Prospect Info: 2020 NHL Entry Draft Thread

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
With most people at home (from what I hear) I hope I can encourage you to watch as many dedicated positional videos of the players that you would like to see us select in this coming draft. You may have to look for them but they are out there. I wouldn't recommend highlight reals for the obvious reasons and try to find scouting footage or full games if possible. I think that if people would spend some time doing this (a luxury for sure) that people would have a different opinion of some of the top ranked kids. Like I said when we drafted Tuebert "this is going to be a massive mistake". Button referred to Colton as a Chris Pronger but meaner. We all make mistakes, I know I do when covering the minor leagues every year but there are a few major pundits every year that just seem to get things a bit wrong but keep there jobs anyways. Meh I guess.

Drysdale can really skate but he isn't a comparable to Doughty on any level. The two seasons before DD's NHL draft an argument could be made that he was one of the top ten Dmen in the world. He was so ahead of the play mentally and so physically skilled that there wasn't anyone that I would say was even close to his level of skill anywhere else in the world with the exception of very few NHL'ers. I said it then and would say it still today, I would have taken DD over Stamkos all day every day without hesitation. I was truly stressed out that TB might have taken DD first. Even with all the "welcome to Tampa Steven" billboards.

I would say that a solid comparison to Drysdale providing he pans out would be more of a Josi type. Maybe an Erik Karlson type with less O and more D if he really hits his projections spot on. I see him as a Visnovsky clone and that is all the reason that you would ever need to draft him of course but IF he pans out I will be surprised if he makes it as a #1D or at least not for 7 or 8 years down the road. I hope he does it with us and even have him as my 4rth choice out of this years draft but my expectations of him are less than some.

I think that you could put Laffy/Stutzle and Rossi all in the equally talented category for sniping O types and DD as the best Dman from this years draft (although)....

We have several highly skilled young players who could give us one of the best Kings lineups since the mid 80's (Luc JimmyC Bernie Wells Duesch etc). We are well on our way to having a seriously solid foundation for the future already.


Out of Byfeld or Stutzle I would take Stutzle all every time. To me Byfeld has an even chance of ending up a 3rd liner as he does a top 6 forward. When he plays his game he is very solid but there are games where just doesn't do it and with his size at his level of play he should be in the argument for first overall. I think Stutzle goes 2nd and Drysdale goes 3rd then it will come down to Rossi and Byfeld with QB getting the edge. I would love and I mean love to see us land Rossi, that kid is all hustle and hands. A Panarin with more two way to his game. Out of Rossi and QB I would take Rossi only because of his compete level. If we are lucky enough to nab QB then that would be great and I hope to be proven wrong and that he becomes a hard working 2nd line C for us and plays for years wearing the crown. There is an element of size queen to the people that are all ramped up on him and I think that the game and league are changing (have changed) enough to where we will see more and more Joe Sakic types making their marks in the game.

I don't think that Raymond is going to be the monster that many think he will be at the NHL level. A very skilled solid player no doubt who would be a good add but I am not entirely sold on his being able to become an entirely different player then he has been up to this point. One scout recently said that Raymond is a step below Kakko but only just. If that is the case then he (LR) would be worth the risk but if not he should still be a serviceable 3rd liner. I will put my mocking draft up tomorrow. I hope others will do so here too.


I'm huge on Rossi too. I'm glad we can agree on that one!

I think with Byfield the consistency is something that comes with time. He's insanely young. Guy is gonna be bigger than Kopitar, but faster. I don't really see the size queen thing because he doesn't hit much, and like I said above, I feel like people (not you in particular) are 'punishing' him for his size while giving other guys the boost for it being a 'smaller man's league' now--I don't buy that anyway but Byfield plays that kind of game already anyway. That's why I keep going back to the Wheeler comparison, I can't think of any other similarly huge, great skaters that actually have hands to go with them. It seems as if a lot of people are treating Byfield as if he's big so he must be a plodder or a power forward instead of a skilled player like Stutzle when I just can't agree with that.

