Who is the best drafting GM in the NHL?

[BK]

Every team does.

Very true but I was simply pointing out Steve Y doesn't have as good of a record as some think (he is a damn good GM).

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Cheveldayoff for sure...the guy never misses in the first round, then picks up gems in later rounds

 

[Yukon Joe]

Cheveldayoff for sure...the guy never misses in the first round, then picks up gems in later rounds

First rounder Jack Roslovic (25th overall 2015 draft) is in and out of the lineup. Just is still out on Logan Stanley (18th overall 2016 draft), and of course too early to say on Vesalainen (24th overall, 2017 draft).

All other 1st rounders were solid pickups - but all of those were much higher picks.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

Dorion is actually pretty good at scouting and drafting players

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Yzerman, Poile, Wilson, Bowman, McPhee, Shero

 

[Hockeypete49]

WAS....Ron Hextall

Did not know you were doing all time.

 

[Voight]

Yzerman has drafted well but he has some early 1st round misses when you look at it.

Only ones I can see are Connolly (who at least is an NHL regular/3rd line player) and Koekkoek.

Connolly was drafted like 2 months after Yzerman got the job so I don't think you can really pin that all on him, didn't exactly have a lot of time to scout (junior leagues were mostly over by then anyway).

 

[BK]

Only ones I can see are Connolly (who at least is an NHL regular/3rd line player) and Koekkoek.

Connolly was drafted like 2 months after Yzerman got the job so I don't think you can really pin that all on him, didn't exactly have a lot of time to scout (junior leagues were mostly over by then anyway).

I am not a fan of the Drouin pick either as I was big fan of Seth Jones.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Yzerman, hands down. He's found some hidden gems like Point at 79th, Kucherov at 58th, even Vasy at 19th. Hes also found some really good depth players in later rounds.

I always wonder how much input GMs actually have on the later picks. You'd have to assume they know some of the prospects in the first rounds but after that? Who knows. I know Yzerman himself really liked Point but he wasnt even there to look at Point originally.

 

[benedictTavares]

GARTH SNOW

come at me.

 

[HOPE]

I hate when people give that much credit to Gm for draft picks., it's obviously not their main departement, they watch some players at some degree, but GM have no time at all to scout all year long, even in trade they discuss what the scouts think about certain player! At the end of the day they make the final descision, but their decision are almost everytime based on trust of their scouting staff, the other times, Montreal draft Louis Leblanc for example. Trust your scouts.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Not sure who the best is but I think there are some teams that are very good:

Boston, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Washington, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Anaheim

Lots of hits and misses for other teams.

I think the Rangers are trending upwards since Gorton took over, and a team like SJ has done well considering pretty well considering how many picks they have traded away.

Calgary's not on that list? This is a 107pt roster:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Bennett
Tkachuk-Backlund-Lindholm
Frolik-Jankowski-Neal
Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway
Quine-Dube-Czarnik

Giordano-Andersson
Fantenberg-Brodie
Hanifin-Hamonic
Kylington-Prout
Valimaki-Stone

Rittich
Smith

Drafted or signed as an amateur by Darryl Sutter
Drafted by Jay Feaster
Drafted by or signed as an amateur by Brad Treliving
Treliving, Feaster, and Sutter have all kept Tod Button as their head amateur scout fwiw.

Now let's look at how Treliving acquired some of the others
Lindholm & Hanifin - trade for Adam Fox, Micheal Ferland and (2015 1st, 2015 2nd, 2015 2nd used to acquire) Hamilton
Smith - trade for Brandon Hickey
Hamonic - trade for 2018 1st, 2018 2nd, 2019 2nd
Stone - trade for 2017 3rd and 2018 5th
Fantenberg - trade for 2019 4th or 3rd

 

[McShogun99]

Why are we crediting GM’s for their scouts hard work? It should be who is the best head scout in the NHL.

 

[Brownies]

If you are the GM of a team for a decade and you can’t find a single first liner or top top 2 D, you get the blame for not finding the right guys to make the pick. The GM is still responsible , though not entirely of course.

 

[Leafs87]

I dunno how much the GM does but as teams I’ll say Philly, Ottawa, Tampa, Washington and Anaheim are constantly drafting well

 

[mikeyp24]

Jarmo was a huge reason why St. Loius drafted so well up until about 4 years back and brought that head scouting here with his buddy Siren. Jarmo not as much as he used to but still goes and scouts guys. If you go search beyond the battle or cbj draft videos on youtube there are clips showing how involved he is in the picks. He was the guy turning down options to trade up for hanifin saying he thought at worst Werenski was equal and could be better. He used his Finnish connections to scout Laine and pool party and decided on pld. Has drafted guys like Texier, Bremstrom, Gavrikov, Nutivaara, VV, Tarasov, Korpisalo, Peeke, Marchenko, Abromov, Foudy, and hell the guy turned Dano into Panarin.

Side note Jarmo really want Roslovic the year the jets got him but they couldntnget anyone to trade down for then.

