Who do you think we will draft?

[Everblades13]

I think the likelihood of us taking a D have dropped dramatically with adding Sergachev to the prospect pool. That leaves best F available. Depending on who there's a run on, I think Kostin very well may be that guy.

Even with Sergachev being a lefty and Foote being a righty?

 

[The Macho King]

Even with Sergachev being a lefty and Foote being a righty?

We have a ton of righty prospects already.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Right from Yzerman's own mouth is the latest video up on Lightning website. Leans more towards a BPA policy.

Yzerman's Draft Strategy

 

[LightningStrikes]

Right from Yzerman's own mouth is the latest video up on Lightning website. Leans more towards a BPA policy.

Yzerman's Draft Strategy

It amazes me how it's not always BPA. I mean if you have to pick between two NHL ready draftees that are "can't miss" picks and a "sure thing" then okay, you go with what you need most since they're gonna help you short-term and will be playing next season. But otherwise you should always go BPA. Team needs can change quickly. When the player's ready your roster could look completely different. It should never be "I need a defenseman, let's see what D is next on our list and ignore all forwards on the list no matter how good their ranking is", especially when that D won't be performing up to potential in the next 2-5 years anyway.

 

[The Macho King]

It amazes me how it's not always BPA. I mean if you have to pick between two NHL ready draftees that are "can't miss" picks and a "sure thing" then okay, you go with what you need most since they're gonna help you short-term and will be playing next season. But otherwise you should always go BPA. Team needs can change quickly. When the player's ready your roster could look completely different. It should never be "I need a defenseman, let's see what D is next on our list and ignore all forwards on the list no matter how good their ranking is", especially when that D won't be performing up to potential in the next 2-5 years anyway.

BPA is excellent in theory - and frankly is obvious.

But in the middle of the first round, how often is one player clearly better than the other (especially in this draft with the talent level not that different from 6 to 26)?

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

It amazes me how it's not always BPA. I mean if you have to pick between two NHL ready draftees that are "can't miss" picks and a "sure thing" then okay, you go with what you need most since they're gonna help you short-term and will be playing next season. But otherwise you should always go BPA. Team needs can change quickly. When the player's ready your roster could look completely different. It should never be "I need a defenseman, let's see what D is next on our list and ignore all forwards on the list no matter how good their ranking is", especially when that D won't be performing up to potential in the next 2-5 years anyway.

Agreed. That's one of the points Yzerman makes in the video. Since few prospects are NHL ready, the team needs in the next 2 to 5 years can be totally different from today's needs. Hence the preference for BPA. Smart man.

 

[Everblades13]

Is Klim Kostin expected to be available when we pick? He sounds like he could be a good selection. He is the one that is a fan of the Lightning, right?

 

[Everblades13]

Sergei Kostin, Klim's father, said today: "Klim told me he ready to play for Tampa Bay Lightning for plate of soup. He dream about this club since he was 10-11 years old. Also, we were meeting with Steve Yzerman at Hlinka Memorial in Slovakia"

I just found this quote in the Kostin thread, haha. I'm all the way on board now.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

if liljgren dont fall to us i really think klim is our guy

so yes he is figured to go anywhere from us to 25 range in what im seeing klostin that is we are a reach of a few picks if we grab him at 14 likely he would go 16th is my guess but see him like 22-23 a lot

also fan of lightning the photo of the hat etc..

will say im ok with it not jumping up and down hopefully he will develop more of a selfish game as he continues to grow hes a man child if had that edge developed that edge man hed be an impact player in time imho

p.s. is at least 1 GM in love with foote not sure whom but is at least one guy out there. We could be that guy is what it is. I hope not but also think he would develop just fine in our system.

Which means a lot is not just that we have good scouts we got good guys talking to these kids working with them whole nine yards and that does go a long way imho on the home runs we hit.

Strikeouts in early round though lol a lot of them We keep turning over for picks though lol

 

[Rschmitz]

If we take away the flight concerns, Kostin has two major negatives. He had a shoulder injury, and he has an underdeveloped defensive game. There are also questions if he can stick at center.

With that being said, 6'3", can skate like the wind, has some of the best offensive tools in the draft. Has the tools to be the best player in the draft, and he wants to be here!

 

[Everblades13]

If we take away the flight concerns, Kostin has two major negatives. He had a shoulder injury, and he has an underdeveloped defensive game. There are also questions if he can stick at center.

With that being said, 6'3", can skate like the wind, has some of the best offensive tools in the draft. Has the tools to be the best player in the draft, and he wants to be here!

I didn't know he was considered a center. I've exclusively seen him listed and talked about as a winger.

 

[Rschmitz]

I didn't know he was considered a center. I've exclusively seen him listed and talked about as a winger.

He played wing this year, center in the past

Very strange though considering Vilardi has played wing next to Logan Brown all season. Makes me think that maybe scouts see him moving to the wing, I think he loses a lot of value if he is a winger.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

PLEASE. Klim is a BEAST.

 

[Bandit Keith]

If we take away the flight concerns, Kostin has two major negatives. He had a shoulder injury, and he has an underdeveloped defensive game. There are also questions if he can stick at center.

The shoulder injury does worry me, but from what I've seen and read his defensive game is pretty solid, especially for a draft eligible Russian

 

[JoVel]

I'm really not sure if I want us to draft Kostin with his injuries after we've drafted Koekkoek and Connolly. Learn from your mistakes.

 

[HoseEmDown]

The good thing about Kostin is he has said he wants to come to NA next year and play whether that be NHL or AHL. That should boost his stock as you get a guy playing the pro game right away, in your system all while his contract slides as long as he doesn't hit 10 NHL games. I want Suzuki but think he'll be gone so maybe we trade back to recoup a pick or two.

 

[FinnLightning26]

I hope we get one of Tolvanen, Andersson, Yamamoto, Rasmussen or Suzuki. The big guys like Kostin or Vesalainen don't impress me much. Drafting Kostin would remind me of our drafting from the turn of the century when being a big Russian was enough to get drafted by us and in the end none of those picks worked out.

 

[Everblades13]

I have no idea who I want to take, but based off of everything I have seen, it seems likely that Foote will be the pick. He has been the guy mocked to us in like 90% of mock drafts I have seen, haha.

Easiest call of the draft, haha.