Who will be the steal of the draft?

[BluechipBulletin]

Did someone say Strome isn't elusive?

To be fair, Strome pantsed Beau Schmitz and Nick Malysa in that vid. Derek Mathers could put a rock in his skate and still elude checks from those two.

 

[Michael Gary Scott]

I'm intrigued.

Can you give us a quick scouting report? Google is failing me.

Plays in the USHL. Kind of a gritty player that can score. He led the entire USHL in points with 92 in 59 games (led by a WIDE margin). Not afraid to drop the mitts. Very squatty build at 5'10 198lbs. Seems to be a decent player that could turn out to be a good 3rd line scoring energy player.

 

[Account Terminated]

----N/A----

 

[Body Checker]

Pageau = Briere

 

[thefeebster]

I don't think i can name just one.

-Ryan Sproul, for me, i just see huge potential there.
-Blake Coleman, mentioned him on the Vancouver board, didn't get much attention, but i think he could be a Pavelski-kind of player in playing style and in the form of "How the heck was this guy chosen in the 6th round". Here is a great read on him and his season: http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=3869
-Zac Larraza has the size and skill to be a good powerforward, didn't put it all together during the year. But if/when he does, a very good steal, if not, i still see him being a good defensive forward for the 3rd line.
-Josh Leivo

I'd love all 4 of these players.

 

[leoleo3535]

Zachary Yuen.

Very high on this kid. He's going to be good.

I agree 100%.

 

[JawandaPuck]

-Blake Coleman, mentioned him on the Vancouver board, didn't get much attention, but i think he could be a Pavelski-kind of player in playing style and in the form of "How the heck was this guy chosen in the 6th round". Here is a great read on him and his season: http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=3869

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=766687

 

[thefeebster]

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=766687

Yeah i read about that on another forum and didn't want to watch the video. But since you linked it, I thought, the hell with it, i'll watch it. Ughhh I cringed.

 

[hfboardsuser]

I think theres a couple of good prospects in SEL-2 that don't get the kind of hype they deserve

Norén (LOVE Norén), Karlsson, the Westerholms and Johan Sundstrom are high on my list, but I have to say Mattias Bäckman is my pick to become a star from the later rounds. I just have a feeling about him.

For a Swedish goalie, Adam Reideborn is interesting. He was not picked last year and then got overshadowed by Hellberg this season, but he is extremely talented.

From the WHL- my home league- Michael St. Croix has not been mentioned yet. Incredible hockey sense, a ghost-like elusiveness, and a BIG shot. He could be a top player once all is said and done.

Edit: I would be remiss to leave out Danish forward Thomas Spelling and German defender Pascal Zerressen. They're darn good players.

 

[hawksfan50]

Well if Nikita Kucherov really is the 2nd coming of Mike Bossy as a sniper AND if they all pass on him in round one AND if he really decides he wants to be an NHL'er rather than a KHL'er --then he will be a steal in round 2 for whichever team risked on him...

IF Magnus Hellberg turns into a franchise goalie then again if no team took him in the first round-he willbe a draft steal as a 2nd rounder.

Finally --also likely only a late 2nd rounder --Miika Salomaki will be a bottom two line steal NHL'er for the team that grabs him--while many first rounders taken never even "make it" as NHL'ers...

In other words teams could be kicking themselves that they bypassed on these guys ...

 

[R S]

Well if Nikita Kucherov really is the 2nd coming of Mike Bossy as a sniper AND if they all pass on him in round one AND if he really decides he wants to be an NHL'er rather than a KHL'er --then he will be a steal in round 2 for whichever team risked on him...

IF Magnus Hellberg turns into a franchise goalie then again if no team took him in the first round-he willbe a draft steal as a 2nd rounder.

Finally --also likely only a late 2nd rounder --Miika Salomaki will be a bottom two line steal NHL'er for the team that grabs him--while many first rounders taken never even "make it" as NHL'ers...

In other words teams could be kicking themselves that they bypassed on these guys ...

Oh jeez.

