2016 Draft Thread – Host: Buffalo – Part 1

[Ace]

its because his offense hasn't taken a step forward. As a result his comparable was listed as Zach Bogosian. We already have too many of those.

 

[sabrebuild]

I liked him more earlier in the year. There is just something... I can't quite put my finger on it, so it lives in the realm of ephemeral nagging feeling about his play that just makes me a little wary. All three defenseman on that list have a lot to offer, wouldn't be adverse to any of them.

Feel the same as you and truth.

I think it's because he doesn't believe he can dominate yet. His mentality is not one that is confident he is the best player on the ice at all times, founded or unfounded. I think he ends up a nice top 4 guy, but lacks the alpha mentality of a risto.

 

[Onslow]

I have that same feeling. Maybe it's because his style of play should produce way more points. I'm wary of Chychrun, and I can't see passing up a top line winger like Tkachuk, Dubois, Gauthier, or McLeod for a defenseman with limited hockey IQ.

I'm 'meh' on Chychrun too. That scout's comment that he can be grenade-y with the puck is troubling to me.

 

[Ace]

I feel like everyone's been quietly agreeing on Chychrun for a while now.

If we draft 8 or something and he falls...cool. If we draft 8 or somethjng and someone else takes him before us...even better. If we are top 5...not interested.

 

[Zip15]

I liked him more earlier in the year. There is just something... I can't quite put my finger on it, so it lives in the realm of ephemeral nagging feeling about his play that just makes me a little wary. All three defenseman on that list have a lot to offer, wouldn't be adverse to any of them.

Having been around for a few years now, it seems like top defenseman heading into the season gets nitpicked to death as the season goes on. It happened to Ekblad, it happened to Hanifin, and it's happening to Chychrun. Based on McKenzie's rankings, it sounds like he's still got a real shot at the #4 draft slot.

I'm not for or against him. Just noting a trend that I've observed over the years.

 

[Dingo44]

Let's say we end up with #5 and Chychrun is still on the board. If TM has Joulevi rated equal, and someone's hot for Chychrun, do you think he can move down to #8 and maybe pick up a #1 next year or another piece like a young winger?

Also our second should be pretty high as well. Any thoughts on that pick?

 

[Ace]

Unlike Chychrun, Ekblad took a light year leap forward in his draft year. hanifin moved up to a more difficult league and produced.

If they're all getting extra scrutiny one of them isn't passing like the others did

 

[Ace]

Let's say we end up with #5 and Chychrun is still on the board. If TM has Joulevi rated equal, and someone's hot for Chychrun, do you think he can move down to #8 and maybe pick up a #1 next year or another piece like a young winger?

Also our second should be pretty high as well. Any thoughts on that pick?

You never know how close people will be on their board...speaking generally...I doubt they expect to be picking high again anytime in the next several years...so take whoever is at the top of your list and move on is what I say.

 

[Zip15]

Unlike Chychrun, Ekblad took a light year leap forward in his draft year. hanifin moved up to a more difficult league and produced.

If they're all getting extra scrutiny one of them isn't passing like the others did

Doesn't change the fact he was nitpicked. There were many in here who thought he was a low-upside pick who was getting by because he was simply bigger and stronger than his opponents.

Again, I'm not looking to make arguments for or against these guys. But I've noted that as these guys' draft season goes on, they seem to get more and more opponents to their selection.

 

[Ace]

Right...but the one thing that couldn't be argued was that he was producing and took a giant step forward. You could argue why...but not that it happened.

With Chychrun you have to argue if it happened.

 

[Chainshot]

Having been around for a few years now, it seems like top defenseman heading into the season gets nitpicked to death as the season goes on. It happened to Ekblad, it happened to Hanifin, and it's happening to Chychrun. Based on McKenzie's rankings, it sounds like he's still got a real shot at the #4 draft slot.

I'm not for or against him. Just noting a trend that I've observed over the years.

Fowler and Ellis both had it happen too and both dropped markedly on draft day. Then again, I didn't have that thought about either of them... could just be paranoia on my part (no!!! ). I like all of them. I'm not worried about them or willing to entrench one just one guy in the top 10 at the expense of any of the others. Maybe I'm just watching him too much.

 

[Paxon]

OP from Brock's thread.

The media/scout list returns for a midseason update.

If you're not familiar with these lists, I poll several experts who cover the OHL (various media/scouts) to determine a consensus Top 10 players available from the Ontario Hockey League for the 2016 draft.

