2014 NHL Draft Discussion

[542365]

I would appreciate a splash of arrogance on this team... and I would hope it pans out differently than Perron.

I didn't get that vibe from Perron at all. He was flashy with the puck on his stick, and he did occasionally try to do too much(both comments also made about Ho-Sang), but I think Perron was one of the most well-liked guys in the room, and everything I ever heard him say was humble/gracious.

 

[thedustman]

I didn't get that vibe from Perron at all. He was flashy with the puck on his stick, and he did occasionally try to do too much(both comments also made about Ho-Sang), but I think Perron was one of the most well-liked guys in the room, and everything I ever heard him say was humble/gracious.

Ahh true, so you're talking about arrogance in the locker room? among the players? Interesting. Is that what they say about Ho-Sang?
I just meant arrogance with the puck and the tinted visor with Perron.

 

[542365]

Ahh true, so you're talking about arrogance in the locker room? among the players? Interesting. Is that what they say about Ho-Sang?
I just meant arrogance with the puck and the tinted visor with Perron.

Some of the quotes straight out of his mouth from that interview

"If I was a GM with the first pick in the draft, I'd pick me. In 3 years, I'll be the best player in the draft."

"The Leafs have said they want to move up and pick first. Well, they can stay at 8 and still get the number 1 pick(referring to himself)".

"Any team should want me".

"If you're going to pay me to do something I love, I'm going to go out there and produce for you so you have to pay me more".

The last one scares me a bit as I could see contract negotiations, assuming he's successful in the NHL which is far from certain, might be a pain in the ass. No question he's arrogant, but there's also no question he's talented.

 

[Majorityof1]

I'd like some arrogance on the team, but the right type. A guy who doesn't let things bother him because he knows he is good and will go out there and show you would be great. I am tired of our players getting pissed and being dumb. Backes, our captain gets frustrated, and takes dumb penalties. Snarky, angry Steen is not the Steen we want as he does not produce. He seemed upset most of the back end of the season and when he was grimacing, he wasn't scoring. I'd like a guy who will smile and laugh when things get heated, then go out knowing he doesn't need to punch a guy because he is good enough to just score.

And it would be even better if he actually is good enough to go out and score. In fact, that might be more important.

 

[BlueDream]

I didn't get that vibe from Perron at all. He was flashy with the puck on his stick, and he did occasionally try to do too much(both comments also made about Ho-Sang), but I think Perron was one of the most well-liked guys in the room, and everything I ever heard him say was humble/gracious.

That is not at all what was being rumored when he first made the team.

He matured a lot, but earlier in his career there was an article in the paper with a quote from Tkachuk that kind of alluded to Perron being arrogant in practice.

Also would strongly disagree with one of the most well-liked guys in the room, but to each their own.

 

[SweetyV]

Craig Button did his mock draft on TSN tonight, had us picking Ryan MacInnis at 21...

 

[jbron]

To pass up Barbashev and some of the other talent on Buttons board for MacInnis would be a crime at 21. Hopefully, those selecting MacInnis at 21 just link him to the Blues because of his father and a local kid. All for
MacInnis becoming a Blue, but hopefully not with #21.

 

[erderuft]

Craig Button did his mock draft on TSN tonight, had us picking Ryan MacInnis at 21...

He must've been reading JR's twitterfeed.

 

[BluesTraveller]

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/06/24/tsn-2014-nhl-mock-draft-with-craig-button/

1 Aaron Ekblad
2 Sam Bennett
3 Leon Draisaitl
4 Sam Reinhart
5 Michael Dal Colle
6 Jake Virtanen
7 Haydn Fleury
8 Nick Ritchie
9 Nikolaj Ehlers
10 Kasperi Kapanen
11 William Nylander
12 Brendan Perlini
13 Julius Honka
14 Dylan Larkin
15 Jared McCann
16 Sonny Milano
17 Anthony DeAngelo
18 Robert Fabbri
19 Travis Sanheim
20 Kevin Fiala
21 Ryan MacInnis
22 Alex Tuch
23 Adrian Kempe
24 Nick Schmaltz
25 Jakub Vrana
26 Ivan Barbashev
27 Marcus Pettersson
28 Nikita Scherbak
29 Roland McKeown
30 Brendan Lemieux