But I guess that's the rub, he leaves you wanting more. When he's on, he's Malkin. When he's not, he's Brock Nelson. IMO he's got higher upside than anyone in the class but he's less likely to reach it. If he gets the consistency down and is assertive/aggressive night after night AND starts really drilling people there's really not a player in the NHL like him, shades of Lindros.

My top picks for us in particular at this point would be 1. Lafreniere 2. Byfield 3. Stutzle (but I'll flipflop those two every day, it's a tough call) 4. Rossi 5. Drysdale 6. Raymond 7. Perfetti then I'd say Holtz.

Edit: 8:35 of this video shows his hands off a bit.



Edit Edit lol the more I watch this guys videos the more I realize I agree heavily with him
 
My top picks for us in particular at this point would be 1. Lafreniere 2. Byfield 3. Stutzle (but I'll flipflop those two every day, it's a tough call) 4. Rossi 5. Drysdale 6. Raymond 7. Perfetti then I'd say Holtz.

This is almost exactly my same list of preference. Raymond might end up being a steal at 6.
 
I'm huge on Rossi too. I'm glad we can agree on that one!

I think with Byfield the consistency is something that comes with time. He's insanely young. Guy is gonna be bigger than Kopitar, but faster. I don't really see the size queen thing because he doesn't hit much, and like I said above, I feel like people (not you in particular) are 'punishing' him for his size while giving other guys the boost for it being a 'smaller man's league' now--I don't buy that anyway but Byfield plays that kind of game already anyway. That's why I keep going back to the Wheeler comparison, I can't think of any other similarly huge, great skaters that actually have hands to go with them. It seems as if a lot of people are treating Byfield as if he's big so he must be a plodder or a power forward instead of a skilled player like Stutzle when I just can't agree with that.

But I guess that's the rub, he leaves you wanting more. When he's on, he's Malkin. When he's not, he's Brock Nelson. IMO he's got higher upside than anyone in the class but he's less likely to reach it. If he gets the consistency down and is assertive/aggressive night after night AND starts really drilling people there's really not a player in the NHL like him, shades of Lindros.

My top picks for us in particular at this point would be 1. Lafreniere 2. Byfield 3. Stutzle (but I'll flipflop those two every day, it's a tough call) 4. Rossi 5. Drysdale 6. Raymond 7. Perfetti then I'd say Holtz.

Edit: 8:35 of this video shows his hands off a bit.



Edit Edit lol the more I watch this guys videos the more I realize I agree heavily with him


I still see Keith Primeau with better hands every time I watch Byfield. Primeau was another player who made every team he was on better, and similarly wasn't a huge threat off the cycle.

The only concern I have about Drysdale is that his hands aren't at the same level of his skating. That's not much of a concern, as playing with higher level guys who can alter the way they receive passes in the pros will help, but an awful lot of his dishes clang around skates and off of his teammates sticks. He plays like a one man gang and doesn't always make his junior-level teammates around him better. But man, those wheels...

Rossi is sort of a more dynamic Couture. Hell of a passer, terrific vision, highly competitive. Easy to see why so many folks love him.

Raymond is a favorite of mine. Also has terrific vision and offensive instincts. Wonderful puck skills for a winger, would be very dangerous next to a rangy center like Vilardi.

If the Kings can't snatch the first overall, and don't fall past five, I think they are going to get a hell of a player. After that there is a bit of a drop.
 
I still see Keith Primeau with better hands every time I watch Byfield. Primeau was another player who made every team he was on better, and similarly wasn't a huge threat off the cycle.

The only concern I have about Drysdale is that his hands aren't at the same level of his skating. That's not much of a concern, as playing with higher level guys who can alter the way they receive passes in the pros will help, but an awful lot of his dishes clang around skates and off of his teammates sticks. He plays like a one man gang and doesn't always make his junior-level teammates around him better. But man, those wheels...

Rossi is sort of a more dynamic Couture. Hell of a passer, terrific vision, highly competitive. Easy to see why so many folks love him.

