Who would you choose 1st overall? (non Oiler fans)

[Cynick]

Larsson.

 

[SDig14]

Sean couterier probably but huberdeau would also be great. RNH would be 3rd on my list. Just very small imo. Larrson might be the best pick for edmonton tho

Huberdeau and RNH are nearly identical in both height and weight.

 

[deanmoriarty]

Isn't it a pretty easy choice when 99% of scouts and analysts are calling for the same guy at #1??

 

[BHD]

Adam Larsson. He could add stability to their defense.

 

[Fourier]

This is a curious thread. All of the ranking services and what appears to be a significant majority of the pro scouts have RNH at number 1. A significant majority of Oiler fans want RNH and fell that not only is he the BPA but also the teams biggest need. However, in a thread about who the Oilers should pick specifically targeted to non Oiler fans few choose RNH. What is it that everyone else knows about the team that so few Oiler fan's seem to grasp?

 

[TaketheCannoli]

I'd pick Larsson, best player available plus a position of much greater need.

Then the Edmonton media would be all over me for picking a Swede over a kid from Red Deer.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

This is a curious thread. All of the ranking services and what appears to be a significant majority of the pro scouts have RNH at number 1. A significant majority of Oiler fans want RNH and fell that not only is he the BPA but also the teams biggest need. However, in a thread about who the Oilers should pick specifically targeted to non Oiler fans few choose RNH. What is it that everyone else knows about the team that so few Oiler fan's seem to grasp?

Obviously a bunch of closeted Avalanche fans who want RNH

Honestly though, I think either could fit the bill, they both have great potential. Although RNH has two things going for him. Firstly, he's Canadian, he's easier to see for a scouting team based in the same province, he plays a lot of minutes on his team on top of this. This means scouts would probably go towards him since they have a better idea of what he can bring night in and night out.

Secondly, he's projected to be an offensive play maker with great speed, so Oilers fans envision a great duo/trio with Hall and Eberle on offense for years to come and get giddy because of that. I don't blame Oilers fans for this, it is a tempting thought, but Edmonton's scouting department will need to put said giddiness aside, which I'm sure they will.

All that being said, I do believe the scouts have RNH in mind at the moment, and I will say this: if RNH becomes the franchise centreman the fans want him to be, then Hall and Eberle will compliment him, not the other way around.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I'd pick Larsson, best player available plus a position of much greater need.

Then the Edmonton media would be all over me for picking a Swede over a kid from Red Deer.

who exactly, is the Oilers #1 centerman that RNH is projected to be?

 

[Pyke*]

Forget your reading galsses I said last 10 years and how in the Hell is Briere or Drury considered franchis centerman give me a break so If you go back that many years . So your list reads Thornton and Richards bravo

You do know there are other people in the thread other than you, right?

You also know that, when a poster responds to another on the basis of their memory alone - they are not going to necessarily conform to your self-imposed term limits. You are welcome to assign whatever weight you wish to the information. It frankly matters little to me.

 

[4thliner*]

who exactly, is the Oilers #1 centerman that RNH is projected to be?

I would take Adam Larsson 1st.

If RNH was this dominant player in junior raking up 120+ pts, yeah even at his size I would take him 1st overall. But he is not even that.

So give me the big 6-3 220 lb defenceman who plays in e mens league and looked dominant at times in the WJC.

I watched RNH in the WHL playoffs against Medicine Hat, and he scares the hell out of me. He could easily bust. He could not create much. At least a phenom or a dominant player at thet level should be able to carry his team in a game or 2 against a determined opposition. And it wasn't even like Medicine Hat was this dominant memorial cup caliber team. They got swept the next round themselves.

If I had 1st overall pick, I would see if I can somehow trade down and pick Huberdeau or Couturier. If not then just take Huberdeau straight-up. Adam Larsson is a no brainer. only reason IMO a team should pass him up is maybe if they are so stacked with elite prospects or young players at the position and can afford to trade down a bit and pick up a forward.

I would be fine with taking RNH in that top 5-6 mix, but not 1st overall if Larsson is on the board or if I can get + in a trade to move down and pick up a player just as good or better.

 

[Pyke*]

I would take Adam Larsson 1st.

If RNH was this dominant player in junior raking up 120+ pts, yeah even at his size I would take him 1st overall. But he is not even that.

So give me the big 6-3 220 lb defenceman who plays in e mens league and looked dominant at times in the WJC.

