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

[417]

Brayden Schenn had all the makings of a center and was even groomed as a one.

Exactly my point...

He was groomed to be one, just like we groomed Drouin this year as well and that process can accelerate next year if the Habs can somehow acquire a more accomplished center to play ahead of him.

Drouin was always seen a tremendous talent but he was never mistaken for a complete player. I've rarely seen a player dogging it and straight up quitting on plays like he did this year.

Not every center is complete...

Look, the Habs played Drouin as a center ALL of this past year...they are going to have trouble acquiring ONE center, nevermind acquiring 2.

You're already knee-deep with Drouin at center, may as well see the process through.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The goalie still has to come out and play the shot...

Dude, I play goal. If it's a 2-on-1 and the puck carrier isn't a good shooter, I play deeper in my net because that reduces the amount of time it takes me to get from one side of the net to the other in the event that the pass makes it through. I don't have that luxury if the shooter is better, as then I need to come out further to take away more of the net and give him less angles to beat me by.

This is universally known and preached by all goalie coaches in the entire world. It's the game within the game. Know who's shooting on you and you can play the situation better.

You're acting like a goalie would play Scott Gomez in the shooting position the same way he would play Patrick Laine.

 

[WeThreeKings]

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'm about to be blocked by his twitter because of my reply, but I don't care because I will not give that man another click or thought ever again.

 

[G0bias]

Exactly my point...

He was groomed to be one, just like we groomed Drouin this year as well and that process can accelerate next year if the Habs can somehow acquire a more accomplished center to play ahead of him.

You were too quick before I could edit but I added to that statement for clarity that Schenn was groomed "at a much younger age" than Drouin is now. Which makes a huge difference.

In any case, he'll have to start by changing his approach and commitment on the ice if he even wants to be a better player first. Let alone a center.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

What about Pacioretty to Colorado for Ottawa's 2019 first

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Double overage dman Marcus Bjork won HockeyAllsvenskan dman of the year. I wonder who snaps him up at the draft

I believe he has signed with an SHL team (Orebro) for the next season, of course if an NHL team comes around knocking he would probably leave.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Dude, I play goal. If it's a 2-on-1 and the puck carrier isn't a good shooter, I play deeper in my net because that reduces the amount of time it takes me to get from one side of the net to the other in the event that the pass makes it through. I don't have that luxury if the shooter is better, as then I need to come out further to take away more of the net and give him less angles to beat me by.

This is universally known and preached by all goalie coaches in the entire world. It's the game within the game. Know who's shooting on you and you can play the situation better.

You're acting like a goalie would play Scott Gomez in the shooting position the same way he would play Patrick Laine.

Dude, I play goal too. Obviously you play Gomez different than Laine, but you still have to play the shot. In the NHL even the mediocre shooters can beat a goalie clean on a 2 on 1

 

[NotProkofievian]

Veleno and Kotkaniemi are similar grades IMO. I know Kotkaniemi has improved his skating somewhat, but he still is a bit of a slug out there and that concerns me. I think he'll be tremendous on the PP, but 5v5 I don't think he'll be creating much.

Both guys should be viewed as 2 way #2s if they work out, and not guys that I think are going to be a cut above a Poehling by any means.

Kotkaniemi produced extremely well at 5 on 5 this year. Like, historically well.

This is you saying Kotkaniemi doesn't have a good shot all over again.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Dude, I play goal too. Obviously you play Gomez different than Laine, but you still have to play the shot. In the NHL even the mediocre shooters can beat a goalie clean on a 2 on 1

If the goalie sucks, I guess.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

I'm about to be blocked by his twitter because of my reply, but I don't care because I will not give that man another click or thought ever again.

This reply was pretty funny.

You say Michael McLeod at 3, 3 times in the mirror and then act like a 60 year old child, act like an asshole to everybody on any social media avenues that could gain you potential followers for your website and your account gets deleted.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This reply was pretty funny.

You say Michael McLeod at 3, 3 times in the mirror and then act like a 60 year old child, act like an ******* to everybody on any social media avenues that could gain you potential followers for your website and your account gets deleted.

That would be me

 

[NotProkofievian]

The pick is pretty much a lay-up and people are debating picking based on NEED, which is essentially the #1 rule of what not to do when drafting.

