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2017 Draft & UDFA Thread - Part III

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Joey Bones said:
So every year I do an early top 10 rankings for each class and here is who I had in the top last June....

1. Nolan Patrick
2. Timothy Liljegren
3. Casey Mittelstadt
4. Maxime Comtois
5. Antoine Morand
6. Kristian Veselainen
7. Juuso Valimaki
8. Callan Foote
9. Eeli Tolvanen
10. Kailer Yamamoto

:laugh:

I always find it funny how far off these end up becoming. Comtois and Morand seem to be 2nd/3rd rounders at this point. Liljegren might still go in the top 10. Veselainen and Yamamoto later 1st rounders. Foote mid first. Hischier not on lololol
Click to expand...

Thats very good, actually. Besides Comtois and Morand, those are all 1st rounders or potential first rounders. Even Comtois might find his way into the first round.

I made a top 35 a few weeks after the 2016 draft. The bolded players are the only ones really still in first round contention. Not my best effort. Only 18 of 35 are really in 1st round contention anymore.


1. Timothy Liljegren
2. Nolan Patrick
3. Gabriel Vilardi
4. Maxime Comtois
5. Urho Vaakanainen
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Cal Foote
8. Erik Brannstrom
9. Eeli Tolvanen
10. Kailer Yamamoto
11. Elias Pettersson
11. Owen Tippett
12. Klim Kostin
13. Kristian Vesalainen
14. Lias Andersson
15. Nico Hischier
16. Scott Reedy
17. Rickard Hugg
18. Juuso Valimaki
19. Kirill Slepets
20. Nicholas Hague
21. Mark Rubinchik
22. Luke Martin
23. Nikita A. Popugayev
24. Antoine Morand
25. Jake Oettinger
26. Dmitri Samorukov
27. Stelio Mattheos
28. Scott Reedy
29. Matt Strome
30. Michael Rasmussen
31. Adam Ruzicka
32. Stuart Skinner
33. Max Gildon
34. Mike Dipietro
35. Jacob Paquette
 
Anyone have any thoughts on the 3rd Strome brother Matthew? He looks like a chubby baby but can he play? Looks like a 2nd rounder.
 
For reference, here was my post-Hlinka Top-31 from last August, based on NHL upside, not how the draft unfolds. Bolded guys are locks for the 1st round.

Chekhovich, Morand and Mitchell are massively underrated. Salo is a lock to be at worst a 5th defenseman in the NHL. All the talk about Heiskanen in Liiga play but IIRC Salo had a the same CF% than Heiskanen (with less Ozone starts) and a much higher ESp/60.

Ruzicka had an excellent second half for a defensive minded team, and was one of the top rookie scorers in the OHL. Same with Samorukov. Sometimes these Euro kids need tme to adjust to NA. Samorukov helped his draft stock with a very good 2nd half and a solid U18 worlds.

Yamamoto and Jokiharju are at worst high 2nd rounders. And people are sleeping on Davidsson because he didn't put up gaudy numbers but his speed/shot/tenacity translate well.

Bucek is a boom or bust. Great size, vision and skill. Don't know why CSB is so down on him in such a weak year.

Comtois is interesting. He might be a guy like Perry or Saad who comes back to bite people in the tushy, or he's Tyler Biggs. I can see one of the three teams with two firsts to gamble on him, or he goes high in the second. Think he'll make a nice career as a role player but never reach a top-six role on a good team.

And I'm alone in the Reedy camp. Seen too much of him I guess. Nobody really knows the specifics as to why he was benched at the U18s, but reports are he did really well at the combine and owned up to it. Doubt he goes higher than the middle 2nd but think he has a bright future ahead of him.