I watched RNH in the WHL playoffs against Medicine Hat, and he scares the hell out of me. He could easily bust. He could not create much. At least a phenom or a dominant player at thet level should be able to carry his team in a game or 2 against a determined opposition. And it wasn't even like Medicine Hat was this dominant memorial cup caliber team. They got swept the next round themselves.

If I had 1st overall pick, I would see if I can somehow trade down and pick Huberdeau or Couturier. If not then just take Huberdeau straight-up. Adam Larsson is a no brainer. only reason IMO a team should pass him up is maybe if they are so stacked with elite prospects or young players at the position and can afford to trade down a bit and pick up a forward.

I would be fine with taking RNH in that top 5-6 mix, but not 1st overall if Larsson is on the board or if I can get + in a trade to move down and pick up a player just as good or better.

In fairness, I can't remember the last 17 year old to break 100 points in the WHL - but it's not a common occurrence at all. RNH does have a big upside, despite his stature/frame... it's just a question of whether he can realize it or not.

 

[SDig14]

I would take Adam Larsson 1st.

If RNH was this dominant player in junior raking up 120+ pts, yeah even at his size I would take him 1st overall. But he is not even that.

So give me the big 6-3 220 lb defenceman who plays in e mens league and looked dominant at times in the WJC.

I watched RNH in the WHL playoffs against Medicine Hat, and he scares the hell out of me. He could easily bust. He could not create much. At least a phenom or a dominant player at thet level should be able to carry his team in a game or 2 against a determined opposition. And it wasn't even like Medicine Hat was this dominant memorial cup caliber team. They got swept the next round themselves.

If I had 1st overall pick, I would see if I can somehow trade down and pick Huberdeau or Couturier. If not then just take Huberdeau straight-up. Adam Larsson is a no brainer. only reason IMO a team should pass him up is maybe if they are so stacked with elite prospects or young players at the position and can afford to trade down a bit and pick up a forward.

I would be fine with taking RNH in that top 5-6 mix, but not 1st overall if Larsson is on the board or if I can get + in a trade to move down and pick up a player just as good or better.

Why the random point limit of 120+? None of the elite players in the NHL put up 120 points in the CHL, other than a few exceptions.

Hall, Stamkos, Seguin, Tavares, etc. all had similar numbers to RNH. What about guys like Duchene, Johansen, Schenn, etc? Are all these players doomed because they put up between 25-35 points LESS than RNH?

120+ points in your 17 year old sophmore year in the CHL is extremely rare. If that's the benchmark for anyone that's 6'1 to be a great NHLer, then there would be like 5 good players in the NHL right now.

I know everyone has their favorite prospect every year, but it seems you have something against RNH. As much as I like him, I think the rest of the bunch is very close as well.

As far as Larsson, I have seen him play in 2 WJCs and multiple games in the SEL playoffs, and while I understand why he had limited offense this year, you're willing to say that if RNH got 14 more points this year and got to 120 you would take him over Larsson, who had 1 goal the entire year?

I'm willing to recognize the concerns with RNH's game, but you have to be objective and look at the faults of everyone, not just say Larsson is better because he plays in men's league, looked decent at the WJC, or is 6'3. He has concerns just the same.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

In fairness, I can't remember the last 17 year old to break 100 points in the WHL - but it's not a common occurrence at all. RNH does have a big upside, despite his stature/frame... it's just a question of whether he can realize it or not.

I agree with this statement. What will be key for the Oilers is to not fast track him: let him develop at his own pace, or receive a potential second smacking of Sam Gagner, which isn't a bad thing but does leave some potential on the table. Sometimes, leaving a player in junior isn't a bad thing, especially if it's only one more year.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Nugent-Hopkins

 

[flamebird]

Larsson, the need for a top pairing defenseman is more than the need for a top line forward...side question, does Larsson have any connections to Paajarvi/Lander or any other Euro/Swede players in the Oilers system?

 

[4thliner*]

Why the random point limit of 120+? None of the elite players in the NHL put up 120 points in the CHL, other than a few exceptions.

Hall, Stamkos, Seguin, Tavares, etc. all had similar numbers to RNH. What about guys like Duchene, Johansen, Schenn, etc? Are all these players doomed because they put up between 25-35 points LESS than RNH?

120+ points in your 17 year old sophmore year in the CHL is extremely rare. If that's the benchmark for anyone that's 6'1 to be a great NHLer, then there would be like 5 good players in the NHL right now.

I know everyone has their favorite prospect every year, but it seems you have something against RNH. As much as I like him, I think the rest of the bunch is very close as well.

