2019 Draft Discussion

[Frolov 6'3]

I'm impressed you still see a future with Vilardi.

Could be over for him. I do hope all the people who constantly say this, will admit they were totally wrong if Vilardi indeed is healthy next season.

Not you, but so many here are constantly so outspoken about things. Totally annoying.

I have read the first posts about Doughty regressing already. Its gonna be a great year next season...

 

[johnjm22]

Could be over for him. I do hope all the people who constantly say this, will admit they were totally wrong if Vilardi indeed is healthy next season.

Not you, but so many here are constantly so outspoken about things. Totally annoying.

Agreed. There were many people around here who were 100% sure Brown would NEVER score 20 goals again.

Some posters were positive Prokhorkin would never play for us, and that "he's using the Kings for leverage" ect.

Truth is, none of us are close to Vilardi. None of us really know what's going on with him. We're all just speculating. He's only 19 years old. He could be done, but it's not impossible that he could recover. I'm not writing him off yet.

 

[KINGS17]

Agreed. There were many people around here who were 100% sure Brown would NEVER score 20 goals again.

Some posters were positive Prokhorkin would never play for us, and that "he's using the Kings for leverage" ect.

Truth is, none of us are close to Vilardi. None of us really know what's going on with him. We're all just speculating. He's only 19 years old. He could be done, but it's not impossible that he could recover. I'm not writing him off yet.

Hey if Tiger Woods can do it...

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

“He already plays like a veteran most of the time. He plays a mature game. He carries a very strong stick and wins a lot of battles in the corners, in the slot area and along the walls because of his strong body and especially because of his strong arms. I really like his mobility and his high-percentage plays. What is also an exceptional asset are his successful zone exits. He moves the puck very well or skates with the puck and his zone exits are successful with a higher-percentage than the average (defenceman).”

Seider said his maturity comes through osmosis from having turned pro at 17. And his size — he’s listed at 6-foot-4, 183-pounds — doesn’t hurt either.

 

[LAKings88]

Given LAs ties to Germany, I can see it.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Given LAs ties to Germany, I can see it.

So could i but i think it depends on who we take with our first pick If we get Byram I think we have to take a forward with that pic

 

[TruKingFan]

Bryam could turn out to be a stud, but I still think we take a forward with the #5 pick unless Blake knows for sure that Vilardi will be good to go in Oct.

 

[kingsboy11]

I feel if Byram or Turcotte is there we'll keep the pick, but if both are gone I bet they try to trade down and if they can't get any bites they'll take Podkolzin.

 

[KingKempe9]

I feel if Byram or Turcotte is there we'll keep the pick, but if both are gone I bet they try to trade down and if they can't get any bites they'll take Podkolzin.

I would like the idea of trading down from 5 to somewhere between 6-11 if somebody is willing to take Phaneuf - would likely need some team to be in love with a particular player who is there at 5

 

[KINGS17]

If Byram is still available when the Kings pick, I think he is the obvious choice. The Kings don't have any prospects who appear to be legit top pairing players. I doubt Byram will be there though, he is a perfect fit for Colorado, if Chicago doesn't beat them to it.

 

[kingsboy11]

One option is that if you draft Byram, it makes some of our current prospect defensemen expendable. If you add Byram, the current defensemen crop would suddenly become Doughty, Forbort, Martinez, Phaneuf, Roy, Walker, Ladue, MacDermid, Phillips, Durzi, Clague, Brickley, Anderson, Strand and then Byram. That's not only a lot of defensemen, that's a lot of young defensemen. Really curious to see how Blake is going to handle this if Byram is the guy.

 

[Legionnaire]

Prospects are assets. One thing that has kept Nashville competitive over the years is their depth on the blue line and in the organization. Having blue chip men in the system is not going to be a problem. In fact, having that depth will likely help the development process as there won't be a need to rush out d prospects to the NHL.

 

[KINGS17]

Prospects are assets. One thing that has kept Nashville competitive over the years is their depth on the blue line and in the organization. Having blue chip men in the system is not going to be a problem. In fact, having that depth will likely help the development process as there won't be a need to rush out d prospects to the NHL.

Agreed, this isn't the NFL where draftees are young men ready to come in and make an immediate impact, so drafting a position of need is a priority.

Good defensemen are among the rarest commodities in the NHL. A good top 4 is very important to contending teams. Teams that don't have even three top 4 defensemen on their NHL roster are desperate to get another one. Having a surplus of top 4 defensemen, if the Kings even have a surplus, is a good thing.

