2020 Draft & Undrafted Free Agent Thread

[Lays]

I want Connor Zary the more I see him the more I like him. In his D-1 in the WHL he led his team in PPG with 67 points in 63 games. 2nd was Zane Franklin who put up 68 in 68 and 3rd highest was Orrin Centazzo with 51 points in 67 games. That’s impressive. He reminds me a bit of Brayden Point. Good goal scorer around the net and has a nice shot. High IQ guy with good defense and aggressiveness. All around C and he’s not really a line driver (more of a shoot first C) which works well with one of Kakko/Kravtsov/Panarin/Chytil. His nickname is “kid clutch” as well

Peyton Krebs in his D-1 (same league) had 54 in 67 with the 3rd highest PPG and 68 in 64 this season. Obviously Kootenay was trash though but Kamloops is pretty bad as well

Points aren’t everything but it’s interesting to look at

Zary didn’t have good linemates. Once he gets better linemates he’ll rack up more assists. He’s talked about in the 15-20 range but I just recently moved him up to 5. My revised top 10 is

Laf
Byfield
Raymond
Lundell
Zary
Rossi
Perfetti
Gunler
Lapierre
Mysak

(Haven’t seen Stutzle yet)

I think Barron and Drysdale get overrated at times. Not sure if I see #1 potential in either yet they’re in a lot of top 5-8 range

 

[RangerBlues]

well last year, ottawa with 29 wins was the only team under 30 so not setting the bar very high there lol...

I just dont want ugly dumpster-fire bad. Like Knicks bad. The team is crispy thin. Kreider Names and Strome will be gone by the deadline. Any injury will magnify in a bad way.
Im just looking at the bright side.

 

[Leetch3]

I just dont want ugly dumpster-fire bad. Like Knicks bad. The team is crispy thin. Kreider Names and Strome will be gone by the deadline. Any injury will magnify in a bad way.
Im just looking at the bright side.

for me this season isn't judged by wins & losses, its more important how we win or lose those games and the progress that is made. I would take a 30 win season but in the process kakko, kravtsov, chytil, etc develop into stars in the 2nd half of the season and give us something to build on for next year over winning 45 games and making the playoffs cause panarin/zibanejad/buchnevich played 28:00/night and lundqvist stood on his head all year but none of the kids got better

and it doesn't matter how likely or unlikely those scenarios might be so no one needs to point out that if we win 45+ it means that the kids played well. the point still remains the # of wins by itself means little

 

[brians1128]

He seems to be in the 10-12 range right now.

I have him at 16 on a list I just worked on. I think he fits in comfortably in the teens..

 

[brians1128]

Some really early mocks to get everyone through August!!

2020 NHL Mock Draft & Simulator | Tankathon

1 (6) D: Justin Barron (CAN)(6'2"/196lbs., Shot: Right, Halifax/QMJHL)

2020 NHL Mock Draft | 2020 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

1 (23) D: Braden Scheider (CAN)(6'2"/209lbs., Shot: Right, Brandon/WHL)

2020 NHL Mock Draft - NHL - DraftSite.com

1 (12) C/LW: Antonio Stranges (USA)(5'10"/170lbs., Shot: Left, London/OHL)
2 (43) RW: Brandon Coe (CAN)(6'3"/185lbs., Shot: Right, North Bay/OHL)
3 (84) D: Ruben Rafkin (FIN)(6'0"/190lbs., Shot: Right, Windsor/OHL)

I don't see some of these guys going this high. Right now I have Stranges as an early 2nd rounder, but could obviously rise. Coe I don't think goes anywhere near the 2nd, ATM, but he has some tools that are interesting. Rafkin could either have a good year or a bad year. Not sold on him, but IT'S WAY TOO EARLY to judge.

I agree some of these early mocks, just hurt on who we are passing on. The forward depth and RHD depth is real good in this draft. After missing out on the Edmonton trade with talks of it being Zegras as the target, you gotta think the same approach will still apply to this years draft with the Rangers targeting a play making center. Really hope they add another first in this draft

 

[brians1128]

I want Connor Zary the more I see him the more I like him. In his D-1 in the WHL he led his team in PPG with 67 points in 63 games. 2nd was Zane Franklin who put up 68 in 68 and 3rd highest was Orrin Centazzo with 51 points in 67 games. That’s impressive. He reminds me a bit of Brayden Point. Good goal scorer around the net and has a nice shot. High IQ guy with good defense and aggressiveness. All around C and he’s not really a line driver (more of a shoot first C) which works well with one of Kakko/Kravtsov/Panarin/Chytil. His nickname is “kid clutch” as well

Peyton Krebs in his D-1 (same league) had 54 in 67 with the 3rd highest PPG and 68 in 64 this season. Obviously Kootenay was trash though but Kamloops is pretty bad as well

Points aren’t everything but it’s interesting to look at

Zary didn’t have good linemates. Once he gets better linemates he’ll rack up more assists. He’s talked about in the 15-20 range but I just recently moved him up to 5. My revised top 10 is

Laf
Byfield
Raymond
Lundell
Zary
Rossi
Perfetti
Gunler
Lapierre
Mysak

(Haven’t seen Stutzle yet)

I think Barron and Drysdale get overrated at times. Not sure if I see #1 potential in either yet they’re in a lot of top 5-8 range

Stutzle has huge potential points wise. I really like him. just think using your top 10 you add Stutzle, Holtz, Halloway, Barron, Drysdal, Ashkarov and you are getting rewarded really well to the teams that miss the playoffs. That doesnt even count the whole tier after that which IMO is 15 players deep at least. Schneider, Perrault, Ponamaryov, Sourdif, Poirier, Amirov, Rochette, Neighbors, Pytlic, Sandersson, Nybeck, Simontaival, Gushchin, Stranges, Foundy, etc That makes for a very nice first round.

