Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft

[SantosHalper]

If Wings get first overall Dahlin is no-brainer choice. But after that is hard to choose which one, Wings needs d-men and there is good talent available. Hughes, Boqvist, Smith, Wilde, Dobson, McIsaac, Merkley.

Only fowards i would pick are Svechnikov and Zadina, both are high end talent. Other needs like playmaking centers can be drafted later.

 

[Redder Winger]

Interesting that so far Hughes has been MIA in high-competition games.
Boqvist didn't made team Sweden, which was a little surprising, I guess.
Ty Smith - another smallish offensive D.
Smith, Boqvist and Hughes are all that same model, small offensive D.
I like them more after 5 overall than 1-4.
Dobson looks awesome and has the kind of size I'm more comfortable with on defense.
Wilde looks pretty good.
Merkley seems a little underrated compared to the other other smallish offensive D.

 

[Redder Winger]

I'm liking this kid as a potential pick round 3 and beyond.

DMITRI ZAVGORODNY

 

[lilidk]

If Wings get first overall Dahlin is no-brainer choice. But after that is hard to choose which one, Wings needs d-men and there is good talent available. Hughes, Boqvist, Smith, Wilde, Dobson, McIsaac, Merkley.

Only fowards i would pick are Svechnikov and Zadina, both are high end talent. Other needs like playmaking centers can be drafted later.

We have good wingers , not playmaking centers . Larkin is a very good center , but not playmaker. Tatar, Nyquist, Mantha , Svechnikov , how many do we need ?

 

[HisNoodliness]

We have good wingers , not playmaking centers . Larkin is a very good center , but not playmaker. Tatar, Nyquist, Mantha , Svechnikov , how many do we need ?

I'm all aboard the don't draft a winger train but admittedly I'd still take Svechnikov or Zadina. If players are sufficiently good you take them regardless of position. I'm really hoping for a top line D.

 

[lilidk]

I'm liking this kid as a potential pick round 3 and beyond.

DMITRI ZAVGORODNY

I'm all aboard the don't draft a winger train but admittedly I'd still take Svechnikov or Zadina. If players are sufficiently good you take them regardless of position. I'm really hoping for a top line D.

agree with you , but only if wings will trade away some wingers we have

 

[Redder Winger]

If they draft a Svech or Zadina, it won't be that long before Nyquist is gone and Z is retired, etc.

 

[jkutswings]

agree with you , but only if wings will trade away some wingers we have

They should probably try to deal Nyquist whether they are then willing to draft a winger or not.

 

[Ezekial]

As little as I want them to draft a winger I can't say I'd be mad at Zadina or Svech, they're just so damn talented. If we draft around 7-9 and draft Whalstrom I won't be mad. But I'm really hoping to get a Dahlin or Boqvist.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

As little as I want them to draft a winger I can't say I'd be mad at Zadina or Svech, they're just so damn talented. If we draft around 7-9 and draft Whalstrom I won't be mad. But I'm really hoping to get a Dahlin or Boqvist.

I think even if they're drafting 7-9, the odds are pretty good that they could get one of the high end defensemen. They don't have to draft a winger like Wahlstrom if they'd rather have a D of equivalent value.

Like I think there's a base level of really good guys to start the draft:

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Zadina
4. Tkachuk
5. Boqvist

and then you start to get into the next tier of defensemen. I won't even put them in order, but let's just list them:

Hughes
Smith
Dobson
McIsaac (if we believe McKeen's and some of the posters here)

But even without McIsaac, that's 8 players. Add in the fact that somebody in there is going to take a forward like Wahlstrom and Veleno, and the Wings can take a very good defenseman if they choose to. I'd be really happy to come away with one of Smith, Hughes, or Dobson.

That is, assuming 9th is the highest the Wings get in the standings. Who knows.

 

[Ezekial]

I think even if they're drafting 7-9, the odds are pretty good that they could get one of the high end defensemen. They don't have to draft a winger like Wahlstrom if they'd rather have a D of equivalent value.