I dare you to take Jarmos list of players and match them with your team my GM is better then yours at scouting

 

[txpd]

Well, firstly, depending on the team the GM doesn't have much of a say in the draft. Ross Mahoney runs the Capitals drafts. He did with McPhee and still does with MacLellan.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Jarmo was a huge reason why St. Loius drafted so well up until about 4 years back and brought that head scouting here with his buddy Siren. Jarmo not as much as he used to but still goes and scouts guys. If you go search beyond the battle or cbj draft videos on youtube there are clips showing how involved he is in the picks. He was the guy turning down options to trade up for hanifin saying he thought at worst Werenski was equal and could be better. He used his Finnish connections to scout Laine and pool party and decided on pld. Has drafted guys like Texier, Bremstrom, Gavrikov, Nutivaara, VV, Tarasov, Korpisalo, Peeke, Marchenko, Abromov, Foudy, and hell the guy turned Dano into Panarin.

Side note Jarmo really want Roslovic the year the jets got him but they couldntnget anyone to trade down for then.

I dare you to take Jarmos list of players and match them with your team my GM is better then yours at scouting

Done. Jokiharju, Danault, Teravainen, Panarin, Raanta, Rutta, Kempny, Hinostroza, Hartman, Schmaltz, Kahun, Saad, Dahlbeck, Shaw, Nordstrom, Pirri, Kruger, Kevin Hayes, Johns, Motte, Dahlstrom, Hayden, DeBrincat, TVR, Mitchell, Beaudin, Krys, Boqvist, Barratt, Kurashev and thats ignoring the players he had a part in drafting prior to 2010 through his time as the assistant gm and players such as Strome, Leddy, Byfuglien, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Darling, Crawford, etc who were developed through his time as GM and within his time with team in general (from 2001-onward)

 

[mikeyp24]

Done. Jokiharju, Danault, Teravainen, Panarin, Raanta, Rutta, Kempny, Hinostroza, Hartman, Schmaltz, Kahun, Saad, Dahlbeck, Shaw, Nordstrom, Pirri, Kruger, Kevin Hayes, Johns, Motte, Dahlstrom, Hayden, DeBrincat, TVR, Mitchell, Beaudin, Krys, Boqvist, Barratt, Kurashev and thats ignoring the players he had a part in drafting prior to 2010 through his time as the assistant gm and players such as Strome, Leddy, Byfuglien, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Darling, Crawford, etc who were developed through his time as GM and within his time with team in general (from 2001-onward)

I listed jarmos list of late round picks and didnt go into jarmos list of people like Tarasenko, Oshi, Parayko with the blues and didnt add the likes of Werenski, PLD, and Wennberg because they were high firsts. Your using names like Motte and Rutta on your list who I mean come on I didnt say just list whatever stuck Im talking high potential blue chip late round steals and current legit impact players. Panarin was a FA also not a pick as well Im pretty sure.

Your list Saad, Debrincat (even though that was a no brainer he should have never dropped I cant skip govong credit even though it was handed on a silver platter haha), Boquist, Schmaltz, taraveinan, and Krys (I was high on him idk how he is now). Shaw and Kruger are 4th liners I didnt name anyone who played a NHL minute in his 5 years haha. I could throw out names like Stenlund or Kolesar who played minimal bottom 6 minutes so far in their young careers but Im talking Gavrikov a gold medal winning WJC top defender in the 6th round followed up by a top 4 D in Nutivaara in the 7th. Bjorkstrand on the 3rd or 4th. Bremstrom who just finished 2nd all time in the SHL for goals as a 19yo only 1 goal behind the Canucks Petterson. Texier who rose through the ranks of a mens french league at 17 to then go over to Liiga and skate circles around men and come over here and put up near ppg as a 19yo in a short AHL stint to playing on the 3rd line right away in the NHL playoffs. Goalies currently carrying their teams in the lower KHL league in Tarasov and in liiga VV respectively. Foudy who was projected to go closer to 2nd round but we saw breakout potential and when called a reach he showed this year just how dynamic he could be easily upping his PPG and looking like a guy who might be starting for us next year. Peeke who just captained ND in the NCAA and who decided to sogn with us rather then go UFA like so many of the best players do because he wants to play for the winner Jarmo is building. These guys Im naming are all U23 have high potential and already shown glimses rather that Shaw a bottom 6 grinder. Then if we are taking the high end drafted guys like you named in Krys and Boquist and the like taking PLD over pool party he was laughed at now we have a growing 50pt 2way 1C who only is getting bettee. Werenski who we took over Hannifan and Provarov who both people thought would be better and Z has turned out to be the diamond in that field.

He has had his bad picks like Rychel and he has made his average picks like Milano who can still make it look at his NHL numbers he just needs a new setting like Wennberg as well. He drafted Dano who if you go off his CBJ numbers was steller and after we moved him for Saad (trades are an area you cannot find a better trade history then Jarmo he is a wizard) his play never recovered but if he stayed here you can imagine how his numbers would be even if he just stayed at his paces the 1 yr.

