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

[DramaticGloveSave]

I'm a Hughes fan, but like with Kotkaniemi I'd prefer trading down to 6 if he's the target.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Who here is fairly high on Hughes (i.e. ranked him 3 or 4) ?

I always feel he's the biggest wildcard as in a high floor but likely the highest upside too.

Id be damn happy if we trades Max for the pick to draft him.

Not 3 or 4 but he's my 3rd defenceman fairly comfortably. If we took Kotkaniemi at 3, then traded Max to Edmonton for their pick and ended up with Hughes we could use the entire rest of the draft on karaktere and attitude and I wouldn't care that much.

....just so long as we also get Berggren.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

So I've seen the Habs have taken Svechnikov, Zadina, Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk and Hayton out for dinner over the past few weeks. But not one of the defensemen? Hmm

 

[WeThreeKings]

So I've seen the Habs have taken Svechnikov, Zadina, Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk and Hayton out for dinner over the past few weeks. But not one of the defensemen? Hmm

I was just coming here to post the same thing. Maybe they want to move back to select Dobson or one of the D men..

 

[NeptunesTrident]

I was just coming here to post the same thing. Maybe they want to move back to select Dobson or one of the D men..

You mentioned yesterday about being fools if they draft by position over best available. I think you know where I am going...

 

[jaffy27]

I'm a Hughes fan, but like with Kotkaniemi I'd prefer trading down to 6 if he's the target.

He’s not the target.....I’m convinced of that

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

With Galchenyuk out, I think Zadina actually fills a need for us as a pure top 6 sniper. we may have other top 6 wingers, but none who are pure triggermen like Zadina. To me, he's the cleanest prospect in the draft- I don't see how he doesn't at least give a team Galchenyuk type production but with a higher effort level and IQ. And I think the upside is there too, as I really would not be shocked if he ends up a 40/40 guy. If we stay at 3, he should be the pick.

If we trade down to 6, I think that really opens up our options. I think we can assume Dahlin/Svech/Zadina/Tkachuk/Dobson are gone- and if one is there you can take him as BPA easily. But after those 5, there's another grouping of 5 that features Hughes, Boqvist, Bouchard, Kotkaniemi, and Wahlstrom. Of those 5, I'd say Bouchard makes the least sense, but I could get behind any of those guys at that pick and I could definitely understand having Kotkaniemi as the top guy in that grouping due to him being the top C in the draft.

 

[S Bah]

The Habs having three RHC's from the OHL in Will Bitten, Hayden Verbeek & Micheal McCarron. All players that have non stop motors, apparently the Habs are looking At Barrett Hayton(LHC) & Kotkaneimi(LHC). Finally after five yrs. with the new regime, the centers are about ready to join the pro ranks, Poehling, Vejdemo, Evans, the above three and many other natural centers. The Habs will have huge depth at center as they always did in the glory days. Still would like Dellandrea & Foudy both OHL centers with nonstop motors which is very important alongside talent & skating speed. *Mete*, Reilly, *Juulsen*, Weber, Petry, Alzner, Benn, *Lernout*, Moravcik, Sklenicka, Schlemko & Valiev, give the Habs 12 Dmen not counting their young prospects on "D" with Neimi & Price in nets. Certainly won't hurt the Habs cause grabbing a few more Centers. A couple more London Knights players can't hurt their cause either IMHO. McCarron & Domi have proven chemistry from their days in London, winners both as is Victor Mete, those centers from Sault Ste. Marie have value too, many great centers came out of their teams.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

So I've seen the Habs have taken Svechnikov, Zadina, Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk and Hayton out for dinner over the past few weeks. But not one of the defensemen? Hmm

Dmen ALWAYS come with a risk factor. Being good defensively as a d-man in the NHL is one of the hardest things to project as there's just a speed/skill/physicality among forwards in this league that none of these have ever experienced before.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

Dmen ALWAYS come with a risk factor. Being good defensively as a d-man in the NHL is one of the hardest things to project as there's just a speed/skill/physicality among forwards in this league that none of these have ever experienced before.

Every player has a risk factor. If you are doing due diligence wouldn't you at least try to meet with them like the forwards? Wouldn't you want to have dinner with a few of them? I can see why they didn't take out Dahlin. But not Boqvist or Dobson? And if you are the owner wouldn't YOU want to know as much as possible about them to mitigate the bust risk considering the investment you may potentially be investing in them?

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Every player has a risk factor. If you are doing due diligence wouldn't you at least try to meet with them like the forwards? Wouldn't you want to have dinner with a few of them? I can see why they didn't take out Dahlin. But not Boqvist or Dobson? And if you are the owner wouldn't YOU want to know as much as possible about them to mitigate the bust risk considering the investment you may potentially be investing in them?

There's a chance we just plain aren't considering them. As I said, Dmen have a highe risk factor anyway, and at the top you have 2 RHD which is the least of our needs and a tiny LD. If the org thinks taking a tiny LD isn't worth it in the top 10, then I can understand why we would just focus on the forwards. Svechnikov, Zadina, Tkachuk, Kotkaniemi.... and Wahlstrom is a darkhorse if we trade down, as he'd definitely fill a need as a RH sniper.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Needs now vs when is why you take BPA and value position.. D and C will always have a premium attached so they can be used to fill weaknesses on roster of you're inundated.