Like I think there's a base level of really good guys to start the draft:

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Zadina
4. Tkachuk
5. Boqvist

and then you start to get into the next tier of defensemen. I won't even put them in order, but let's just list them:

Hughes
Smith
Dobson
McIsaac (if we believe McKeen's and some of the posters here)

But even without McIsaac, that's 8 players. Add in the fact that somebody in there is going to take a forward like Wahlstrom and Veleno, and the Wings can take a very good defenseman if they choose to. I'd be really happy to come away with one of Smith, Hughes, or Dobson.

That is, assuming 9th is the highest the Wings get in the standings. Who knows.

I basically am not worried about this draft because there's so many kids I like a lot, I'm definitely hoping for a D first and foremost. Your last line is the key, I'm counting the days to the lottery.

 

[Redder Winger]

Did anyone think Svech was very good in this tournament? He looks like he has the same drawbacks as his older brother. His feet don't get him where he needs to be to make use of his skills.

 

[Ezekial]

Did anyone think Svech was very good in this tournament? He looks like he has the same drawbacks as his older brother. His feet don't get him where he needs to be to make use of his skills.

He was playing ~10 mins a game and had 5 A in 5 games. His role was small compared to the other 2018ers.

 

[Redder Winger]

He was playing ~10 mins a game and had 5 A in 5 games. His role was small compared to the other 2018ers.

Completely invisible vs the US. Couldn't do anything.
Didn't show even a flash.

 

[Ezekial]

Completely invisible vs the US. Couldn't do anything.
Didn't show even a flash.

I guess he's bad then. Idk

 

[Redder Winger]

I guess he's bad then. Idk

I was just disappointed.
Expected more.

But in a way, it takes away some of the desire to tank too much. Because unless your getting Dahlin, I'm not sure there's a clear #2 - at least one that fits the Wings to a tee.
In fact, at this point -- and it's still early -- if I did have #2 i might consider trading down.

 

[newfy]

I have seen all the lists. This is the draft to take defense not centers and certainly not wingers. We use our hopefully 2 first round picks on defense.

This is a draft to add talent. If the best talent is a winger than you draft him plain and simple. I dont know how anyone can watch these world juniors and would be upset with Zadina, Tkachuk or Svechnikov. All will probably go top 5 (Tkachuk maybe more like 6 or 7 at worst) and theyll go their for a reason. If the wings add elite talent on the wings, not Nyquist/Tatar talent but legit elite talent which Svechnikov or Zadina could be, Larkin and Rasmussen could be good enough down the middle to win and do the dirty work for those guys. Tkachuk is bigger, meaner and better than his brother. Playing him with Rasmussen and Mantha down the road would be horrible for other teams down low.

 

[drwings40]

Man, Zadina knows how to score goals.
As bad as we need a good Dman (and personally I would pick one), on the other hand I wouldn't be too surpised with any of Svechnikov, Zadina, Tkachuk if we are in that position.

 

[Go Wings]

This is a draft to add talent. If the best talent is a winger than you draft him plain and simple. I dont know how anyone can watch these world juniors and would be upset with Zadina, Tkachuk or Svechnikov. All will probably go top 5 (Tkachuk maybe more like 6 or 7 at worst) and theyll go their for a reason. If the wings add elite talent on the wings, not Nyquist/Tatar talent but legit elite talent which Svechnikov or Zadina could be, Larkin and Rasmussen could be good enough down the middle to win and do the dirty work for those guys. Tkachuk is bigger, meaner and better than his brother. Playing him with Rasmussen and Mantha down the road would be horrible for other teams down low.

I have watched Zadina play and he is going to be a good player sure. However who is going to pass him the puck up the ice, who is going to help prevent goals from going in our net and who is going to QB the powerplay...answer no one cause we have no stud defense prospects.

We aren't going to make the playoffs and win cups with no defense.

As for Tkachuk it is Middlestat and Bellows that make that team go not him. I would never draft him with the talent that is going to be available on defense.

 

[Ezekial]

I have watched Zadina play and he is going to be a good player sure. However who is going to pass him the puck up the ice, who is going to help prevent goals from going in our net and who is going to QB the powerplay...answer no one cause we have no stud defense prospects.

