Helene St. James Wings eyeing Bouchard

[NickH8]

I am more worried about their head scratcher picks made in the earlier rounds.

Agreed. I don't like drafting for guys with third pair ceilings in the early rounds like Lindstrom and Kotkansalo, but who knows, they may surprise.

 

[Shaman464]

Agreed. I don't like drafting for guys with third pair ceilings in the early rounds like Lindstrom and Kotkansalo, but who knows, they may surprise.

Well passing on Fabbro and Chychrun (both players that I believe will be better defenders than Cholo) and then drafting Smith 46th overall (a guy I can see being a depth forward at best in the NHL, and a winger to boot) were both, what I will venture to guess, poor decisions.

 

[NickH8]

Well passing on Fabbro and Chychrun (both players that I believe will be better defenders than Cholo) and then drafting Smith 46th overall (a guy I can see being a depth forward at best in the NHL, and a winger to boot) were both, what I will venture to guess, poor decisions.

At the time we had a legit shot at Stamkos so it was worth trading down. Hindsight is 20/20. Cholowski will still be a good player.

 

[WesNichols14]

I like to think cholo + Hronek for trading down. I think both are solid bets to be in the NHL, and in my mind 2 solid defenseman are better than 1

 

[Mijatovic]

Well passing on Fabbro and Chychrun (both players that I believe will be better defenders than Cholo) and then drafting Smith 46th overall (a guy I can see being a depth forward at best in the NHL, and a winger to boot) were both, what I will venture to guess, poor decisions.

So getting Hronek for the pick we got for the trade is not revisionistic history on your part? Classic. People love to ignore the facts that dont suit their arguments dont they?

 

[Pavels Dog]

Well passing on Fabbro and Chychrun (both players that I believe will be better defenders than Cholo) and then drafting Smith 46th overall (a guy I can see being a depth forward at best in the NHL, and a winger to boot) were both, what I will venture to guess, poor decisions.

”believe” and ”guess” being the operative words there.

 

[Shaman464]

So getting Hronek for the pick we got for the trade is not revisionistic history on your part? Classic. People love to ignore the facts that dont suit their arguments dont they?

Or they could have picked Fabbro/Chychrun and Hronek instead of Cholo, Hronek and Smith? This isn't that much of a brain bender.

 

[Shaman464]

”believe” and ”guess” being the operative words there.

Which is the same things you use are your best guesses and beliefs when you talk on here. None of us that aren't working for a hockey organization or have inside sources know more than what's available to the public.

 

[ricky0034]

Or they could have picked Fabbro/Chychrun and Hronek instead of Cholo, Hronek and Smith? This isn't that much of a brain bender.

or they could have picked Cholo,Girard,and Hronek instead of Fabbro/Chychrun and Hronek

we could play what ifs all day,here's some facts:

1: they chose to take Smith 7 picks above Hronek
2: they took Hronek with the pick they got from trading down

given those facts the assumption that the Wings wouldn't have Hronek without having traded down looks like an extremely reasonable one,therefore divorcing having Hronek from trading down is just ignoring the reality of the situation

 

[Ezekial]

Should've taken Boeser.....

 

[njx9]

We are going to have to hit on second round picks and low firsts if we want to be anything of substance anyway. A few have to come from even lower rounds. But Letang and Keith are important. Lidstrom to our Yzerman. There isn't a single team I can think of that hasn't. We need elite talent, take the best possible elite talent.

I agree, the 00s Lions should just keep taking WRs, because positional need is utterly irrelevant.

Further, Keith and Letang are laughably irrelevant sidenotes to a team that hasn't drafted a high end defenseman in the lifetime of, probably, most of the posters on this board, let alone having drafted one outside the first round. If that's the plan, then massive organizational overhaul is the necessary first step, and at that point, we might as well trade off Larkin while he still has value, because he won't by the time the team is capable of competing again.

 

[DatsMagic]

At the time we had a legit shot at Stamkos so it was worth trading down. Hindsight is 20/20. Cholowski will still be a good player.

The Wings never had a shot at Stamkos. He was NEVER leaving Tampa.

 

[NickH8]

The Wings never had a shot at Stamkos. He was NEVER leaving Tampa.

That's not how it appeared at the time. Us, Buffalo, and Tampa were the front runners.

 

[jkutswings]

That's not how it appeared at the time. Us, Buffalo, and Tampa were the front runners.

Teams rumored to be on the short list had included Buffalo, Toronto, Tampa, and Detroit. However:

1) It was then reported that the Stamkos camp never even spoke with the Wings, and

2) It didn't make sense for the Wings to do it. I'm sure several fans will argue this one, saying that if you have a chance to add a great player, you do it, no matter what. But even if Stamkos lost his mind and decided that Detroit was the best place to sign, that's effectively putting one of the world's sexiest bandaids on a bullet hole. At best, it's returning to early playoff exits, with a better version of the New York Islanders (good offense, no defense), albeit with better (although still inconsistent) goaltending. At worst, it's delaying any meaningful attempt at the rebuild to have a big name on the ticket stubs, but no playoff games to make it matter.

What's done is done, and they did what they did to get out of the Datsyuk contract. But pinning any hopes of Stamkos coming here, let alone turning things around here, was fool's gold.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Which is the same things you use are your best guesses and beliefs when you talk on here. None of us that aren't working for a hockey organization or have inside sources know more than what's available to the public.

