Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft

[Frk It]

Good list. Might not be the players I would pick, but it address Detroit's needs and takes some risks.

Who do you like? Who don't you like?

@ChadS, have you seen any of this Jere Jokinen kid by chance?

 

[ChadS]

Who do you like? Who don't you like?

@ChadS, have you seen any of this Jere Jokinen kid by chance?

No but will add him to my list of players to check out.

 

[Frk It]

No but will add him to my list of players to check out.

Saw this, and it piqued my interest.

 

[ChadS]

Saw this, and it piqued my interest.

Thanks, hadn't seen that. Those guys do a good job with Finnish juniors.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Who do you like? Who don't you like?

@ChadS, have you seen any of this Jere Jokinen kid by chance?

Don't like Bahl. Don't think Dobson is worth a 1st.

Depending on where Detroit picks, Smith would be a good choice but I'd take others higher.

Sway my mind if you'd like, always open to new ideas/players.

 

[Frk It]

Don't like Bahl. Don't think Dobson is worth a 1st.

Depending on where Detroit picks, Smith would be a good choice but I'd take others higher.

Sway my mind if you'd like, always open to new ideas/players.

Well, you'd have to tell me why Dobson isn't worth a 1st. I've seen a bunch of scouts (including Mark Edwards on prospect board) say they think he will end up a top 10 guy. Has size, has skating, and is contributing a good amount of offense.

Thought process is pretty simple - I think the our biggest need is a LD that can play in all situations, or a playmaking center. I don't like any of the centers at the top of this draft, so I am looking at the LD's.

I think Smith best of the LD's. Hughes is another good option, but although he plays in all situations at UMich, I think Smith projects better as an all situations guy moving forward. Other options would be K'Andre Miller, Mattias Samuelsson, Jared McIsaac, and Alex Alexeyev. I like Smith better than those guys as of now, although I'd also be happy with Hughes or Miller. I've heard Miller is raw with a ton of upside.

Only other option would be BPA over need, where maybe we go Zadina or Wahlstrom, but as much as I like those guys it is hard for me to take a winger with our top pick when we have more pressing needs. I guess if we end up with two first rounders, I'd be OK with it. Maybe Wahlstrom can be molded into a center, since he has played there some. I do like that kid a lot.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Don't like Bahl. Don't think Dobson is worth a 1st.

Depending on where Detroit picks, Smith would be a good choice but I'd take others higher.

Sway my mind if you'd like, always open to new ideas/players.

I don't see how you can claim in good faith that Dobson isn't worth a first. Every time I watch the kid he strikes me as the smartest one on the ice. I will give you that he is not the most flashy of those available this year, but he projects really really well as a professional in my opinion.

It is hard to go wrong with smart, mobile and efficient in my book.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Well, you'd have to tell me why Dobson isn't worth a 1st. I've seen a bunch of scouts (including Mark Edwards on prospect board) say they think he will end up a top 10 guy. Has size, has skating, and is contributing a good amount of offense.

Thought process is pretty simple - I think the our biggest need is a LD that can play in all situations, or a playmaking center. I don't like any of the centers at the top of this draft, so I am looking at the LD's.

I think Smith best of the LD's. Hughes is another good option, but although he plays in all situations at UMich, I think Smith projects better as an all situations guy moving forward. Other options would be K'Andre Miller, Mattias Samuelsson, Jared McIsaac, and Alex Alexeyev. I like Smith better than those guys as of now, although I'd also be happy with Hughes or Miller. I've heard Miller is raw with a ton of upside.

Only other option would be BPA over need, where maybe we go Zadina or Wahlstrom, but as much as I like those guys it is hard for me to take a winger with our top pick when we have more pressing needs. I guess if we end up with two first rounders, I'd be OK with it. Maybe Wahlstrom can be molded into a center, since he has played there some. I do like that kid a lot.

I guess with Dobson, its the rankings. I've seen a lot of rankings that have him in the 20's. I've read the reports that say he's very smart, puck-mover, good defensively...it's just when I see one of those players, I'm skeptical.

