2017 Draft & UDFA Thread

[Joey Bones]

Thanks for the analysis.

It can be extremely frustrating watching this team with Schafer's antiquated style. He finally stopped recruiting huge dudes who can barely skate but we haven't produced a decent NHLer since Riley Nash.

He's still in the growing pains of team transitioning. There are still some big dudes that cannot skate that well. In a few seasons, and if recruitment goes well, there'll be an overhaul with smart and skilled players over the big and doofy ones.

 

[Joey Bones]

I love the Brannstrom pick but if our hole is at RHD wouldn't we nab Jokiharju if he's still available?

Reminder...that site simply matches the current NHL standings with the most recent draft rankings. No thought is given to team needs.

It is known that a right handed defender is a need in systematical sense, but if Brannstrom is still available you take him instantly. He can skate circles around men in all three zones in the SHL. Has a helluva an accurate shot and steady IQ. He is above PPG with HV71 J20 and is putting up moderate numbers with a very good HV71 SHL team. Easy 1st round selection by many teams. Big necessity for NYR around the late 1st.

You are correct, jas. That site simply takes the stats and copies/pastes other draft rankings. It is still a mock though and is cool to see that the site agrees with most NYR fans.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I'd say go BPA because a hole this year might be a strength by the time the pick is ready to contribute

First round, I would always go BPA. 2nd round I am hesitant to go for a reach but 3rd round and later, pick whichever the scouts feel most comfortable with.

 

[Joey Bones]

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2017/

Updated mock on draftsite. Here are the results....

1st (27) C: Shane Bowers (CAN) (6'0"/169lbs., Shoots: Left, Waterloo/USHL) *Boston Uni. 17/18 commit*
3rd (89) RW: Maxime Fortier (CAN) (5'8"/176lbs., Shoots: Right, Halifax/QMJHL) *Overage +1*
4th (105) C: Jesper Boqvist (SWE) (6'0"/178lbs., Shoots: Left, Brynas/SHL)
5th (151) D: Cale Fleury (CAN) (6'1"/200lbs., Shoots: Right, Kootenay/WHL)
6th (163) C: Evan Barratt (USA) (5'9"/187lbs., Shoots: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *Penn State 17/18 commit*
7th (213) D: Radem Salda (CZE) (6'0"/163lbs., Shoots: Left, Kralove/Czech U20)

Not a bad group of players, I have to say. Bowers isn't bad at that spot, but would much rather, again, Vaakanainen, Timmins, Oettinger, Jokiharju, Brannstrom (again goes in the 3rd round in this mock), or Lipanov. Could make a case for Anderson-Dolan, too. Fortier is a good small and skilled forward and at the end of the 3rd round would be a good value pick. Other players I would've taken there (in regards to who was left in the above mock) Dayton Rassmussen, Tommy Miller, Zach Gallant and Ivan Chekhovich. Still don't see Boqvist going past early 2nd round, but I'll take him with the 4th. 100% a steal of the draft if it were the case. Wouldn't mind Fleury with the 5th, definitely don't see the hype as a riser pick, though. Barratt is another great value pick with the 6th. Skill, speed and IQ are criminally underrated. Don't know too much about Salda, but adding another defender to a system that lacks much potential from the blue line wouldn't hurt.

Thoughts?

 

[Joey Bones]

First round, I would always go BPA. 2nd round I am hesitant to go for a reach but 3rd round and later, pick whichever the scouts feel most comfortable with.

Exactly, especially if a team trades down to add more picks. This draft class will be all over the place in terms of talent, though.

 

[Mac n Gs]

They need centers and defensemen, so I'd be happy with a kid like Bowers, any of the young Finnish dmen, Brannstrom, or Timmins.

 

[Trxjw]

I don't want to see anymore mocks unless they involve us trading up to take Glass.

 

[ecemleafs]

wasnt bowers a top 5 pick like 2 years ago similar to duclair?

 

[Joey Bones]

I don't want to see anymore mocks unless they involve us trading up to take Glass.

You had your chance 14 years ago, but it's okay!! He's with the organization now...

#FohawksAreStillCool

 

[Joey Bones]

wasnt bowers a top 5 pick like 2 years ago similar to duclair?

Not to my knowledge, to be honest.

