Your Top 6 for the Draft

[lilidk]

At this point we should pick ether Eklund or McTavish. One of them going to be available, I hope

 

[Gniwder]

I get the feeling that this year is gonna be another off the radar pick like the Seider draft.

Off the radar means they did their homework, I'd be more concerned if they went by the rankings. Raymond was a lazy pick last draft, I think there's going to be a handful of players we wish we had picked instead.

 

[Frk It]

Raymond was a lazy pick last draft, I think there's going to be a handful of players we wish we had picked instead.

You know about all the preparation that went into last year's pick? Do tell.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Off the radar means they did their homework, I'd be more concerned if they went by the rankings. Raymond was a lazy pick last draft, I think there's going to be a handful of players we wish we had picked instead.

Nothing lazier than making statements like this with zero effort to substantiate anything. Your opinion of Raymond isn't all that relevant when it comes to whether or not the team did their homework. We will never know where exactly Raymond slotted in, but we do know it was 4 at the latest, and there is a chance he was ranked as a lottery pick for Detroit.

 

[lilidk]

You know about all the preparation that went into last year's pick? Do tell.

Raymond was easy and obvious pick last year.

 

[Hoog]

So here is where I am at with pick #6 now. I have been trying to get in Steve’s head with how he drafts.

Some say he is a risk taker because he took Sieder in 2019. Sieder was an off the board pick as he was ranked 11th through 25th on the mock drafts I looked at for that year, and Steve ended up taking him 6th overall. However, he took Raymond at #4 in 2020 which is about where he was predicted. Again, looking at 8 mock drafts, they had him 5th through 9th so not much of a reach. I really don’t see him as a huge gambler unless he is dead set on a player. In reviewing his TB days, I really didn’t see him go off the board much in the first round either. My point here is you could see him go either way, very unpredictable drafting on his part but mostly in line with prospect rankings with a stray here and there. This will play further down in my comments.

Some say he loves his European players (mostly leaning toward Swedish players) but besides last year, it hasn’t shown to be correct, and while in TB he seemed to lean more on the Russian players, so don’t just assume we will most likely go with a Swedish player with pick #6 (Eklund, Edvinsson, Lysell).

Here is where I may be reading too much into it but, to me, it seems there is a lot of talk about needing centers, and Steve loves one’s (again, so it seems) that can play the two way game but still produce offensive numbers. So, I would expect him to take a center, who he really feels confident in, at pick #6 this year.

With all that being said, I see 4 options for our pick #6:

1. Matt Beniers- He is a very good two way center who puts up points. He will most likely be gone by the time we pick, BUT, his injury at the worlds may leave some teams leery of him. If that happens, I believe Steve will pounce for sure. He seems like a higher skilled Larkin and even reminds me of how Steve use to play back in the day. He would be a more than solid pick here.
2. Mason McTavish- Another good two way guy that plays the game the way Steve wants it to be played. He is a bit bigger (thicker) than the rest of the guys and has a bit more attitude to him. He is a true goal scorer and likes to go to the net more than the rest of the guys too. I think he would be the quickest out of the group to the NHL. The other thing I think he would do is be the best fit for centering a line with Raymond and Berggren.
3. Kent Johnson- He has more offense than the rest and probably needs the most work on defense, but he isn’t that far off. He needs to fill out, but his creativity and edge work is outstanding. He would fit into the 2C role very well but neds to fill out a bit first.
4. Fydor Svechkov- I think this is the off the board guy that Steve would take if he is “his” guy. He epitomizes the two way center and his defensive work is second to none in this class. They say his offensive work needs more help than the rest but you sure didn’t see that at the U18 tournament. I think he will be picked higher than he is projected (12-20) and Steve might take him at #6.

Just my thoughts on the #6 pick so take it for what it is worth.

 

[Henkka]

Interesting things, our Finnish main message board is having a MOCK and 1-2-3-4-5 were,

1.BUF - Power
2.SEA - Beniers
3.ANA - Hughes
4.NJD - Clarke
5.CBJ - McTavish.

And it was the same Top5 at HF Boards fan voting.

2021 Team Board Mock Draft Results Thread

I didn't like the #6 Edvinsson (HF Boards mock) pick for us (we mocked Wallstedt in Finland to DET), and think this 6th overall is totally open. Lots of options.

