2018 HF Team Boards Mock Draft -- Pick #28

[Gardner McKay]

Went with Noel again. Also picked him at 26.

 

[Sarge13]

So many choices at this point. Good dmen like Sandin, Samuelsson, Woo, Lundkvist - might be too hard to pass on. But wouldn't be upset with Wise, Noel or any of the forwards on this list.

 

[NYR Viper]

I went Noel. 6'5 RH forward with offensive upside would be a unique piece for this organization

 

[Matt Rentfree]

I get why people like Noel, but personally I don't like the idea of drafting someone who is that raw and that much of a project in the 1st. Just my .02

 

[Savant]

The Rangers have never drafted a player like Noel and made it work. I'm so against it I'm changing my vote to Wise to try to block it

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I get why people like Noel, but personally I don't like the idea of drafting someone who is that raw and that much of a project in the 1st. Just my .02

Late in the 1st when you have 3 picks is exactly where you want to take a risk like that.

Ideally, He'd drop to 39.

 

[Harbour Dog]

The Rangers have never drafted a player like Noel and made it work. I'm so against it I'm changing my vote to Wise to try to block it

What do you mean by "like Noel", because Kreider has worked out pretty well, and he was also very raw with great tools to become a power forward.

Not saying that Noel's tools measure up to Kreider's, but I don't see how they wouldn't be considered similar picks.

 

[Savant]

What do you mean by "like Noel", because Kreider has worked out pretty well, and he was also very raw with great tools to become a power forward.

Not saying that Noel's tools measure up to Kreider's, but I don't see how they wouldn't be considered similar picks.

Like Jessiman...

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

there are several players I like a lot, but I think they will all go between #9 and #26

 

[Edge]

Noel seems a lot closer to Jessiman than he does to Kreider IMO.

Having said that, Olofsson is both the highest remaining player on my list (18).

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Going to need to make sure we get Wise the W here, so I’ve changed my vote. I still have it as Samuelsson before Wise, but either would be a great pick at 28.

 

[AKA Chief]

Went w/ Sandin. BPA all the way. They won't all pan out so stack the deck in your favor w/ better players. If they do pan out, you can use them in trades.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Noel seems a lot closer to Jessiman than he does to Kreider IMO.

Having said that, Olofsson is both the highest remaining player on my list (18).

I wasn't making a direct comparison of the two; more so just commenting that we have had success with at least one pick of that nature in the late first before.

That said, on some imaginary project scale from Jessiman to Kreider, I think Noel would fall a little closer to Kreider.

Jessiman was an adequate skater when the red line was in effect, and when it got removed his skating became a big weakness. Noel is an average skater (and continually improving by all accounts) in a game that is already designed to foster speedy players.

On top of that, Noel has a better defensive game than either did when they were drafted.

 

[Edge]

I wasn't making a direct comparison of the two; more so just commenting that we have had success with at least one pick of that nature in the late first before.

That said, on some imaginary project scale from Jessiman to Kreider, I think Noel would fall a little closer to Kreider.

Jessiman was an adequate skater when the red line was in effect, and when it got removed his skating became a big weakness. Noel is an average skater (and continually improving by all accounts) in a game that is already designed to foster speedy players.

On top of that, Noel has a better defensive game than either did when they were drafted.

I keep wanting to be impressed by Noel, but the sum of the parts just isn’t there for me. It’s not just the skating or defense, it’s the consistency, the ability to read plays, frankly a lot of skills are pretty average.

Perhaps he does fall closer to a Kreider, but Kreider had that elite level speed, to go along with a big frame. Noel doesn’t have anything elite level, other than maybe his size. Across the board, a lot of the check boxes come in as average and the product has been fairly average in comparison. That was particularly on display in the playoffs when the competition stepped up a notch.

For me, Noel is the kind of player who screams of draft day fantasies.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I keep wanting to be impressed by Noel, but the sum of the parts just isn’t there for me. It’s not just the skating or defense, it’s the consistency, the ability to read plays, frankly a lot of skills are pretty average.

