Speculation: Who Should we Draft with Nashville's Pick?

[The Winter Soldier]

Separate from the draft thread, this is a discussion of who we should pick with our 2nd, 1st rd pick. Estimated to be 20-24 range, if the Predators do not win 2 rds in the playoffs.

As of today, Mar 26, 2015. I would lean towards a Center, specificially Beauvillier or Harkins.

Here is a few quotes from Jansen Harkins.

Rated 18 on CSB
Rated 26 on ISS

McKeen’s: What is the strongest part of your game, and what the things you are working on?

Harkins: I think I’m a good play-maker, I see the ice well with a high hockey IQ, I have a good shot, I’m a pretty good skater. However, my first three explosive steps from push off should be better and I want to improve on that, but that’s usually the case with young players, I’m still developing my game, and much like most players in this league I want to get bigger, stronger, and faster.

On training.

McKeen’s: Well just how important, and how much time do you put into off ice weight and core strength training?

Harkins: Last year coming into the league, as I stated already, everyone is much bigger, stronger, and faster, that being said – you really have to engage yourself and get ready to compete at this level and that means training hard with the training and coaching staff to get at that level you want to be at out there on the ice. It’s not just one or two shifts that you have to go compete hard, it’s doing it consistently with raw emotion and intelligence, you can’t take a shift off or puck can be in the back of your net in a hurry.

Player models.

McKeen’s: Growing up watching NHL players, including your dad, was there any player you admired and wanted to emulate and pattern your game after?

Harkins: Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Toews are a couple of guys I admired and wanted to pattern my game after, because of the way they play and conduct themselves off of the ice.

I like this guy.

http://www.mckeenshockey.com/prospects-blog/interview-jansen-harkins-c-prince-george-cougars/

Click to read more...

 

[Phatic]

i like mitch vande sompel, its a little early to take him, but having the name in the organization is worth it.

edit: i like the swedes too larsson or carlsson

 

[Mess]

Evgeny Svechnikov

Right Wing -- shoots L
Born Oct 31 1996 [18 yrs. ago]
Height 6.03 -- Weight 205

2014-15 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - QMJHL .. 55 games 32 goals 46 assists 78 points 70 pims +19

Incredibly skilled offensive winger. Has a remarkably accurate shot to go along with some magic hands. Could be better defensively, but his game is based around his acute sense of what is happening on the ice in the offensive zone. All-in-all, a deadly player who possesses good size, elite-level skill, and smooth skating.

That would give the Leafs a potential future line of :

Nikita Soshnikov --- XXXX --- Evgeny Svechnikov

 

[Kelly]

I don't have a vast knowledge of last 1st rounders, but if Bittner falls to that pick and I'd like to snag him.

 

[Bullseye]

This is impossible to say but there are some nice US college guys in that range plus a bunch of other nice prospects compared to other years...

J Roy, Chabot, Konecny, Svechnikov, Boeser, etc....

 

[mcleex]

Who cares, we will probably just end up wasting the pick like usual on players like Biggs, Gauthier, Schenn etc

 

[Stats01]

Jeremy Bracco. Just turned 18 last week and has put up 30 points in 22 games with the USNDT. A bit on the smaller side but skilled.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Eriksson Ek please.

If Bergie gives the endorsement, I say we listen, he historically has done very well for us

 

[4thline]

I'd take him (Harkins) anywhere after 12 likely. A couple guys on the trade board pointed him out as a guy with good upside PLUS good pro projectability so I've looked into him a bit more this month and he seems like he could be this year's Larkin. Guy who was looked at as primarily two way but has much more offense yet to give.
78 points, lead his team as a draft eligible player, next being low 60's from an overager, and no-one else over 50

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Jeremy Bracco. Just turned 18 last week and has put up 30 points in 22 games with the USNDT. A bit on the smaller side but skilled.

He's a scorer, like him. But with 20-24. That's a little high for him. But yes, I do like him. Reminds me a little of Gaudreau.

 

[SprDaVE]

I have a lot of names in mind. A lot of names will change from their suspected rankings, so it's tough to figure out.

