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

[DramaticGloveSave]

Interesting. Wings want our 3rd overall to draft Zadina? Would we be happy with 6, 30, and 33?

Quick Hits: The Draftapalooza Edition

That would be great. Definitely think we'd then be wise to package a bunch of 2nds and move up again, no? At 6 I'd be happy with Kotkaniemi if he's the target, would be epic if we could move up and get a free falling Hughes...

 

[Draft]

That's not what I was saying, I mean scoring, he can rifle it and he can walk the line. He can't get around players or dangle them out of position. Harder to defend an elite skater.

What's more likely to end up being successful in the NHL: Trying to out-skate and dangle players or good offensive positioning and high-percentage plays? It's obviously not that simple, but I see an exceptionally strong foundation for Bouchard to become a major offensive contributor in the NHL - he already plays like a professional in a lot of ways.

They're both great players, but I'm relatively confident that Bouchard will be the more productive defenceman in the NHL. It's honestly not that close at this stage in their development and I don't see Dobson's offensive ability (primarily on the PP) really taking off to where he hits a 1.3ppg or comparative production in the Q.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Holy crap. New NHL mock.... if it goes like this there will be blood.

Dahlin, Svechnikov, Tkachuk, Zadina top NHL.com mock drafts

Specifically, if Lepage has crystal-balled the first four picks, there isn't a single suitable adjective to describe the gnashing of teeth that will sweep through this board.

That's Tkachuk over Svech...

That's a gut punch and a knee to the groin on the way to a date with Rosie O'Donnell.

 

[The Great Weal]

Just a bit over 2 weeks left until I start breaking shit because we take Tkachuk at 3.

 

[Runner77]

Just a bit over 2 weeks left until I start breaking **** because we take Tkachuk at 3.

There's going to be a massive forum meltdown when/if that happens.

However, we won't experience any of it as the forum will predictably be down, as it always is on draft day.

 

[The Great Weal]

There's going to be a massive forum meltdown when/if that happens.

However, we won't experience any of it as the forum will predictably be down, as it always is on draft day.

Server couldn't hold it for a Plekanec trade, no way it holds it for us taking Tkachuk.

 

[Runner77]

Jay O'Brien was interviewed by all but three teams: Dallas, Vancouver and Florida

2018 NHL Combine: Jay O'Brien - HockeyProspect.com | 2018 NHL Draft

He's on the Habs radar!! The Habs and 27 other teams. Yeah!!!

 

[HuGort]

Just a bit over 2 weeks left until I start breaking **** because we take Tkachuk at 3.

Tkaczuk 8 goals, no way Timmins would touch him at 3

 

[Habby Gilmore]

I want us to take Zadina, I’ve seen him live a few times this year and he kind of reminds me of a Kovalev type of player. When he decides to he can take over the game, the kids got a tons of skill. By far stood out as the best player on the ice the few times I’ve seen him play.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Jay O'Brien was interviewed by all but three teams: Dallas, Vancouver and Florida

2018 NHL Combine: Jay O'Brien - HockeyProspect.com | 2018 NHL Draft

He's on the Habs radar!! The Habs and 27 other teams. Yeah!!!

I would hope so, since we have a dedicated New England area scout who, to my knowledge, hasn't given us a single NHL player. Now might be the time for him to earn his pay cheque. One thing, Columbus of all teams seems to be very interested in him: they visited him a bunch of times during the season. They don't mind going a bit off the board. I think he might not make it to 35.

 

[Habs76]

What's more likely to end up being successful in the NHL: Trying to out-skate and dangle players or good offensive positioning and high-percentage plays? It's obviously not that simple, but I see an exceptionally strong foundation for Bouchard to become a major offensive contributor in the NHL - he already plays like a professional in a lot of ways.

They're both great players, but I'm relatively confident that Bouchard will be the more productive defenceman in the NHL. It's honestly not that close at this stage in their development and I don't see Dobson's offensive ability (primarily on the PP) really taking off to where he hits a 1.3ppg or comparative production in the Q.

You're probably right, but walking to the middle and shooting isn't all that hard. If Bouchard played less and took less shots, sure his defensive play would improve but his offensive numbers would see regression.

Dobson also isn't a dangler. He can out-skate players and uses different types of shots so he's not as predictable. While not being as good a playmaker as Bouchard he's still very good and sees the ice well, and his skating should open up more lanes.

 

[NotProkofievian]

You're probably right, but walking to the middle and shooting isn't all that hard. If Bouchard played less and took less shots, sure his defensive play would improve but his offensive numbers would see regression.