As far as Larsson, I have seen him play in 2 WJCs and multiple games in the SEL playoffs, and while I understand why he had limited offense this year, you're willing to say that if RNH got 14 more points this year and got to 120 you would take him over Larsson, who had 1 goal the entire year?

I'm willing to recognize the concerns with RNH's game, but you have to be objective and look at the faults of everyone, not just say Larsson is better because he plays in men's league, looked decent at the WJC, or is 6'3. He has concerns just the same.

I got nothing against RNH, in fact I really didn't rate him as high earlier the 1st half of the season as he was average at best for a top rated prospect. He did have a great 2nd half in the regular season and I was like ok this guy does maybe deserve to be challenging Larsson.

But I totally did not like what I saw against Medicine Hat. I saw a player who looked physically immature and even lost at times in a playoff game at the junior level. I am kinda shocked some people are turning the other cheek on his playoff performance against the Tigers. He looked nothing like a potential 1st overall pick. Not even top 5 pick.

Adam Larsson didn'y put the numbers up because his team didn't need it from him. They had Rundblad doing the heavu lifting on the offense. And then they had Erixon, 2 1st round picks @ 19/20 ahead of you does not give you a chance to perform offensively. He looked like a stud on the PP from the point at the WJC and moving the puck up the ice against kids his age. All the tools are there.

 

[SDig14]

I got nothing against RNH, in fact I really didn't rate him as high earlier the 1st half of the season as he was average at best for a top rated prospect. He did have a great 2nd half in the regular season and I was like ok this guy does maybe deserve to be challenging Larsson.

But I totally did not like what I saw against Medicine Hat. I saw a player who looked physically immature and even lost at times in a playoff game at the junior level. I am kinda shocked some people are turning the other cheek on his playoff performance against the Tigers. He looked nothing like a potential 1st overall pick. Not even top 5 pick.

Adam Larsson didn'y put the numbers up because his team didn't need it from him. They had Rundblad doing the heavu lifting on the offense. And then they had Erixon, 2 1st round picks @ 19/20 ahead of you does not give you a chance to perform offensively. He looked like a stud on the PP from the point at the WJC and moving the puck up the ice against kids his age. All the tools are there.

Fair enough.

I saw 1 game against Med Hat, and if you watched the rest of the series it was clear RNH was getting shadowed by 1, if not 2 guys sometimes. I wasn't sure if it was the same in all the games, but it was confirmed by their radio announcer that it was similar in the other 3 games.

It's really easy to cover one player when there are no other dominant offensive players on his line. He has to create all of the offense himself 5-on-5.

Medicine Hat did the same thing during the regular season against him as well, and Red Deer really had a lot of problems with their defensive system.

In the end, I'm gonna judge the player on the bulk of his work, not just the few losses against a team they had trouble with all year. The kid went a month without a goal and still ended up with 30+ goals and 106 points as a sophmore, still a season that can be compared to tons of great prospects that went on to be elite NHL players.

I guess for me personally, I think his game will translate despite the frame because he is a player that thinks and sees the game at an elite level. Sure, he's light in weight, but he tends to find ways to get to areas where the pick will be and not where it is at the time, and when he does have the puck he has the agility, quickness, and puck skills to play a puck possession game.

As far as Larsson, like I said, I understand why he was limited offensively, and that he ate a ton of minutes, but I'm still not sold on him being more than a great shutdown defender who can chip in offensively and on the breakout.

 

[Cory Trevor]

Yet every single scout out there would disagree with you and have RNH number 1. There is a reason he is there, he has the most upside in this draft. If he's not ready, he will be back in the WHL but I believe he will be ready. Remember what people were saying about Hedman back in the 09 draft? How some were saying Tavares is too slow to make it to the NHL and Hedman is the real deal. This draft seems to be just like that.

Like the post with one exception: I would just like you to clarify and show me the scouts out there and the reports. Are we sure there isn't some bias there.

Hedman was part of a team that this year that made it to within a game of the SCF. He was a large part of their regular season and their deep run. RNH may have more upside, but a franchise DMan usually has a chance to turn a franchise around like many others have said previously. Name the last time a forward who may or may not be ready for the show turned a franchise around. I think developmentally he's a couple years away I think. Larsson's impact is much more sudden I think. He makes the Oilers better instantly.

And a large part of it comes down to whether or not you think RNH is a franchise center. It's expensive, but they can be signed. He does have the potential to be a bust and I think you have a more sure thing with Larsson.

 

[Ox]

Landeskog.

 

[Black Label]

Larsson.