 

[Joey Bones]

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/02/14/in-terrible-draft-year-will-more-first-round-picks-be-traded/

Found this article in the prospects boards. Thought it could be applied here seeing NYR hasn't had a 1st rounder in 5 years.

 

[Joey Bones]

http://thehockeywriters.com/could-the-wild-look-abroad-for-roster-help/

Here's an article on some KHLer's that might come over at season's end.

 

[Ranger Ric]

There has been some mention about Yale's John Hayden and Harvard's Alexander Kerfoot king the Jimmy Vesey route and becoming free agents on August 15. But in Elliotte Friedman's latest weekly article, he says Hayden is expected to sign with the Black Hawks rather than go the free agency route and that the Devils will try to sign Kerfoot but even if he decides to go the free agency route he is more likely to go play for his hometown Canucks. These are two of the top 3 unsigned drafted players so it doesn't look like we will have a Kevin Hayes-Jimmy Vesey signing in August.

 

[Lion Hound]

This might be the most unpredictable 1st round in the last ten years. Seeing so many different names bouncing in and out of not only the top 10, but the first round as a whole.

 

[Mikos87]

Finally read Joey's post.

I like where he's going, speed, skill but I don't see Puempel and Pirri being fixtures.

Vesey-Step-Zucc
Kreider-Zib-Buch
Miller-Hayes-Grabner
Hrivik-Linberg-Fast
McClement

Nash trade brings in return. Klein trade too.

 

[Jonas1235]

I want to see 5 of 7 picks spent in L and R Defensemen.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2017/

Updated mock on draftsite. Here are the results....

1st (27) C: Shane Bowers (CAN) (6'0"/169lbs., Shoots: Left, Waterloo/USHL) *Boston Uni. 17/18 commit*
3rd (89) RW: Maxime Fortier (CAN) (5'8"/176lbs., Shoots: Right, Halifax/QMJHL) *Overage +1*
4th (105) C: Jesper Boqvist (SWE) (6'0"/178lbs., Shoots: Left, Brynas/SHL)
5th (151) D: Cale Fleury (CAN) (6'1"/200lbs., Shoots: Right, Kootenay/WHL)
6th (163) C: Evan Barratt (USA) (5'9"/187lbs., Shoots: Left, USNTDP/USHL) *Penn State 17/18 commit*
7th (213) D: Radem Salda (CZE) (6'0"/163lbs., Shoots: Left, Kralove/Czech U20)

Not a bad group of players, I have to say. Bowers isn't bad at that spot, but would much rather, again, Vaakanainen, Timmins, Oettinger, Jokiharju, Brannstrom (again goes in the 3rd round in this mock), or Lipanov. Could make a case for Anderson-Dolan, too. Fortier is a good small and skilled forward and at the end of the 3rd round would be a good value pick. Other players I would've taken there (in regards to who was left in the above mock) Dayton Rassmussen, Tommy Miller, Zach Gallant and Ivan Chekhovich. Still don't see Boqvist going past early 2nd round, but I'll take him with the 4th. 100% a steal of the draft if it were the case. Wouldn't mind Fleury with the 5th, definitely don't see the hype as a riser pick, though. Barratt is another great value pick with the 6th. Skill, speed and IQ are criminally underrated. Don't know too much about Salda, but adding another defender to a system that lacks much potential from the blue line wouldn't hurt.

Thoughts?

Take that draft and run.

 

[Joey Bones]

http://www.tsn.ca/healey-stands-out-in-thin-college-free-agent-class-1.670748

Bob McKenzie adds two more names into the Undrafted Free Agent list...

(Article was from a few weeks ago)

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=88698
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=33045

 

[Jonas1235]

which guy would best fit for NYR in this list?
http://www.isshockey.com/iss-top-31-march-2017/


15 Pettersson, Elias C 11/12/1998 L 6.01.25 156 Timra SweAl
16 Lind, Kole C 10/16/1998 R 6.01 176 Kelowna WHL
17 Necas, Martin RW 1/15/1999 R 6.00.5 167 Brno Kometa HC CzeE
18 Comtois, Maxime LW 1/8/1999 L 6.02.25 199 Victoriaville QMJHL
19 Poehling, Ryan C 1/3/1999 L 6.01.75 183 St. Cloud State NCHC
20 Yamamoto, Kailer RW 9/29/1998 R 5.07.5 153 Spokane WHL
21 Bowers, Shane C 7/30/1999 L 6.01.25 178 Waterloo USHL
22 Ratcliffe, Isaac LW 2/15/1999 L 6.05.5 196 Guelph OHL
23 Suzuki, Nick C 8/10/1999 R 5.10.75 187 Owen Sound OHL
24 Norris, Joshua C 5/5/1999 L 6.01.25 192 USA U18 NTDP
25 Vaakanainen, Urho D 1/1/1999 L 6.01 187 JYP Jyvaskyla FinE
26 Jokiharju, Henri D 6/17/1999 R 5.11.75 176 Portland WHL