Dobson also isn't a dangler. He can out-skate players and uses different types of shots so he's not as predictable. While not being as good a playmaker as Bouchard he's still very good and sees the ice well, and his skating should open up more lanes.

I didn't see how the conversation started. So, when he was talking about trying to out dangle and out skate NHL opponents, instead of making high percentage plays, the last player I thought he could be talking about was Dobson. I thought he was talking about Hughes.

 

[TT1]

 

[TT1]

 

[TT1]

 

[Habs Halifax]

Trades are hard, MB is lazy. He's just going to take Kotkaniemi at 3.

Trades are hard to negotiate but I don't think Bergevin is lazy. He is the opposite of lazy.. I actually prefer him to be lazy (other than trading Patch) this offseason

 

[Habs Halifax]

That would be great. Definitely think we'd then be wise to package a bunch of 2nds and move up again, no? At 6 I'd be happy with Kotkaniemi if he's the target, would be epic if we could move up and get a free falling Hughes...

I would be drafting Kotkaniemi and then using a 2nd and two more 4th rounders to get a 20-25 pick to take Sandin or another LD with upside. Or trying to get Hughes if he slips a bit like you said. But that will require a team willing to trade up and hard to predict with a 10-15 range pick.

I'd like to snag one of the very few LD in this draft.

 

[sandviper]

That would be great. Definitely think we'd then be wise to package a bunch of 2nds and move up again, no? At 6 I'd be happy with Kotkaniemi if he's the target, would be epic if we could move up and get a free falling Hughes...

Agreed. I’d just ask Hughes to give me 10 push-ups before I decide to call his name.

There are a bunch of kids I like between 3 to 7 so honestly, I’d be fine picking any one of them left at #6.

With the 4 picks end of the first, start of the second, I’d definitely trade a couple for a mid-teens pick which is their estimated value. I don’t think we’ll be able to get Hughes, Bouchard or Smith though, but I may pick up another forward like Farabee. Guess it depends who we take at #6.

That all said, I wouldn’t move to #6 to just get Kotkaniemi. I would probably pick him there but what I mean is you had better think Kotkaniemi/Zadina/Boqvist/Dobson/Hughes are all equal. If the intent is to get Kotkaniemi at #6 and he gets taken beforehand and he was your true goal, you just f****d yourself.

I mean, I would be fine with #6 as I would have a few targets. I really don’t know what the Habs want to do.

 

[sandviper]

For anyone who would like to know, this link gives you an estimated value of each draft pick and helps calculate the cost of moving around in the draft.

Should the Canadiens consider trading back into the first round of the draft?

Of course, a team’s intrinsic value of a prospect will skew these numbers a bit, but it’s a pretty good gauge of what our seconds are worth.

 

[TT1]

I've used this for a while, i've compared several past trades with the chart and the values check out.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Gotta say I was completely wrong about Miller vs. Wilde back at the 5 nations. Good thing I noticed it before the draft, eh @Goldenhands?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Gotta say I was completely wrong about Miller vs. Wilde back at the 5 nations. Good thing I noticed it before the draft, eh @Goldenhands?

Don't wait either of them tbh. American defenseman in this draft have been huge disappointments. Spencer Stastney late and Lagerstrom super late is all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Don't wait either of them tbh. American defenseman in this draft have been huge disappointments. Spencer Stastney late and Lagerstrom super late is all I can think of off the top of my head.

I'm willing to bet on tools with K'AntPlay. I'm doing it for other players so why not him? Thing with him is he'll have a great game or two, and then another game where it's all...

I think that pattern is more coherent with the ''still learning the position'' narrative than if it were an every game sorta deal like it is with Wilde.

 

[Habs76]

I didn't see how the conversation started. So, when he was talking about trying to out dangle and out skate NHL opponents, instead of making high percentage plays, the last player I thought he could be talking about was Dobson. I thought he was talking about Hughes.

I wasn't talking about one individual player necessarily, I just said Bouchard could do neither, while Dobson has the advantage of being able to outskate forwards (0 hands tho) and Hughes and Boqvist have both those skills (hands+skating)

 

[417]

There's going to be a massive forum meltdown when/if that happens.

However, we won't experience any of it as the forum will predictably be down, as it always is on draft day.

It's certainly been framed this way here...so that wouldn't be surprising.

I can't help but shake the feeling that this Brady Tkachuk smear campaign has really nothing to do with the player himself, and more to do with the perception that he fits the mold of what many here resent about management.