Contributing this time:
Corey Pronman - ESPN writer (@coreypronman)
Dominic Tiano - Writer for The OHL Writers (@dominictiano)
Dan Stewart - Director of Scouting for Future Considerations (@StewartFC)
Brendan Ross - Director of Scouting for TheScout.ca (@RossyYoungblood)
Peter Kneulman - Provides OHL coverage at OHL Writer (@PeterKneulman)
Dennis Macinnis - Director of Scouting for ISS Hockey (@ISShockey)
Tony Ambrogio - PA Announcer for the Mississauga Steelheads & TSN editor (@Tony_Ambrogio)
Mike Morreale - Staff writer for NHL.com (@mikemorrealeNHL)
Anthony Mauro - Director/Founder of Draft Buzz Hockey (@draftbuzzhockey)
Ryan Kennedy - Associate Senior Writer for The Hockey News (@THNRyanKennedy)
Manny Paiva - Play by Play voice of the Owen Sound Attack (@paivatheway)
Mark Seidel - Scouting Director for NACS Hockey (@MarkSeidel)
Matt Grainda - Scout for TheScoutca (@graindaiv)
Todd Warriner - CHL analyst for Sportsnet, Colour analyst for the Windsor Spitfires (@Todd_Warriner)
Mike Mackley - Writer at Prospects Hockey and Scout for the Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) (@Macker61)
Peter Harling - Writer for the Kingston Frontenacs, McKeens Hockey, & Dobber Prospects (@pharling)
Scott Wheeler - OHL scout with Future Considerations & Site Manager of Pension Plan Puppets (@scottcwheeler)
Reed Duthie - Play by Play voice of the Hamilton Bulldogs (@rcduthie)
Kathryn Jean - OHL scout for Draft Buzz Hockey & Writer for Ottawa 67's Report (@msconduct)

and of course...myself (@BrockOtten)

Here's the link to the article
http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2016/02/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2016.html

The Top 10 is:
1. Jakob Chychrun
2. Matthew Tkachuk
3. Alex Nylander
4. Mike McLeod
5. Olli Juolevi
6. Mikhail Sergachev
7. Max Jones
8. Logan Brown
9. Alex Debrincat
10. Nathan Bastian

Please check the link for full write ups (and many quotes), in addition to all the honorable mentions.

As always, open to answering questions.

 

[Jim Bob]

OP from Brock's thread.

1. Jakob Chychrun - Defence - Sarnia Sting
Total Votes: 20
High/Low: 1st (11x)/3rd (2x)
Comments:
"I know there's a lot of hype around other players, but I keep asking NHL execs about Chychrun and they still love him. Man-child, Noah Hanifin's skating acumen but with an edge, generational talent…it's hard to ignore those types of comments." - Ryan Kennedy

"Poor guy is doing too much and distorting the picture making it harder to tell what is what. Physical freak, purebred leader, great skater, but grenade-y hands and jumpy decisions. Jones abused him back to back – bad timing. The 2nd half is his to show he has it in him to be a top pairing D and not just one with #3D ceiling.†- Anthony Mauro

"NHL scouts are really torn on him, although some still absolutely love him and believe he's right there with Matthews. I love a lot of things about his game, but I just wish I saw him be more of a consistent game breaker." - Anonymous

"Still the top OHL skater available in the upcoming NHL draft, Jakob Chychrun has such an intriguing skill set its hard for me to see any player in the Ontario Hockey League getting selected before him. Chychrun plays with veteran poise, shows tremendous leadership qualities and is impactful in every situation he's deployed in. A high end skater with excellent mobility and elite speed, Chychrun excels in possession as he can dictate the pace of the game and create offensive from the back end. Displaying high end vision and playmaking skills, Chychrun is a strong decision maker that boasts high end hockey sense. Defensively Chychrun closes gaps quickly and effectively, shows excellent contain and an ability to be a versatile defender, excelling in both a physical aspect and as a stick on puck defender. If there is one knock on Chychrun at this point, it's that he can try to do to much. When his team is down he begins to force plays and take risks that aren't necessary. However those are very correctable errors that should smooth out as he continues to learn and develop." - Mike Mackley

"Seen Jakob over a dozen times this season alone. Still my undisputed top OHL prospect as his upside is that of a true top pairing NHL defender no matter what some outlets might be spinning. Coach Hatcher has him reeling in his offensive game a bit more in favor of playing a safer game which might not be for Jakob’s best interest from a showcase of talent point of view as his offensive rushing ability is absolutely dynamic. A jack of all trades type who holds excellent size, skating, smarts and offensive skill plus the ability to be a pretty impressive shutdown defender." - Dan Stewart

"Chychrun has the ability to impact the game at both ends of the ice. His skating, vision and hockey smarts allow him to jump into the offense with relative ease and when you add in his shot, his offense is at a level that is NHL ready. And so is his defensive game. He already has NHL size, plays a physical game and is almost always in position. There is one thing that really stands out to me about him when I focus solely on him: I cannot recall ever seeing a player who regularly directs traffic like Chychrun does, especially, but not limited to the defensive zone. He has so much respect from his teammates that they follow his lead and direction and good things usually happen." - Dominic Tiano