 

[Bluesnatic27]

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/06/24/tsn-2014-nhl-mock-draft-with-craig-button/

1 Aaron Ekblad
2 Sam Bennett
3 Leon Draisaitl
4 Sam Reinhart
5 Michael Dal Colle
6 Jake Virtanen
7 Haydn Fleury
8 Nick Ritchie
9 Nikolaj Ehlers
10 Kasperi Kapanen
11 William Nylander
12 Brendan Perlini
13 Julius Honka
14 Dylan Larkin
15 Jared McCann
16 Sonny Milano
17 Anthony DeAngelo
18 Robert Fabbri
19 Travis Sanheim
20 Kevin Fiala
21 Ryan MacInnis
22 Alex Tuch
23 Adrian Kempe
24 Nick Schmaltz
25 Jakub Vrana
26 Ivan Barbashev
27 Marcus Pettersson
28 Nikita Scherbak
29 Roland McKeown
30 Brendan Lemieux

So we passed on Tuch, Kempe, Schmaltz, Scherbak, and Barbashev for MacInnis... I can't describe how much I dislike this, even if it is just a mock.

 

[bleedblue1223]

People are caring too much about the mocks and MacInnis. Our scouting department isn't dumb enough to draft MacInnis 21st overall.

Mocks are based off of no inside info, especially once you get out of the top 5 area. I guarantee you we are not letting info on who we are seriously considering get out.

 

[542365]

People are caring too much about the mocks and MacInnis. Our scouting department isn't dumb enough to draft MacInnis 21st overall.

I guess we'll find out in a couple days

A name I've seen us draft in a couple mock drafts is Jakub Vrana. I've never even seen so much as a highlight video of him, but the scouting reports sound very exciting. Very fast winger with a great shot. I wouldn't mind some speed in our prospect system.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/06/24/tsn-2014-nhl-mock-draft-with-craig-button/

1 Aaron Ekblad
2 Sam Bennett
3 Leon Draisaitl
4 Sam Reinhart
5 Michael Dal Colle
6 Jake Virtanen
7 Haydn Fleury
8 Nick Ritchie
9 Nikolaj Ehlers
10 Kasperi Kapanen
11 William Nylander
12 Brendan Perlini
13 Julius Honka
14 Dylan Larkin
15 Jared McCann
16 Sonny Milano
17 Anthony DeAngelo
18 Robert Fabbri
19 Travis Sanheim
20 Kevin Fiala
21 Ryan MacInnis
22 Alex Tuch
23 Adrian Kempe
24 Nick Schmaltz
25 Jakub Vrana
26 Ivan Barbashev
27 Marcus Pettersson
28 Nikita Scherbak
29 Roland McKeown
30 Brendan Lemieux

I will puke if that happens. I will also be monumentally pissed.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

Scherbak also seems like an interesting pick. Could he be Tarasenko 2.0?

 

[Lord Helix]

If we have a shot at Fabbri, Barbashev, Kempe, and Schmaltz...Only to take Chopper's boy, I won't be that happy. Having Bleackley available with Edmonton's 2nd would be great though.

 

[tfriede2]

Scherbak also seems like an interesting pick. Could he be Tarasenko 2.0?

JR's article yesterday had me perplexed. He talked about the Blues trading away draft picks in the past and possibly trading their 1st rounder this year in order to "build around Tarasenko" and trade for an established forward. Armstrong stated,
“We were able to trade Rundblad for Tarasenko because the pick held the test of time,†Armstrong said. “That’s why you pick the best available player.†“Usually what separates a great draft from a good draft are the players 1-2-3 ... after that, almost all the drafts are relatively equal. You can find players and we need to find some players.†- Armstrong

"Particularly more players such as Tarasenko." - JR

This may be me reading more into this, but it sounds like the Blues may go with an approach to trade for another pick to take a high end player, like they did with Tarasenko. If the #21 pick is included for Spezza in a trade, maybe they then trade Schmaltz to get back into the 1st round and take someone like Barbashev or Scherbak. Or, they may even go for a top 3 pick that we have been rumored to be interested in (highly highly unlikely, but just throwing that out there).