Maybe McTavish would fall at real draft? But if not, there's Wallstedt, Eklund, Johnson + many defencemen. Also Guenther still there, if does not go at Top5.

The draft could really "start" from Red Wings pick, as Top5 being quite obvious. If there's one surprise pick, then McTavish seems as our main option.

What comes to goalies, it seems that biggest need for a goaltender is at DET and EDM. Oilers will draft at #20, so they are kind of at Cossa range. If we skip Wallstedt at #6 and gamble if we could get Cossa #23, Oilers will probably spoil that plan, if Wallstedt doesn't fall to #20.

Or, maybe Ken Holland likes to take an extra pick from Yzerman (no 2nd or 3rd rounders at Oilers), trade down from that #20, and we take the goalie.

 

[Frk It]

Raymond was easy and obvious pick last year.

There was no easy or obvious pick last year. We had the pick after Lafreniere, Byfield, and Stuetzle were taken. Those were the easy picks (we should have had).

 

[19 for president]

What I like about McTavish is that he seems to compliment our potential top 6 wingers pretty well and adds a potential grittiness to our top 6 that will be missing once I think we inevitably deal Bert. For those who have seen him what would you say about his offensive Hockey IQ? Is he someone that could hang with more creative guys like Beggren/Raymond/ Zadina or is he mostly just a dirty goal guy?

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

There was no easy or obvious pick last year. We had the pick after Lafreniere, Byfield, and Stuetzle were taken. Those were the easy picks (we should have had).

Yzerman watching NYR, LAK, and OTT draft top 3 in 2019.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

What I like about McTavish is that he seems to compliment our potential top 6 wingers pretty well and adds a potential grittiness to our top 6 that will be missing once I think we inevitably deal Bert. For those who have seen him what would you say about his offensive Hockey IQ? Is he someone that could hang with more creative guys like Beggren/Raymond/ Zadina or is he mostly just a dirty goal guy?

I really like McTavish overall and would be fine with his selection. He’s not a flashy scorer but has all the tools to get the job done.

The guys I’d compare him to the most are josh Anderson and Brady Tkachuk as a winger (low/high) and as a center maybe Brock Nelson or even prime David Backes(low/high).

None were fast but all are/were effective and worked their tails off.

 

[Henkka]

Off the radar means they did their homework, I'd be more concerned if they went by the rankings. Raymond was a lazy pick last draft, I think there's going to be a handful of players we wish we had picked instead.

Raymond was clear 2nd overall before he got the mumps on his draft year. More important is that Håkan has checked the things behind this pick.

 

[Henkka]

I really like McTavish overall and would be fine with his selection. He’s not a flashy scorer but has all the tools to get the job done.

The guys I’d compare him to the most are josh Anderson and Brady Tkachuk as a winger (low/high) and as a center maybe Brock Nelson or even prime David Backes(low/high).

None were fast but all are/were effective and worked their tails off.

There was also the ROR comparison from Dave Barr. That type of centers win Stanley Cups and fits on our future core which has lot of skill on wingers.

Hard workers and hard players to play against are always welcomed.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I'd much rather have Wallstedt than McTavish. Draft for upside.

 

[lilidk]

So here is where I am at with pick #6 now. I have been trying to get in Steve’s head with how he drafts.

Some say he is a risk taker because he took Sieder in 2019. Sieder was an off the board pick as he was ranked 11th through 25th on the mock drafts I looked at for that year, and Steve ended up taking him 6th overall. However, he took Raymond at #4 in 2020 which is about where he was predicted. Again, looking at 8 mock drafts, they had him 5th through 9th so not much of a reach. I really don’t see him as a huge gambler unless he is dead set on a player. In reviewing his TB days, I really didn’t see him go off the board much in the first round either. My point here is you could see him go either way, very unpredictable drafting on his part but mostly in line with prospect rankings with a stray here and there. This will play further down in my comments.

Some say he loves his European players (mostly leaning toward Swedish players) but besides last year, it hasn’t shown to be correct, and while in TB he seemed to lean more on the Russian players, so don’t just assume we will most likely go with a Swedish player with pick #6 (Eklund, Edvinsson, Lysell).