 

[headsigh]

Rocco Grimaldi

 

[AmericanDream]

I've seen all of the top guys (and most everyone else) extensively. And I'm not a Strome guy. Landeskog is the best player in the draft, Grimaldi is the most talented player in the draft, and Strome is better than RNH. I realize that RNH has the hype, but if you watched all of them and had access to their stats but had no access to rankings, I doubt you'd put RNH ahead of Strome, and you certainly wouldn't put Huberdeau ahead of Couturier (especially considering that Couturier outscored Huberdeau by a considerable margin when you look at it from a points per game standpoint and especially when you factor out Huberdeau benefiting so heavily from his teammates).

To me, hype is about as important as what color eyes a player has.

well, your not alone...

I have taken plenty of heat on here for my feeling of RNH, and I agree with everything you said.

I am sure you arent just basing this off of stats as you stated you are using your eyes as well, but I cant see RNH living up to the hype that has been created by a few idiots that started comparing the kid to Joe Sakic. And when I say idiots I for once dont mean on HF....it was a scout or a gm I believe, then the snowball effect happened.

I also cant see anyone taking Huberdeau over Couturier. Couturier has done nothing wrong to drop out of the top 3, and whoever passes on this kid will regret it bigtime.

Couturier, Strome, and Landeskog are my top 3 forwards for this draft as it stands, followed by Grimaldi, Huberdeau, and RNH in no order...

Many posters are like sheep on here, and it really does sadden me, but I like using my own eyes and opinions on what I see over what the flock of sheep are regurgitating on here....I may be wrong as much as I am right, but in the end I formulate my own views of players and that is what it is all about.

 

[DwightKSchrute]

Matt Puempel, kid would have been top 10 if not for injuries.

 

[AmericanDream]

Matt Puempel, kid would have been top 10 if not for injuries.

I believe he started dropping before the injuries happened....but either way I think he is getting overlooked a bit as well

 

[hfboardsuser]

And when I say idiots I for once dont mean on HF....it was a scout or a gm I believe, then the snowball effect happened.

Yep, what a moron Stu MacGregor is. He'd only ever drafted bums like Eberle, Hall and Paajarvi. We should definitely take your word over his.

 

[JawandaPuck]

MacGregor on RNH's size

"I've never been one who likes to compare players, especially when you get to Gretzky. Like, come on," MacGregor said.

"Yzerman was drafted at 155 pounds. Sakic wasn't very big either. I'm not comparing this guy to those guys because they're hall-of-famers, but remember these guys are 17 and 18 years old.

"The question is, can he put on the weight that gives him the strength and power? Those guys did, so obviously it's not impossible to do that. Now, is it possible for him to do that?"

 

[AmericanDream]

Yep, what a moron Stu MacGregor is. He'd only ever drafted bums like Eberle, Hall and Paajarvi. We should definitely take your word over his.

if you dont see the idiotic carelessness in his remarks about RNH, then I dont know what to say. way to build up unmatchable pressure and comparisons Stu.....that doesnt set fans up for ridiculous expectations.

as for Eberle, Hall, and MPS, please dont act like its Lidstrom, Yzerman, and Federov.....those 3 may one day be very great players, but they are all hardly locks as all-stars at this point and it is stupid to say he is a superstar with drafting three kids that havent produced much of anything yet.

the comment was careless and I put it in the Vinny Lecavalier = next Jordan of hockey comment.....uneccesary

 

[AmericanDream]

MacGregor on RNH's size

"I've never been one who likes to compare players, especially when you get to Gretzky. Like, come on," MacGregor said.

"Yzerman was drafted at 155 pounds. Sakic wasn't very big either. I'm not comparing this guy to those guys because they're hall-of-famers, but remember these guys are 17 and 18 years old.

"The question is, can he put on the weight that gives him the strength and power? Those guys did, so obviously it's not impossible to do that. Now, is it possible for him to do that?"

thats a different comment. there is another comment from not sure who, that says RNH reminds him so much of Joe Sakic and that his passing is the best he has seen since Sakic. If anyone knows who said that, that is what I am talking about with hyping up kids to unrealistic levels.

 

[hfboardsuser]

if you dont see the idiotic carelessness in his remarks about RNH, then I dont know what to say. way to build up unmatchable pressure and comparisons Stu.....that doesnt set fans up for ridiculous expectations.

"I've never been one who likes to compare players, especially when you get to Gretzky. Like, come on," MacGregor said.