 

[SDig14]

Like the post with one exception: I would just like you to clarify and show me the scouts out there and the reports. Are we sure there isn't some bias there.

Hedman was part of a team that this year that made it to within a game of the SCF. He was a large part of their regular season and their deep run. RNH may have more upside, but a franchise DMan usually has a chance to turn a franchise around like many others have said previously. Name the last time a forward who may or may not be ready for the show turned a franchise around. I think developmentally he's a couple years away I think. Larsson's impact is much more sudden I think. He makes the Oilers better instantly.

And a large part of it comes down to whether or not you think RNH is a franchise center. It's expensive, but they can be signed. He does have the potential to be a bust and I think you have a more sure thing with Larsson.

The thing that scares me is this: If Vancouver wins the cup, it adds to the trend. Since the lockout, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Vancouver have all been able to win a cup with at least 1 franchise centre, if not 2 elite centres. They have been able to do with through lots of depth and 4 solid guys acquired through the draft, trade, or free agency. Teams like Chicago and Detroit have had their elite defenders, but no team has won a cup without a great 1-2 punch down the middle.

It's simply a lot easier to find solid top 4 d-men through free agency or trade as opposed to legitmate first line centres IMO.

 

[Pyke*]

The thing that scares me is this: If Vancouver wins the cup, it adds to the trend. Since the lockout, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Vancouver have all been able to win a cup with at least 1 franchise centre, if not 2 elite centres. They have been able to do with through lots of depth and 4 solid guys acquired through the draft, trade, or free agency. Teams like Chicago and Detroit have had their elite defenders, but no team has won a cup without a great 1-2 punch down the middle.

It's simply a lot easier to find solid top 4 d-men through free agency or trade as opposed to legitmate first line centres IMO.

Vancouver has 8 NHL defensemen, including Bieksa and Erhoff.

Pittsburgh had Gonchar and Kris Letang (in addition to several other good guys). Chicago had Keith and Seabrook. Detroit had Lidstrom and I can't remember who else. Anaheim had Pronger and Nieds, as well as Beauchemin.

No team has won the cup without a #1 defenseman except perhaps Carolina - and even they would not have won had they not injured Roloson in Game 1 of S.C.F.

 

[magic school bus]

Landeskog.

he might not put up all the points, but he'll be a valuable player in this league. he could be their Toews or Kesler or Richards. you win championships with guys like that.

 

[magic school bus]

This is a curious thread. All of the ranking services and what appears to be a significant majority of the pro scouts have RNH at number 1. A significant majority of Oiler fans want RNH and fell that not only is he the BPA but also the teams biggest need. However, in a thread about who the Oilers should pick specifically targeted to non Oiler fans few choose RNH. What is it that everyone else knows about the team that so few Oiler fan's seem to grasp?

i think you guys are chasing points. RNH could be the biggest star in the draft, but there more to the game (and winning) than that.

i'm picking Landeskog, so i'll use the example of Toews vs. Backstrom. one player blows the other away in terms of points/offense, but you can see the difference in the two.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I got nothing against RNH, in fact I really didn't rate him as high earlier the 1st half of the season as he was average at best for a top rated prospect. He did have a great 2nd half in the regular season and I was like ok this guy does maybe deserve to be challenging Larsson.

But I totally did not like what I saw against Medicine Hat. I saw a player who looked physically immature and even lost at times in a playoff game at the junior level. I am kinda shocked some people are turning the other cheek on his playoff performance against the Tigers. He looked nothing like a potential 1st overall pick. Not even top 5 pick.

Adam Larsson didn'y put the numbers up because his team didn't need it from him. They had Rundblad doing the heavu lifting on the offense. And then they had Erixon, 2 1st round picks @ 19/20 ahead of you does not give you a chance to perform offensively. He looked like a stud on the PP from the point at the WJC and moving the puck up the ice against kids his age. All the tools are there.

I think it's a bit unfair to say that about Nugent-Hopkins, he was a 17 year old playing against guys as old as 21 while on a team that didn't have any other dangerous threats. I remember the same thing happening to Seguin last year: had an excellent first series to start, but once Plymouth ran into Windsor, Seguin was continually shadowed and had no body else who could give him space, and went pointless throughout. I'd bet you quite a bit that if Seguin and Hall switched teams, then Hall would've had the same problems, while Seguin would've starred. Quite frankly, the only player in the past ten years who could take an average team far on his own was Crosby, who led an otherwise good if not particularly noteworthy Rimouski Oceanic club to one win away from a Memorial Cup.