Here is where I may be reading too much into it but, to me, it seems there is a lot of talk about needing centers, and Steve loves one’s (again, so it seems) that can play the two way game but still produce offensive numbers. So, I would expect him to take a center, who he really feels confident in, at pick #6 this year.

With all that being said, I see 4 options for our pick #6:

1. Matt Beniers- He is a very good two way center who puts up points. He will most likely be gone by the time we pick, BUT, his injury at the worlds may leave some teams leery of him. If that happens, I believe Steve will pounce for sure. He seems like a higher skilled Larkin and even reminds me of how Steve use to play back in the day. He would be a more than solid pick here.
2. Mason McTavish- Another good two way guy that plays the game the way Steve wants it to be played. He is a bit bigger (thicker) than the rest of the guys and has a bit more attitude to him. He is a true goal scorer and likes to go to the net more than the rest of the guys too. I think he would be the quickest out of the group to the NHL. The other thing I think he would do is be the best fit for centering a line with Raymond and Berggren.
3. Kent Johnson- He has more offense than the rest and probably needs the most work on defense, but he isn’t that far off. He needs to fill out, but his creativity and edge work is outstanding. He would fit into the 2C role very well but neds to fill out a bit first.
4. Fydor Svechkov- I think this is the off the board guy that Steve would take if he is “his” guy. He epitomizes the two way center and his defensive work is second to none in this class. They say his offensive work needs more help than the rest but you sure didn’t see that at the U18 tournament. I think he will be picked higher than he is projected (12-20) and Steve might take him at #6.

Just my thoughts on the #6 pick so take it for what it is worth.

Bergreen-Mctavish- Raymond will be dominant in about 5 years

 

[HisNoodliness]

Bergreen-Mctavish- Raymond will be dominant in about 5 years

But I don't want Raymond and Berggren playing in the bottom six

 

[Hen Kolland]

But I don't want Raymond and Berggren playing in the bottom six

Lucky for you that’s a top 6 line

 

[HisNoodliness]

Lucky for you that’s a top 6 line

Not with Mctavish centering it.

 

[lilidk]

Not with Mctavish centering it.

I believe he's going to be better than Larkin

 

[Hen Kolland]

Not with Mctavish centering it.

So first of all, you’re talking about two wingers that are pass first, small, and finesse style. Playing them with a good shooting threat center that seems to love the physical and grimy play is probably the best possible way to use their strengths while promoting McTavish’s strengths.

Second, if there’s anyone in that group that is going to struggle to break into the top 6, it’s Berggren. As excited as we are for the steps forward he took, he’s still a defensive liability, he plays a generally perimeter style of game, and will need to be sheltered and fed powerplay time to maximize his value. He can be a top 6 forward by playing with players who cover all the areas that he’s going to need help with. Someone to take the heavy defensive responsibility, someone to put the puck in the net, someone who does the dirty work in the areas that are difficult to get to. Ironically, it sounds a lot like someone like McTavish…

 

[HisNoodliness]

I believe he's going to be better than Larkin

I don't. I didn't like Larkin at the time of his draft either so I certainly could be wrong.

So first of all, you’re talking about two wingers that are pass first, small, and finesse style. Playing them with a good shooting threat center that seems to love the physical and grimy play is probably the best possible way to use their strengths while promoting McTavish’s strengths.

Second, if there’s anyone in that group that is going to struggle to break into the top 6, it’s Berggren. As excited as we are for the steps forward he took, he’s still a defensive liability, he plays a generally perimeter style of game, and will need to be sheltered and fed powerplay time to maximize his value. He can be a top 6 forward by playing with players who cover all the areas that he’s going to need help with. Someone to take the heavy defensive responsibility, someone to put the puck in the net, someone who does the dirty work in the areas that are difficult to get to. Ironically, it sounds a lot like someone like McTavish…

I can agree that Mctavish is the type of guy that would complement Berggren and Raymond. I just don't think he's good enough to actually be that guy. Abdelkader was the type of player that could complement Datsyuk, he still wasn't good enough to be effective in that role. That's what I'd expect from McTavish. Sure he's big and has a great shot, but when the vision and skating aren't good enough to be a top 6 player, a good shot and some muscle can't overcome that. Furthermore, I don't see him as a great defensive player like you're making him out to be. Maybe others do, IDRK, but from my viewings he isn't back-checking, picking off passes, reading attackers or stealing pucks particularly well. If you want a C that's good at those things, take Svechkov. Eklund is also solid defensively but maybe isn't a center. McTavish isn't that guy IMO. He has some good tools, but I see him as a long shot to be the player you're hoping he is. He's not Ryan O'Reilly or David Backes. He's more like Killorn IMO

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I don't. I didn't like Larkin at the time of his draft either so I certainly could be wrong.