A few names that interest me in the #20-30 bracket that could move up and down depending who goes where:

Daniel Sprong
Brandon Carlo
Yevgeni Svechnikov
Paul Bittner
Jordan Greenway
Jake DeBrusk
Jeremy Roy

 

[613Leafer]

Eriksson Ek please.

If Bergie gives the endorsement, I say we listen, he historically has done very well for us

6'2 smart hardworking two-way centre? Yep, he's a guy Id be interested in. I just hope we're prioritizing skill/hockey IQ, and not size/physicality.

 

[Warden of the North]

Bittner, Eriksson Ek, or Svechnikov

 

[ULF_55]

Evgeny Svechnikov

Right Wing -- shoots L
Born Oct 31 1996 [18 yrs. ago]
Height 6.03 -- Weight 205

2014-15 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - QMJHL .. 55 games 32 goals 46 assists 78 points 70 pims +19

That would give the Leafs a potential future line of :

Nikita Soshnikov --- XXXX --- Evgeny Svechnikov

Kimelman has him going earlier. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=759512

21.DET
Evgeny Svechnikov, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)

The 6-2, 199-pound forward showcased top-end offensive skills in his first North American season and shows promise for more. A strong skater and creative with the puck.

 

[WTFMAN99]

6'2 smart hardworking two-way centre? Yep, he's a guy Id be interested in. I just hope we're prioritizing skill/hockey IQ, and not size/physicality.

Ha! He actually has skill/hockey iq, but BONUS, he has size!

I posted this in another thread but I can't get past this if we were to get Strome and Eriksson Ek in the draft. We could be set at centre down the road

Strome - 6'3
Ek - 6'2
Tonintato - 6'2
Gauthier - 6'5

Size, strength and skill throughout the line up. For the most part they are all good 2-way guys.

 

[Trapper]

I have a lot of names in mind. A lot of names will change from their suspected rankings, so it's tough to figure out.

A few names that interest me in the #20-30 bracket that could move up and down depending who goes where:

Daniel Sprong
Brandon Carlo
Yevgeni Svechnikov
Paul Bittner
Jordan Greenway
Jake DeBrusk
Jeremy Roy

Don't forget Colin White.
If we could pull Strome/White out of the 1st round, we'd be built down the middle.

 

[RyanOhReally]

Harkins, White, Eriksson Ek, Juulsen, Dergachyov, Hintz

 

[Guy Boucher]

I can see Kylington sliding to the Nashville pick. There are a lot of questions around him but he's an impeccable skater.

 

[Jerkini]

Who ever it is, I sure as hell hope it's a better pick than Tyler Biggs or Stuart Percy.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Harkins, White, Eriksson Ek, Juulsen, Dergachyov, Hintz

I'm with you there. Imagine the Leafs drafting Strome and Harkins in the first rd this year.

There is your future core for the next decade if I think they are as good as I believe they will be.

1 and 2 C's this team badly needs.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

I'd really like Jeremy Roy. I think he goes in the teens though.

 

[ItWas41]

I can see Kylington sliding to the Nashville pick. There are a lot of questions around him but he's an impeccable skater.

This. My dream draft involves winning the lottery and drafting McDavid and drafting Kylington with the Nashville pick.

 

[613Leafer]

I'd really like Jeremy Roy. I think he goes in the teens though.

It would be nice to have a really solid RHD prospect in the system. Only question mark on him seems to be his skating, which I'd imagine he can improve.

 

[New Liskeard]

Who cares, we will probably just end up wasting the pick like usual on players like Biggs, Gauthier, Schenn etc

When did Gauthier bust?? And Biggs for that matter. Last I checked Schenn netted the Leafs 2nd overall pick in JVR? You have a very odd definition of wasting picks.

 

[Mess]

Kimelman has him going earlier. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=759512

So Detroit drafts Anthony Mantha in front of Freddy Gauthier and here they have Yevgeni Svechnikov going in front of the Leafs again.

Bummer, those darn Wings keep stealing my picks, but then again Detroit does know what they're doing at the draft so that says something.

I'd be content with a Dylan Strome and then Paul Bittner the big Portland Winterhawk power forward take from the 1st round.