Zemgus26's Near Final Mock and Rankings

[MackAttack26]

You have Farrance ranked 67th but the Devils draft him at 36th?

It's likely he has his own list, but his mock factors in other lists as well.

Asked and answered. Farrance has been a riser on many boards (including mine). Dont see him dropping as late as I have him (A couple poor games when I first saw him started him off lower in my rankings). Think a great PMD with top-4 potential would be a great fit for the Devils future and Farrance seems like as good of a bet as any of the other guys around that point to fill that role.

 

[MackAttack26]

Yuck

Wasteted top ten pick

Rather trade back

Yuck, your entitiled to your opinion, but I think it is extremley foolish to write off a guy as talented as Pettersson as a "wasted pick". The numbers he put up this year are insane and if he packs on the weight, it wouldnt shock me for him to become the top player in this draft one day. If anything I think it is a steal for Detroit.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Yuck

Wasteted top ten pick

Rather trade back

I'll be really happy if we take Petterson.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Yuck, your entitiled to your opinion, but I think it is extremley foolish to write off a guy as talented as Pettersson as a "wasted pick". The numbers he put up this year are insane and if he packs on the weight, it wouldnt shock me for him to become the top player in this draft one day. If anything I think it is a steal for Detroit.

Yeah I think you nailed it. The wings need D so I'd be cool if we went with Liljegren there but I think Petterson is possibly the third most skilled player in the draft. If he manages to put on 30 pounds he would definitely have an argument for the best player out of the draft.

 

[Zaddy]

I think this is the closest I have seen a 2-12 spot in the draft IMO in a while. It's not that I don't like him, I just like each of the guys above him and think they have more potential (albeit some more risk as well). I think Vilardi's skating will hold him back more than people think and don't think he has the puck skills at the same level as some of the guys above him. Obviously not a popular opinion,and he is right behind quite a few guys, but just not nearly 100% sold that he is a top-3 player in the draft like most people think.

Fair enough. I see Vilardi much like Draisaitl in his draft year. They are not so similar style-wise but they're both big, puck-protecting guys with the makings of potentially elite offensive skillsets, with both really only having the skating as the concern about their games, yet I don't think either one was/is a terrible skater in their draft year. Nobody really semed to believe Draisaitl had #1C potential for whatever reason, but look at him now. Vilardi has a similar ceiling IMO if he puts it all together. Like Draisaitl he is also versatile and can play on the wing if needed.

The only concern I have about Vilardi right now is that his production wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be, but to be fair to him he went through some rough injuries that derailed his season and he still had a pretty respectable PPG. I think if he were healthy he could've hit 90-100 points this year. Anyway, to continue with the Draisaitl comparison: he was 10 months older at the time of his draft year too, and he's 11 months younger than Patrick and a much more dynamic player. If Vilardi was one month younger he would've been in the next draft. Guy has plenty of time to develop and work on his skating and overall game. All the raw tools and the hockey IQ is there for him to be a really good player. I like him a lot.

 

[MackAttack26]

Fair enough. I see Vilardi much like Draisaitl in his draft year. They are not so similar style-wise but they're both big, puck-protecting guys with the makings of potentially elite offensive skillsets, with both really only having the skating as the concern about their games, yet I don't think either one was/is a terrible skater in their draft year. Nobody really semed to believe Draisaitl had #1C potential for whatever reason, but look at him now. Vilardi has a similar ceiling IMO if he puts it all together. Like Draisaitl he is also versatile and can play on the wing if needed.

The only concern I have about Vilardi right now is that his production wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be, but to be fair to him he went through some rough injuries that derailed his season and he still had a pretty respectable PPG. I think if he were healthy he could've hit 90-100 points this year. Anyway, to continue with the Draisaitl comparison: he was 10 months older at the time of his draft year too, and he's 11 months younger than Patrick and a much more dynamic player. If Vilardi was one month younger he would've been in the next draft. Guy has plenty of time to develop and work on his skating and overall game. All the raw tools and the hockey IQ is there for him to be a really good player. I like him a lot.

Yeah, like I said, I'm pretty alone in my opinion of him. I totlly get your points and his youth and 'What if he becomes the next Draisaitl?' factor definitely make me hesitate to put him that low. However, I just can't justify having him super high when I see these issues and every guy I have ahead of him (except probably Liljegren) have been a fair bit more impressive when I watch them.