I can agree that Mctavish is the type of guy that would complement Berggren and Raymond. I just don't think he's good enough to actually be that guy. Abdelkader was the type of player that could complement Datsyuk, he still wasn't good enough to be effective in that role. That's what I'd expect from McTavish. Sure he's big and has a great shot, but when the vision and skating aren't good enough to be a top 6 player, a good shot and some muscle can't overcome that. Furthermore, I don't see him as a great defensive player like you're making him out to be. Maybe others do, IDRK, but from my viewings he isn't back-checking, picking off passes, reading attackers or stealing pucks particularly well. If you want a C that's good at those things, take Svechkov. Eklund is also solid defensively but maybe isn't a center. McTavish isn't that guy IMO. He has some good tools, but I see him as a long shot to be the player you're hoping he is. He's not Ryan O'Reilly or David Backes. He's more like Killorn IMO

I think you're really underselling McTavish with the Killorn comparison.

2021 Draft Profile: W/C Mason McTavish

There isn't anything that says he has poor vision other than him having a lot more goals than assists in a 3rd line role during his rookie OHL season. And having ok skating is not the same as having poor skating. If he was a poor skater then he wouldn't even be in contention for a top 10 pick.

 

[Gniwder]

Raymond was clear 2nd overall before he got the mumps on his draft year. More important is that Håkan has checked the things behind this pick.

We're gonna wish he had picked Lundell. I wonder sometimes if he's got a bias towards Swedes.

Time will tell guys, we'll revisit this in 3 or 4 years.

 

[jkutswings]

I believe he's going to be better than Larkin

And we've officially lost cabin pressure.

Beniers is widely ranked as the top center in this class - possibly the only center in this top ten - and he's being talked about as being in the ballpark of Larkin.

It is indeed POSSIBLE that Mason McTavish ends up a better NHL player than Dylan Larkin, and maybe even a better NHL center. But if he does, he will significantly out kick his coverage when it comes to pre draft evaluations.

 

[Hen Kolland]

And we've officially lost cabin pressure.

Beniers is widely ranked as the top center in this class - possibly the only center in this top ten - and he's being talked about as being in the ballpark of Larkin.

It is indeed POSSIBLE that Mason McTavish ends up a better NHL player than Dylan Larkin, and maybe even a better NHL center. But if he does, he will significantly out kick his coverage when it comes to pre draft evaluations.

As we get closer to draft day, I find myself dropping Beniers more and more compared to his peers in the top 10. The reason Beniers’ projection keeps getting compared to Larkin is because of how similar their style of play tends to be. And the thing is, I don’t think Beniers carries the same level of tools that Larkin does, and that’s ultimately why we will see him flirt with that level, but not exceed it. This is not to say that Beniers is a bad player or shouldn’t be picked, but to me he is a complimentary guy. Like for all the talk about Larkin being a 1B or a 2A center, if I don’t think Beniers will achieve that same level, what does that make him? A true 2C?

Fortunately, Beniers feels like a lock to not make it past Columbus if he were to slip at all, so I don’t feel there’s much risk of having to make that decision. He’s going to anchor the 2nd line duties, I just wish Beniers had more pop with anything in the offensive zone.

Now with McTavish, I feel his offensive ceiling is quite higher than Beniers because he’s got one touch scoring ability. I think he’s comparable or slightly ahead in terms of puck skills and distribution. The question would be is he going to skate well enough to handle the center role. I don’t think skating is a big hang up for him, he’s just not going to be as strong of a skater as Beniers. I don’t worry about McTavish’s defensive game. By all accounts he’s a competitor and loves to get grimy. I think that goes hand and hand with effort level, and giving a damn is the first step to being a competent defensive player.