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

[Mrb1p]

No, I’m not at all speaking from hindsight. Those players projected better on draft day and were actual centres all year. They were all better skaters (except for Patrick, who is a similar skater) and all elite playmakers, better than Kotkaniemi. It’s not a slight to him, but the group in 2017 was ridiculous.

They all are blue chippers, and they were all blue chippers at the draft.

I guess well see in a few years but dont forget Kotkaniemi is a riser and those guys usually tend to be great, he went from a early 2nd to a strong candidate for number three in a really strong top 10, this doesnt happen out of nowhere.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Sampo Ranta

Sampo Ranta Scouting Report: 2018 NHL Draft #51 - Last Word on Hockey

 

[Chadstudsky]

Depends on the draft. 2012 was awful, but if we had 4 2nd`s and an early 3rd in 2011 we could have walked out with a mix of Jenner, Gibson, Rask, Saad, Kucherov, Karlsson, Edmundson, Granlund, Trocheck and Lowry who are all impact players.

Of course, but I'm trying to illustrate that the draft is a crap shoot and only 35% of players drafted in the 2nd round ever do anything worthy in the NHL. Most of these names that we are discussing for our 2nd round are going to bust.

Even Chicago thought more highly of Mark McNeil (18th OA) than Saad. Carolina thought higher of Murphy (12th OA) than Rask. Florida thought higher of Rocco Grimaldi and Rasmus Bengston than Trochek. Etc... it's like rolling a dice. That's why I think the draft should be upped to 19 year olds.

Now that I look at it, the habs should throw some money at some of the ducks' scouts. They seem to be among the best.

 

[LastWordArmy]

They all are blue chippers, and they were all blue chippers at the draft.

I guess well see in a few years but dont forget Kotkaniemi is a riser and those guys usually tend to be great, he went from a early 2nd to a strong candidate for number three in a really strong top 10, this doesnt happen out of nowhere.

There isn't really statistical evidence that a riser taken at 10th, is better than a guy who has been at 10th all season, or a guy who was second and fell to 10th.

there is really no basis to the belief that risers do better than fallers or vice-versa.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

Of course, but I'm trying to illustrate that the draft is a crap shoot and only 35% of players drafted in the 2nd round ever do anything worthy in the NHL. Most of these names that we are discussing for our 2nd round are going to bust.

Even Chicago thought more highly of Mark McNeil (18th OA) than Saad. Carolina thought higher of Murphy (12th OA) than Rask. Florida thought higher of Rocco Grimaldi and Rasmus Bengston than Trochek. Etc... it's like rolling a dice. That's why I think the draft should be upped to 19 year olds.

Now that I look at it, the habs should throw some money at some of the ducks' scouts. They seem to be among the best.

Of course expecting a Kucherov, Trocheck or Saad with our 2nd`s is setting ourselves up for disappointment but 4 rolls of the dice increases our chances of lucking out.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Problem is that there are no grade A centers available this year.

There are grade A centers. Just don’t appear to be elite level

 

[Chadstudsky]

Since Timmins, we are 4/12 for our 2nd rounders, so pretty much par with the rest of the league. If 2/4 of our 2nd rounders become players we should all be ecstatic

 

[Vachon23]

I would not be surprised if Joel Teasdale is draft by Montreal after the 5th round

 

[schnapshot]

I would not be surprised if Joel Teasdale is draft by Montreal after the 5th round

Was surprised he wasn’t drafted in the late rounds last year.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Who would you rather have Kotkaniemi or Thomas?

Thomas before his draft or today? Thomas obviously based on what we know today but I also would like to see Kotkaniemi 12 months from now too!

If Kotkaniemi was in last years draft he would be a 20-30 range pick IMO, like Thomas. He gets a better ranking this year cause the lack of grade A centers

 

[Vachon23]

Was surprised he wasn’t drafted in the late rounds last year.

me 2

 

[Runner77]

Since Timmins, we are 4/12 for our 2nd rounders, so pretty much par with the rest of the league. If 2/4 of our 2nd rounders become players we should all be ecstatic

Which is why I'd rather see them try to trade the two late seconds to try and move up in the first round.

 

[Mrb1p]

Thomas before his draft or today? Thomas obviously based on what we know today but I also would like to see Kotkaniemi 12 months from now too!

