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

[Oilmageddon*]

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.

You think Hedman was the reason they went to within 1 game of a Scf well hey they won it without Hedman in 2004 reason why they came within 1 game was a rejuvinated Lecavalier and the same old ST.Louis Hedman had 6 apples in 18 games what a reach by you.

 

[SDig14]

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.

The point was Vancouver, Carolina, and Pittsburgh didn't have a franchise defender, but they all had franchise centermen.

I never said those teams didn't have some very good d-men, but gonchar, bieksa, ehrhoff, hamhuis, orpik, letang, etc are not or were not franchise defenders or elite top guys in the league. The closest thing to a top 5 d-man is letang, but he has made huge strides since their cup win and wasn't near as complete then as he is now.

Either way, I think that's 3 examples in the last 10+ years of teams winning without a franchise d-man. Over that time, how many without an elite centre? 0.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

ITT we learn that most HF posters think they are smarter than every reputable scouting service, every individual scout that's been on record with a pick, and every rankings service.

By the way, BPA does not mean best CURRENT player available. It's referring to drafting player versus need. Larsson might be more NHL-ready than RNH, but he's not the best player available. RNH is the best player available.

 

[Fighter]

RNH, then Larsson.

 

[Wheatking]

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?

RNH isn't just a top line forward. He's a potential #1 center. I thought a Flames fan would be able to appreciate the need for a 1st line center to play with their star winger. Lets be honest, how different does the last 5 years look if Marc Savard is playing on a line with Iginla? How many 50 goal seasons would he have if he was playing with a star playmaker as opposed to Stajan/Jokinen/Langkow/Conroy? They may have been a cup contender.

As for Larsson. He's said that he's talked to Paajarvi, Lander and Omark about Edmonton and that he'd like to be drafted by the Oilers. I'm on the RNH bandwagon but I like Larsson a lot too. Having a core made up of Swedes and Canadians wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[tututooter21]

I'd draft Couturier, just have this feeling...

Me too, I feel like he'll be a star, and for some reason he'll be playing in Pheonix (Not because I like them, I just feel he'll be there)

Also to the guy who said Nugent-Hopkins is the BPA, isn't Landeskog basically able to play in NHL now?

 

[Taylorhall4EDM]

Erik johnson sure turned around st louis, and that small soft patrick kane did squat for chicago.

RNH

 

[PensFan101]

Since I'm a believer in always taking the Best Player Available, and Adam Larsson is the #1 in my eyes, I would take him. That said, I fully expect Edmonton to take Nugent-Hopkins 1st.

 

[eberlehall*]

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.

Obviously you did not watch the Medicine Hat series because if you would, you would know that they had 2 people shadowing RNH at all times.

 

[GM17*]

Larsson

 

[Leviathan]

I think you take RNH because he has that explosive offense and vision which is unmatched.

That being said...like many people on this forum I'm still a strong believer in Couturier. What more does he have to do to prove that he's got the tools to be a very good NHL player?

 

[zeus3007*]

Obviously you did not watch the Medicine Hat series because if you would, you would know that they had 2 people shadowing RNH at all times.

This, and the fact that the Rebels have worse depth than almost any other team in the WHL playoffs. They are basically a 3 player team, with RNH, a solid rookie puck moving d-man, and a goalie who was playing hurt in the Medicine Hat series. MH has some great depth, so losing to them shouldn't be seen as a negative on RNH, or the Rebels team.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Patrick Marleau had 125 points in the WHL in his draft year and was taken second overall.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

for the flyers, adam larsson

 

[GirouxCouturier]

Larsson is best suited for the flyers because we need young defensemen in our system, but i think RNH is the best available player in the draft.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Larsson and easily IMO.

 

[Barzilla]

Larsson is the easy choice, he's going to be able to take top minutes and be effective. The oilers have sum really good forward prospects. They should draft larsson and let RNH bust.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

The only "easy" choice is RNH.

Anything else is being contrarian, having a sour grapes mentality, or being just plain ignorant.

Show me a single reputable scout or scouting service that puts anyone ahead of RNH.

 

[Erza Scarlet]

Hopkins but he doesn't project anymore than a good #1 center (not franchise player).

 

[rigger]

RNH or Larsson. Probably RNH seeing as how Oilers have struggled to develop centers.

It does create some challenges if they pick him. I can't see RNH and Gagner as your two scoring line centers. Too easy to play against, I suspect.

This is a concern of mine as well. The Oilers have a kid name Tyler Pitlick who seems pretty decent and can handle his own physically. I gotta wonder what gagners future looks like if the Oil do in fact draft RNH. Having said that, Datsyuk/Zetterberg don't exactly impose any physical threat on opponents and do okay.

Hopkins but he doesn't project anymore than a good #1 center (not franchise player).

I'd gladly take a Matt Duchene type of good #1 centre. I think Hall has the franchise player ability and RNH will be there dishing him and Ebs for all sorts of goals.

Conversely, some scouts are saying this kid has Datsyuk like potential in play making and elusiveness. He can dish as well on the backhand as forehand and has world class vision. If this is the case and he has those two guys converting passes he has the ability to put up some PPG seasons pretty quick.

Whats the difference between a good first liner and a franchise player? Is Patrick Kane franchise? Is Toews (lower points, better player?).

 

[SammyTheBull]

Datsyuk's playmaking and elusiveness on top of that Gretzky's vision how is this guy not hyped like Crosby or Lindros!

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

This thread has gotten more replies than i thought it would. For those saying Larsson what do you know that scouts don't? Im honestly curious, why is Larsson not ranked number one by any scouting services?

 

[Dosing]

This thread has gotten more replies than i thought it would. For those saying Larsson what do you know that scouts don't? Im honestly curious, why is Larsson not ranked number one by any scouting services?

He was ranked 1 right after being on display for your scouting services, but that was alot of threads and bashing ago

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

RNH is first on every legitimate scouting service (i.e. the ones not run by random HF posters).

 

[jebs]

RNH is first on every legitimate scouting service (i.e. the ones not run by random HF posters).

But these posters might have seen Larsson play a couple of wjc games.. They must be right!!