Then if you want to say the guys assistant GM stuff thats fine but like I said guys like Oshi and Tank were Jarmo specials. Then before that he was with the sens and take a guess at some of those guys who were Jarmo specials. The guy is a talent savant. Only needs to work on UFA signings. Historically not the best. Nash and Horton both signed to deals they cant keep up with. Dubi was overpaid a bit off of some pretty decent years but hit the cliff right after signing. Fine with Fligs deal though some think 750k overpaid I take that all day based on his capt skills. His RFA deals have been amazing look at murray and Anderson. Jones is a f***ing steal. How many 40g guys get paid the low price of Cam Atkinson? He gets guys who we drafted here and want to build here to stay and create winners to take fair deals. Z and PLD will be next.

 

[lawrence]

Chevy literally nailed it with all their 1st round picks, of course moving up to number 2 really helps them too, them, Doug Wilson are very good.

 

[avsfan09]

This is actually an area for positivity for Ottawa. They are very good at finding talent. Keeping it's another story but hopefully that rights itself out.

 

[93LEAFS]

Yzerman, hands down. He's found some hidden gems like Point at 79th, Kucherov at 58th, even Vasy at 19th. Hes also found some really good depth players in later rounds.

He also drafted pretty poorly at the very top of the draft which needs to be noted. Drouin was a bad pick in retrospect (especially over Jones), Connolly returned much less value than his draft position and Koekkeok was a bad reach. Tampa seems to do well in their approach to late round picks, but their first round drafting leaves a fair amount to be desired outside of Vasi (and we will see what Foote and Howden become). Point and Kucherov balance it out as Kucherov has 1st overall pick level value, and Point a top 3-5 pick, but if you are constantly missing with your highest picks, you have to wonder what is going on in your process to have such atypical results, as hitting on late picks tends to be much more luck dependent and likely less repeatable.

To be honest, GM's shouldn't get too much credit for drafting, at least to the extent of expecting them to replicate it elsewhere. At the end of the day, Tampa's drafting is mostly on Al Murray. Yzerman has probably been the smartest in regards to knowing when to cut-bait with a guy who isn't working, and turn those into more draft opportunities.

 

[93LEAFS]

Chevy literally nailed it with all their 1st round picks, of course moving up to number 2 really helps them too, them, Doug Wilson are very good.

I don't think Wilson has been anything special. To be honest, outside of teams that are truly incompetent (see the Oilers drafting outside the first round for the past decade), its hard to distinguish between the middle of the pack teams. Wilson has his hits, and his misses in-line with pretty much everyone else in recent years. He has two hits with his better firsts (Couture, Hertl and Meier), a average return on a late first in Coyle, has a good late-round find (Labanc) and some non-first round role players (Tierney), his other mid-rounder you could call a hit is (Nieto) who they waived (so I wouldn't call that a hit for the drafting team). Goldobin and Mueller look like bad 1st rounders, and Petrecki was one. They didn't really get much value out of the 2nd in that time frame. I'd trust him with my team if he got that average type of return, as the guys who scare me are the guys who have botched multiple top 10 picks. When GM's/Team's miss on those, it is a worrisome sign, unless they are pulling voodoo magic in the 2nd day like Tampa.

 

[1865]

How do you filter out the work of each team's scouting department?

I could laud Hextall for finding someone like Lindblom in the 5th round but how much of that was borne from his own thoughts versus an overwhelming consensus from the scouts?

The GM hires the scouts.

For all of his faults, Hex drafted very well. On the Flyers we have Hart, Ghost, Provy, Sanheim, Hagg, Myers, Morin, Lindblom, Patrick, Konecny and Laughton. All solid NHL players who were drafted/signed recently. I think a couple of them may have pre-dated Hex, but that's a great haul.

 

[93LEAFS]

The GM hires the scouts.

For all of his faults, Hex drafted very well. On the Flyers we have Hart, Ghost, Provy, Sanheim, Hagg, Myers, Morin, Lindblom, Patrick, Konecny and Laughton. All solid NHL players who were drafted/signed recently. I think a couple of them may have pre-dated Hex, but that's a great haul.

It's rare for a new GM be given the freedom to just unload a previous scouting staff. They may instill a new director and a couple of others, but a lot of scouts are just long-term employees. I know the Leafs still have scouts who date back to John Ferguson Jr. on the payroll, and Hunter was given a lot of freedom replace the scouting staff. This generally happens because scouts don't leave their team unless it is for a clear promotion because they can't leave under contract. Secondly, scouts don't make enough money that it is generally worthwhile to let their contracts lapse, so, if they are offered a fair salary on renewal a year before their deal expires they take it. Generally, a new GM will bring in guys he likes to top positions (director of scouting, AGM, etc), and will just issue new mandates to the staff. That isn't to say GM have no impact on the draft, but it is largely exaggerated.