If Kotkaniemi was in last years draft he would be a 20-30 range pick IMO, like Thomas. He gets a better ranking this year cause the lack of grade A centers

Yeah, no chance he drops out of the top 10. Hes a better prospect on draft day than Vilardi, Rasmussen, Tippett, Foote, Suzuki, Andersson and as much as I like him, Necas.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yeah, no chance he drops out of the top 10. Hes a better prospect on draft day than Vilardi, Rasmussen, Tippett, Foote, Suzuki, Andersson and as much as I like him, Necas.

You mean Kotkaniemi in this draft? I have him in the 8-12 range but there is a small part of me that thinks he might go 15 ish. The young age and how he is peaking before the draft is no secret but scouts might be concerned with the skating.

I guess that small part of me is thinking about the possibility of taking him at 15 after we trade Patch to the Panthers. I’m skeptical for sure though.

There is talk about him with other teams fan base but a few Blackhawks fans said they were not taking him at 8.

 

[Mrb1p]

You mean Kotkaniemi in this draft? I have him in the 8-12 range but there is a small part of me that thinks he might go 15 ish. The young age and how he is peaking before the draft is no secret but scouts might be concerned with the skating.

I guess that small part of me is thinking about the possibility of taking him at 15 after we trade Patch to the Panthers. I’m skeptical for sure though.

There is talk about him with other teams fan base but a few Blackhawks fans said they were not taking him at 8.

This draft and the last. Kotkaniemi is as legit a prospect as you can have outside of the exceptional and the generational.

 

[Habs Halifax]

This draft and the last. Kotkaniemi is as legit a prospect as you can have outside of the exceptional and the generational.

I’m not sure where he would of went in the last draft. I Like him a lot too but I think he would of been ranked 20-30 range. No earlier than 15 IMO. There were just so many centers in the last draft to choose from and we got to be careful with what we know today About who developed and who has stalled

 

[ProspectsSTC]

Can't agree with the Vilardi statement

 

[Mrb1p]

Imagine drafting Zadina, Wahlstrom, Bouchard or Tkachuk and Sems get Boqvist or Kotkaniemi


Id cry

 

[HuGort]

Thomas before his draft or today? Thomas obviously based on what we know today but I also would like to see Kotkaniemi 12 months from now too!

If Kotkaniemi was in last years draft he would be a 20-30 range pick IMO, like Thomas. He gets a better ranking this year cause the lack of grade A centers

I meant if you had the 6 to 8 pick and Kotkaniemi was there, would you trade it for Thomas

 

[TT1]

lmao has anyone ever seen Kotkaniemi skate? it isnt pretty

 

[NotProkofievian]

lmao has anyone ever seen Kotkaniemi skate? it isnt pretty

Didn't you have noted cinder-block-befooted Vilardi at 3rd overall last year? Ahead of Pettersson?

 

[Habs Halifax]

I meant if you had the 6 to 8 pick and Kotkaniemi was there, would you trade it for Thomas

Yes I would cause the extra 12 months of development is huge. You get to see more of their potential vs a guy who stalls in development. We don’t have that advantage with Kotkaniemi or any of those guys from 4-12 range

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

One of the few prospects I was able to watch was Merkley.

Guy was atrocious defensively, but offensively he was a beast.

Could be overeating him, but definitely see a poor man's Karlsson in there. Won't get 70-80 points but he'll definitely produce and produce well.

From what I've read, Jake Wise seems like he would be a good pick up, too. Sounds like he could be a sleeper in the 2nd, as long as he doesn't jump up like Jankowski did.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I'm literally dead right now. Merkley to Karlsson.

By ''poor man's'' do you mean ''plays in Europe''?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Of course, but I'm trying to illustrate that the draft is a crap shoot and only 35% of players drafted in the 2nd round ever do anything worthy in the NHL. Most of these names that we are discussing for our 2nd round are going to bust.

Even Chicago thought more highly of Mark McNeil (18th OA) than Saad. Carolina thought higher of Murphy (12th OA) than Rask. Florida thought higher of Rocco Grimaldi and Rasmus Bengston than Trochek. Etc... it's like rolling a dice. That's why I think the draft should be upped to 19 year olds.

Now that I look at it, the habs should throw some money at some of the ducks' scouts. They seem to be among the best.

How do you feel with Ikonen and Brook 12 months later? I think quantity is important, you get more darts and those early 2nd picks have a higher degree of hitting cause it’s a deep draft.

The question is about the hype of the deep draft. How deep is it really? Hard to say but their is talent that will slip into the 35 and 38 picks IMO.