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

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NotProkofievian said:
Forsberg was pretty mediocre in all his predraft NHL tournaments. So was Pastrnak. Meanwhile Collberg was brilliant at the same U18 tournament as Forsberg. Plenty of players have had mediocre or weak international tournaments and done well, and plenty have done better than Denisenko ever has and busted.

You have to watch these guys in a variety of situations to come to a proper conclusion about them. This is one reason why I don't really like the Canadian development system, from a drafting perspective. You only get to see these kids play in one or two tournaments, whereas everyone else plays about 5, and have access to the pro leagues. You really have a lot more independent sources of information for non-CHL players. Those sources, in Denisenko's case indicate a fantastically talented player who has trouble making an impact on a game by game basis. I'm not the only one saying this. One Russian poster said, a while back, that he would take Shafigullin ahead of Denisenko. That said, his talent puts a floor on how low he can sink in the draft for me. I won't change his ranking drastically (he's somewhere around 20-23 on my list).
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Regardless, you still have NHL teams that are able to get their picks right with a higher success ratio than the Habs. You're not going to get anywhere with the likes of Eric Crawford involved in the decision making process or even if Crawford were only limited to data gathering — there is nothing in his track record that invites the responsibilities he is entrusted with.

In 6 years, we've not poached any scouting talent from those teams who have the best scouts on their payroll. How about starting with that. Once you have the right individuals doing the viewing and data mining, it'll beget greater actionable data. A high volume of draft picks can be wasted on a deficient drafting contingent.
 
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sandviper said:
I have him ahead of Zadina.
Dahlin
Svechnikov
Boqvist
Wahlstrom
Zadina

That said, while I like Wahlstrom, I would be surprised if he’s ahead of Zadina or even Tkachuk on the Habs’ list.
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We'd do a lot better if the GM doesn't overthink and overreach. With this GM, the only comforting default position is playing it safe. Just select Zadina with your first pick. And don't invite offers on the 3OA -- just keep it simple. This GM has no business making announcements about how the 3OA is available -- he is not sophisticated enough to know the difference between an offer that clearly overpays for the pick (which is would be the only thing a competent GM would do if trading) and one where the likes of David Poile has him believing he has the upper hand.

Like you and others here, the Tkachuk spectre or a trade of the 3OA, or simply the lack of appreciation of a Zadina, is cause for concern.
 
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Runner77 said:
We'd do a lot better if the GM doesn't overthink and overreach. With this GM, the only comforting default position is playing it safe. Just select Zadina with your first pick. And don't invite offers on the 3OA -- just keep it simple. This GM has no business making announcements about how the 3OA is available -- he is not sophisticated enough to know the difference between an offer that clearly overpays for the pick (which is would be the only thing a competent GM would do if trading) and one where the likes David Poile has him believing he has the upper hand.

Like you and others here, the Tkachuk spectre or a trade of the 3OA, or simply the lack of appreciation of a Zadina, is cause for concern.
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For conversation, it’s fun to debate BPA and argue potential ceiling versus floor but yeah... end of the day, can’t trust this managment group to over analyze. Just stick with the straightforward choice and pick Zadina. I even think most of the fan base will be happy with it. Despite my preference of the others, I’ll be fine with Zadina.
 
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Runner77 said:
Regardless, you still have NHL teams that are able to get their picks right with a higher success ratio than the Habs. You're not going to get anywhere the likes of Eric Crawford involved in the decision making process or even simply in data gathering. In 6 years, we've not poached any scouting talent from those teams who have the best scouts on their payroll. How about starting from that. Once you have the right individuals doing the viewing, it'll beget greater actionable data. A high volume of draft picks can be wasted on a deficient drafting contingent.
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In my opinion, there should be at least two independent scouts for every league/area. And I mean completely independent. Like, to an extreme and absurd degree. Ideally, they wouldn't know who each other are, but that's pretty difficult to manage. Certainly they wouldn't know what each other think before the season end meeting when the list is compiled.
 