I like Kotkaniemi, but come on. If you're so desperate for him, trade Max for a 1st and then trade up. The Top 3 players literally haven't changed all year, we are gifted a Top 3 pick and we are debating taking another player.

You are all so impressed by Kotkaniemi's U18. Maybe you should take a gander at Zadina's U18s at the ages of 16 and 17. Then take a look at his U20. Everywhere he's gone, he's been productive. No, the Habs don't have a centre like Kotkaniemi, but they also don't have a sniper like Zadina.

Honestly, Kotkaniemi's most impressive games this year were in Liiga, not the U18's. Why his U18 performance is so important is everyone - myself included - had discounted him as a winger all season long: he got maybe 1 game at center, and the rest at ''center-wing'' or just the wing position. The U18's just confirmed that not only can he play center as a make-work solution, he's actually really good at it. It's not really a needs based argument when it unquestionably raises his value.

 

[The Great Weal]

This reply was pretty funny.

You say Michael McLeod at 3, 3 times in the mirror and then act like a 60 year old child, act like an ******* to everybody on any social media avenues that could gain you potential followers for your website and your account gets deleted.

I'm pretty sure I know who that is

 

[The Great Weal]

That would be me

I thought so lol

 

[Habs Icing]

Assuming they prefer adding a defenseman, Detroit does seem like a viable trade partner in that sense. While they possibly could get a good one at 6, the #3 pick gives them the luxury to choose.

What are the chances Ottawa and Arizona take Kotkaniemi at 4 and 5?

We would have an old fashion bench brawl on the draft floor between Trent Mann and his staff and Tim Bernhardt and his staff.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I think you could comfortably move back behind Ottawa and Arizona.. but I don't think you could trust Detroit.

Ottawa has Duchene, Logan Brown, White down the middle.. Arizona has Strome and Keller.. but Detroit has no one other than Larkin and Michael Rasmussen is definitely playing wing in the NHL.

 

[Habs Icing]

Forgot Poehling and you are right there.. but I still think with our group of wingers, and keep in mind, chances are we are going to have a chance to draft one of Hallander or Berggren with our 2nd round pick.. Drouin, Gallagher, Galchenyuk, Lehkonen, Hudon and Scherbak for me is a great enough winger line up through three lines.. and a center line of Dach-Kotkaniemi-Poehling would instantly make us credible for a long time.

Who the hell is Dach?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Who the hell is Dach?

He's a top center prospect in next year's draft. I just picked one of the highly rated C prospects as part of the thought experiment.

 

[NotProkofievian]

If the goalie sucks, I guess.

Honestly, Spencer Knight had no idea that Jesperi was going pass on that 2 on 1. Either that or he missed his push, but Nordgren had a completely wide open net to shoot at.

 

[Habs Icing]

He's a top center prospect in next year's draft. I just picked one of the highly rated C prospects as part of the thought experiment.

And what if we make the playoffs and don't get to pick up one of those centers next year?

 

[WeThreeKings]

And what if we make the playoffs and don't get to pick up one of those centers next year?

I think that makes a selection of a top C even more important. But that really wasn't what we were discussing at the time.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Honestly, Spencer Knight had no idea that Jesperi was going pass on that 2 on 1. Either that or he missed his push, but Nordgren had a completely wide open net to shoot at.

He absolutely had to respect the shot because Kotkaniemi can rip the puck. Then he made the pass in tight and it was all over. Just a beautifully executed play by Kotkaniemi in all facets and it's a guy who knows how to set up a play from the opening face-off. That showed me his smarts that you raved about all year.

 

[Mrb1p]

He absolutely had to respect the shot because Kotkaniemi can rip the puck. Then he made the pass in tight and it was all over. Just a beautifully executed play by Kotkaniemi in all facets and it's a guy who knows how to set up a play from the opening face-off. That showed me his smarts that you raved about all year.

This play is Kotkaniemi in a nutshell. Hes just super well rounded and smart.

 

[Habs Icing]

I think that makes a selection of a top C even more important. But that really wasn't what we were discussing at the time.

I understand. You were engaged in a thought experiment. But that experiment doesn't take into consideration the reality of the matter. MB has to show results this year. He is going to do everything to get those results. So when we try to guess what he will do we have to keep that little tidbit in mind. MB wants to improve the team as much as possible in the immediate future.