1. Patrick
2. Mittelstadt
3. Liljegren
4. Tolvanen
5. Vaakanainen
6. Kostin
7. Vesalainen
8. Pettersson
9. Hischier
10. Andersson
11. Vilardi
12. Comtois
13. Valimaki
14. Ruzicka
15. Tippett
16. Bucek
17. Samorukov
18. Brannstrom
19. Jokiharju
20. Mitchell
21. Yamamoto
22. Chekhovich
23. Davidsson
24. Hague
25. Salo
26. Suzuki
27. Foote
28. Poehling
29. Reedy
30. Morand
31. Heiskanen
 
Berserk said:
Anyone have any thoughts on the 3rd Strome brother Matthew? He looks like a chubby baby but can he play? Looks like a 2nd rounder.
Click to expand...

I would not draft him.

I know it might seem silly, but the first two Strome's have been very disappointing, and can't skate. Matt Strome also can't skate.

I wouldn't consider him before like the 3rd or 4th round, even if he's a better player than that.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
I would not draft him.

I know it might seem silly, but the first two Strome's have been very disappointing, and can't skate. Matt Strome also can't skate.

I wouldn't consider him before like the 3rd or 4th round, even if he's a better player than that.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Change his name, and he is a late round pick
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
Thats very good, actually. Besides Comtois and Morand, those are all 1st rounders or potential first rounders. Even Comtois might find his way into the first round.

I made a top 35 a few weeks after the 2016 draft. The bolded players are the only ones really still in first round contention. Not my best effort. Only 18 of 35 are really in 1st round contention anymore.


1. Timothy Liljegren
2. Nolan Patrick
3. Gabriel Vilardi
4. Maxime Comtois
5. Urho Vaakanainen
6. Casey Mittelstadt
7. Cal Foote
8. Erik Brannstrom
9. Eeli Tolvanen
10. Kailer Yamamoto
11. Elias Pettersson
11. Owen Tippett
12. Klim Kostin
13. Kristian Vesalainen
14. Lias Andersson
15. Nico Hischier
16. Scott Reedy
17. Rickard Hugg
18. Juuso Valimaki
19. Kirill Slepets
20. Nicholas Hague
21. Mark Rubinchik
22. Luke Martin
23. Nikita A. Popugayev
24. Antoine Morand
25. Jake Oettinger
26. Dmitri Samorukov
27. Stelio Mattheos
28. Scott Reedy
29. Matt Strome
30. Michael Rasmussen
31. Adam Ruzicka
32. Stuart Skinner
33. Max Gildon
34. Mike Dipietro
35. Jacob Paquette
Click to expand...

Why did you not bold Vaakanainen? Seems like a sure fire 1st rounder, likely to go in the 13-20 range imo.
 
Steve Kournianos said:
For reference, here was my post-Hlinka Top-31 from last August, based on NHL upside, not how the draft unfolds. Bolded guys are locks for the 1st round.

Chekhovich, Morand and Mitchell are massively underrated. Salo is a lock to be at worst a 5th defenseman in the NHL. All the talk about Heiskanen in Liiga play but IIRC Salo had a the same CF% than Heiskanen (with less Ozone starts) and a much higher ESp/60.

Ruzicka had an excellent second half for a defensive minded team, and was one of the top rookie scorers in the OHL. Same with Samorukov. Sometimes these Euro kids need tme to adjust to NA. Samorukov helped his draft stock with a very good 2nd half and a solid U18 worlds.

Yamamoto and Jokiharju are at worst high 2nd rounders. And people are sleeping on Davidsson because he didn't put up gaudy numbers but his speed/shot/tenacity translate well.

Bucek is a boom or bust. Great size, vision and skill. Don't know why CSB is so down on him in such a weak year.

Comtois is interesting. He might be a guy like Perry or Saad who comes back to bite people in the tushy, or he's Tyler Biggs. I can see one of the three teams with two firsts to gamble on him, or he goes high in the second. Think he'll make a nice career as a role player but never reach a top-six role on a good team.

And I'm alone in the Reedy camp. Seen too much of him I guess. Nobody really knows the specifics as to why he was benched at the U18s, but reports are he did really well at the combine and owned up to it. Doubt he goes higher than the middle 2nd but think he has a bright future ahead of him.