I've seen many over the years disappoint on their potential.

I don't know, maybe I suck at scouting, he's just not a player I'd pick.

 

[Frk It]

I guess with Dobson, its the rankings. I've seen a lot of rankings that have him in the 20's. I've read the reports that say he's very smart, puck-mover, good defensively...it's just when I see one of those players, I'm skeptical.

I've seen many over the years disappoint on their potential.

I don't know, maybe I suck at scouting, he's just not a player I'd pick.

All good. Who are you hoping for? What you think of the USNTP guys this year?

 

[Tatar Shots]

I could see Dobson not being worth our first. But i’d be shocked if he wasn’t worth a later 1st.

Without winning one of the first 2 picks in the draft, I’m hoping for Boqvist. I wouldn’t be upset with Zadina or Tkachuk from a BPA standpoint, but we are just desperate for Dmen. The center depth at the top of this draft is just atrocious and I don’t think we will have any options there even if it was the route management wanted to pursue.

 

[Martinez]

I've got something like this
1. Hughes - skill, insane hockey IQ and feel for the game
1. Woo - I'd take him top 10, he's still ranked in the 20s. People questioned his offense, he's delivered.
2. Jakub Lauko
2. Blake McLaughlin
3. Cameron Hillis

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Lose for Hughes

 

[obey86]

should be a fun draft for the wings!

 

[Shaman464]

I am torn between going big on D or C this draft. With how laughably bad Detroit is at developing d-men I'd say they might be better to go big C for the first 3 picks and hope they can trade for D from a place of strength at center. Especially because its becoming clear Detroit is likely as thin at center as they are at D.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I cannot remember having such a clear top 3 in recent years this early. I mean I am already pretty set in stone that this is my top 3 in the position I would have them in terms of order. I know there is more to the season but I am ready to set my draft board this way. Hopefully the Wings can get smiled on by the lottery process and one of these three guys joins the ranks.

1.) Rasmus Dahlin
2.) Andrei Svechnikov
3.) Quinn Hughes

 

[Marky9er]

Lose for Hughes

We can use it again next year, I like it.

 

[TheMule93]

should be a fun draft for the wings!

until we fire blash, team turns it around, and then we finish 14th and move up to 13th in the lottery

 

[Frk It]

I cannot remember having such a clear top 3 in recent years this early. I mean I am already pretty set in stone that this is my top 3 in the position I would have them in terms of order. I know there is more to the season but I am ready to set my draft board this way. Hopefully the Wings can get smiled on by the lottery process and one of these three guys joins the ranks.

1.) Rasmus Dahlin
2.) Andrei Svechnikov
3.) Quinn Hughes

If that’s your board, you should be happy, because I think Hughes will be an option in our range. We will see though, Bob’s mid season ranking should give us a better idea. I think teams will pass on him because of his size though, despite being USA’s best player every time he suited up for them over the last year or so.

Folks seem to have Boqvist above him, but I’ve seen way more of Hughest than Boqvist, so cant really comment on if that’s justified or not.

I like a bunch of these defenseman, so I like our odds of getting someone I like this year. We’ll see.

I am torn between going big on D or C this draft. With how laughably bad Detroit is at developing d-men I'd say they might be better to go big C for the first 3 picks and hope they can trade for D from a place of strength at center. Especially because its becoming clear Detroit is likely as thin at center as they are at D.

Should be a no-brainer, the overwhelming consensus is this draft lacks centers at the top of the draft.

 

[Shaman464]

If that’s your board, you should be happy, because I think Hughes will be an option in our range. We will see though, Bob’s mid season ranking should give us a better idea. I think teams will pass on him because of his size though, despite being USA’s best player every time he suited up for them over the last year or so.

Folks seem to have Boqvist above him, but I’ve seen way more of Hughest than Boqvist, so cant really comment on if that’s justified or not.