Raymond is a favorite of mine. Also has terrific vision and offensive instincts. Wonderful puck skills for a winger, would be very dangerous next to a rangy center like Vilardi.

If the Kings can't snatch the first overall, and don't fall past five, I think they are going to get a hell of a player. After that there is a bit of a drop.


Actually, I really like that comparison. Had a hard time finding anyone really like him. His compete level alone could be endearing to this staff, has that Lizotte tendency for sure, just high-skill.
 
Actually, I really like that comparison. Had a hard time finding anyone really like him. His compete level alone could be endearing to this staff, has that Lizotte tendency for sure, just high-skill.
Personally, Rossi is my favorite player in this draft.

Remember back in Doughty's draft year when Lombardi just gushed over the "zip" that Doughty had that separated him from those defensemen behind him, especially Pietrangelo? That's what I see every time I watch Rossi. Everything he does just has extra zip on it. He makes sure the passes get thru on the right spot, his angles are just right. He pours effort into everything he does.

Stutzel, who I had inadvertantly left out of the group I posted about, is a damn fine player but more of a Pietrangelo than a Doughty. Of the top group of players, I think Stutzel's style is already somewhat covered in Vilardi and Turcotte, and the others have something to offer that isn't already in the prospect pool.
 
Personally, Rossi is my favorite player in this draft.

Remember back in Doughty's draft year when Lombardi just gushed over the "zip" that Doughty had that separated him from those defensemen behind him, especially Pietrangelo? That's what I see every time I watch Rossi. Everything he does just has extra zip on it. He makes sure the passes get thru on the right spot, his angles are just right. He pours effort into everything he does.

Stutzel, who I had inadvertantly left out of the group I posted about, is a damn fine player but more of a Pietrangelo than a Doughty. Of the top group of players, I think Stutzel's style is already somewhat covered in Vilardi and Turcotte, and the others have something to offer that isn't already in the prospect pool.


With Stutzle I see the all-the-time motor, but I definitely don't see the same "will" I see with Rossi (or Turcotte). Kind of like a high-end Kupari. It's a good thing, but I agree about Rossi's extra gear, more than anyone in this class. Gives me a bit of a Hossa vibe. Just does everything right.
 
Its going to be interesting to see what Ottawa does/how they draft. Three first round picks, two of them are going to be high picks. They have the best odds to get #1, but I could see them packaging other picks to try to move up.

If they do get #1, I hope it is with the sharks pick lol.
 
I'm huge on Rossi too. I'm glad we can agree on that one!

I think with Byfield the consistency is something that comes with time. He's insanely young. Guy is gonna be bigger than Kopitar, but faster. I don't really see the size queen thing because he doesn't hit much, and like I said above, I feel like people (not you in particular) are 'punishing' him for his size while giving other guys the boost for it being a 'smaller man's league' now--I don't buy that anyway but Byfield plays that kind of game already anyway. That's why I keep going back to the Wheeler comparison, I can't think of any other similarly huge, great skaters that actually have hands to go with them. It seems as if a lot of people are treating Byfield as if he's big so he must be a plodder or a power forward instead of a skilled player like Stutzle when I just can't agree with that.

But I guess that's the rub, he leaves you wanting more. When he's on, he's Malkin. When he's not, he's Brock Nelson. IMO he's got higher upside than anyone in the class but he's less likely to reach it. If he gets the consistency down and is assertive/aggressive night after night AND starts really drilling people there's really not a player in the NHL like him, shades of Lindros.

My top picks for us in particular at this point would be 1. Lafreniere 2. Byfield 3. Stutzle (but I'll flipflop those two every day, it's a tough call) 4. Rossi 5. Drysdale 6. Raymond 7. Perfetti then I'd say Holtz.

Edit: 8:35 of this video shows his hands off a bit.