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KawaYui said:
Boqvist and Hughes can become 1D.
Zadina can become an elite top line winger.
Usually you would choose the defenseman over the winger.
But in this case, Zadina's floor is a top 6 winger and Hughes/Boqvists floor are bottom pairing pp specialist.

At 3rd overall, you don't take the risk with Hughes/Boqvist when you got a much safer pick in Zadina who has as much potential as the other 2 (in his respective position).
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Based on what?
 
I see a lot of people who like Wahlstrom have Boqvist in front, which is also what I used to have, to me they are super close, but the concussion of Boqvist tipped the scale for me. But I am not even sure how serious it is and his concussions history either, maybe I shouldn't be factoring it in. I am open to change back my mind for Boqvist at #3, still unsure.
 
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ProspectsFanatic said:
I see a lot of people who like Wahlstrom have Boqvist in front, which is also what I used to have, to me they are super close, but the concussion of Boqvist tipped the scale for me. But I am not even sure how serious it is and his concussions history either, maybe I shouldn't be factoring it in.
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Yeah, the concussion concerns me, but I still have him as my #3. Still, it's not like I have huge gaps between Boqvist, Wahlstrom, Zadina and Hughes. All 4 are close, but to me anyways, there's slight separation just for the sake of having to give somebody a rank in my personal list.
 
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ProspectsFanatic said:
I see a lot of people who like Wahlstrom have Boqvist in front, which is also what I used to have, to me they are super close, but the concussion of Boqvist tipped the scale for me. But I am not even sure how serious it is and his concussions history either, maybe I shouldn't be factoring it in. I am open to change back my mind for Boqvist at #3, still unsure.
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Boqvist is just the highest variance prospect in this draft. You won't feel sure about drafting him 3rd overall. There are surer things in this draft. He could make you look really smart, though.
 
The Great Schlemko said:
Based on what?
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On logic.

You don't think Zadina can be a top 6 forward as soon as next year?

Hughes/Boqvist on the other hand should take a couple of years of developement before making the nhl. Their defense isn't nhl ready or at least not top 4 ready. So if their development does not go well, at worst they end up pp specialist since they are talented offensively.
 
KawaYui said:
On logic.

You don't think Zadina can be a top 6 forward as soon as next year?

Hughes/Boqvist on the other hand should take a couple of years of developement before making the nhl. Their defense isn't nhl ready or at least not top 4 ready. So if their development does not go well, at worst they end up pp specialist since they are talented offensively.
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I actually don't. I would want him going to Europe for 1 year or something before coming. Defensemen also take longer to develop, so just because they aren't closer to being NHL ready doesn't make their floors bottom pairing PP specialist.
 
KawaYui said:
Hughes/Boqvist on the other hand should take a couple of years of developement before making the nhl. Their defense isn't nhl ready or at least not top 4 ready. So if their development does not go well, at worst they end up pp specialist since they are talented offensively.
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I can't say for Boqvist as I've never seen him play but for Hughes, I would be very much against it but I do think he could play in the NHL next year and do well enough. If the Habs were to pick him I'd want him to stay one more year at Michigan and then spend a year in the AHL unless he takes another leap forward in his progression/development. It sounds like Boqivst has the higher upside but from what I've seen of Hughes I wouldn't mind it if he's the Habs pick.
 
I would also pick Wahlstrom before Zadina. Here's my list for the Habs, assuming Dahlin and Svech are gone.

1. Wahlstrom
2. Hughes
3. Zadina
 
Naslund said:
I would also pick Wahlstrom before Zadina. Here's my list for the Habs, assuming Dahlin and Svech are gone.

1. Wahlstrom
2. Hughes
3. Zadina
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I really don’t understand what Wahlstrom does better than Zadina. Both have similar shots but Zadina actually battles and backchecks. You can say Wahlstrom is faster but when does he actually skate full speed?

I mean you can be impressed with Oliver’s U18 but Zadina did just as much for a worse team in a much better tournament.
 
