cue Pierre McGuire reference*

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

As argued earlier in the thread, Hughes doesn't own a lethal shot but Boqvist does and that should give him the edge IMHO.

Not sure about giving the edge. Hughes has better vision and I'll always put that as a priority.

Hughes has a slighty bigger frame too.

 

[Video Coach]

Wow, that is nuts. So we're least likely to pick at 4. Luckily, I think the guy I want will still be there at 5 or 6, and that's Hughes. I would think Wahlstrom would be there too for those who prefer him but I like Hughes.

I think Hughes is tailor-made for today's NHL. Give him another year in the NCAA and then I could see him stepping right into the lineup in his D+1 yr as a 19 yr old just like Mete. I know he's small but he can skate so well and he's so talented I think he can do it. Maybe he's even joined by his brother in the same year...that would be my absolute dream. Come on Habs, suck for just one more year...

 

[NHLcrazy]

Maybe he's even joined by his brother in the same year...that would be my absolute dream. Come on Habs, suck for just one more year...

It's actually hard to suck really bad...

 

[WickedPegJets]

Pick Brady T if he is as hard to play against as his older brother Matthew of the Flames. The Habs need size and grit at the forward positions even if Brady is not a centerman.

 

[Runner77]

Not sure about giving the edge. Hughes has better vision and I'll always put that as a priority.

Hughes has a slighty bigger frame too.

So you're high on a player with no shot and that will never develop one (cause it doesn't happen if you don't own one as a prospect), is who you want at the point?