We aren't going to make the playoffs and win cups with no defense.

As for Tkachuk it is Middlestat and Bellows that make that team go not him. I would never draft him with the talent that is going to be available on defense.

With the wings taking 13 defensive prospects in the last 2 drafts, I don't think they feel compelled to draft solely a defender with our first round pick. As I said I hope they do, but I don't think they'll avoid a great talent if they fall into their lap.

As for Tkachuk he's ranked highly for a reason, he's been ranked highly before the WJC and he's played well regardless of his teammates.

 

[Henkka]

With the wings taking 13 defensive prospects in the last 2 drafts, I don't think they feel compelled to draft solely a defender with our first round pick. As I said I hope they do, but I don't think they'll avoid a great talent if they fall into their lap.

As for Tkachuk he's ranked highly for a reason, he's been ranked highly before the WJC and he's played well regardless of his teammates.

Almost a no-brainer tactic would be taking a forward with the TOP5 1st pick (if it's not 1st overall, for Dahlin) and a defenceman with the lower 1st got from the possible Mike Green trade. Because this draft has ~15 first round defencemen talents, someone good is gonna drop for sure for that ~25 range pick.

If we get Dahlin, they can go a total swing in opposite ways. Go all-in after forwards after the 1st overall.

Very interesting draft coming, which could us up for years.

Now hockey gods, please give us some luck. We deserve it.

 

[HisNoodliness]

I have watched Zadina play and he is going to be a good player sure. However who is going to pass him the puck up the ice, who is going to help prevent goals from going in our net and who is going to QB the powerplay...answer no one cause we have no stud defense prospects.

We aren't going to make the playoffs and win cups with no defense.

As for Tkachuk it is Middlestat and Bellows that make that team go not him. I would never draft him with the talent that is going to be available on defense.

You're right that we need defense first and foremost and I'm going to be hoping like crazy that we walk out of this draft with someone that can be THE guy on our defense for a long time. There's a lot of defenseman with that potential this year and I think we will be in a position to take one. However if there's a truly elite winger available and none of the defenseman project as elite players... You have to take the winger.

That would be unfortunate and we'd have to do everything we can to address the defense. But there would be avenues available. Trade Nyquist and Tatar for late firsts or seconds. Use those picks on D (we also are going to need to keep drafting Centers but it can wait more than D). Use the (hopeful) Green first on a defenseman. Same with our second and Ottawa's second. Take enough defenseman in the first couple of rounds and we will build a defense eventually. We do already have some decent D prospects that look like they can fill out a team behind an elite piece. Finding that elite piece is the toughest and if we're in a position to take someone like Boqvist but don't I'll be upset. But if we're sitting at 7 and there's been a run on D and Zadina is still available and hands down the best player there... I think you have to take him. I'm not as impressed with Tkachuk either... but frankly I didn't love his brother and he certainly made me eat crow so I'm willing to give Brady the benefit of the doubt.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Who knows maybe aa gets 18 min we beat Florida and draft like 12th

 

[Henkka]

Who knows maybe aa gets 18 min we beat Florida and draft like 12th

Currently our playoff probabilities are ~5th worst. Same with season ending situation. The gap is almost impossible to catch and after we find our losing streak, this is the tactic for the trade deadline:





***

The true fact from our playoff probabilities is, that we have to be a League TOP3 team in the last 43 games to reach 100 points. It could pretty secure a playoff spot.

It's just not gonna happen. It would be a 100x bigger Miracle in Ice, than that one Miracle on Ice in a single hockey game. Ken Holland knows these maths and will sell people at the deadline. Then the wheels will drop off and we will drop on the standings, most proably on the 5th worst spot.

Season would be viewed still as an overachievement, because everybody was predicting us to be ~3rd worst on average. MArtin Frk is proably the biggest surprising factor for those summer predictions. His goals have helped us to win hockey games, and at summer no one could believe he would be NHLr at all.

Larkin's, Mantha's and Athanasous development has been pretty much as expected.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Not saying we make it. But if we beat florida and aa gets 18 min that’s like 6-0-1 when he does I’m pretty sure. Could easily be on the outside looking in at the end