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

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damacles1156 said:
Everyone looks fine in highlight reels.
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not really. I watched myself on a breakaway filmed by my buddies wife. In my head I was flying with a wicked backhand top shelf. In reality it looked like a ski jumper leaning to far forward barely beating a beer league dman who was 50 pounds overweight to the puck and then tossing a shot into the top of the net in what looked like a highlight real shot slowed down in slow motion.

As for Kupari I have no real feelings as I have not seen him in person. I have no idea what his role was, his maturity level, level of competition, teammates, or how long he has been playing or who he has been molded by. All I know is we have a new prospect that is suppose to have a high skill level, something we all seemed to want prior to the draft. Can't wait to see how he develops. Not going to judge this pick for at least 2 years.
 
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Chazz Reinhold said:
He had 7 points in 11 games in the Finnish junior league..? I don't see how that's a problem.
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Nobody said it's a problem, they said it needs work. Kupari does.

Nobody should be disputing that Kupari is prospect, a work in progress that needs to work on some things. That's all I was pointing out.
 
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I could very well be overreacting about this Kupari pick. I don’t deny that.

I simply think the Kings prospect pool is pretty barren, and loading up with safer picks like Veleno is a better CURRENT strategy than swinging for the fences on boom/busts. That’s all.
 
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SettlementRichie10 said:
I could very well be overreacting about this Kupari pick. I don’t deny that.

I simply think the Kings prospect pool is pretty barren, and loading up with safer picks like Veleno is a better CURRENT strategy than swinging for the fences on boom/busts. That’s all.
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Why is Veleno a safe pick....can you really say he's a "safe" pick after 30 freaking teams passed on him, some multiple times?

I have no idea why he dropped, could be nothing, could be something, but to call Veleno a "safe" pick ignores the MOUNTAIN of experience in that draft room that just said no...he's not.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
Absolutely.

And frankly I don't think it's even a 'gamble' vs. what else was on the board really. Bokk? Same sort of concerns. That's what happens around pick 20, the guys become less surefire. Swing for upside once in a while. The exact complaints seem to be around 'impact' forwards, so gotta take a shot at one if you're not drafting top-5.
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Exactly.

Hopefully it works out for the kings this time.
 
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funky said:
not really. I watched myself on a breakaway filmed by my buddies wife. In my head I was flying with a wicked backhand top shelf. In reality it looked like a ski jumper leaning to far forward barely beating a beer league dman who was 50 pounds overweight to the puck and then tossing a shot into the top of the net in what looked like a highlight real shot slowed down in slow motion.

As for Kupari I have no real feelings as I have not seen him in person. I have no idea what his role was, his maturity level, level of competition, teammates, or how long he has been playing or who he has been molded by. All I know is we have a new prospect that is suppose to have a high skill level, something we all seemed to want prior to the draft. Can't wait to see how he develops. Not going to judge this pick for at least 2 years.
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This is why you must always speed up your beer league highlights. :)
 
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SettlementRichie10 said:
I could very well be overreacting about this Kupari pick. I don’t deny that.

I simply think the Kings prospect pool is pretty barren, and loading up with safer picks like Veleno is a better CURRENT strategy than swinging for the fences on boom/busts. That’s all.
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But do we know Veleno is a safe pick to be certain.

If he was, even with the Kings passing him, would he not have went before no. 30?

I admittedly don’t know enough about the kid so I’m asking. Is there an intangible that you see in him if you have watched him on a regular basis that makes him stand out.

Seems to be a good character kid from what I listened to on Sportsnet when he was selected. The opposite of Ryan Merkley.

Must have some flaw(s) in his overall game that had him slide.
 
funky said:
just went back and listed to Sportsnets panel talking about Kupari and they claimed he could score from the outside and he has a wicked shot contrary to what was posted on here earlier. Can anyone clarify ?
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Not really , because most here have only seen highlites on here over the last couple days, he plays in a mans league as a 17/18year old that's a good sign, he is quick and has good hands and that's good too, in those highlites it looks like a decent shot but having not seen it who knows ......his ranking by Bob was exactly where we got him and that was a consensus of 10 pro scouts so that's a good thing , Sellane was taken at ten And him at20 and if he is half as good as him we win , and that's as good a theory as any other of the bull crap on here lol
 
GoldenBearHockey said:
Why is Veleno a safe pick....can you really say he's a "safe" pick after 30 freaking teams passed on him, some multiple times?

I have no idea why he dropped, could be nothing, could be something, but to call Veleno a "safe" pick ignores the MOUNTAIN of experience in that draft room that just said no...he's not.
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There really wasn't much in terms of (Safe) at the back half. Sure Veleno has more of a bottom six type mentality and build/skillset(projection). But is that what the Kings should be looking for 20th overall with this roster the way it is ?

I would argue No. The Kings need some guys like Kupari to pan out.
 
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I think it was stated before the draft that Veleno doesn’t have high end expectations.

That said, a solid third line center is very useful.

I’m happy with Kupari, I was surprised that Veleno fell as far as he did but it seems like it was for a reason.
 
damacles1156 said:
There really wasn't much in terms of (Safe) at the back half. Sure Veleno has more of a bottom six type mentality and build/skillset(projection). But is that what the Kings should be looking for 20th overall with this roster the way it is ?

I would argue No. The Kings need some guys like Kupari to pan out.
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Agree, and agree, I hope Kupari pans out, no one knows for sure, not even Futa or Blake....but to say Veleno is safe when clearly there were issues is just....weird.
 
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lexlavender said:
They're afraid big d men can't skate in today's NHL.
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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.
 
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KINGS17 said:
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.
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Helps if they have a good hockey sense, that can help make up for a lack of foot speed.
 


For those who ever questioned Blake's character, Jon Rosen was kind enough to share this tidbit from a behind the scenes meeting Blake had with his staff.
At a team dinner in Dallas Thursday night, Rob Blake addressed the scouts, coaches, management and team media, telling the assemblage that Fugere would make the selection. It sparked an important and tender moment for the tight-knit group.

“What [Blake] said was ‘a hockey game is a battle,’ and then he referred to me that I went through a life battle, and let’s say I was surprised,” Fugere said. “Then he said that I was to call our first pick of the day if we don’t make any trades. I kind of fumbled, I said, ‘why is that?’ I was really surprised. This is a great move, a great organization. I’m more than happy with the organization. We know that sometimes my health is still on the bubble, I have to be very careful, I have to take some rest. Sometimes I just have to change my schedule at the last minute, and nobody says anything. I’m just more than happy.”

The immediate joke was that Fugere wouldn’t be able to change the pick to a French Canadian while on the stage.

“Could it be a Quebec guy? I don’t know,” Fugere said. “I have no clue. Mike Futa said, ‘Fuge, you don’t have the right to change the pick.’ I’ll be very careful when we get there, I’ll get the right pick.”
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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.
 
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