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

which guy would best fit for NYR in this list?
http://www.isshockey.com/iss-top-31-march-2017/


15 Pettersson, Elias C 11/12/1998 L 6.01.25 156 Timra SweAl
16 Lind, Kole C 10/16/1998 R 6.01 176 Kelowna WHL
17 Necas, Martin RW 1/15/1999 R 6.00.5 167 Brno Kometa HC CzeE
18 Comtois, Maxime LW 1/8/1999 L 6.02.25 199 Victoriaville QMJHL
19 Poehling, Ryan C 1/3/1999 L 6.01.75 183 St. Cloud State NCHC
20 Yamamoto, Kailer RW 9/29/1998 R 5.07.5 153 Spokane WHL
21 Bowers, Shane C 7/30/1999 L 6.01.25 178 Waterloo USHL
22 Ratcliffe, Isaac LW 2/15/1999 L 6.05.5 196 Guelph OHL
23 Suzuki, Nick C 8/10/1999 R 5.10.75 187 Owen Sound OHL
24 Norris, Joshua C 5/5/1999 L 6.01.25 192 USA U18 NTDP
25 Vaakanainen, Urho D 1/1/1999 L 6.01 187 JYP Jyvaskyla FinE
26 Jokiharju, Henri D 6/17/1999 R 5.11.75 176 Portland WHL

I think that list is awful, but since Pettersson is a top 5 talent it's him

Of the realistic targets i'd say Jokiharju, but i'd love for us to pick Yamamoto since he's silly skilled.

My #1 target for our 1st rounder is Erik Brännström though, for some weird reason he's not even listed top 31 here but he's a riser and probably taken before our pick sadly

I like plenty of players in this range, of the likely 20-35 range players i'd love for us to pick one of Brännström, Yamamoto, Jokiharju, Vaakanainen, Popugayev and probably a few others.

Edit: This list is so bad, Heiskanen is not in the top 31, he's probably a top 10 pick. They also have Foote and Kostin in the top 10, i can't see either get picked in the top 10, probably not the top 15.

 

[Lion Hound]

which guy would best fit for NYR in this list?
http://www.isshockey.com/iss-top-31-march-2017/


15 Pettersson, Elias C 11/12/1998 L 6.01.25 156 Timra SweAl
16 Lind, Kole C 10/16/1998 R 6.01 176 Kelowna WHL
17 Necas, Martin RW 1/15/1999 R 6.00.5 167 Brno Kometa HC CzeE
18 Comtois, Maxime LW 1/8/1999 L 6.02.25 199 Victoriaville QMJHL
19 Poehling, Ryan C 1/3/1999 L 6.01.75 183 St. Cloud State NCHC
20 Yamamoto, Kailer RW 9/29/1998 R 5.07.5 153 Spokane WHL
21 Bowers, Shane C 7/30/1999 L 6.01.25 178 Waterloo USHL
22 Ratcliffe, Isaac LW 2/15/1999 L 6.05.5 196 Guelph OHL
23 Suzuki, Nick C 8/10/1999 R 5.10.75 187 Owen Sound OHL
24 Norris, Joshua C 5/5/1999 L 6.01.25 192 USA U18 NTDP
25 Vaakanainen, Urho D 1/1/1999 L 6.01 187 JYP Jyvaskyla FinE
26 Jokiharju, Henri D 6/17/1999 R 5.11.75 176 Portland WHL

Nick Suzuki...The little engine that can!

Becoming my fav prospect that will likely be available in the range.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I want a C or D with that first pick

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

I want a C or D with that first pick

I'd prefer that aswell, but if my choice is between Yamamoto and any of the Cs that project in the 20-40 range then i take Yamamoto every time.

 

[Zil]

Brännström, Brännström, all hail Brännström.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Brännström, Brännström, all hail Brännström.

This.