"Has really had an uneven season...Last month he has started to find his groove...All the physical tools you want in a franchise D...Will need to play good through the playoffs to help the Sting go deep AND keep his stock high...Teams are becoming wary of his indifferent play at times." - Mark Seidel

5. Olli Juolevi - Defence - London Knights
Total Votes: 20
High/Low: 2nd (1x)/7th (3x)
Comments:
"I was actually more impressed with how he used his speed to defend at the world juniors than with the actual offensive numbers, but Juolevi is definitely the fast-riser in the bunch. Add in size and you've got a great one." - Ryan Kennedy

"Two way D with the mind of an NFL quarterback. He hasn’t been seen as flashy up to this point, but playing with Team Finland spiced things up a bit. Juolevi could be worth spending a higher pick on than consensus would suggest because of what he might look like unleashed as a pro. Has safety as a prospect with his frame and head for the game.†- Anthony Mauro

"Arguably the best defenseman at the World Junior, Juolevi had a breakout performance and solidified his hold on a top ten ranking for the 2016 draft. He has good size at 6’2â€, but doesn’t play the physical game as well as he could; he doesn’t need to. He skates and thinks the game so well, like Niklas Lidstrom he does not need to use body checks to be effective. Juolevi is a very smart player and consistently displays sound decision making choices and is positionaly very responsible. He has the confidence and skills to carry the puck up ice and the vision to make breakout passes and run a power play. He will have an impact in the NHL when he arrives." - Peter Harling

"Tremendous upside for the skilled defenceman who still has to pack on the pounds. Good skater and shooter with great passing skills." - Manny Paiva

"Very few defenders, at a young age, can manage gaps as well as Juolevi – a special gift, he forces attackers wide with ease. He has really blossomed as the year has progressed. Plays in all situations for London and rarely looks out of place. He won’t wow you by creating scoring chances for himself off the rush but he excels at handling the puck and slowing the game down to create clean entries or find teammates with outlet passes. He doesn’t get exposed in puck battles but he could still stand to bulk up physically a bit before making the step to the NHL. He has quickly become the second best defensemen in the class, not just in the OHL." - Scott Wheeler

"London's Finnish import is very similar to previous Finnish import Olli Maata. A force at both ends of the rink, Juolevi can play anyway his team needs him to win. Physically, Juolevi is not the largest of defenceman but makes up for it by taking tremendous angles in defensive coverage and using that to benefit him in physical situations. His defensive zone coverage is solid, if unspectacular but when the Knights looks for transition to offence, Juolevi uses his tremendous hockey IQ & vision to deliver outstanding outlet passes, crisp & accurate. Juolevi can also jump up into the play and again uses great angles to create lanes and gets pucks to the net with regularity." - Reed Duthie

Here are the two LHD that the Sabres might be looking at.

 

[truthbluth]

Here are the two LHD that the Sabres might be looking at.

I really like Juolevi's style. I like the idea of seeing him paired with Risto for the next 10 years.

 

[Ness]

Honestly, I'm just thrilled that the Sabres are most likely going to end up with one of these top elite prospects. We're lucky this year has 6 or 7 guys at the top of the draft who project to be high impact players. Give me any one of Matthews, Tkachuk, the Finns, Juolevi, or Chychrun, and I will be sound as a pound.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Having been around for a few years now, it seems like top defenseman heading into the season gets nitpicked to death as the season goes on. It happened to Ekblad, it happened to Hanifin, and it's happening to Chychrun. Based on McKenzie's rankings, it sounds like he's still got a real shot at the #4 draft slot.

I'm not for or against him. Just noting a trend that I've observed over the years.

I totally agree with you in regards to your statement about D around here. Leading up to the 2014 draft people here were saying how Ekblad has a limited ceiling and had limited upside etc. For awhile the consensus top 3 for 2015 was McEichel then Hanifin and then there was a strong and vocal group on HF who said Hanifin wasn't even the best D in the draft. So you are totally correct on that as I can attest to seeing that myself. The Ekblad draft was funny though, people were trying to discredit him saying that the only reason he was ranking near/at the top was partly due to his exceptional status etc and that he was a Jay Bouwmeester type dman in terms of floor/ceiling

As for Chychrun, I can't say I have an opinion on him besides from what I have read/researched since he didn't play in the WJCs and it's not easy finding CHL games on DirecTV living in the states. And I'm not going to lie stating I have seen player X and player Y and somehow have a valid opinion on numerous prospects when the only time I can watch draft eligible players are the WJCs and Memorial Cup. And who honestly has time to personally watch/scout all these draft prospects from every corner in the world when you have a job/life? It's hard enough to tune into the Sabres 60-70 times a year.

