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

[le_sean]

But what about the intangibles !

Lacks attitude, push him down the list.

 

[The Great Weal]

Kravtsov is a shit cook. Please be serious guys.

 

[le_sean]

Kravtsov is a **** cook. Please be serious guys.

Just another Russian that needs mommy to come to America with him to cook his food. Doesn’t fit our team vision.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Can you tell us more?

This was Kotkaniemi's most complete game as a center that I've seen so far. He was all over the ice, policing the middle, herding puck carriers to the side, turning pucks over, leading breakouts, and making dangerous offensive plays. Additionally, he was extremely physical, especially at the start of the game. Not just finishing checks, but hitting dudes hard. I don't know why, but someone on the mainboard said he was amazing on faceoffs today. I didn't count, but it seemed like he won more, and more cleanly in the last two games, but whatevs.

This was just a strong 2 way game from him, and he was rewarded with 3 assists. The first assist he beat a russian defender for the puck, got tripped up, and made a tape to tape pass from his knees to Nordgren in the slot. Second assist was a set play on the PP initiated by Kotkaniemi. The russians were giving him no direct looks or cross seam passes all game and finally this tic-tac-toe play worked. Third pass, their forward line ran a brutal cycle on Russia after Kotkaniemi cleared the puck from the front of his net into the Russian end. He passed to the point, shot, tip, goal.

I've still seen more offensive panache from him in Liiga, so I'm still waiting for him to have a really dominant game. But as far as questions relating to his future as a center iceman, this was nice to see.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Only bigger and better defensively.

Yeah but it's just one (read: 3) tournament(s) though.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Just another Russian that needs mommy to come to America with him to cook his food. Doesn’t fit our team vision.

I don't see a problem, he'll get the better food coming to the BC.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Yeah good puck protection, but the thing is if he had decent speed to create separation to begin with he wouldn't need to protect the puck in that fashion, he only had one hand available to control the puck. I am not really impressed by this, mostly shows that his lack of speed is handicapping his play with the puck. He won't get away with this at the NHL level against bigger and faster players.

 

[S Bah]

Lots to like in having 4-2nd round picks, plenty of talented, skating offensive types. Aiden Dudas, Liam Foudy, Jonny Tychonick, Ryan Merkley, Allen McShane, Jack McBain, all play for Team Canada at U/18's. Alex Khovanov(Injured half season lost), Bulat Shafigullin, Dmitri Zavgorodny are all talented players available in the 2nd or 3rd round. TC also have Joe Veleno, Ty Smith, Jared McIsaac (Possible 2nd round with great offensive instincts) The obvious needs for the Habs are at defence & center, truly though the Habs should look for talent(skating, stickhandling, effort) first, vision/smarts 2nd, size & grit 3rd. Wingers the Habs have in abundance already, unless a very talented player drops to them in the second round, center & defence should be their priorities. Any of Tychonick, Merkley or McIsaac in the 2nd round, Aiden Dudas & Liam Foudy are forces at center that drive the play. Khovanov & Kupari just talented all round, centers that if available in the 2nd round can't be passed over. Those are seven players the Habs should focus on drafting with their 4 - 2nd's IMHO!!!...My opinion is the Habs should try to make trades to acquire at least one more 1st round pick if not two. Enabling Timmins the opportunity to a great Dman & center in the 1st round, the NYI's have two 1st's in 2018 well positioned within the top 15. Possibly the Habs could get two of Kotkaneimi/Veleno and or Ty Smith/Evan Bouchard/Noel Dobson with those two picks. Hoping for the lottery win to get one of Dahlin, Boqvist or Svechnikov(Elite Sniper, stickhandler with size/PWF.) This draft would become the one that changed the Habs future, if they gained the NYI's two 1st's. Pacioretty would be the perfect linemate for the NYI's centers Tavares, Barzal, Nelson & Cizikas, for their 2 - 1st's. Having 7 picks in the top 62 in a deep draft like 2018 could give the Habs the depth in quality players, to become a dynasty type of team in a few short yrs. The Habs are in no danger of winning the Stanley Cup for the next 3-4 seasons IMHO, so trading a veteran star sniper for the chance of drafting a couple of great prospects, sounds like good management of assets. Go Habs Go!!!... Of course the Habs will miss having Mad Max's scoring next season, but getting a shot at one of the Top Centers available next year, say Jack Hughes would speed up the process. Hughes as a 1st line center with one of Kotkaneimi or Veleno as the 2nd line center, would give the Habs serious punch down the middle for a decade. Having many great wingers with those centers, the Habs depth would match any NHL team. Adding a couple of the great young Dmen from this draft, to accompany Juulsen, Mete, Lernout, Brooks & Fleury, already in the system, Habs will be strong in all area's, with homegrown talent being schooled by Dom Ducharme in Laval. Hopefully Ducharme is the Habs next coach, he's proven an ability to win at all levels but the NHL, which I believe he will excel with seasoning in the Habs hometown farm team!!!...

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Yeah good puck protection, but the thing is if he had decent speed to create separation to begin with he wouldn't need to protect the puck in that fashion, he only had one hand available to control the puck. I am not really impressed by this, mostly shows that his lack of speed is handicapping his play with the puck. He won't get away with this at the NHL level against bigger and faster players.

Look at it the other way. His puck protection skill makes his lack of speed less of a problem.

He's not fast, but he's not slow either.
Subban isnt fast, but he has the puck protection skill and the agility, which makes his lack of speed not an issue.
Zadina is a bit similar in that regard.

 

[LastWordArmy]

I read this Report. Given how you guys are gushing over this kid how is he not a lot higher in your rankings ?

Its the first round... Kravtsov has a lot of skills, if he didn't he wouldn't be 25th.

