2018 NHL Entry Draft Thread (Less then 24 Hours Edition)

[le_sean]

Zadina is better player. But 1.5 ppg as 18 year old. Shows decent offensive vision.

The problem is he's only shown the ability to be that productive of a player in 33 of his 171 career games.

 

[HuGort]

The problem is he's only shown the ability to be that productive of a player in 33 of his 171 career games.

On a terrible team though. Compared to LL. Who only averaged 1.1 ppt as a 20 year old. In same league.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Wasn't St-John a juggernault offensively in 16-17 ?

 

[The Great Weal]

Even with a shity center core, I would still avoid Veleno and Hayton. If we do get a pick, I'd much rather gamble on Kravtsov or Farabee instead.

 

[The Great Weal]

 

[The Great Weal]

 

[WinterLion]

It's not just about upside though, Eller is the 15th or so best player in his draft, and if Veleno is that, it's a fine pick.

Yes, we all want upside and we remember the players we wanted with upside that worked out... but we quickly forget the guys we thought would break out that never even played. NHL teams need to be much more pragmatic. A good 3rd liner on a great contract is very valuable, same for a good #4 D. We are all bitching about Alzner, but if Diets or Thrower or even Beaulieu had worked out better we wouldn't have had that problem...

 

[S Bah]

Q: is Kotkaniemi the real want and need for Montreal in this draft?

Center's or LHD's are the immediate concerns for the future, wings, goalies & RHD's are a strength ATM. At 3rd OV in a deep draft, the hope is for a franchise type of prospect. Svechnikov, Zadina, Boqvist exude talents that could very well become All Star material, Boqvist being the youngest, smallest of the three, has a bigger chance of Upside, IMHO!!!... Then again Kotkaneimi shows huge passion, desire, while continuing to improve each game, he too is a younger prospect whose skating can improve.(Which many Top Ten prospects routinely improve with lessons.) He's also shown poise with the puck in International play against the best players in his age group. Pro Scouts like Timmins have an uncanny ability to evaluate accurately the best player after development.
In 2012 Timmins Top Three were A.Galchenyuk(3rd), Filip Forsberg(11th) & Teuvo Teravainen(18th), all three have become valued players for their teams. All are wingers though really the best of that draft, IMHO.
Clear as Mud, Habs fans can depend upon our talent evaluators to select, trade up or down, to get the most out of the 3rd OV pick IMHO!!!...

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yep, you're right. Those two players definetly aren't very comparable at all. I was just saying that the best center on draft day doesn't always translate to a center in the NHL.

I will admit that I didn't watch Kotkaniemi before he really started rising. I really liked what I saw from the few games I was able to check out. From what I saw, he definetly has the tools to become a good center in the league. Im sure someone who watched him more intensively would have a better analysis on his strengths/weaknesses regarding playing in the center of the ice.

I believe @WeThreeKings expressed some concern regarding how his game as a center could translate to the NHL a month or so ago. Maybe he could shed some more light on that.

Then again, maybe my memory is failing me and he was talking about a completely different player . Both are just as likely to be honest.

Memories not failing you. I said that I don't trust the Canadiens to develop Kotkaniemi at centre. They don't need much to not use you there and with Kotkaniemis skating concerns. That could be all they need to keep him at wing.

 

[Habs76]

Could be wrong, but I understood from the poster I was replying to that 3C upside at 15 was good value. Which in my view it is not. I say this as an Eller supporter who was in the minority when he was traded away.

I dunno, I got from it was that a 3C at ~15 isn't a bad pick, even if it's not ideal.

 

[Goldenhands]

Even with a ****y center core, I would still avoid Veleno and Hayton. If we do get a pick, I'd much rather gamble on Kravtsov or Farabee instead.

Farabee isnt really a gamble IMO, he is a pretty surefire top 6 player...

 

[NeptunesTrident]

Memories not failing you. I said that I don't trust the Canadiens to develop Kotkaniemi at centre. They don't need much to not use you there and with Kotkaniemis skating concerns. That could be all they need to keep him at wing.

This is the one thing that truthfully scares the hell out of me. Bergevin has to be on a short chain by now. He may not allow for proper development of prospects in hopes he can save his own skin. Personally I'd rather they keep Kotkaniemi in Finland a year or two more to develop his offense and skating if they pick him. DeLaRose certainly wouldn't have hurt to have been left in Sweden to work more on his offense.

 

[HuGort]

Wasn't St-John a juggernault offensively in 16-17 ?