But anyway with regards to Chychrun, while I don't have a personal opinion on him I would prefer we were able to draft one of the top 4 forward prospects before drafting him. And the only way to ensure that is to finish 30th which is highly unlikely now. So if we are picking 5-8 then I have no problem taking either of the 2 D everyone seems so high on. Either way we are filling one of our two most pressing needs....a LHD and another high end forward who can slot in at wing.

 

[Chainshot]

I totally agree with you in regards to your statement about D around here. Leading up to the 2014 draft people here were saying how Ekblad has a limited ceiling and had limited upside etc. For awhile the consensus top 3 for 2015 was McEichel then Hanifin and then there was a strong and vocal group on HF who said Hanifin wasn't even the best D in the draft. So you are totally correct on that as I can attest to seeing that myself. The Ekblad draft was funny though, people were trying to discredit him saying that the only reason he was ranking near/at the top was partly due to his exceptional status etc and that he was a Jay Bouwmeester type dman in terms of floor/ceiling

As for Chychrun, I can't say I have an opinion on him besides from what I have read/researched since he didn't play in the WJCs and it's not easy finding CHL games on DirecTV living in the states. And I'm not going to lie stating I have seen player X and player Y and somehow have a valid opinion on numerous prospects when the only time I can watch draft eligible players are the WJCs and Memorial Cup. And who honestly has time to personally watch/scout all these draft prospects from every corner in the world when you have a job/life? It's hard enough to tune into the Sabres 60-70 times a year.

But anyway with regards to Chychrun, while I don't have a personal opinion on him I would prefer we were able to draft one of the top 4 forward prospects before drafting him. And the only way to ensure that is to finish 30th which is highly unlikely now. So if we are picking 5-8 then I have no problem taking either of the 2 D everyone seems so high on. Either way we are filling one of our two most pressing needs....a LHD and another high end forward who can slot in at wing.

Oh hey, a dig at people who enjoy watching hockey. By the way, it's called the internet. Have the cash, you can watch the games: for example - http://ohl.neulion.com/ohl/ or http://whl.neulion.com/whl/ or http://qmjhl.neulion.com/qmjhl/

 

[26CornerBlitz]

This should look a bit different in a couple of weeks.

 

[truthbluth]

In a youtube hole for the last few days. I come away more and more impressed with Tkachuk. He seems to think the game at a very high level, though his hands are a bit of a concern as he often has trouble receiving passes. He looks like he's going to be a possession monster though. Another point, on subsequent viewings, I am starting to think that Mike McLeod is more Darren Helm than Dylan Larkin. Too many times plays die on his stick. I'd have him below Gauthier, Dubois, Juolevi and Sergachev at this point. Still don't know what to make of Clayton Keller.

 

[Paxon]

In a youtube hole for the last few days. I come away more and more impressed with Tkachuk. He seems to think the game at a very high level, though his hands are a bit of a concern as he often has trouble receiving passes. He looks like he's going to be a possession monster though. Another point, on subsequent viewings, I am starting to think that Mike McLeod is more Darren Helm than Dylan Larkin. Too many times plays die on his stick. I'd have him below Gauthier, Dubois, Juolevi and Sergachev at this point. Still don't know what to make of Clayton Keller.

Tkachuk's hockey sense is very, very high. Combine that with his build, pedigree, and quality skill set and he's a really safe bet. The question is the upside. Elite winger or just top 6 winger? Honestly, I'm not very confident either way but he's certainly worthy enough for the #4 selection in my book. You can say some pretty similar things about Dubois as he has a pretty high floor, while his ceiling as an elite forward/offensive potential is questionable compared to some of the other top forwards.

 

[old kummelweck]

You take Matthews and don't think twice about it, unless an elite, young, puck moving dman under contract is offered up.

 

[Chainshot]

Guys -- this is the DRAFT THREAD. We talk about the draft -- players to be picked and why or why not. If you want to talk about anything other than that -- go to another thread. Got it? This is at least the second warning in this thread. Cut. It. The. ****. Out.

 

[flashsabre]

I'm excited to see Murray go Full Murray in his home arena for the draft. Picks and trades everywhere! I'll be coming in from Toronto for this one. It will be very interesting with the combine and draft all taking place in Buffalo this year. The city should be electric this summer.

 

[Samsonite23]

I'm excited to see Murray go Full Murray in his home arena for the draft. Picks and trades everywhere! I'll be coming in from Toronto for this one. It will be very interesting with the combine and draft all taking place in Buffalo this year. The city should be electric this summer.

Speaking of the draft, did tickets start being sold already?

 

[Jim Bob]

I'm excited to see Murray go Full Murray in his home arena for the draft. Picks and trades everywhere! I'll be coming in from Toronto for this one. It will be very interesting with the combine and draft all taking place in Buffalo this year. The city should be electric this summer.

I expect the Full Murray to be walking to the mic and just saying "Auston Matthews".

This is after staring him down on the way to the podium, of course.