 

[LAKings88]

NFERENCE FINALISTS :: LA KINGS DRAFT SPOT
San Jose/Dallas/Boston/Carolina :: 22
San Jose/Dallas/Boston/Islanders :: 23
San Jose/Dallas/Columbus/Carolina :: 21
San Jose/Dallas/Columbus/Islanders :: 22
San Jose/St. Louis/Boston/Carolina :: 22
San Jose/St. Louis/Boston/Islanders :: 23
San Jose/St. Louis/Columbus/Carolina :: 21
San Jose/St. Louis/Columbus/Islanders :: 22
Colorado/Dallas/Boston/Carolina :: 21
Colorado/Dallas/Boston/Islanders :: 22
Colorado/Dallas/Columbus/Carolina :: 20
Colorado/Dallas Columbus/Islanders :: 21
Colorado/St. Louis/Boston/Carolina :: 21
Colorado/St. Louis/Boston/Islanders :: 22
Colorado/St. Louis/Columbus/Carolina :: 20
Colorado/St. Louis/Columbus/Islanders :: 21

 

[Mats26]

Thank god the leafs choked and these 7th and 8th seeds are wreaking havoc. We are looking for that 20th pick!

Last year the Rangers paid pick 26 and pick 48 to move from pick 26 to 22. So they paid a 1st and 2nd to move up 4 spots in round 1.
It give us more flexibility if we want to move up or down with that pick in the 20-22 range

 

[johnjm22]

I think Chicago only takes Byram if they're extremely high on him relative to the other prospects.

These are the Blackhawks current prospect rankings:
1. Boqvist (D)
2. Jokiharju (D)
3. Barratt (F)
4. Mitchell (D)
5. Beaudin (D)
6. Sikura (D)

They're extremely shallow on forward prospects. They've spent their last 3 1st round picks on Dmen. I don't see them taking Byram if there's comparable forward prospects available at 3rd OA.

At 4th OA Colorado could take Byram. They don't have much quality Dmen in the system. But I could also see a scenario in which they take a forward because they think they can contend now and want someone who can get to the NHL quicker. They really need a 2nd line center.

I think there's a decent chance Byram is avalible to us a 5th OA.

 

[kovacro]

I think Chicago only takes Byram if they're extremely high on him relative to the other prospects.

These are the Blackhawks current prospect rankings:
1. Boqvist (D)
2. Jokiharju (D)
3. Barratt (F)
4. Mitchell (D)
5. Beaudin (D)
6. Sikura (D)

I'm a bit surprised Chad Krys (D) isn't on that list. They seem pretty set at defense.

As mentioned, It should come down to the Avs taking Byram or going for a forward. It has to be tempting to them to think of the possibility of a Makar/Bynam pairing for the next decade.

 

[YP44]

Could be over for him. I do hope all the people who constantly say this, will admit they were totally wrong if Vilardi indeed is healthy next season.

Not you, but so many here are constantly so outspoken about things. Totally annoying.

I have read the first posts about Doughty regressing already. Its gonna be a great year next season...

I could see it either way with Vilardi. My point it to plan for a future without him and then hope for the best. If he does recuperate than it's like a found asset

 

[johnjm22]

I like Byram and Krebs, but regardless of who the Kings pick at #5 I won't be upset because I don't have a strong opinion on all the guys ranked 3rd-7th.

With the 5th, 23rd-ish, and 33rd picks we're going to get 3 well regarded prospects.

If we get a forward at 5th OA, I could see them taking a dman with one of the other two picks. I like Thomas Harley if he's available when we use the Leaf's pick.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Could see Chicago taking Podkolzin, who'll be what they've been missing since Artemi Panarin.

 

[Choralone]

Agreed, this isn't the NFL where draftees are young men ready to come in and make an immediate impact, so drafting a position of need is a priority.

Good defensemen are among the rarest commodities in the NHL. A good top 4 is very important to contending teams. Teams that don't have even three top 4 defensemen on their NHL roster are desperate to get another one. Having a surplus of top 4 defensemen, if the Kings even have a surplus, is a good thing.

Lombardi made some reaches that didn't work out as planned (Teubert, Hickey) - but his draft philosophy was sound in building from the back and center.

 

[Brodeur]

At 4th OA Colorado could take Byram. They don't have much quality Dmen in the system. But I could also see a scenario in which they take a forward because they think they can contend now and want someone who can get to the NHL quicker. They really need a 2nd line center.

I think there's a decent chance Byram is avalible to us a 5th OA.

Colorado will be in an interesting spot. If I were Sakic, I'd probably target free agency for a #2 center. It seemed like one of the rare times that everybody on the main board agreed on something, but everybody thought a guy like Kevin Hayes would be a perfect signing for them. Podkolzin (due to KHL contract) and the other forwards who'll be available at #4 seem like they'd be a 2+ years away from contributing.

The other wrinkle for Colorado is their own first round pick being at #16 if they don't advance past this round. That layer of the draft seems to have some decent LHD options potentially with Broberg, Harley, and/or York.

 

[LAKings88]

I won’t prognosticate this draft or even do a mock. So many things can happen. I wouldn’t be shocked if Caufield goes in 3-5 range.

 

[johnjm22]

I won’t prognosticate this draft or even do a mock. So many things can happen. I wouldn’t be shocked if Caufield goes in 3-5 range.

Yeah. With Caufield shooting up the rankings, and concerns about Podkolzin, this draft looks completley wide open after the first two picks. Some of the mock drafts I've looked at vary widely.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]