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My current list:
1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
(huge drop off)

My only option if we miss out on Svechnikov is to trade down for sure. Of course it is depending on any team willing to give us something good without dropping too far.

3. Boqvist
4. Kotkaniemi
5. Wahlstrom
6. Hughes
7. Dobson
8. Zadina
9. Kaut
10. Tkachuk
11. Smith
drop off

12. Kravtsov
13. Dellandrea
14. Lundkvist
15. Bouchard
16. Lunderstrom
17. Bokk
18. Kupari
19. Wilde
20. Hallander
21. Farabee
22. McLaughlin
23. Hayton
24. Veleno
drop off



With all our current picks, in an ideal world, I would love to get 2 players for my 2nd list (3rd to 11th)

and one from my 3rd list (12th to 24th)
 
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JeffreyLFC said:
My current list:
1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
(huge drop off)

My only option if we miss out on Svechnikov is to trade down for sure. Of course it is depending on any team willing to give us something good without dropping too far.

3. Boqvist
4. Kotkaniemi
5. Wahlstrom
6. Hughes
7. Dobson
8. Zadina
9. Kaut
10. Tkachuk
11. Smith
drop off

12. Kravtsov
13. Dellandrea
14. Lundkvist
15. Bouchard
16. Lunderstrom
17. Bokk
18. Kupari
19. Wilde
20. Hallander
21. Farabee
22. McLaughlin
23. Hayton
24. Veleno
drop off



With all our current picks, in an ideal world, I would love to get 2 players for my 2nd list (3rd to 11th)

and one from my 3rd list (12th to 24th)
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Huge drop off between svechnikov and a guy who compares favorably with the no.1 pick from last year? Interdasting
 
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Naslund said:
I would also pick Wahlstrom before Zadina. Here's my list for the Habs, assuming Dahlin and Svech are gone.

1. Wahlstrom
2. Hughes
3. Zadina
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le_sean said:
I really don’t understand what Wahlstrom does better than Zadina. Both have similar shots but Zadina actually battles and backchecks. You can say Wahlstrom is faster but when does he actually skate full speed?

I mean you can be impressed with Oliver’s U18 but Zadina did just as much for a worse team in a much better tournament.
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Wahlstrom is bigger, faster and younger than Zadina. He is also a right-handed shooter, which is more rare, and we badly need one as part of a new young core going forward.

As for the WJC and Zadina, sure, he did well, but many of his goals were on the powerplay with fairly open nets to shoot at. I like Zadina, and he would be nice to have. However, our depth chart is loaded with young players currently playing (or should be playing) as left-handed wingers on the Habs, and I'm not convinced that he would be significantly better than Galchenyuk and Drouin, and even possibly Lehkonen and Scherbak. For these reasons, I'm leaning Wahlstrom (and even Hughes) before Zadina. Saying this, Zadina would work really well with Poehling, but so would Wahlstrom.

Hughes has the highest chance IMO of being a difference maker between these three players, and he fits a need as well with us. However, seeing Ellis being manhandled by the Jets reminded me of the risks associated with tiny d. However, Hughes is so fast and agile that he might be able to overcome his physical limitations. Drafting third with the ability of taking Hughes is a very difficult decision for Timmins this year. However, Wahlstrom should be picked before Zadina IMO, regardless of what the popular opinion is.
 
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What does Zadina do that makes him better than Wahlstrom? Wahlstrom is the better shooter, skater, he's bigger, and he's not a late birthday. He just all around is a more noticeable, better player.
 
Habs76 said:
What does Zadina do that makes him better than Wahlstrom? Wahlstrom is the better shooter, skater, he's bigger, and he's not a late birthday. He just all around is a more noticeable, better player.
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Bigger? Theyre both exactly listed at the same size.

Theyre equal to me but Zadina has the better track record.

Wahlstrom doesnt have a better shot, its pretty even, they both have great shot, great hands, good passing, etc.

Wahlstrom is a softy at times and Zadina is slowish.

Zadina has been rankrd above wahlstrom since forever, why should that change? A u18 with Eichel? Cmon.
 
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