1. Patrick
2. Mittelstadt
3. Liljegren
4. Tolvanen
5. Vaakanainen
6. Kostin
7. Vesalainen
8. Pettersson
9. Hischier
10. Andersson
11. Vilardi
12. Comtois
13. Valimaki
14. Ruzicka
15. Tippett
16. Bucek
17. Samorukov
18. Brannstrom
19. Jokiharju
20. Mitchell
21. Yamamoto
22. Chekhovich
23. Davidsson
24. Hague
25. Salo
26. Suzuki
27. Foote
28. Poehling
29. Reedy
30. Morand
31. Heiskanen
Click to expand...

Overall a very solid list, i agree on Salo and Reedy btw, was VERY surprised to see Reedy benched at the U-18 WJC, he was excellent in the Five Nations in February, drove that line with Mismash-Barratt.

The stats don't agree with you on Ruzicka, his G/60 and P/60 were very even through the season, he did get more ice-time after a bit though, overall a solid season though, i like him.

Samorukov did have a bit of a late surge in his trends.
 
Mac n Gs said:
Wow I completely forgot about Davidsson. Are there any Andrew Peeke's this year?
Click to expand...

Josh Brook. Was injured last year, and this year was a recovery year.

Nothing glamorous to his game. Jeff Petry type of player.

Very safe pick imo... but upside is limited.

Peeke was a reach at the time to some, but CLB knows dmen. They weren't waiting around for him.

The question is, are there any Gavrikov's out there?

Him going as a 5th is a travesty and shows negative Russian bias on a lot of teams part. That guy will win a cup some day.
 
Concerns about the Stromes are that they don't seem to be maturing physically. Skating issues are exposed at the NHL level, but it's not like they're putting on a lot of mass.

I'm not as high on Dylan as some, but I still see an NHL player. One that will score in the right system.
 
Mikos87 said:
Josh Brook. Was injured last year, and this year was a recovery year.

Nothing glamorous to his game. Jeff Petry type of player.

Very safe pick imo... but upside is limited.

Peeke was a reach at the time to some, but CLB knows dmen. They weren't waiting around for him.

The question is, are there any Gavrikov's out there?

Him going as a 5th is a travesty and shows negative Russian bias on a lot of teams part. That guy will win a cup some day.
Click to expand...

I was a big Gavrikov fan his draft year, can't believe how far he dropped. What happened with the injury he suffered at the Worlds ?

I saw alot of Peeke, he still has a way to go, he is getting along but with his skill set he should be dictating play out there.

Brook's stock has been rising all Spring, he will go early in the draft. I think Lindstrom, Sjalin, Walsh, Crotty, Gildon, Leivermann, Rathbone, Samberg, Samurokov, Mirageas, Ferraro, Fleury, Minulin, Martin, Rubinchik, Westerlund, Asplund, Galvas, Baranov, Rodionychev, Yelshansky, Karow, Gordeev, Matt Anderson, Markus Phillips, Durzi, Warm, plus other dmen make up a pretty decent crop of prospects on the backend, hoping we get at least one of them outside the first round.
 
Steve Kournianos said:
For reference, here was my post-Hlinka Top-31 from last August, based on NHL upside, not how the draft unfolds. Bolded guys are locks for the 1st round.

Chekhovich, Morand and Mitchell are massively underrated. Salo is a lock to be at worst a 5th defenseman in the NHL. All the talk about Heiskanen in Liiga play but IIRC Salo had a the same CF% than Heiskanen (with less Ozone starts) and a much higher ESp/60.

Ruzicka had an excellent second half for a defensive minded team, and was one of the top rookie scorers in the OHL. Same with Samorukov. Sometimes these Euro kids need tme to adjust to NA. Samorukov helped his draft stock with a very good 2nd half and a solid U18 worlds.

Yamamoto and Jokiharju are at worst high 2nd rounders. And people are sleeping on Davidsson because he didn't put up gaudy numbers but his speed/shot/tenacity translate well.