 

[MrClutch86]

Can you talk more about Hague. Was he always that low for you, or has he fallen as of late? Why are you projecting him as a late 1st and not a mid 1st?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Yuck, your entitiled to your opinion, but I think it is extremley foolish to write off a guy as talented as Pettersson as a "wasted pick". The numbers he put up this year are insane and if he packs on the weight, it wouldnt shock me for him to become the top player in this draft one day. If anything I think it is a steal for Detroit.

Agreed. Definitely a solid pick there. He is top 10.

 

[MackAttack26]

Can you talk more about Hague. Was he always that low for you, or has he fallen as of late? Why are you projecting him as a late 1st and not a mid 1st?

He was never much higher on my board to begin with,and it seems he has dropped a bit on almost every list since the beginning of the year.

He has a number of things to work on though before he becomes something. His overall skating (edge work, lack of speed, backwards skating) all needs signifcant work. He is prone to defensive mishaps (poor reaction time and pinching too far in plays to make big hits lead to multiple goals against). Even his offensive game is pretty one-dimemsional (Enter with puck/recieve puck in offensive zone, unload huge shot). He is probably the most flawed guy I have in the 1st round, so while he sneaks in there for me due to potential and some solid tools, his flaws keep him from going any higher.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

I think if Oettinger is available at the second 1st the Stars have, they pick him.

 

[catters078]

I'd be comfortable with he is heiskanen at 3 for dallas, hoping it plays that way.

Who would be his best nhl compassion?

 

[MackAttack26]

I think if Oettinger is available at the second 1st the Stars have, they pick him.

I could see that. But I also think Dallas could use another good forward prospect with top-6 potential like Robertson and think teams would be excited to take him if he fell to that late in the 1st with the way he produced this year.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is no slouch in net either a few spots later and would give Dallas a great goalie prospect which I agree, is something they really need.

I'd be comfortable with he is heiskanen at 3 for dallas, hoping it plays that way.

Who would be his best nhl compassion?

Not a big fan of NHL comparisons, but off the top off my head with his super well rounded and polished defensive game, yet still having that offensive upside with great puck moving ability, a guy like Vlasic might be what he can become someday if it all works out.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

I could see that. But I also think Dallas could use another good forward prospect with top-6 potential like Robertson and think teams would be excited to take him if he fell to that late in the 1st with the way he produced this year.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is no slouch in net either a few spots later and would give Dallas a great goalie prospect which I agree, is something they really need.

Yeah, with 3 picks in the top 40 now, I think we're likely to see 1F, 1D, and 1G, it's just a matter of who they value more in respect to their positional peers when the picks come up. It's definitely gonna be an interesting draft.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

If the Blues take a defenseman with either first round pick I'm throwing things.

 

[MackAttack26]

If the Blues take a defenseman with either first round pick I'm throwing things.

I don't think the Blues are so set at D (especially on the left side) for the future that they would avoid passing up on what most people would consider a very good pick that late in the 1st.

With them drafting some very strong forwards lately like Barbashev, Thompson, Kyrou, etc. and having some talented young forwards already in the NHL in Tarasenko, Schwartz and Fabbri, I hardly see taking only forwards with both picks as a necessity.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

The only way i see Detroit taking Pettersson at #9, Is if all 3 of Heiskanen, Makar and Liljegren are off the boards when Detroit picks. And i could see that happening as i think Dallas, Arizona and Buffalo could all go after D here.

 

[MackAttack26]

The only way i see Detroit taking Pettersson at #9, Is if all 3 of Heiskanen, Makar and Liljegren are off the boards when Detroit picks. And i could see that happening as i think Dallas, Arizona and Buffalo could all go after D here.

Yeah, there is no way I see either Heiskanen or Makar falling to Detroit, and I, as a Sabres fan, would be very happy with either Tippett or Liljegren in this situation.

I just have a feeling that Liljegren will be this years Chychrun, falling over the year and surprisingly into the early-mid teens. If there is a team in the top-10 I could see taking the chance on him though, it is Detroit. I just think Pettersson is a little bit more likely to be viewed in a higher light though and it's not like Detroit is exactly set at forward long term either.

 

[Gecklund]

I wouldn't complain with the Sharks pick but I would rather Brannstrom.