 

[542365]

I read it more as we have 3 picks in the top 60, and we need to come away with good players in those spots, regardless position. If I'm reading into it, I'm thinking we're going with someone "safe" at 21, and may take more chances at 33 and 52. We need a legitimate NHL player out of this draft, hopefully more than one. 21 and 33 should both be good prospects. 52 I could see us going to a home run, boom or bust pick if we are comfortable that 21 and 33 have a good chance at becoming NHLers. I'd like to see us swing for the fences with one of our early picks and grab someone like Deangelo or Ho Sang that have clear issues, but have immense talent. The boom potential for those two is something I'd love to have in our system.

 

[tfriede2]

I read it more as we have 3 picks in the top 60, and we need to come away with good players in those spots, regardless position. If I'm reading into it, I'm thinking we're going with someone "safe" at 21, and may take more chances at 33 and 52. We need a legitimate NHL player out of this draft, hopefully more than one. 21 and 33 should both be good prospects. 52 I could see us going to a home run, boom or bust pick if we are comfortable that 21 and 33 have a good chance at becoming NHLers. I'd like to see us swing for the fences with one of our early picks and grab someone like Deangelo or Ho Sang that have clear issues, but have immense talent. The boom potential for those two is something I'd love to have in our system.

That could be someone like Kamenev, but I don't think he would last past 40'ish or so.

 

[SweetyV]

If we don't take a centre at 21, this draft is a fail. The amount of C's that have been slotted around our pick means there's very little chance we don't have a shot at a real skilled centerman.

 

[SirPaste]

If we don't take a centre at 21, this draft is a fail. The amount of C's that have been slotted around our pick means there's very little chance we don't have a shot at a real skilled centerman.

Not necessarily, I'd be happy with Scherbek or Barbashev

 

[SweetyV]

Barbashev plays centre in Moncton I think doesn't he?

 

[Majorityof1]

If we don't take a centre at 21, this draft is a fail. The amount of C's that have been slotted around our pick means there's very little chance we don't have a shot at a real skilled centerman.

I completely disagree with this. If we don't take a center among relatively equal players, it would be a mistake. However, if the Best Player Available (BPA) is not a center, we still grab him. If somehow Fleury (LHD), Ritchie (RW), Virtanen (LW) or Kapanen (LW) somehow fell to us (projected 7-14 range), and we got Schmaltz (C) or Bleakley (C) with our 33rd, Demko (G) or Pollock (LW) with our actual second and MacInnis (C) with our 3rd rounder, that would be a hell of a draft and it wouldn't have a center drafted 21st. There is no chance we get that many steals, but the point is if we can get a steal, we take it and worry about a center later.

 

[jbron]

I would second Scherbek or Barbashev at 21, hopefully one is available.
There are plenty of centers to take in the second round that would work to build the middle of the future roster. As many have pointed out, the team will draft by skill over need for sure with the first pick or so. This draft, while most consider it a down year compared to 2015 or last year, isn't loaded with defensive players which plays well for the Blues selections. It should be fun to watch as I think many teams, including the Blues, will be moving up and down.

 

[542365]

Here's another article about Ho-Sang. His coach, the same guy that coached Taylor Hall, says he's the most skilled player he's ever coached. He has another couple controversial quotes in this article too. He's certainly different. Still wouldn't hate if the Blues drafted him, even at 21.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/11132294/nhl-josh-ho-sang-ultra-skilled-well-rounded-frustrating

 

[bleedblue1223]

As long as they are good enough, players can be as cocky as they want. MJ and Kobe have crazy egos, but they can back it up with rings.