I like a bunch of these defenseman, so I like our odds of getting someone I like this year. We’ll see.



Should be a no-brainer, the overwhelming consensus is this draft lacks centers at the top of the draft.

But outside the top 3-5 D prospects most will need some level of development that I am increasingly skeptical that Detroit is able to provide.

 

[Reddwit]

But outside the top 3-5 D prospects most will need some level of development that I am increasingly skeptical that Detroit is able to provide.

I’m super paranoid about Detroit's ability to select and develop defenseman too but with how this draft is shaping up, wed probably have to end up 9th in the draft order not to get a top 3-5 D prospect. Svech, Zadina, and Tkachuk should all be gone by the top 7.

 

[Frk It]

I’m super paranoid about Detroit's ability to select and develop defenseman too but with how this draft is shaping up, wed probably have to end up 9th in the draft order not to get a top 3-5 D prospect. Svech, Zadina, and Tkachuk should all be gone by the top 7.

But outside the top 3-5 D prospects most will need some level of development that I am increasingly skeptical that Detroit is able to provide.

My only issue with how we develop is the continued overloading of the GR roster. Other than that, I can't really point out a defenseman we drafted that I think would be vastly different if picked by another team. Only guy I can think of that we really botched is maybe Kindl?

But I am of the mindset that development is overstated, at least as far as how much a team influences it. You guide the player, make sure they are in a situation where they can play a big role, and aren't in a toxic environment, and then most of it is on the player.

I don't think we are bad at developing defenseman, I think we are bad at assessing talent with defenseman. Even our pro scouts are pretty sketchy in that regard.

 

[Tatar Shots]

Yes

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

My only issue with how we develop is the continued overloading of the GR roster. Other than that, I can't really point out a defenseman we drafted that I think would be vastly different if picked by another team. Only guy I can think of that we really botched is maybe Kindl?

But I am of the mindset that development is overstated, at least as far as how much a team influences it. You guide the player, make sure they are in a situation where they can play a big role, and aren't in a toxic environment, and then most of it is on the player.

I don't think we are bad at developing defenseman, I think we are bad at assessing talent with defenseman. Even our pro scouts are pretty sketchy in that regard.

I think that this is pretty accurate. At the end of the day Kindl was a p***y who was afraid to get hit. Different coaching was not going to change that. I understand everyone's frustration with our inability to draft impactful defensemen. To be brutally honest, however, players largely develop themselves and a good deal of the most important post-draft development occurs before they even hit the professional ranks. Once they actually get to professional hockey it is the assistants who are doing most of the true individualized developmental coaching.

Anyways, it is less about development and more about identifying and projecting draft-eligible players. At the end of the day we can't stop drafting defensemen simply because we have struggled with it in the past.

 

[jkutswings]

Hopefully we pick up another 1st rounder. Then we would have 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds.

1st - Ty Smith - D (WHL)
1st - Noah Dobson - D (QMJHL)
2nd - Philipp Kurashev - C (QMJHL)
2nd - Milos Roman - C (WHL)
3rd - Kevin Bahl - D (OHL)
3rd - Semyon Der-Aruchintsev - C (OHL)

While I don't know nearly enough about any prospects to evaluate your specific nominations...

...I most definitely endorse all the C's and D's in the position column.

 

[Frk It]

This might be our guy...

Creative Lundestrom building first-round resume for 2018 NHL Draft

"The way he skates, with the ability to switch tempo to beat his defender, he reminds me of a young (Detroit Red Wings center) Henrik Zetterberg," Lulea coach Thomas Berglund said. "He's not as physical as Zetterberg was, but he'll be able to develop that side in his further development because he doesn't shy away from physical play."

Lundestrom is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2018 draft after receiving an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's November players to watch list.

"He's got an excellent combination of speed and skills with excellent offensive instincts," said Goran Stubb, NHL Director of European Scouting. "He has smooth hands, is very good with the puck and knows when to move the puck quickly or when to be patient with it."