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

[LastWordArmy]

I wouldn't take a goalie with any of the Habs picks, given what we have in the system and price is on an 8-year contract.

 

[WinterLion]

I don't see what Timmins has done in the past to justify your trust in him.

Timmins is fine. He has done a good job considering the picks he has had. Overall our scouting is slightly better than average, but the fact is that all the team are pretty even at this point. There really aren't many stones left unturned. If you want a good pool, you need to have good picks, and the more the better. It's just that simple.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Never hurts but I wouldn't with our first 5 picks. 1 of the 4ths, sure.

He did.

- Rodrigue will not slip to the 4th round. So you might as well forget about him if you are not willing to draft him in the last 2nd or early 3rd IMO.

- First I heard about Leblanc/Kreider. Interesting.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I wouldn't take a goalie with any of the Habs picks, given what we have in the system and price is on an 8-year contract.

One part of the sentence conflicts the other. Any goalie taken in this draft will not make an impact at the NHL level until they are age 22, 23, 24 at the earliest. I respect saying no to any goalie based on what we already have but the thought that picking a goalie in this draft conflicts with Price's contract is not considering when this goalie will be NHL ready. Rodrigue will be age 23 when Price is in year 6 of 8 and at age 36. The time line fits IMO.

 

[NotProkofievian]

No goalie picks before the 5th.

 

[Habs Halifax]

No goalie picks before the 5th.

Name me better players that would help our team at the 61/62 and 66th picks? That's what it comes down to with me. We have just as many grade B prospects as we do with goalies.

 

[417]

Does that mean he was a bad pick based on what kind of player Leblanc was pre-draft? All picks Timmins didn't want are bad picks? Is that what your trying to imply? The point was Leblanc was a center and he had good skills and skating. He just never developed and nobody can predict this.

But hey, Maybe Timmins knew something we didn't

When you're forced to pick a player you don't otherwise want...and that pick ends up being a bust.

Yes, I'd say it's a bad pick.

 

[Riggins]

According to Arpon Basu's interview with Brady Tkachuk for the Athletic, he interviewed with 14 teams. Ottawa and Arizona (picking 4th and 5th) requested he visit them shortly after the Combine. No Montreal visit mentioned, so that's a good sign.

 

[Habs Halifax]

When you're forced to pick a player you don't otherwise want...and that pick ends up being a bust.

Yes, I'd say it's a bad pick.

So you didn't like Leblanc pre-draft?

 

[Habs Halifax]

According to Arpon Basu's interview with Brady Tkachuk for the Athletic, he interviewed with 14 teams. Ottawa and Arizona (picking 4th and 5th) requested he visit them shortly after the Combine. No Montreal visit mentioned, so that's a good sign.

Like I said... we took Sergachev over Brown. Tkachuk would of been in the mix if we got the 5th or 6th pick though. We are not taking Tkachuk with the 3rd pick.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Name me better players that would help our team at the 61/62 and 66th picks? That's what it comes down to with me. We have just as many grade B prospects as we do with goalies.

Depends who's available, but, for example, I drafted David Gustafsson 61st overall in the mock this year. I'm assuming that NHL teams won't be sleeping on him after his U18 performance, but that means he'll push someone else down. I would rather take comparative long shots like Niklas Nordgren or Ruslan Iskhakov than a goalie at that rank, or a guy from Junior A like Slava Demin.

 

[417]

So you didn't like Leblanc pre-draft?

I'm not the Montreal Canadiens GM/director of scouting.

So what I thought at the time is irrelevant.

I defer to most here for my prospect analysis pre-draft.

Post-draft though, I never saw any redeeming quality from LeBlanc.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

If we end up picking Kotka, then we could have

Kotkaniemi
Poehling
Danault

down the middle for the next 10+ years.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Depends who's available, but, for example, I drafted David Gustafsson 61st overall in the mock this year. I'm assuming that NHL teams won't be sleeping on him after his U18 performance, but that means he'll push someone else down. I would rather take comparative long shots like Niklas Nordgren or Ruslan Iskhakov than a goalie at that rank, or a guy from Junior A like Slava Demin.

Fair comment for sure. I have not studied the 40+ rankings in depth but I do like Rodrigue a lot. And I think Ducharme will have influence as well. I think Ridrigue could either replace Price or be used in a trade if he turns into a Hart type prospect. I'd be hesitant with the 61/62 pick but would have no problem with the 66th pick. We are already stock piled with grade B prospects so another goalie with Primeau to potential replace price in 6+ years is a move I would consider.

Pretty safe bet Rodrigue plays for team Canada at the world U20's right?

 

[schnapshot]

Timmins is fine. He has done a good job considering the picks he has had. Overall our scouting is slightly better than average, but the fact is that all the team are pretty even at this point. There really aren't many stones left unturned. If you want a good pool, you need to have good picks, and the more the better. It's just that simple.

110% agree with this. The Timmins hate is unwarranted

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm not the Montreal Canadiens GM/director of scouting.

So what I thought at the time is irrelevant.

I defer to most here for my prospect analysis pre-draft.

