2017 Draft & UDFA Thread

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

I wonder if Makar can play the right side. He's playing LD in all the highlights of him that I see but he shoots right handed.

Reverse is true for Heiskanen, plays RD but shoots left.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Who would you recommend in that regard, preferably a righty for obvious reasons?

Any of the notable Finns -- Salo, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, Heiskanen -- Hague, Foote, Luke Martin, Makar, Nate Knoepke, Tommy Miller, Ian Mitchell. Jarret Tyszka, Mikey Anderson, Jesse Bjugstad, Artyom Minulin, Dalimil Mikyska, David Kvasnicka, Baranov, Josh Brook.

Brannstrom too if available. I'm guessing Brannstrom will light up the U18s and boost him into the top-20. He's better than Fabbro if you compare them at this stage of their respective draft year.

Every one of those guys better be high on the Rangers' draft board.

Say no to: Fleury, Thilander, Markus Phillips, Dylan Samberg, any of the QMJHL dmen - Crete-Bezile etc.



Guys I would gamble on late but have some risk -- Rubinchik, Gildon, Inamoto, Rasanen, Kotkansalo

 

[Bluenote13]

Thats a good list SK, I could see the Rangers going with Martin(U of Mich) or Miller(Mich state commit). Salo, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, Heiskanen -- Hague, Foote will most likely go before our pick, but who knows at this point. Would like to see Jokiharju somehow make it to us.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Any of the notable Finns -- Salo, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, Heiskanen -- Hague, Foote, Luke Martin, Makar, Nate Knoepke, Tommy Miller, Ian Mitchell. Jarret Tyszka, Mikey Anderson, Jesse Bjugstad, Artyom Minulin, Dalimil Mikyska, David Kvasnicka, Baranov, Josh Brook.

Brannstrom too if available. I'm guessing Brannstrom will light up the U18s and boost him into the top-20. He's better than Fabbro if you compare them at this stage of their respective draft year.

Every one of those guys better be high on the Rangers' draft board.

Say no to: Fleury, Thilander, Markus Phillips, Dylan Samberg, any of the QMJHL dmen - Crete-Bezile etc.



Guys I would gamble on late but have some risk -- Rubinchik, Gildon, Inamoto, Rasanen, Kotkansalo

Awesome, thanks for the response! I'll try to watch more of these guys as the draft looms closer

 

[Kherron]

In the last 30 years, the Rangers have made 3 first round picks that didn't come out of North America.

They were Cherepanov, Kovalev, and Sundstrom.

For whatever reason, the Rangers don't seem to like using first rounder on prospects that didn't play in North America. So I don't see us taking a Brannstrom or a Jokiharju. Would expect us to go the college route again.

But Jokiharju is playing in the WHL on the Portland Winterhawks. Or did you mean NA born player?

Thats a good list SK, I could see the Rangers going with Martin(U of Mich) or Miller(Mich state commit). Salo, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, Heiskanen -- Hague, Foote will most likely go before our pick, but who knows at this point. Would like to see Jokiharju somehow make it to us.

One of Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, or Heiskanen would be awesome

 

[Joey Bones]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=midtermRank&year=2017

Midterm Rankings are in. Patrick still No. 1, although Hischier would be my bet for No. 1.

Makar at No. 10

 

[I Eat Crow]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=midtermRank&year=2017

Midterm Rankings are in. Patrick still No. 1, although Hischier would be my bet for No. 1.

Makar at No. 10

Wow, that list is quite different from mine. Some of the bigger surprises to me are Liljegren as the 7th European skater, and Petruzelli as the #1 ranked goalie ahead of Oettinger, Scott, and DiPietro...what?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Poor list. I don't usually regard the NHL Central Scouting lists much.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Wow, that list is quite different from mine. Some of the bigger surprises to me are Liljegren as the 7th European skater, and Petruzelli as the #1 ranked goalie ahead of Oettinger, Scott, and DiPietro...what?

McKenzie said the European scouts were wary about Liljegren not playing all that time and dropped him because of it, but the NA scouts didn't do the same thing with Patrick

 

[Konamic Ice Hockey]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=midtermRank&year=2017

Midterm Rankings are in. Patrick still No. 1, although Hischier would be my bet for No. 1.

