GDT: 2018 NHL Entry Draft--Round 1 | Fri, June 22, 4:30pm; Rounds 2-7 | Sat, June 23, 8:00am

[damacles1156]

Yeah, I get this, but I still think the prototypical young defenseman is still a kid like Cal Foote (taken in last year's draft). Defensemen with size don't have to be fast, they just have to be agile. Their height allows them to cover more ice and passing lanes with their sticks. I guess we'll see. It just seems to me the GMs went a little overboard this year with smaller defensemen in the first round.

I dunno, I still think a good big man beats a good little man most of the time.

I think 5 of the first 6 Defenders taken are all over 6'0" and at least 180-200 or more lbs not exactly small. The back half of the draft sure lot smaller D, but they have a tough road ahead regardless (skill-set) odds to make the NHL are against them anyway.

 

[KINGS17]

I think 5 of the first 6 Defenders taken are all over 6'0" and at least 180-200 or more lbs not exactly small. The back half of the draft sure lot smaller D, but they have a tough road ahead regardless (skill-set) odds to make the NHL are against them anyway.

Maybe damacles, I didn't have a list in front of me with their vital statistics. I was just going by what was being said by the analysts on the broadcast and their comments regarding the number of under 6-0 feet defensemen which were taken in round 1.

 

[kingsfan28]

Patrick O'Sullivan said during his draft year, the NHL had security around him the entire time because his dad just got released from prison. Crazy!

I found the tweet:

 

[KingsHockey24]

 

[SettlementRichie10]

But Kupari at 20 was not "swinging for the fences"...

No, he wasn’t, but that became the language of the argument, hence my use of it.

 

[damacles1156]

Kid has great speed. Hopefully he works out for the Kings.

 

[Bandit]

Patrick O'Sullivan said during his draft year, the NHL had security around him the entire time because his dad just got released from prison. Crazy!

I found the tweet:

Poor kid never had a chance.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

He obviously has a man-crush on Veleno and letting his emotions overcome the fact that his boy toy almost never made it in the 1st round. lol.

I disagree with the decision to draft Kupari over a more highly rated prospect in Veleno, and that makes Veleno my “boy toy”? Are you 13 years old?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah, I get this, but I still think the prototypical young defenseman is still a kid like Cal Foote (taken in last year's draft). Defensemen with size don't have to be fast, they just have to be agile. Their height allows them to cover more ice and passing lanes with their sticks. I guess we'll see. It just seems to me the GMs went a little overboard this year with smaller defensemen in the first round.

I dunno, I still think a good big man beats a good little man most of the time.

This is the league overreacting to "SPEED MOAR SPEED" imo. Yes, your dmen need to be able to skate and make a first pass now, but that doesn't mean checking (not to hurt, but to pin/separate from puck) isn't part of the top guys skillsets, and all things being equal, size/effort will win a battle.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the days of the high pick Teubert/McIlrath/etc. is over, but I get the feeling that a lot of very good defensive d-men are going to come from the 2nd-4th rounds, and that people are getting sort of blinded by style over substance (though not so much in this draft, a lot of the high-end 1st round d-men are actually very well-rounded for the first time in a decade).

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Kings take a shot at speed and skill and high upside and are getting crapped on for not taking the 'safe' player after months and months of complaining that they need speed and skill and high upside and less 'safe' players.

This board has become ****ing unbearable and sadly predictable.

You act as if Veleno doesn’t have the same skill set as Kupari, if not better. He definitely has a better shot.

I have no problem conceding that every team in the league felt comfortable passing on Veleno, so there’s likely something concerning there. At the time of the pick, I was unhappy with what I felt to be a project pick when another more highly rated prospect was there for the taking. Maybe I’m totally wrong. And in all honesty, I don’t care that much. It’s unlikely either Kupari or Veleno turn into impact forwards.

I’m simply defending the position of Veleno being the clear BPA at #20. It’s really not a big deal.

 

[King'sPawn]

Not sure how Kupari is compared to Tukonen in one statement followed up with the statement that the Kings should have gone with the safe pick.

Tukonen WAS the safe pick. He was described as one of the safest picks.