Bucek is a boom or bust. Great size, vision and skill. Don't know why CSB is so down on him in such a weak year.

Comtois is interesting. He might be a guy like Perry or Saad who comes back to bite people in the tushy, or he's Tyler Biggs. I can see one of the three teams with two firsts to gamble on him, or he goes high in the second. Think he'll make a nice career as a role player but never reach a top-six role on a good team.

And I'm alone in the Reedy camp. Seen too much of him I guess. Nobody really knows the specifics as to why he was benched at the U18s, but reports are he did really well at the combine and owned up to it. Doubt he goes higher than the middle 2nd but think he has a bright future ahead of him.


1. Patrick
2. Mittelstadt
3. Liljegren
4. Tolvanen
5. Vaakanainen
6. Kostin
7. Vesalainen
8. Pettersson
9. Hischier
10. Andersson
11. Vilardi
12. Comtois
13. Valimaki
14. Ruzicka
15. Tippett
16. Bucek
17. Samorukov
18. Brannstrom
19. Jokiharju
20. Mitchell
21. Yamamoto
22. Chekhovich
23. Davidsson
24. Hague
25. Salo
26. Suzuki
27. Foote
28. Poehling
29. Reedy
30. Morand
31. Heiskanen
Click to expand...

Agree with you on Salo and Davidsson!!
 
Amazing Kreiderman said:
He will be known as "Rodeo"
Click to expand...

5666114.gif
 
Bluenote13 said:
I was a big Gavrikov fan his draft year, can't believe how far he dropped. What happened with the injury he suffered at the Worlds ?

I saw alot of Peeke, he still has a way to go, he is getting along but with his skill set he should be dictating play out there.

Brook's stock has been rising all Spring, he will go early in the draft. I think Lindstrom, Sjalin, Walsh, Crotty, Gildon, Leivermann, Rathbone, Samberg, Samurokov, Mirageas, Ferraro, Fleury, Minulin, Martin, Rubinchik, Westerlund, Asplund, Galvas, Baranov, Rodionychev, Yelshansky, Karow, Gordeev, Matt Anderson, Markus Phillips, Durzi, Warm, plus other dmen make up a pretty decent crop of prospects on the backend, hoping we get at least one of them outside the first round.
Click to expand...

The unquestioned thing with Gavrikov is character and toughness. That guy makes you pay a price to get a shot off. Don't know what his "shot suppression" numbers are but if he was North American, he'd be a top 25 pick with an A on his chest waiting for him.

Just rock solid. Don't know about the injury, but I heard he's staying for another year or two, while CLB wants him in North America. Has a lot of Konstantinov to his game. Absolutely mirthless in front of the net when the refs not looking. None of the nice guy sofffness of a M. Staal.

Brook won't slide past 40 imo... and that's with teams making reach picks ahead of him. The pedigree is there, as is the head for the game. He's not a physical monster, just one of those get the job done, and do it again types. Very safe 3rd pair guy. Downside risk is that of a Matt Irwin/Robert Bortuzzo, upside is that of a Petry. Nothing sexy, nor any advanced stat glamour, but he's reliable.

Pavel Buchnevich said:
Among defensemen:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=339965
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=359580
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=370727
Click to expand...

Nice to see some positive Russian bias. Any Kaprizov/Gusev type of guy this year?
 
Mikos87 said:
Nice to see some positive Russian bias. Any Kaprizov/Gusev type of guy this year?
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head (in alphabetical order).... Alexei Lipanov, Kirill Slepets, Andrei Altybarmakyan, Kirill Belyayev, Yegor Fateyev, Kirill Kozhevnikov, Artem Manukyan, Pavel Shen, Daniil Skorikov, Razat Timirov, Alexei Toropchenko, Artur Tyanulin, Anton Vasilyev, Alexander Yaremchuk...

There could be others, but these are some who I feel may fit the bill....




Edit: Not Russian, but he could become something special....

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=265944
 
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