 

[Joey Bones]

Agreed with @Lays, I think Zary will turn some heads soon.

 

[Edge]

Zary is an incredibly smart hockey player with good vision and a knack for elevating his game in crucial situations.

He's not a toolsy player --- outside of the vision/sense, I don't know if there's a particular skill that ranks as great. There's a lot of very good across the board, and together that makes him a damn good young player. But he's not a guy who you're instantly drawn to when you sit down to watch a game. After you're aware of him, then you find yourself looking for him.

It will be interesting to see how he's viewed against some of his peers in the first. You have guys who already look like "seductive" picks, and that's understandable. How do you not look at a kid like Byfield and start to let your imagination go crazy. You also have the fact that Zary is going to be significantly older than some of his contemporaries. But I have a feeling he might be the kid who almost quietly finds himself in more than a few top 10 lists.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[Cag29]

Is that a non checking league?
Still a nice move but try that against Scott Stevens or someone of that ilk. You more than likely end up on your seat.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Zary is an incredibly smart hockey player with good vision and a knack for elevating his game in crucial situations.

He's not a toolsy player --- outside of the vision/sense, I don't know if there's a particular skill that ranks as great. There's a lot of very good across the board, and together that makes him a damn good young player. But he's not a guy who you're instantly drawn to when you sit down to watch a game. After you're aware of him, then you find yourself looking for him.

It will be interesting to see how he's viewed against some of his peers in the first. You have guys who already look like "seductive" picks, and that's understandable. How do you not look at a kid like Byfield and start to let your imagination go crazy. You also have the fact that Zary is going to be significantly older than some of his contemporaries. But I have a feeling he might be the kid who almost quietly finds himself in more than a few top 10 lists.

Thoughts on Dylan Holloway?

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Is that a non checking league?
Still a nice move but try that against Scott Stevens or someone of that ilk. You more than likely end up on your seat.

A) it’s a summer tournament
B) the fact that you had to go to Scott Stevens shows that it’s really not something to worry about anymore

 

[True Blue]

Thoughts on Dylan Holloway?

I actually like him as a possibly realistic choice if the Rangers are not picking in the top-10. Or maybe in the latter half of the top 10. 200 foot game. Seems to be in the ilk that Quinn and Gorton seem to be building around. I have a feeling that as the year goes on, he will be lumped in with a Krebs from 2019.

So whom to begin dreaming about for the Rangers pick? Byfield, clearly. But he is going top 5 if, not 2 overall. I also like Holtz, but he could well also be a top-5. Lundell, I like. LaPierre seems like a solid choice as well, but the Rangers do not usually fish out of the Q.

 

[Edge]

Thoughts on Dylan Holloway?

Like the way he drives to the net and gets himself in scoring locations with higher probabilities for success. He's not afraid to battle for position.

He's another guy who checks a lot of boxes for being very good, but not necessarily great. Good drive, good instincts, north-south style game, protects the puck very well, very efficient in his style of play - not a lot of wasted energy and motion.

He's spent time as a center, but I could see him being a nice complimentary player on the wings who creates time and space for a playmaker. To me he's probably a prospect you hope develops into the type of player who completes a line, but probably isn't one you expect to be the centerpiece. I'll be interested to see how he's utilized this season, and whether or not a strong Wisconsin team boosts his numbers, or sees him serve in more of a support role.

 

[Cag29]

A) it’s a summer tournament
B) the fact that you had to go to Scott Stevens shows that it’s really not something to worry about anymore

How about Bukeboom.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[romba]

How about Bukeboom.

Same era, try again.

"Try that on Pionk and see how far it gets you!"

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Same era, try again.

"Try that on Pionk and see how far it gets you!"

Try that on Trouba and see how far it gets you.

 

[Kovalev27]

Is that a non checking league?
Still a nice move but try that against Scott Stevens or someone of that ilk. You more than likely end up on your seat.

There isn’t anyone of that ilk in the league anymore

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[Thirty One]

I can't keep up with all these players that should be top 5.

 

[NYR94]

Byfield wow nice move

 

[Joey Bones]

Perfetti, Lapierre and Hirvonen are lighting this tourney up so far!!

2022 Draft prospect Brad Lambert with a hatty for the Fins today!!

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Perfetti, Lapierre and Hirvonen are lighting this tourney up so far!!

2022 Draft prospect Brad Lambert with a hatty for the Fins today!!

He is supposed to be the next big thing.