Makar at No. 10

He posted a list with a write up on each player https://www.nhl.com/news/adam-kimelman-2017-nhl-mock-draft/c-285904700?tid=277764372

But as soon as I saw Yamamoto in the 1st round this guy lost all credibility to me. Yamamoto has skill and lots of it, but he is tiny, really small. He is shorter then what he is listed at. Both brothers have their size exaggerated. You almost never see a smaller player on the ice. For me if you are small go the NCAA route. Not many Johnny hockeys come around, and to take a first round bet on someone that may grow to be 5'9 but more likely will be 5'7 155lbs is huge.
Patrick on a stacked team last season looked like the best player on the team some nights and on other nights was still top 3-4. He drove his lines. For me it would be really hard not to pick him 1st if I had the pick. He plays an NHL style game, has size, his skating is good, his puck control and protection is excellent. I think if he takes another step in development he can be a 1st line center otherwise he will be a solid 2nd.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He posted a list with a write up on each player https://www.nhl.com/news/adam-kimelman-2017-nhl-mock-draft/c-285904700?tid=277764372

But as soon as I saw Yamamoto in the 1st round this guy lost all credibility to me. Yamamoto has skill and lots of it, but he is tiny, really small. He is shorter then what he is listed at. Both brothers have their size exaggerated. You almost never see a smaller player on the ice. For me if you are small go the NCAA route. Not many Johnny hockeys come around, and to take a first round bet on someone that may grow to be 5'9 but more likely will be 5'7 155lbs is huge.
Patrick on a stacked team last season looked like the best player on the team some nights and on other nights was still top 3-4. He drove his lines. For me it would be really hard not to pick him 1st if I had the pick. He plays an NHL style game, has size, his skating is good, his puck control and protection is excellent. I think if he takes another step in development he can be a 1st line center otherwise he will be a solid 2nd.

I agree. Who was the last forward shorter than 5'10 to go in the first round? People talk about these players every year. This year its Yamamoto and Morand, last year it was Debrincat and Abramov. Its the same story every single year. These 5'7, 5'8 forwards who put up a lot of points and are really skilled don't go in the first round. Some of them make it to the NHL and are very good players, but others don't. That type of player is such a risky pick. They are either boom or bust. Yamamoto might be a top 10 hockey player in this draft, but the NHL is not the same as the WHL. You can't just go on who scores the most points in junior hockey. I think its a similar story with sub 6'0 defenseman, but there is such a shortage of good puck moving defenseman available that NHL teams are more willing to take a chance on them earlier in the draft than small forwards.

 

[Anthony5967]

http://puckprose.com/2016/12/24/nhl-draft-profile-timothy-liljegren-swedish-defenseman/

Kid sounds special. You guys think he is falling into the mid to late 20s? I don't.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

http://puckprose.com/2016/12/24/nhl-draft-profile-timothy-liljegren-swedish-defenseman/

Kid sounds special. You guys think he is falling into the mid to late 20s? I don't.

He is. Best player in the draft.

Could he drop? Depends how stupid NHL GM's are. The Canadian media is really trying to push this narrative. I think its because last year was a really bad year for Canadian talent, and they want to assure the spots of Patrick, Vilardi and a few other Canadians at the top of the draft, plus they don't mind a QMJHL player like Hischier going a little higher in the draft.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I think Patrick is still the best player, injury issues aside, but Liljegren is easily number 2. If there were any way we could move up and get him if he's falling, we absolutely should (assuming he won't fall to us).

He trained with McDonagh at the same complex in the offseason.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Liljegren is easily the most talented player in this draft imo.

Will he get there? Really hard to say, but i have a hard time seeing him drop out of the top 5, let alone top 10.

 

[Leetch3]

goddammit last year you all got my hopes up about mcavoy please don't even start with trying to do the same with Liljegren

 

[Fitzy]

If by some miracle they landed Liljegren late in the first, I suspect he could actually make the starting lineup as an 18 year old in a 3rd pairing role.

Sounds like a pipe dream to me, though.

 

[Leetch66]

Was reading about Jr FA Zac MacEwen this morning . He was named 2nd star twice lately in the Q league . Averaging a PPG 6 ft 4 215 lbs good on FO's.....possibly a late bloomer ? I have never watched him play....not sure on foot speed .....worth a look for sure if he can keep up . http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/sports...g-a-strong-final-season-of-junior-hockey.html

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

One of these talented defensemen is going to fall, I just hope the Rangers are ready to move on it when it happens.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

If Liligren is there even at 10 we should do everything in our power to move up.