Perhaps he does fall closer to a Kreider, but Kreider had that elite level speed, to go along with a big frame. Noel doesn’t have anything elite level, other than maybe his size. Across the board, a lot of the check boxes come in as average and the product has been fairly average in comparison. That was particularly on display in the playoffs when the competition stepped up a notch.

For me, Noel is the kind of player who screams of draft day fantasies.

That's a fair criticism. His shot is the closest thing he has to elite, and as of now, it probably isn't that.

The rapid improvement he has shown this year, for a guy who is considered a bit of a project, is promising enough that he'll very likely go in the first round though.

And my defense of him aside, I would prefer not to use one of our firsts on him. There will almost certainly be a guy or two dropping, as well as there being a grouping of defensemen in that range that I would love for us to pick from.

 

[eco's bones]

I find it hard to believe that if Tkachuk is there at 9 the Rangers pick Kotkaniemi instead and let the Islanders pick Tkachuk two spots later. There are a few reasons including the Rangers Boston U. and David Quinn connections that also connect to Tkachuk. The fact that Brady also would bring physical play and edge and the Rangers wanting to be a harder team to play against---well that would address that at least to a degree. That being said I have Kotkaniemi as my 10--he should become a really, really good player.

As for their 26th and 28th picks. I really, really don't like Ryan McLeod at 26. IMO he drops to the 2nd round and maybe more towards the middle. Grigori Denisenko I don't think will be around at 28 but if he was---he'd be a good pick.

 

[Edge]

That's a fair criticism. His shot is the closest thing he has to elite, and as of now, it probably isn't that.

The rapid improvement he has shown this year, for a guy who is considered a bit of a project, is promising enough that he'll very likely go in the first round though.

And my defense of him aside, I would prefer not to use one of our firsts on him. There will almost certainly be a guy or two dropping, as well as there being a grouping of defensemen in that range that I would love for us to pick from.

I have him at 41, which I fully acknowledge is significantly lower than most.

For me, there are number of guys who will likely be on the board in the late first who have shots to be top 6 forwards or even top 4 defenseman. I just happen to like them more if we’re talking late first.

Just looking at the poll, there are 7 guys I would be happier to take.

 

[Sarge13]

Defensemen
Wingers
Centers
Goalies

This is how I rank the drafts depth.

Not a whole lot of quality or quantity when it comes to Center Ice, and a lot of the guys who were labeled as centers project as wingers as well.

My prediction is we're going to see a lot of centers go early in this draft, earlier than you would have thought they would have been drafted because of the lack of Center depth.

 

[Sarge13]

I have him at 41, which I fully acknowledge is significantly lower than most.

For me, there are number of guys who will likely be on the board in the late first who have shots to be top 6 forwards or even top 4 defenseman. I just happen to like them more if we’re talking late first.

Just looking at the poll, there are 7 guys I would be happier to take.

Give us your top 3

I think Lundkvist is coming in pretty underrated, he'd be my choice most likely.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Lundkvist was underrated 2-3 months ago. Now he's extremely overrated.

 

[Sarge13]

Lundkvist was underrated 2-3 months ago. Now he's extremely overrated.

Late first, early second rounder. Last 4 drafts had similar players rank exactly this way.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I went with Hallander. Uber talanted along with being one of the younger players in the draft.

 

[Inferno]

If tkachuk is there at 9 and the rangers don't take him I might rage quit the rangers bandwagon.

 

[Matt Rentfree]

I find it hard to believe that if Tkachuk is there at 9 the Rangers pick Kotkaniemi instead and let the Islanders pick Tkachuk two spots later. There are a few reasons including the Rangers Boston U. and David Quinn connections that also connect to Tkachuk. The fact that Brady also would bring physical play and edge and the Rangers wanting to be a harder team to play against---well that would address that at least to a degree. That being said I have Kotkaniemi as my 10--he should become a really, really good player.

As for their 26th and 28th picks. I really, really don't like Ryan McLeod at 26. IMO he drops to the 2nd round and maybe more towards the middle. Grigori Denisenko I don't think will be around at 28 but if he was---he'd be a good pick.

The guy who picked at 9 for us in that mock seems to be to be the least knowledgeable of the three. If that's the actual scenario on draft day, I think Gorton picks Tkachuk and skips back to his seat giggling like a schoolgirl.