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

[Fozz]

Which prospects clearly demonstrate the trait of being hard to knock off the puck?

Tkachuk too

 

[Lebowski]

Tkachuk too

He who must not be named

 

[theghost1]

Zadina is the pick at #3 if you want a center acquire another first round pick.....There is no guarantee Kotkaniemi will be better than someone like Rasmus Kupari who will be picked later in the first and he is a way better skater and right handed....we see it all the time players picked later in the first end up being much better than players taken at the top of the first...Dylan Strome taken 3rd ...Barzal taken 16th....Bennett taken 4th ...Ehlers taken 9th...Larkin 15th....Pastrnak 25th.....Ryan Strome taken 5th ....Rakell taken 30th.

 

[Mrb1p]

I think im done until the draft, i cant handle this anymore.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

He who must not be named

Before resuming regular visits here after the regular season, looking for draft talk, I carried an anti-Tkachuk bias.

I don't feel like I have a great reason to keep carrying it, other than Zadina appears to be more talented and the better investment.

That might be enough, but this particular bias is hard for me to defend or explain.

 

[Mdamico]

Just to continue to hype this draft and get the conversation going, here's a look at our top-31 selections in our Post-Lottery Mock Draft!
Post-Lottery 2018 NHL Mock Draft - Scrimmage and Stats

 

[Lebowski]

Before resuming regular visits here after the regular season, looking for draft talk, I carried an anti-Tkachuk bias.

I don't feel like I have a great reason to keep carrying it, other than Zadina appears to be more talented and the better investment.

That might be enough, but this particular bias is hard for me to defend or explain.

I honestly don't follow prospects enough to have a strong opinion either way. There's such a cluster this year too, I have no idea who I'd really have above anyone else, and of the bunch that should be available, they all have some question marks.

Among the usual suspects, the only guy I wouldn't like at 3 is Bouchard. Beyond that, they all bring different things to the table. I'd really try to trade down a couple spots though, unless Timmins feels Zadina truly is in a class of his own at 3.

 

[Fozz]

Just to continue to hype this draft and get the conversation going, here's a look at our top-31 selections in our Post-Lottery Mock Draft!
Post-Lottery 2018 NHL Mock Draft - Scrimmage and Stats

Good job. The Habs do need centers but they also need quality wingers. Take the BPA and move on.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Just to continue to hype this draft and get the conversation going, here's a look at our top-31 selections in our Post-Lottery Mock Draft!
Post-Lottery 2018 NHL Mock Draft - Scrimmage and Stats

Hayton not in your first round?

Oohhhh boy. That's no small oops there.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

 

[Mrb1p]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

But he does, and that sets him apart.

And hed be just as likely to be a top 6 W as Zadina.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

If Dobson was a winger instead of a defenseman would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

 

[G0bias]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

That's not really how it works. It's like asking if we'd consider Tkachuk if he was 5'9 instead of 6'3.

 

[JeromeHP]

Kotkaniemi seems like a popular name in this thread Couple weeks ago we posted his profile for free on our site, that might interest some of you. A reminder you get 5$ off with this coupon code "hfboards19" at checkout if you buy the PDF version of our black book. Full JK profile available at the link below.

2018 NHL Draft Black Book Coming Soon!! - HockeyProspect.com | 2018 NHL Draft

........Kotkaniemi is a big two-way center who has a high-level of intelligence and competitiveness that compliments a versatile game. There’s not one specific attribute that stands-out above the rest for Jesperi, however he does have several good to great attributes that allowed him to become one of the most promising centers in this year’s draft. Two of the most important factors when we assess a prospect is intelligence followed by skill, and that’s what he brings to the table. He’s a smart player who’s capable of breaking down the opposition using patience, poise, and awareness of what his teammates are attempting to do, this allowed him to adapt to Finland’s top pro league this past season as well as drive one of the most successful lines at the U18’s. He’s capable of accommodating and adjusting to conditions on the ice, for instance when playing along the half-wall on the powerplay, he can identify the defense and adjust quickly, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. Furthermore, he’s a creative player who can set up unorthodox plays due to his soft-hands and excellent vision, for instance we have seen him bank a puck between a player’s legs off the back of the net before using his length to re-collect the puck, effectively turning his opponent inside-out. He’s also capable of threading accurate and crisp passes through heavy traffic but isn’t a player who forces plays, this allows him to drive possession for his team without turning the puck over too often. It’s challenging for defensive units to identify what he’s attempting to do with the puck on his stick and this makes him difficult for goalies to read as well. Additionally, Kotkaniemi has a high-end release point. He has reach and generates a lot of velocity. Factor that with his ability to change the angle of his shot by dragging the puck in-tight to his body both at a stand-still position and while driving down a lane and it makes for a difficult shot for goalies to handle.....

 

[NotProkofievian]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

Oh my f***ing god with this question. Again and again and again and again.

 

[NotProkofievian]

That's not really how it works. It's like asking if we'd consider Tkachuk if he was 5'9 instead of 6'3.

Is he even meaner to compensate for the size difference?

 

[NotProkofievian]

Zadina is the pick at #3 if you want a center acquire another first round pick.....There is no guarantee Kotkaniemi will be better than someone like Rasmus Kupari who will be picked later in the first and he is a way better skater and right handed....we see it all the time players picked later in the first end up being much better than players taken at the top of the first...Dylan Strome taken 3rd ...Barzal taken 16th....Bennett taken 4th ...Ehlers taken 9th...Larkin 15th....Pastrnak 25th.....Ryan Strome taken 5th ....Rakell taken 30th.

I suppose it's a good thing that Zadina is guaranteed to be better than someone like Kravtsov, or Wahlstrom, or Farabee, or Berggren. Why didn't anyone just say this in the first place?

 

[Lebowski]

If my mother had wheels she would have been a bike.

 

[NotProkofievian]

If my mother had wheels she would have been a bike.

....or a cyborg.

 

[Mrb1p]

If my mother had wheels she would have been a bike.

It depends how the wheels are placed to be honest, and how many. She could be a tricycle, a stretcher, a wheelchair, etc.

 

[Mrb1p]

....or a cyborg.

What the heck kinda cyborg has wheels instead of something like rocket shoes or lazer hands or what ever much cooler things.

Jabroni Cyborg

 

[G0bias]

That bike would have to be extra caring and resourceful to make up the difference with real moms.

 

[ZUKI]

I think a question to ask would be if Kotkaniemi didn't have potential to be a center would we still consider taking him over Zadina?

we don't think it's a question to ask

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Except Kotkaniemi could very well end up on the wing... and then you selected an inferior prospect because of position... that's the point.

 

[Mrb1p]

Except Kotkaniemi could very well end up on the wing... and then you selected an inferior prospect because of position... that's the point.

What indicates hes an inferior prospect?