Yes, and Veleno nearly point a game as 17 year old.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Wasn't St-John a juggernault offensively in 16-17 ?

Yeah, but then he was ''stuck behind depth.'' And around and around we go.

 

[Tutu to]

Velenos drummondville production is a mirage.

Watch his u-18s and watch his SJ tape. It's the same. He's simply flawed.

Didn’t watch the entire tournament but I thought he was pretty good against the Czech Republic. He’s even a better skater then I imagined and plays an all around great game. He didn’t put up any points that game but had many chances. At the end when Canada needed a goal he was being played a lot.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Didn’t watch the entire tournament but I thought he was pretty good against the Czech Republic. He’s even a better skater then I imagined and plays an all around great game. He didn’t put up any points that game but had many chances. At the end when Canada needed a goal he was being played a lot.

You could say that of a lot of games that Veleno has played. It's a recurring theme. Looks good, but in the end, the puck doesn't go in the net.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Didn’t watch the entire tournament but I thought he was pretty good against the Czech Republic. He’s even a better skater then I imagined and plays an all around great game. He didn’t put up any points that game but had many chances. At the end when Canada needed a goal he was being played a lot.

I thought he was really bad in the Czech game. Every decision he made with the puck, especially in the third, was the wrong one. At no point when he had the puck did it feel like Canada was going to score and I think the Czechs knew it too.

 

[Tutu to]

I thought he was really bad in the Czech game. Every decision he made with the puck, especially in the third, was the wrong one. At no point when he had the puck did it feel like Canada was going to score and I think the Czechs knew it too.

I just go by his numbers at Drummondville and the fact he was by far the best offensive player on that team once he arrived. I’m not claiming he will be a number 1 center but I can see him as a very good number 2C or an elite third line center. I’m not even saying he should be a top 10 pick but I’m surprised how little some people think of him. With the right type of wingers I can see him putting up 50-60 points a season in the NHL.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I just go by his numbers at Drummondville and the fact he was by far the best offensive player on that team once he arrived. I’m not claiming he will be a number 1 center but I can see him as a very good number 2C or an elite third line center. I’m not even saying he should be a top 10 pick but I’m surprised how little some people think of him. With the right type of wingers I can see him putting up 50-60 points a season in the NHL.

I said it earlier today. His Drummondville numbers are a mirage. He got a boost, like most trade deadline acquisitions do in the NHL.. and then he came back down to earth. His play in the U-18 is the same play I saw in SJ. He's the same player he's been since I saw him at 17. You need progression, his perceived progression in Drummondville was numerical only mixed with a hot streak. His game is the same and I don't think there's enough improvement to be done to make him more than a dime a dozen C in the league.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I thought he was really bad in the Czech game. Every decision he made with the puck, especially in the third, was the wrong one. At no point when he had the puck did it feel like Canada was going to score and I think the Czechs knew it too.

Goose > Veleno

 

[G0bias]

So I was watching O’Brien at that recent US Nationals tournament last night, which also featured a couple draftees.

Too many rushes, too many puck steals, too many snipes and beautiful set ups. Simply *Italian chef kiss*

 

[HuGort]

I just go by his numbers at Drummondville and the fact he was by far the best offensive player on that team once he arrived. I’m not claiming he will be a number 1 center but I can see him as a very good number 2C or an elite third line center. I’m not even saying he should be a top 10 pick but I’m surprised how little some people think of him. With the right type of wingers I can see him putting up 50-60 points a season in the NHL.

If Veleno slides to the 20s I would try and trade up for him. He is a center who produced at 1.5 ppg. Something we need. But not sure how he will do at NHL level.

 

[HuGort]

I said it earlier today. His Drummondville numbers are a mirage. He got a boost, like most trade deadline acquisitions do in the NHL.. and then he came back down to earth. His play in the U-18 is the same play I saw in SJ. He's the same player he's been since I saw him at 17. You need progression, his perceived progression in Drummondville was numerical only mixed with a hot streak. His game is the same and I don't think there's enough improvement to be done to make him more than a dime a dozen C in the league.

I think Veleno will be better NHLer than say a Danault. But still not a good player.

 

[NotProkofievian]

So I was watching O’Brien at that recent US Nationals tournament last night, which also featured a couple draftees.

Too many rushes, too many puck steals, too many snipes and beautiful set ups. Simply *Italian chef kiss*

 

[yianik]

Am I wrong thinking Danault when I think of Dellandrea ? I just do not see a better puck handling skill set than that.