Say you don't draft Dobson because we have Weber and Juulsen and Brook are developing nicely.

What if Weber returns from his surgery and can't keep up pace? What if Juulsen is the additional piece in a trade to get a young C? And you passed on Dobson for an immediate need at W in Zadina. You now have a new hole created and you took the position with least amount of value in the league

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Needs now vs when is why you take BPA and value position.. D and C will always have a premium attached so they can be used to fill weaknesses on roster of you're inundated.

Say you don't draft Dobson because we have Weber and Juulsen and Brook are developing nicely.

What if Weber returns from his surgery and can't keep up pace? What if Juulsen is the additional piece in a trade to get a young C? And you passed on Dobson for an immediate need at W in Zadina. You now have a new hole created and you took the position with least amount of value in the league

Firstly the bolded is 2 different concepts.

Secondly you are assuming that Dobson has a higher grade than Zadina. Despite being a RHD (2nd most valuable position behind C), he's behind Zadina on pretty much every list.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Needs now vs when is why you take BPA and value position.. D and C will always have a premium attached so they can be used to fill weaknesses on roster of you're inundated.

Say you don't draft Dobson because we have Weber and Juulsen and Brook are developing nicely.

What if Weber returns from his surgery and can't keep up pace? What if Juulsen is the additional piece in a trade to get a young C? And you passed on Dobson for an immediate need at W in Zadina. You now have a new hole created and you took the position with least amount of value in the league

Virtually every ranking has Zadina ahead of Dobson, so unless the Habs are contrarian, they'll take Zadina ahead of Dobson if picking BPA.
Your example seems to ignore the consensus of who is BPA between these 2 players.

 

[Saxon]

So I've seen the Habs have taken Svechnikov, Zadina, Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk and Hayton out for dinner over the past few weeks. But not one of the defensemen? Hmm

I heard they are taking Hughes out tonight, then Weber is going to tackle him, hold him down so Timmins and Bergy can measure him!!!!!

 

[Saxon]

Virtually every ranking has Zadina ahead of Dobson, so unless the Habs are contrarian, they'll take Zadina ahead of Dobson if picking BPA.
Your example seems to ignore the consensus of who is BPA between these 2 players.

Every actual NHL list will have multiple players that completely ignore the concensus. It's an art not a science.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Firstly the bolded is 2 different concepts.

Secondly you are assuming that Dobson has a higher grade than Zadina. Despite being a RHD (2nd most valuable position behind C), he's behind Zadina on pretty much every list.

They are not two different concepts. There's a weight to the value of a position and thus a number one D is going to be more valuable than a number one winger. Unless said winger is on a tier of their own. Zadina is not. Dobson may be behind on public lists but that doesn't mean he isn't the better player or won't trend to be better.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Virtually every ranking has Zadina ahead of Dobson, so unless the Habs are contrarian, they'll take Zadina ahead of Dobson if picking BPA.
Your example seems to ignore the consensus of who is BPA between these 2 players.

Who cares about the consensus rankings that fall apart almost every year? That doesn't reflect individual teams lists.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I have a feeling Berggren might become what we hoped Ikonen would (still early, I know). His offensive skillset is way better

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

We know the consensus and have heard a lot of conjecture.

There's almost no one touting Dobson to Ottawa.

But who can say he isn't who they want most?

Suppositions, rankings and mocks be damned, he might be their guy.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

They are not two different concepts. There's a weight to the value of a position and thus a number one D is going to be more valuable than a number one winger. Unless said winger is on a tier of their own. Zadina is not. Dobson may be behind on public lists but that doesn't mean he isn't the better player or won't trend to be better.

Sure he could end up better. And while D have more value in the NHL, because of their risk factor they tend to go later on draft day- hence why they rarely go #1 overall.

 

[The Great Weal]

Who here is fairly high on Hughes (i.e. ranked him 3 or 4) ?

I always feel he's the biggest wildcard as in a high floor but likely the highest upside too.

Id be damn happy if we trades Max for the pick to draft him.

I love Hughes. Skill/IQ/Skating is just off the charts.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Who cares about the consensus rankings that fall apart almost every year? That doesn't reflect individual teams lists.

This is what i heard prior to this week: Let's just wait for Bob McKenzie's list, because this is the one that actually reflects team lists - since league scouts are polled. It's been the most accurate in the past. The one list that doesn't usually fall apart.

The problem with your scenario above is that you position Zadina as the immediate need winger and Dobson as the BPA (of the 2), when there's little to suggest the latter is true.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I love Hughes. Skill/IQ/Skating is just off the charts.

And despite his size, he competes out there too. Was very impressed with his battles at the WC going against NHLers...

 

[Jabba11]

We could be seeing a PLD over Puljujaarvi situation tomorrow where the “BPA” is Zadina but Montreal goes for Noah Dobson(who can play LD) and they like his overall skill set more and fits a need. More than a winger.

And we will let Dobson in the Q another season just like PLD.