There are concerns though too... we mentioned those.

He can try to do too much with the puck, skate himself into bad positions and lose the puck, instead of seeing the openings and getting it to a teammate. That's an issue. Reading the game and Hockey IQ is important. His scoring is also a relatively small sample, he really turned it on in the playoffs. There is some leeriness. I want to see more of that level of play.

 

[Stive Morgan]

There's 2 things I'm 100% sure about in this draft

1) Tkachuk will be our pick if he's still in the board (If we don't win the lottery)

2) We will trade at least 1 of our 2nd round picks.

 

[NotProkofievian]

About Czechs and making good draft picks, Peter Chiarelli (I know, I know) said that what they liked, specifically, about Pastrnak was his puck protection. Once you're in the offensive zone, this is just how offensive opportunities are created.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Thats Wahlstrom though and thats the success hell have in he NHL.

#ComplimentaryPlayer

 

[Mrb1p]

#ComplimentaryPlayer

Id kinda agree, he clearly needs a playmaker to thrive... but he can still produce by himself.

Hed just be an absolute perfect fit for a guy that likes to control the puck up ice, such a player would allow him to sneak himself in a shooting spot and BAAAM 40 geez.

Think Stammer with StLou

 

[Mrb1p]

About Czechs and making good draft picks, Peter Chiarelli (I know, I know) said that what they liked, specifically, about Pastrnak was his puck protection. Once you're in the offensive zone, this is just how offensive opportunities are created.

This, but hes also one of the best triggerman in the league, you just dont pass that up.

 

[Mrb1p]

Look at it the other way. His puck protection skill makes his lack of speed less of a problem.

He's not fast, but he's not slow either.
Subban isnt fast, but he has the puck protection skill and the agility, which makes his lack of speed not an issue.
Zadina is a bit similar in that regard.

Yeah, I compared Zadina a while back to Radulov/Vanek/Kovy/Subban/Jagr. Heavy guys who are just super hard to move because of their butt strength. Zadina is that dude.

Though people should think Subban/Zadina and end to end rush, thats a no. He also doesnt have the edge work of a Kovalev or a Subban.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Id kinda agree, he clearly needs a playmaker to thrive... but he can still produce by himself.

Hed just be an absolute perfect fit for a guy that likes to control the puck up ice, such a player would allow him to sneak himself in a shooting spot and BAAAM 40 geez.

Think Stammer with StLou

If you're talking about a true #1 line driver, you're talking about a franchise forward. Not sure that guy in this draft- maybe Svech-but wingers are rarely that guy.

Point is, calling Tkachuk a "complimentary player" is a silly and meaningless argument.

 

[Mrb1p]

If you're talking about a true #1 line driver, you're talking about a franchise forward. Not sure that guy in this draft- maybe Svech-but wingers are rarely that guy.

Point is, calling Tkachuk a "complimentary player" is a silly and meaningless argument.

Tkachuk wont drive the offense, full stop.

He doesnt have the offensive tools for it, its never happened, it will never happen. Hes going to be a guy like his brother or like Landeskog... a gem you love to have on your team, ultimate glue guys, but you need sticks to use glue, the stick in this analogy are your Mackinnons, Rantanen, Gaudreau, Monahan.

Furthermore, Poehling has a great chance of being that guy and the Habs already have Gallagher whos one of the elite glue guy in the league.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Tkachuk wont drive the offense, full stop.

He doesnt have the offensive tools for it, its never happened, it will never happen. Hes going to be a guy like his brother or like Landeskog... a gem you love to have on your team, ultimate glue guys, but you need sticks to use glue, the stick in this analogy are your Mackinnons, Rantanen, Gaudreau, Monahan.

Furthermore, Poehling has a great chance of being that guy and the Habs already have Gallagher whos one of the elite glue guy in the league.

Is Wahlstrom going to be a line driver of an NHL #1 line?

I don't think that guy is in this draft. I think you just have to take the best player. Both guys are going robbed complimentey guys, it's a question of who's going to be better.

 

[Riggins]

A lot of 2019 and 2020 prospects are doing very good. You can see how those two crops are going to be special, at the very top at least.

Exactly why we need to suck for two more years. I actually don't mind going D early this year, those guys need longer to develop. Then get some centers high in 2019 and 2020 and they can plug into the lineup fairly quickly.

 

[NotProkofievian]

#ComplimentaryPlayer

 

[Mrb1p]

Is Wahlstrom going to be a line driver of an NHL #1 line?

I don't think that guy is in this draft. I think you just have to take the best player. Both guys are going robbed complimentey guys, it's a question of who's going to be better.

Wahl-e absolutely can drive his own offense, just like Kessel or Pacioretty, but hed be much better with a guy that can find him because his shot is his main weapon.

 

[Habs Icing]

From the games I've watched of the U18 Team Canada these are the players that caught my eye:

Lafreniere (of course)
Ty Smith
Foudy
Dellandra
Noel - big time. I like this kid. He may turn out to be the steal of this year's draft. Someone mentioned McCarron. Naw, no way. This kid can skate and has skill.
Merkley. If this kid can get some strong coaching or a strong mentor, he can turn out to be the 2nd best d-man of this draft............ or a complete bust. Unbelievable vision and some very nice skills.

Totally disappointed by Thomas.

Some nice players but I would pick up in later rounds Hillis, Lavoie (2019), Tychonick.

I only mention the Canuck players because I really haven't seen enough of other teams.

 

[Habs Icing]

Wahl-e absolutely can drive his own offense, just like Kessel or Pacioretty, but hed be much better with a guy that can find him because his shot is his main weapon.

Is there another Pacioretty I haven't heard of? Because the Pacioretty that plays on the Habs couldn't drive himself to the local dep.