NHL Entry Draft 2018 Draft - Prospect Discussion (Poll added)

[R2010]

Not to mention he was coming off knee surgery and is one of the youngest players in the draft... People just get enamored with the WJC cause they watch it but they don't see the other tournaments or games much.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

THIS.

Anyone who watched the U18s can see that the guy was legitimately a step above the vast majority of the players there. He was a puck possession driver and playmaker. Honestly, Wahlstrom has a great shot but if you were watching the U18s only and had to pick one of the two you would pick Kotkaniemi every day of the week. The rest of the year matters of course but Kotkaniemi has shown significant growth.

He interviewed great at the combine apparently as well.

 

[SENATOR]

me neither and I trust our drafting to pick the best player.

Seriously? Senators is the worst run organisation in the league.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

Seriously? Senators is the worst run organisation in the league.

I mean ya, but if there is one single thing this organization is good at, it's drafting.

 

[Slippy]

My two cents , we draft best d-man we can with or without EK. We can fill out the forwards with prospects and cheap players and ice a competitive team but quality defensemen win championships and top pick defensemen are at a premium . This team is going to need to be a defense first team if we have any chance in the next couple of seasons ..

I think Nashville and Winnipeg might beg to differ. Two of the strongest defensive teams beat out by Vegas, argubably not known for its defensive core. And while Washington had improved team defensive attention this postseason, also not the strongest defensive core in the East.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I think Nashville and Winnipeg might beg to differ. Two of the strongest defensive teams beat out by Vegas, argubably not known for its defensive core. And while Washington had improved team defensive attention this postseason, also not the strongest defensive core in the East.

good teams win.. the ice surface is small theres only 5 players on the ice. we cant worry about good defence or good forwards or good this or good that.. just talented players. thats the criteria.. a great forward will help defensively by the simply fact that when hes on the other team wont be in our zone. we just need good players.

 

[SENATOR]

I mean ya, but if there is one single thing this organization is good at, it's drafting.

That's not true at all. We have couple of late hits with Hoffman and Stone. Missed a lot. But not as bad as Montreal or San Jose, who owned us. Sens management never cared about people drafted or picks, traded them all for garbage. If you look at the ranking of NHL best farm systems, Ottawa scores solid 27th place. How is this good for drafting?

 

[Boud]

I think Nashville and Winnipeg might beg to differ. Two of the strongest defensive teams beat out by Vegas, argubably not known for its defensive core. And while Washington had improved team defensive attention this postseason, also not the strongest defensive core in the East.

While that is true, it is also true that defensemen hold more value than forwards, especially wingers. I don't see any center in this draft that has as much potential as a guy like Hughes or Dobson for example.

I think we got proof with Pittsburgh, Vegas and even Washington that you don't need to have the best defensive core to win but what you really really need is a top quality transition game. If you have defensemen that move the puck efficiently and forwards that support their D in transitioning then you're in great shape. I love Zadina and wouldn't mind grabbing him but at the same time I have a hard time getting over not taking a Hughes or Dobson. I think if you want a quality winger they're much easier to acquire after the fact than defensemen.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

That's not true at all. We have couple of late hits with Hoffman and Stone. Missed a lot. But not as bad as Montreal or San Jose, who owned us. Sens management never cared about people drafted or picks, traded them all for garbage. If you look at the ranking of NHL best farm systems, Ottawa scores solid 27th place. How is this good for drafting?

I don't think it's the quality of our drafting that's the problem, it's more that we bleed so many picks and prospects that it has heavily diluted the system. There's a handful of gems there but the overall depth is abysmal. That fact that Formenton made the team out of camp last year was a real indictment of our depth.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I agree over valued due to position, which I really dont think is how you should draft.



Great but drafting for position is how you blow it. BPA always, very good showing at the U 18 but not nearly as good a showing as Zadina at the WJC. I just cant imagine making a decision this big with these kinds of reasons as the justification.

If I were trying to argue for Kotkaniemi it would be that he is a year behind Zadina and Tkachuk in terms of development. However thats too big a risk when you have two blue chippers. The sens cant screw up this pick.