Yeah but the same guesses would have applied to most other guys we could have drafted as well. It's not like we've taken many total busts in the first 3 rounds the last couple of years.

The Wings never had a shot at Stamkos. He was NEVER leaving Tampa.

I'm not personally of the opinion that the Datsyuk trade was only about Stamkos (as opposed to a combination of clearing up dead salary and gaining an extra pick), but that's hindsight. These big names very rarely leave, but it does happen. I really wonder how the talk would have gone around here if we had Datsyuk's contract on the books and Stamkos hit FA and we were unable to pursue him.

 

[Frk It]

So how about that Evan Bouchard kid, eh?

I'm also pretty interested in Xavier Bouchard in the later rounds.

 

[njx9]

I really wonder how the talk would have gone around here if we had Datsyuk's contract on the books and Stamkos hit FA and we were unable to pursue him.

Depends - in that scenario did he actually pick up our calls, or did he continue to want nothing to do with us?

 

[Ezekial]

God, Chychrun isn't that good of a player.

Not worth still crying over at least.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

So how about that Evan Bouchard kid, eh?

I'm also pretty interested in Xavier Bouchard in the later rounds.

I am in the minority here, but I think he gets torched if you drop him into an NHL game next year. Long-term I think he will be a really good player, but a lot of people are inferring from his size, DOB and production that he is close to being NHL ready. The more you watch him in full games (as oppose to highlight videos that literally show him standing still) the more you appreciate the work he has to do with his one-step quickness and in the defensive zone. I hope when he gets back to London they give him reasonable minutes so that he can address his defensive zone play. For the record I don't think Dobson is any closer to being NHL ready.

X. Bouchard would be a good third-fourth round option. He showed some offense early in the year.

For the record I seriously doubt that the organization told HSJ exactly who they intend to pick.

 

[Frk It]

I am in the minority here, but I think he gets torched if you drop him into an NHL game next year. Long-term I think he will be a really good player, but a lot of people are inferring from his size, DOB and production that he is close to being NHL ready. The more you watch him in full games (as oppose to highlight videos that literally show him standing still) the more you appreciate the work he has to do with his one-step quickness and in the defensive zone. I hope when he gets back to London they give him reasonable minutes so that he can address his defensive zone play. For the record I don't think Dobson is any closer to being NHL ready.

X. Bouchard would be a good third-fourth round option. He showed some offense early in the year.

For the record I seriously doubt that the organization told HSJ exactly who they intend to pick.

With Bouchard, you might be right. I think he could be ready for the NHL in 2 years, but next year might be premature. Not sure based on his age whether he would go to the AHL or back to OHL, but AHL might be good for him because he would probably have his minutes managed better and get experience at a higher level of play.

But yeah, I don't think there is a defenseman other than Dahlin are ready to step into the NHL next year from this draft.

 

[MikeyDee]

With Bouchard, you might be right. I think he could be ready for the NHL in 2 years, but next year might be premature. Not sure based on his age whether he would go to the AHL or back to OHL, but AHL might be good for him because he would probably have his minutes managed better and get experience at a higher level of play.

But yeah, I don't think there is a defenseman other than Dahlin are ready to step into the NHL next year from this draft.

I don't think he'll be ready next year, which would mean he's back to London.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Not sure based on his age whether he would go to the AHL or back to OHL, but AHL might be good for him because he would probably have his minutes managed better and get experience at a higher level of play.

Can't imagine that he would be eligible for the AHL if Rasmussen is not yet eligible for the AHL. But I view Bouchard right in that same spot of purgatory of needing to play better competition but not being eligible to take the intermediate step.

I really don't understand the logic in not allowing drafted players to report directly to the AHL.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Can't imagine that he would be eligible for the AHL if Rasmussen is not yet eligible for the AHL. But I view Bouchard right in that same spot of purgatory of needing to play better competition but not being eligible to take the intermediate step.

I really don't understand the logic in not allowing drafted players to report directly to the AHL.

To prevent a big talent exodus from the CHL. Outside of the offensive zone he has stuff to work on at the CHL level.

 

[Hen Kolland]

To prevent a big talent exodus from the CHL. Outside of the offensive zone he has stuff to work on at the CHL level.

We have 16 year old kids playing with 18 year olds. We have exceptional status for players to play advanced levels. But we don't have an option for allowing players who have gotten the most out of juniors to move on to the minors? What good does it serve Bouchard to go play 35 minutes a night and score closer to 100 points next year? Absolutely he needs to work on his defensive game, but no way is he only a junior caliber player right now. Do you also want to send Rasmussen back to Tri City next year?

 

[Mister Ed]

Reading a lot about the draft online, I think the Wings might be leaning towards Bouchard based solely on him being a bigger body and complimenting the offensive D they already have in Hicketts, Hronek and Saarijarvi.

With that being said, I would still like to see where the other teams below the Red Wings in the picking order are on certain players. Say one team wants to draft Hughes and DET wants to pick Kotkaniemi or Veleno, I'd hear them out. This team also needs a offensive-minded C. But then, I guess, if there's a way to move up with the Vegas pick AND get Bouchard with the 6th pick, even better.