Post-draft though, I never saw any redeeming quality from LeBlanc.

Well, we are talking about strategy of draft picks and who you should steer away from vs who you should take. Leblanc pre-draft was a solid prospect. You changed the debate into what Timmins wanted.

 

[417]

Well, we are talking about strategy of draft picks and who you should steer away from vs who you should take. Leblanc pre-draft was a solid prospect. You changed the debate into what Timmins wanted.

I really don't recall what the word was at the time...my problem is less with where he went.

I could live with him being a bust if I never knew that Timmins didn't even want to draft him and only did so because he feared for his life leaving the Bell Centre that day lol.

 

[Habs Halifax]

110% agree with this. The Timmins hate is unwarranted

There is way too much negativity with some on our boards.... the hate towards Bergevin has clouded some peoples judgment and they carried this hate towards others... even some of our prospects and young players on our roster.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I really don't recall what the word was at the time...my problem is less with where he went.

I could live with him being a bust if I never knew that Timmins didn't even want to draft him and only did so because he feared for his life leaving the Bell Centre that day lol.

I guess we are talking about two separate conversations. Leblanc was a good pick. McCarron and Tinordi were not. Forget about who wanted him and who didn't. The McCarron and Tinordi types are not 1st round picks. Very limited skill and skating but they had size. Bad picks!

 

[S Bah]

Ideas for the Habs trading 3rd OV 2018, post was made on page 190 as above. Thinking the Habs should really consider moving down while acquiring some young prospects that will help in a couple of yrs. This while possibly being in the Top Five picks next season, taking the rebuild into serious operation. Still having Price & Weber young enough as leaders. Hoping for Jack Hughes next year of course & Lafreniere in two yrs.

 

[Draft]

If our guiding principle is still BPA, I'm really not sure why Kotkaniemi would be considered at #3. I'm a fan, but there's really nothing to justify him (except for potential to play center) being ahead of Zadina/Wahlstrom/Tkachuk or Dobson/Boqvist based on individual talent or ability IMO. Personally, I want the best player possible at #3, not the best center. If the Habs want a center, shoot for a pick around #15 or just use the two early seconds.

 

[Noble]

If we end up picking Kotka, then we could have

Kotkaniemi
Poehling
Danault

down the middle for the next 10+ years.

Hard to really get excited about that to be honest.

If its :

Kotkaniemi: Bonafide #1 center
Poehling: Good #2 center
Danault: Very good #3 center

Then thats very good and i'd be excited for that.

But if it ends up being:

Kotkaniemi: good 2nd line center
Poehling: good 3rd line center
Danault: good 3rd line center

Then its seriously 'meh', and not very exciting at all tbh.

Both scenarios are honestly just as likely right now. Both Kotkaniemi and Poehling's potentials could go either way at this point.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If our guiding principle is still BPA, I'm really not sure why Kotkaniemi would be considered at #3. I'm a fan, but there's really nothing to justify him (except for potential to play center) being ahead of Zadina/Wahlstrom/Tkachuk or Dobson/Boqvist based on individual talent or ability IMO. Personally, I want the best player possible at #3, not the best center. If the Habs want a center, shoot for a pick around #15 or just use the two early seconds.

BPA according to who's ranking? Let me ask you this question... who scores more goals in the NHL in future years? Zadina or Kotkaniemi? We are not getting a potential #1C if we don't draft one and Kotkaniemi will go top 10. BPA from 3-10 don't exist. It's who you are high on personally.

The other think you have to consider it a risking stock value towards the end. Kotkaniemi is a rising stock value and he is 8 or 9 months younger than Zadina.

 

[le_sean]

McCarron was a bad pick cause he should of been taken in the 2nd round. You don't target prospects that have size, but limited skill and skating in the 1st round. That's why Tinordi was another bad 1st round pick.

Leblanc was a good pick. He just extremely dissapointed and never developed past the point of who he was when he was drafted. I don't even think he is playing hockey anymore

Collberg was a good 2nd round pick. Worth the throw of a dart cause he had skill. Turned out to be disappointing. Ikonen might be another similar pick.

Fucale was arguably the BPA when we drafted him. Another dissapointment but I wonder where he would be today if he played on a better AHL team. His performance in the Spengler Cup was something to take note of.

To be fair, McCarron was picked 25th. It’s okay to roll the dice once in a while, especially late.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

McCarron was a bad pick cause he should of been taken in the 2nd round. You don't target prospects that have size, but limited skill and skating in the 1st round. That's why Tinordi was another bad 1st round pick.

Leblanc was a good pick. He just extremely dissapointed and never developed past the point of who he was when he was drafted. I don't even think he is playing hockey anymore

Collberg was a good 2nd round pick. Worth the throw of a dart cause he had skill. Turned out to be disappointing. Ikonen might be another similar pick.

Fucale was arguably the BPA when we drafted him. Another dissapointment but I wonder where he would be today if he played on a better AHL team. His performance in the Spengler Cup was something to take note of.

That has to do with drafting philosophy, not about picking the best guy, as McCarron is better than them. Late first round is pretty close to what McCarron was slotted to go. You are just over thinking here.