"Yzerman was drafted at 155 pounds. Sakic wasn't very big either. I'm not comparing this guy to those guys because they're hall-of-famers, but remember these guys are 17 and 18 years old.

"The question is, can he put on the weight that gives him the strength and power? Those guys did, so obviously it's not impossible to do that. Now, is it possible for him to do that?"

Yep, the definition of idiotic and carelessness.

 

[hfboardsuser]

thats a different comment. there is another comment from not sure who, that says RNH reminds him so much of Joe Sakic and that his passing is the best he has seen since Sakic. If anyone knows who said that, that is what I am talking about with hyping up kids to unrealistic levels.

Central Scouting's Jack Barzee.

"Watching Nugent Hopkins … when he put that pedal to the metal and would just come up and snap that shot off or see someone out of the corner of his eye, you say how does he do this? How does a guy do this at top speed? You look at Sakic, who was the same way. Nugent-Hopkins is a little taller than Sakic was in his draft year but is probably 10 pounds lighter than Sakic."

A 26-year veteran of Central Scouting and a storied Junior A coach before that. But you > him.

 

[AmericanDream]

Yep, the definition of idiotic and carelessness.

read my post above yours, that isnt the quote I was talking about. when you brought up Stu, I assumed you were talking about the Joe Sakic quote, but you brought up something completely different. so thanks for derailing my comments with the wrong quote Bugg..... j/k

 

[AmericanDream]

Central Scouting's Jack Barzee.

"Watching Nugent Hopkins … when he put that pedal to the metal and would just come up and snap that shot off or see someone out of the corner of his eye, you say how does he do this? How does a guy do this at top speed? You look at Sakic, who was the same way. Nugent-Hopkins is a little taller than Sakic was in his draft year but is probably 10 pounds lighter than Sakic."

A 26-year veteran of Central Scouting and a storied Junior A coach before that. But you > him.

there is still something different out there then that, but if you want to be fed your views like the rest of the sheep, then so be it. I couldnt care less who said what in this world, as if it is the bible. you act like this guy is 100% correct on his views; so then what NHL team does he work for? hmmmmm....let me think about that... you really want me to take central scouting seriously? I really havent in a long time, and though I think they do a decent job, they really miss the boat on a lot of players. wonder what his comments were of Jeff Skinner, or whoever covered the OHL since they had him ranked close to #50.

again, I can use my own eyes and come up with my own ideas. I dont need to formulate my opinions like you do because someone who once did something good 20 years ago said so. I could not care less. throwing your comments around isnt making me look bad, it is making you look bad as you need to be forcefed your opinion.

using your own mind > you

 

[hfboardsuser]

I couldnt care less who said what in this world, as if it is the bible.

Well, based on the events of the last two hours, the Bible is about drop from a couple of best-seller lists.

you act like this guy is 100% correct on his views; so then what NHL team does he work for? hmmmmm....let me think about that...

Central Scouting employees like working for CS because it means stability- especially for someone like Barzee, who is 70 years old. If you think he a) hasn't been offered an NHL job b) couldn't do it, I don't know what to tell you. Your hatred of Central Scouting is blotting out any possible logic.

wonder what his comments were of Jeff Skinner, or whoever covered the OHL since they had him ranked close to #50.

“Not overly big in size, he makes up for that with his sniping ability. Pure puck handler with great moves and a great shot, he contributed a 50 goal season for Kitchener and despite the 5’10†knock some scouts might have, destined to be an NHLer.â€

Outlandish! Crazy! Insane! Can't believe Central Scouting gets paid to do what they do. Destined to be an NHLer, my ass.

q

again, I can use my own eyes and come up with my own ideas. I dont need to formulate my opinions like you do because someone who once did something good 20 years ago said so. I could not care less. throwing your comments around isnt making me look bad, it is making you look bad as you need to be forcefed your opinion.

using your own mind > you

Me: Lives in Edmonton, Canada. Gets to see RNH in person numerous times a year, including a playoff series.

You: Lives in the United States. Admittedly has seen RNH only on the Internet and TV.

But I'm the sheep.

 

[Predsrule]

Victor Rask. he has the skills to be a top 3 player in this draft and my guess he goes in the 3rd round now.. (having a "lazy" year) but hey if we knew this we would be getting paid by the nhl teams instead of trying to desperately be accepted by an online forum ^_^