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

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Mrb1p said:
This play is Kotkaniemi in a nutshell. Hes just super well rounded and smart.
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I'm happy I got to see a lot of the U-18 games being unemployed this year.. I never get to see much of the FEL prospects. Definitely allowed me a greater appreciation for Kotkaniemi's game than I had a month ago.
 
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Habs Icing said:
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.
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If we are talking reality.. then we should just expect the worst.. Brady Tkachuk at 3, Pacioretty for RNH, 2 2nd round picks for an over the hill defenseman who plays a shut down role.
 
WeThreeKings said:
If we are talking reality.. then we should just expect the worst.. Brady Tkachuk at 3, Pacioretty for RNH, 2 2nd round picks for an over the hill defenseman who plays a shut down role.
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I don't think he'll draft Tkachuk. Before he trades Captain Ready he'll try the UFA for his center solution. You may be right about the two 2nd round picks.
 
I really started warming up to Kotkaniemi a few weeks ago, but even until recently was thinking of him as a guy to try to take with a 1st that we get in a Patches trade that we could then move up with. One scenario I had was getting the Florida pick and then try a trade with the Canes to get their 11th.

All of a sudden Kotkaniemi is a possible top 10 pick, and now maybe we should be taking him at 3. Wow.

I have also been someone who has attacked the BPA theory given that the way the team has applied it we have ended up drafting way too few centres in the 1st couple of rounds. I have chalked this up on not being able to properly assess centres and/or not moving up or trading for picks to be able to pick a centre where he is BPA.

Have to say though . I recognize my limitations here. I am comfortable saying no to Tkachuk, but while I see 1C potential with Kotkaniemi, taking him over Zadina, I dont know about that one.
 
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DramaticGloveSave said:
That play was more about being able to pass than shoot... and my evidence to you is that it was a pass and not a shot.

Heck go revisit that beauty sauce from Poehling to Tkachuk at the WJC if you want.
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Those are two different plays. We aren't arguing whether or not Poehling or Veleno can make a pass on a 2-on-1 and create a goal opportunity for his teammates.. Of course they can do that, they are both great passers.

I'm saying the fashion in which Kotkaniemi froze the goalie with his feint, is capable only because of his ability to beat the goalie from there. That's why Knight was no where to be found while Nordgren made a sandwich and tucked the game winner home.
 
WeThreeKings said:
Those are two different plays. We aren't arguing whether or not Poehling or Veleno can make a pass on a 2-on-1 and create a goal opportunity for his teammates.. Of course they can do that, they are both great passers.

I'm saying the fashion in which Kotkaniemi froze the goalie with his feint, is capable only because of his ability to beat the goalie from there. That's why Knight was no where to be found while Nordgren made a sandwich and tucked the game winner home.
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Kotkaniemi was litterally 5 feet from the top of the crease all alone, the goalie had no chance on a successful pass across no matter the shooter
 
WeThreeKings said:
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.
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He has that ''zig when you were thinking zag'' mentality, always. The first clue that he was a clever player was early in the season. It was just a small play but he makes them constantly: he picked up a puck in the neutral zone off a broken play, and was circling around to bring it up the wall. The opposing centerman was trying to force him to the outside to cause a jam up with the opposing defenceman, and Jesperi's other wing. Jesperi made him think he was going wide, and last moment pulled the puck to his forehand to feed a pass to his opposite wing, before side stepping the opposing centerman. Like I said, it's a small thing, and if he only did things like that once, I wouldn't care. But it's every game.
 
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jaffy27 said:
So Valeno is a bust?? (Serious question)
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He's not a bust, no, he's more of a logical selection in the Poehling range. I think the two of them are pretty similar prospects, Veleno is the better skater, Poehling is the bigger physical package. Poehling has better hand-eye for deflections though which will probably have him score at the next level.

Veleno in SJ and in the U-18s showed a troubling trend of not being able to score at this level and as we know, the higher the level, the harder it is to score. I felt, particularly in the u-18s, that he was simply not a threat to beat the goalie at any point.. in the Czech game, the puck was on his stick in critical moments and it was... not good.
 
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ToLegitToQuit said:
I think most would feel the same. I was not high on Veleno earlier in the year but after the trade to Drummondville, he started to put up points. I think he's a future middle 6 center IMO. My problem is the lack of goal scoring ability with him. I rather the Habs target centers who can play center but also score and not pass in shooting opportunities.

As far as Kotkaniemi, he is an interesting prospect. Never saw him play too much but from what I read, I like his upside and he can shoot the puck!

Will be interesting to see who is drafted as the first center prospect.
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Kotkienemi is in a different tier than Veleno... and I like Veleno.
 
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