 

[kingsfan28]

This is the league overreacting to "SPEED MOAR SPEED" imo. Yes, your dmen need to be able to skate and make a first pass now, but that doesn't mean checking (not to hurt, but to pin/separate from puck) isn't part of the top guys skillsets, and all things being equal, size/effort will win a battle.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the days of the high pick Teubert/McIlrath/etc. is over, but I get the feeling that a lot of very good defensive d-men are going to come from the 2nd-4th rounds, and that people are getting sort of blinded by style over substance (though not so much in this draft, a lot of the high-end 1st round d-men are actually very well-rounded for the first time in a decade).

I was thinking the same thing. Fast 5-11 puck moving dmen are great except when trying to get the puck away from a 6-4 center who has 20 pounds on them. It's almost like the league GM's are not even looking at defensive dmen in the early rounds anymore.

 

[kingsboy11]

Now that this ****ing site is back working I can finally say something about this pick.

Personally I love the pick. I thought the Kings could go with Kupari and they did. I would've been perfectly content with Veleno, but clearly other teams didn't see something in him either. I feel Kupari will have a very similar path to the NHL like Kempe. He might spend a little bit more time in the AHL than Adrian, but I really like this pick.

 

[BigKing]

I don't pretend to know anything about this year's prospects. My only concern is if they are taking a guy simply because speed is the flavor of the day just like Taylor taking Steckel and Karlsson because of size.

The scouting report did sound very much like Kempe's, right down to not knowing if he is a center or not. If he equals Kempe, then nice pick at 20.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

My NHL Draft was QUICK to project Round 2 picks...worth looking at. They have Jesse Ylonen, another Finn, slated at the Kings' 2nd rd pick. Too hard to guess,
but a good look at who is left

2018 NHL Mock Draft | 2018 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

 

[kings11]

I don't pretend to know anything about this year's prospects. My only concern is if they are taking a guy simply because speed is the flavor of the day just like Taylor taking Steckel and Karlsson because of size.

The scouting report did sound very much like Kempe's, right down to not knowing if he is a center or not. If he equals Kempe, then nice pick at 20.

The kid sprouted 3 inches and 20lbs during the offseason and still kept his elite speed and puck handling... with more PT this upcoming season he could "at least" turn into another Adrian Kempe. I however, think he'll grow another inch or 2 and be closer if not over 200lbs by this time next season.. The biggest thing scouts have said about his inability to produce/score more is that he's a bit selfish and thinks he can do it all and doesn't get his teammates involved more. But they also countered by stating that when he had better teammates he elevated his game, which is always a good sign...

 

[Reclamation Project]

Most exciting part of the draft was this site crashing every 5 seconds.

 

[Cook24]

Bode Wilde still on the board? Da fuq. Trade up Blake.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Notable names still available:

Ryan McLeod
Serron Noel
Bode Wilde
Jared McIsaac
Akil Thomas
Mattias Samuelsson
Jack McBain
Jett Woo
Jesse Ylonen
Jacob Olofsson
Kirill Marchenko
Filip Hallander
Jonatan Berggren
Calen Addison
Albin Eriksson

 

[eleventy]

Notable names still available:

Jett Woo

Now that's a fantastic hockey name

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Now that's a fantastic hockey name

I want to see him drafted just so that I could hear that at Staples Center every time he scores.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Awesome pick and some laughable comments in here.




“Bad numbers”

Euh, we are talking about a mens league here..not juniors...

“Tukonen all over again”

That person must have missed a lot recently. Different era, different times. Finns ars dominating right now.

 

[Basilisk]

If we could trade up and take Serron Noel in the 2nd, that'd be a good thing, IMHO.


EDIT: What kind of name is "Serron", anyway? Sounds like a Vulcan or an evil wizard or something.... just what our team needs!!!!

 

[Statto]

There really isn't.

Also with the roster the way it is, the Kings need to take some swings at boom or bust type guys.

Exactly. If we draft ‘safe’, we will end up with another bottom six player.

 

[Statto]

Forgot to add... reports indicate that he’s very coachable. He’s also bigger than he look. His baby face makes him look like he’s 12 years old, but his size will be fine assuming he fills out as you’d expect.

As I’ve said elsewhere, I love this pick. We lack potential impact players, which he will be IF he works out.