My op said possibly Kotkaniemi.. so he is less likely than the other 3 in other words. Possible reasons why... its a matter of how much you value a top 6 C potential player vs wingers and D. For the Sens...definitely should be evaluated but I would have the other 3 ahead of him. I just have an outside looking in opinion and have had far less time spent evaluating than our scouts or Montreal's scouts who may really want a C if the price is too high to acquire one

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Seriously? Senators is the worst run organisation in the league.

I mean ya, but if there is one single thing this organization is good at, it's drafting.

^this

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

That's not true at all. We have couple of late hits with Hoffman and Stone. Missed a lot. But not as bad as Montreal or San Jose, who owned us. Sens management never cared about people drafted or picks, traded them all for garbage. If you look at the ranking of NHL best farm systems, Ottawa scores solid 27th place. How is this good for drafting?

They've had a pretty good haul recently with Formenton, Batherson, Brown, Dahlen, Chabot, White, Chlapik even Bowers showed he's no slouch ... for it not being an exact science that's pretty good

 

[Korpse]

That's not true at all. We have couple of late hits with Hoffman and Stone. Missed a lot. But not as bad as Montreal or San Jose, who owned us. Sens management never cared about people drafted or picks, traded them all for garbage. If you look at the ranking of NHL best farm systems, Ottawa scores solid 27th place. How is this good for drafting?

AHL rankings are not an indication drafting success.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

You know if the Habs don't draft Kotkaniemi I kinda want him.

 

[SENATOR]

They've had a pretty good haul recently with Formenton, Batherson, Brown, Dahlen, Chabot, White, Chlapik even Bowers showed he's no slouch ... for it not being an exact science that's pretty good

None of them made a team really. ))) WTF)) Chabot is just scratching the surface.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

None of them made a team really. ))) WTF)) Chabot is just scratching the surface.

Ya, otherwise they wouldn't be prospects.

Your argument makes no sense.

Not denying we've had some weak drafting in the cowen, noesen, puempel era, but in recent years we seem to have turned it around.

Anyway, we had a pages-long discussion on this topic last week IIRC.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Ya, otherwise they wouldn't be prospects.

Your argument makes no sense.

Not denying we've had some weak drafting in the cowen, noesen, puempel era, but in recent years we seem to have turned it around.

We've turned it around since Dorion wasn't head manning the draft funnily enough.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

If Zadina is still on the board and we pass on him at 4, I won’t be surprised.

I would be disappointed, that's for sure.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

None of them made a team really. ))) WTF)) Chabot is just scratching the surface.

What are your expectations with that list of Prospects at this stage?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

I find our drafting is quite overrated. Who was the last star player we drafted ? Stone in 2010?

I realize that Chabot likely gets there.But that's almost a decade of drafting with only one star to show for it.

Not only that, but they are obsessed with making safe picks based around character in the first round.

I love Mann but our scouting department aside from him isn't that great anymore.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

I find our drafting is quite overrated. Who was the last star player we drafted ? Stone in 2o10? Chabot likely gets there.

But that's almost a decade of drafting with only one star to show for it.

Still very early to tell, but Chabot and Dahlen both look very promising. Batherson's looking like a steal. And as far as established guys go, Stone's obviously the high water mark since Karlsson, but Ceci/Zibanejad/Pageau/Dzingel have all turned into regular contributors too, with varying levels of success.

Also of note: if we extend the criteria to '09 we also add Silfverberg, Lehner and Hoffman. And if we go to '08 to make it an even decade, we also get Karlsson, Smith and arguably Borowiecki and Wiercioch. That's a lot of established NHL-level talent for the amount of picks we've had.

 

[bdp]

I trust our scouting staff, problem is, are we gonna pick who our scouts want, or who the owner wants?

It's not unprecedented, Edmonton ownership forced them to pick Yakupov when the head scout wanted Murray. We could see the same thing happen here tomorrow.

 

[Deku]

I trust our scouting staff, problem is, are we gonna pick who our scouts want, or who the owner wants?

It's not unprecedented, Edmonton ownership forced them to pick Yakupov when the head scout wanted Murray. We could see the same thing happen here tomorrow.

Are you implying you think Melnyk may want Tkachuk or something?

 

[guyzeur]

i don't think so