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

If Liligren is there even at 10 we should do everything in our power to move up.

Agree. Move some forward depth + picks to make it happen. Hell even move one of the goalie prospects not named Shesty.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

If Liljegren drops outside the top 10 then atleast 5 teams made a huge mistake already. Has the highest ceiling in this draft AINEC.

 

[Mikos87]

The Devils first rounder was safe because he had no hockey skill, and was just a fast guy who was tall and worked very hard.

Pettersson is the opposite. His hands, skill, thinking is so much better than McLeod. Probably the worst part of his game is his skating, which he has fixed a lot already.

1. Tim Liljegren
2. Elias Pettersson
3. Gabe Vilardi
4. Nolan Patrick
5. Nico Hischier
6. Martin Necas
7. Owen Tippett
8. Eeli Tolvanen
9. Erik Brannstrom
10. Casey Mittelstadt
11. Klim Kostin
12. Juuso Valimaki
13. Lias Andersson
14. Miro Heiskanen
15. Ryan Poehling
16. Nick Suzuki
17. Cal Foote
18. Alexei Lipanov
19. Michael Rasmussen
20. Jake Oettinger
21. Ukko Pekka Luukkonen
22. Cale Makar
23. Cody Glass
24. Kole Lind
25. Kristian Vesalainen
26. Shane Bowers
27. Maxim Zhukov
28. Jesper Boqvist
29. Marcus Davidsson
30. Nikita Popugayev
31. Ivan Lodnia

Yes, to your first point, what I mean to say is his downside risk is that of Patrick Berglund. But I would take him in the top 12. And if I needed a center. No 3-4 Center taken.

Patrick is still my top center. Hischier after. Those are Elite IMO. In different way. Nico will score more IMO, while Patrick will shell in 65 point seasons of complete hockey for a number of years.

Love you're list btw, you get the skill and output ratio real nice.

I like Necas over Middlestadt too. Necas is interesting. I would reach for him and take him over everyone except for Tippet who you have just one spot behind.

Very high on Tippet. Poor man's Correy Perry.

Teams will reach for Foote, Rasmussen and Bowers. But I agree with your ranking. I'd swing on Makar earlier. Upside is too high. Parayko came out of that league his draft year.

Not so high on Poehling. Don't see the hype.

Rest I have no idea on.

I like your ranking, based on based player right?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yes, to your first point, what I mean to say is his downside risk is that of Patrick Berglund. But I would take him in the top 12. And if I needed a center. No 3-4 Center taken.

Patrick is still my top center. Hischier after. Those are Elite IMO. In different way. Nico will score more IMO, while Patrick will shell in 65 point seasons of complete hockey for a number of years.

Love you're list btw, you get the skill and output ratio real nice.

I like Necas over Middlestadt too. Necas is interesting. I would reach for him and take him over everyone except for Tippet who you have just one spot behind.

Very high on Tippet. Poor man's Correy Perry.

Teams will reach for Foote, Rasmussen and Bowers. But I agree with your ranking. I'd swing on Makar earlier. Upside is too high. Parayko came out of that league his draft year.

Not so high on Poehling. Don't see the hype.

Rest I have no idea on.

I like your ranking, based on based player right?

Yeah, just my opinion of the best 31. Its very skilled based. Thats what I'd prefer in the first round, although obviously NHL teams need to ice teams that have balance in the offensive and defensive zone.

Tippett is a good player. I think he could keep moving up draft boards. I wouldn't be surprised if he's eventually top 5. The speed, shot, size combo is really coveted by NHL teams.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Yamamoto is a very good prospect. If GMs dont draft a dominant player because he's 5'7, they run the risk of failing over a stupid, archaic idea.

Gaudreau, Panarin, Marchand, Gionta, Johnson, Zucc, Giroux, Marner, Ennis, Petan, Atkinson - these guys were all undersized guys in their draft year but are legitimate NHL players, some were or are currently stars.

It's already been disproven that size doesnt prevent success. Poor effort and lack of desire will, and that crap doesnt size discriminate.