Edit Edit lol the more I watch this guys videos the more I realize I agree heavily with him



I agree with you on QB and am guilty a bit of holding back on him because of his size. I want a guy like that to be a monster or a mavin. The kind of guy that either beats you with his feet and hands or beats you down with his body. I want him to be like Lindros and he is more like a European styled player. To me he reminds me of a Dylan Couzens without the aggression. Solid player and if he ends up a King I am going to be very happy in 3 years or so. I think a solid comp would be Nolan Patrick on the Flyers. Both have good size and both have all the O you can want but they both leave you wanting more than they give. At that level of play you still are very likely to end up with a heck of a player but I am not sold just yet. Hopefully we both get to see him wearing the crown and you can tell me how wrong I was for the next several years. I can take it. As long as we are winning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raccoon Jesus
So here are my top 10 officially.

1. Lafreniere
So the thing about Laffy is that he gets compared to everyone who has ever played wing at one point or another and that really isn't fair to him. I will give my breakdown by discussing his negative qualities as they are fewer then his incredible positives and those have been covered over and over. In watching him several times this season I can tell you he can get too offensive focused and that can leave him hung out to dry having to hustle back into his own end. He has a tendency to hang on to the puck too long and while he is a great young player he can cost his team's overall success in doing so. That isn't to say that he can't or won't outgrow these habits it is still only fair to point them out at this stage of his career. A truly great young prospect but not in the same tier of talent as a McDavid or the very rare. He should turn out to be one of the exceptional young talents in the game and man it would be great to end up picking him but I won't hold my breath.

2. Rossi
What doesn't he this kid do? I mean he has elite wheels, vision and shot. He is the best skater in this draft hands down and is pretty solid in the neutral and defensive zone to boot. He can be explosive and elusive at the same time He needs to work on his discipline when it comes to entering and exiting the play at times. He can get lazy around the boards and takes a beat too long to get up at times when he gets knocked down. These things are all the problems of a young player and will very likely disappear in time but worth noting.

3. Stutzle
Read everything I wrote about Rossi and then add a little bit more size (very little). People comparing him to Leo at this point are wishful thinking victims. I like Stutzle and really think that he will develop into a solid top 6 forward sooner rather than later. I think that he is the closest to being NHL ready of the top 5 and ahead of Rossi in that department but that should be the least thing you are looking for in the top 10 of an NHL draft.

4. Byfield
I see too many pluses and minuses in his game to be too confident in his being any higher than 4rth overall in this draft. That said I think he is equally as talented as Stutzle and has an NHL C's build which will keep him more capable of standing up to the rigors of NHL play than his smaller peers. QB is sort of a boom or bust prospect (boom or mid 6 just doesn't sound as flashy) in that when he gives his all he can be Malkin but when he doesn't he can be merely good. I see him becoming a critical part of any winning team and have very high hopes that he does so but for some reason I still have my doubts.

5. Drysdale
Good defenseman with elite level skating. If he were a forward he might be the second best player in this draft. But he isn't, he is a defenseman and that is the hardest position to learn and play in the game. He needs allot of work before he can be considered an NHL caliber defenseman but once he puts it in he could be a legit #1/2 king of guy. Best D in this draft.

6.Askarov
His style and lateral movement remind me of one of the greatest goalies of all time, Dominik Hasek. If we drafted Askarov I believe we would be getting the best goalie to come along in the past several years and I don't see anyone coming along in the next two years at least that are close to his game. This is the one time I would consider drafting a goalie in the first round. He is that good.
7. Holtz
Holtz reminds a ton of Puljujarvi in his draft year. Only difference is that Holtz is a more pure sniper. They both play very well in all 3 zones. I like his game allot and again would be happy with out selecting this kid if that is where the chips fell.
8. Perfetti
Good all around player who should develop into a top 6 forward. Should. He can be an exceptionally solid player with a great shot when he wants to be and will give you 100% hustle all of the time but his consistency needs work. HEAVY shot given the time to take it. I like him but think that Zary or even Quinn are just as good if not maybe better. I go with CP here because of his hustle.
9. Lundell
Good all around player who does everything very well but nothing at an elite level. Adrian Kempe with better hands and a bit better speed.
10. Zary
He is one of those kids like Madden who is going to surprise everyone in two or three years. I love his game. What he needs the most work on is his endurance. He plays hard and gasses out too quickly. His shot is very good and his accuracy is right up there with the best. Solid passer. I compare him with Deadmarsh is his draft year or at least stylistically.

Oh well, dinner time. I will try and post my next 10 (11 to 20) later.
 
Last edited:
So here are my top 10 officially.

1. Lafreniere
So the thing about Laffy is that he gets compared to everyone who has ever played wing at one point or another and that really isn't fair to him. I will give my breakdown by discussing his negative qualities as they are fewer then his incredible positives and those have been covered over and over. In watching him several times this season I can tell you he can get to offensive focused and that can leave him hung out to dry having to hustle back into his own end. He has a tendency to hang on to the puck to long and while he is a great young player he can cost his team's overall success in doing so. That isn't to say that he can't or won't outgrow these habits it is still only fair to point them out at this stage of his career. A truly great young prospect but not in the same tier of talent as a McDavid or the very rare. He should turn out to be one of the exceptional young talents in the game and man it would be great to end up picking him but I won't hold my breath.

2. Rossi
What doesn't he this kid do? I mean he has elite wheels, vision and shot. He is the best skater in this draft hands down and is pretty solid in the neutral and defensive zone to boot. He can be explosive and elusive at the same time He needs to work on his discipline when it comes to entering and exiting the play at times. He can get lazy around the boards and takes a beat too long to get up at times when he gets knocked down. These things are all the problems of a young player and will very likely disappear in time but worth noting.

3. Stutzle
Read everything I wrote about Rossi and then add a little bit more size (very little). People comparing him to Leo at this point are wishful thinking victims. I like Stutzle and really think that he will develop into a solid top 6 forward sooner rather than later. I think that he is the closest to being NHL ready of the top 5 and ahead of Rossi in that department but that should be the least thing you are looking for in the top 10 of an NHL draft.

4. Byfield
I see too many pluses and minuses in his game to be too confident in his being any higher than 4rth overall in this draft. That said I think he is equally as talented as Stutzle and has an NHL C's build which will keep him more capable of standing up to the rigors of NHL play than his smaller peers. QB is sort of a boom or bust prospect (boom or mid 6 just doesn't sound as flashy) in that when he gives his all he can be Malkin but when he doesn't he can be merely good. I see him becoming a critical part of any winning team and have very high hopes that he does so but for some reason I still have my doubts.

5. Drysdale
Good defenseman with elite level skating. If he were a forward he might be the second best player in this draft. But he isn't, he is a defenseman and that is the hardest position to learn and play in the game. He needs allot of work before he can be considered an NHL caliber defenseman but once he puts it in he could be a legit #1/2 king of guy. Best D in this draft.

6.Askarov
His style and lateral movement remind me of one of the greatest goalies of all time, Dominik Hasek. If we drafted Askarov I believe we would be getting the best goalie to come along in the past several years and I don't see anyone coming along in the next two years at least that are close to his game. This is the one time I would consider drafting a goalie in the first round. He is that good.
7. Holtz
Holtz reminds a ton of Puljujarvi in his draft year. Only difference is that Holtz is a more pure sniper. They both play very well in all 3 zones. I like his game allot and again would be happy with out selecting this kid if that is where the chips fell.
8. Perfetti
Good all around player who should develop into a top 6 forward. Should. He can be an exceptionally solid player with a great shot when he wants to be and will give you 100% hustle all of the time but his consistency needs work. HEAVY shot given the time to take it. I like him but think that Zary or even Quinn are just as good if not maybe better. I go with CP here because of his hustle.
9. Lundell
Good all around player who does everything very well but nothing at an elite level. Adrian Kempe with better hands and a bit better speed.
10. Zary
He is one of those kids like Madden who is going to surprise everyone in two or three years. I love his game. What he needs the most work on is his endurance. He plays hard and gasses out too quickly. His shot is very good and his accuracy is right up there with the best. Solid passer. I compare him with Deadmarsh is his draft year or at least stylistically.

Oh well, dinner time. I will try and post my next 10 (11 to 20) later.


I really really want to like Lundell because he doesn't really have any weaknesses. He's just a non-peak-season William Karlsson. I feel like you should be swinging for the fences at that point of the draft, not drafting a high end 2c.

And damn I love Rossi, I just have a really hard time moving him up to 2. But I could be easily convinced. His passes just have so much zip. the guy wheels the puck around like an NHLer already, seems to be one of those who will absolutely thrive with better flow in the NHL. But I like how you're thinking, I definitely have him up with that grouping.

And Askarov absolutely deserves to be rated right there on talent and pedigree. Would I pick him right there? Probably not, but a team like the Sens with multiple high picks could without skipping a beat. Just so hard to make that choice between what would likely be Rossi/Drysdale/Askarov knowing how volatile goalies are and what value you can get from them later...
 
  • Like
Reactions: ricardfromage
I like Sanderson, but he's probably too much of a long-term project. Not suppose to go to UND until 21-22, probably spends 2 years there, and he likely needs some time in the AHL (very few don't), at that point it's at least 2024.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ricardfromage
Whoa, they're not liking Stutzle.

I'm a big fan of Raymond that high, not so much about Holtz.

Stutzle--"One of the draft’s biggest risers this season, Tim Stützle plays a high-octane version of hockey that’s highly-effective and fun to watch. This German national caught everyone’s attention with a strong performance at the World Juniors, but his play with Adler Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (Germany’s top men’s league) is every bit as impressive. We don’t project Stützle as a centre at the NHL level, but it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where he’s a speedy top-line winger on hockey’s biggest stage."

Raymond--"There are lot of draft analysts and scouts out there that seem eager to hold circumstances well beyond Lucas Raymond‘s control against him. Don’t count us among them. Frölunda HC was one of the SHL’s best teams last season, and that kept Raymond from the spotlight, playing primarily as a depth piece in the bottom-six. His counting stats look a lot better considering the inherent limitations of that role. Raymond’s a fantastic skater, one who dictates the pace of the game with authority. He can score in a variety of different ways but seems especially potent on the rush."

Holtz--"Alexander Holtz entered the year as this draft’s best finisher. The problem was that there wasn’t much else to Holtz’s game. Clearly, the criticism got through to Holtz. Every piece of intel we’ve gathered on Holtz throughout the season indicates he’s been one of the draft’s hardest working prospects off of the ice and in the gym. Our Swedish scout shared lofty praise for his development as a two-way player, too. Everything is trending in the right direction for Holtz."

EXCLUSIVE: EliteProspects 2020 NHL Entry Draft Ranking Version 3.0
 
Its going to be interesting to see what Ottawa does/how they draft. Three first round picks, two of them are going to be high picks. They have the best odds to get #1, but I could see them packaging other picks to try to move up.

If they do get #1, I hope it is with the sharks pick lol.

The crazy thing is they also have 4 second round picks that will be pretty high as well. They can have about 7 picks in the first 50.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ricardfromage
Its going to be interesting to see what Ottawa does/how they draft. Three first round picks, two of them are going to be high picks. They have the best odds to get #1, but I could see them packaging other picks to try to move up.

If they do get #1, I hope it is with the sharks pick lol.

The crazy thing is they also have 4 second round picks that will be pretty high as well. They can have about 7 picks in the first 50.
 
My phone is acting up or it’s hf not sure but I can’t post and now I see it posts double . To elaborate on my post above Ottawa can manage and dictate the draft if they play their cards right . They can come out very happy with this draft and set themselves forward with their rebuild
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raccoon Jesus
My phone is acting up or it’s hf not sure but I can’t post and now I see it posts double . To elaborate on my post above Ottawa can manage and dictate the draft if they play their cards right . They can come out very happy with this draft and set themselves forward with their rebuild
But then again, this is Ottawa. They’ll probably screw up this draft.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kingsfan1

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad