Toggle sidebar

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

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
Status
Not open for further replies.
If we're talking about a flawless player, there are zero holes in Dobson's game. The only thing I'd like to see him do more is use his skating to lead the rush and put pressure on the other team- he need to become more dynamic offensively.
 
Andrei79 said:
Were Svech a center, I think you'd have more of an argument there, but Hughes is going to produce ridiculous numbers down the middle.
Click to expand...
Just how good is Svechnikov going to be though? I usually agree with the C over W thing but Svech is an offensive force that drives the play as good as anyone, i need to see more of Hughes.
 
Habs76 said:
If we're talking about a flawless player, there are zero holes in Dobson's game. The only thing I'd like to see him do more is use his skating to lead the rush and put pressure on the other team- he need to become more dynamic offensively.
Click to expand...
Thats true, but flawless doesnt win you games when you have 20 other players that are flawed.

Dobson just doesnt drive the play as much as id like him too. Kind of player that you always think could be but wont be.
 
Mrb1p said:
Just how good is Svechnikov going to be though? I usually agree with the C over W thing but Svech is an offensive force that drives the play as good as anyone, i need to see more of Hughes.
Click to expand...

We actually do have a sample of both playing against each at the 5 nations. Despite the similar production, Hughes looked like a player on a completely different level at 1 year younger no less. Not just vs Svech, but everyone there, Kakko included.

He's a possession monster, relentless, smart and as skilled as any prospect.
 
Mrb1p said:
Thats true, but flawless doesnt win you games when you have 20 other players that are flawed.

Dobson just doesnt drive the play as much as id like him too. Kind of player that you always think could be but wont be.
Click to expand...
Very true. He has every weapon you'd ever want in your arsenal, he just needs to be more selfish, take his ice when he's given it. A lot of his passes do nothing but waste time.

That said I can't imagine a situation where he doesn't become a top four defenseman, and my best guess would be he tops out as a #2 who plays the PP and PK, ~22-23mins a night.

If he wakes up one day and realizes what he's capable of though, look out. He will take the NHL by storm.
 
Habs76 said:
If you want unique prospects, those are not the guys you target.
- Kupari will be a 1st, he's one of few centers available in the draft
- McIsaac didn't live up to the hype, but also is going to be picked in the first or atleast before our first 2nd. Alexeyev is also probably gone in the first.
- Khovanov is terrible. I've seen him play live, he only goes to work on the powerplay, he's small, weak (weakness could be attributed to his illness) and not a very good skater. I really don't like his chances at making the NHL.
- Tychonick will be taken in the 1st, every year we see the junior A guys go higher than fans project them.
- Drury is not "unique". Nothing special about him. I wouldn't be disappointed with that pick, but I'd rather get a similar future 3rd liner elsewhere.
- McBain is not very good. Not much offensive skill there, likely a 4C character guy.


If we want some homerun swings, then Merkley and Foudy are good. Hell, Zavgorodny is a very smart player as well.

A shortlist for me would include:
- Bulat Shafigullin
- Rasmus Sandin
- Blake McLaughlin
- Ruslan Iskhakov
- Jacob Bernard-Docker
- Niklas Nordgren
- Cole Fonstad
- Liam Foudy
- Ryan Merkley
- Stanislav Demin
- Ty Dellandrea
- Danila Zhuravlyov
- Dmitri Zavgorodny

Something like that.

Also if Jonatan Berggren makes it to the second round and we don't pick him I will be so pissed.
Click to expand...

About Kotkaniemi, can someone confirm how much he's been used as a C and since when? Was he not a winger not so long ago? Does he project as a center or is there some chance that he may ultimately slot as a winger? I didn't check out his usage but I seem to recall several posts where his position was not fully acquired. Just looking for clarification as I wouldn't like the idea of not knowing if he fully projects as a center.
 
Runner77 said:
About Kotkaniemi, can someone confirm how much he's been used as a C and since when? Was he not a winger not so long ago? Does he project as a center or is there some chance that he may ultimately slot as a winger? I didn't check out his usage but I seem to recall several posts where his position was not fully acquired. Just looking for clarification as I wouldn't like the idea of not knowing if he fully projects as a center.
Click to expand...
He played C at the U-18 and I believe before this season in Finland.

It was his rookie year in the Liiga this year, he played some wing and some "center-wing" where someone else would take the faceoff but he'd play the position.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Runner77
Runner77 said:
About Kotkaniemi, can someone confirm how much he's been used as a C and since when? Was he not a winger not so long ago? Does he project as a center or is there some chance that he may ultimately slot as a winger? I didn't check out his usage but I seem to recall several posts where his position was not fully acquired. Just looking for clarification as I wouldn't like the idea of not knowing if he fully projects as a center.
Click to expand...

According to NP, he started a few games (6 if I recall correctly) in Liiga before switching to wing.

He's played center at both U18s (5
Nations amd IIHF). He was first line center over Kupari this april.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Runner77
Habs76 said:
He played C at the U-18 and I believe before this season in Finland.

It was his rookie year in the Liiga this year, he played some wing and some "center-wing" where someone else would take the faceoff but he'd play the position.
Click to expand...

Andrei79 said:
According to NP, he started a few games (6 if I recall correctly) in Liiga before switching to wing.

He's played center at both U18s (5
Nations amd IIHF). He was first line center over Kupari this april.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies.

Based on what you've seen, is there any risk that Kotkaniemi may not be a C down the line? How do you view his work at center, does he have all of the attributes you'd be looking for (minus technical adjustments to his skating which most here believe are fixable since they don't involve adding speed but technique)?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Redux91
Runner77 said:
Thanks for your replies.

Based on what you've seen, is there any risk that Kotkaniemi may not be a C down the line? How do you view his work at center, does he have all of the attributes you'd be looking for (minus technical adjustments to his skating which most here believe are fixable since they don't involve adding speed but technique)?
Click to expand...
The fact that he is more of a shooter than a playmaker could possibly cause him to turn out as a winger. Also he'd obviously have to improve his faceoff abilities but that's an issue a lot of young players have.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Runner77
  • Like
Reactions: The Great Schlemko and Habs76
Runner77 said:
Thanks for your replies.

Based on what you've seen, is there any risk that Kotkaniemi may not be a C down the line? How do you view his work at center, does he have all of the attributes you'd be looking for (minus technical adjustments to his skating which most here believe are fixable since they don't involve adding speed but technique)?
Click to expand...

His game has a center feel to it if thats what you mean. But yes, any team that wants him to develop as a center will end up with one down the line.

I already mentioned it, but he does have all the tools you want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Runner77
Habs76 said:
The fact that he is more of a shooter than a playmaker could possibly cause him to turn out as a winger. Also he'd obviously have to improve his faceoff abilities but that's an issue a lot of young players have.
Click to expand...

Now, that's a serious red flag.

Why is it every time a center at the draft and the Habs are involved, the player isn't a "natural" center, where there is no doubt that he'll slot there? If he's not a playmaker, would this not be enough to pass over Kotkaniemi?

If we run the risk of ending up with a shooting winger, give me Zadina who already owns the profile.
 
Runner77 said:
Now, that's a serious red flag.

Why is it every time a center at the draft and the Habs are involved, the player isn't a "natural" center, where there is no doubt that he'll slot there? If he's not a playmaker, would this not be enough to pass over Kotkaniemi?

If we run the risk of ending up with a shooting winger, give me Zadina who already owns the profile.
Click to expand...

I dont know if I agree, he's an excellent playmaker and he was actually pass first at the 5 nations. For example, there were already questions about Chucky's vision his D year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NoQuinn and Runner77
Runner77 said:
Now, that's a serious red flag.

Why is it every time a center at the draft and the Habs are involved, the player isn't a "natural" center, where there is no doubt that he'll slot there? If he's not a playmaker, would this not be enough to pass over Kotkaniemi?

If we run the risk of ending up with a shooting winger, give me Zadina who already owns the profile.
Click to expand...
Kotkaniemi is an excellent playmaker, he just has a tendency to shoot when in tight, which is perfect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bsl, NoQuinn, Andrei79 and 2 others
Andrei79 said:
I dont know if I agree, he's an excellent playmaker and he was actually pass first at the 5 nations. For example, there were already questions about Chucky's vision his D year.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to make a direct correlation with the specific shortcomings of Galchenyuk. Only meant to suggest that further to the "shooting over playmaking" comment, there would be the risk that Kotkaniemi ends up as a winger -- hence he wouldn't be a natural center at this point, just as perhaps Galchenyuk wasn't a natural center for a whole set of other reasons.
 
Mrb1p said:
Kotkaniemi is an excellent playmaker, he just has a tendency to shoot when in tight, which is perfect.
Click to expand...

Would that not be a shortcoming that makes him more likely as a no. 2C rather than a bona fide no. 1C?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom