Draft 2021 NHL Draft and Undrafted Free Agent Thread

[Edge]

Worth noting that both L’Heureux and Bourgault have primarily moved to the wing.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

oh how i've missed draftsim.

same I went wild on that shit least season

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

This is not a totally unbiased name-drop, but I would love to see the Rangers go for Conner Roulette with one of their 3rd round picks.

Watching him play for the T-birds, he would be a much more exciting prospect to follow as I watch the T-birds on a weekly basis

I was never a fan of Rempe and still don't understand the pick.

He can play Russian Roulette on this NYR team

 

[Synergy27]

Love the Roulette pick. He's one of my favourite kids in this draft

I’d prefer Johnny Baccarat or Peyton Craps in that spot myself.

 

[GAGLine]

I’d prefer Johnny Baccarat or Peyton Craps in that spot myself.

We should trade the pick for Black Jack Drury.

 

[pld459666]

i

If someone told me to pick one player in this draft for my time, I feel like I'd be most happy to come away with Beniers.

I think he's a "winning" player in the NHL. That's the guy who I think gives you the best combination of everything, even if he isn't the best at any one thing.

These are the guys that usually carve out 15+ year careers

 

[IronBloodedLion]

Does Raty project to be a Center in the NHL?

 

[GAGLine]

Does Raty project to be a Center in the NHL?

From what I've read, yes.

 

[True Blue]

Tried the draftsim and came away with this:

15. L’Heureux-C
64. Roulette
79. Helenius-C
99. Buium-LD
105. Stjernborg-C
111. Doan-C
143. Canonical-C/LW
175. Kolosov-G
207. Cardwell-C

On the L’Heureux pick over Lucius and Svechkov it really came down to getting the most talented pain in the ass possible.

I like this and the reasoning. Also, like the Doan pick.

 

[brians1128]

The more I watch and re-watch and bounce my views off others. The more I feel like I want to take Chibrikov if he's on the board.

I know there are centers who will be there, and Lord knows we don't "need" another skilled right wing.

But, man, this kid has a shot to be dangerous. He's becoming a tough one to pass on.

He does look intriguing, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible but if the Rangers trade Buchnevich for a center, center prospect. Assuming Zibby is here, Strome is gone, Chytil here, the top 3 center spots are filled. With the only top 9 vacancy being then being a rw spot.

 

[mas0764]

I want their pick to win the lottery just for the headlines

I want our pick to win the lottery for the headlines.

 

[eco's bones]

I keep seeing Carson Lambos in range of where the Rangers might pick. I’ll note that back in January—Steve aka The Draft Analyst who posts here now and again had Lambos at 3OA only behind Power and Beniers (two guys were not going to get).

So the question is if Lambos were there at 15/16 do you take him over the best forward? and I’m thinking yep—you do. Even if you have a crap load of LD if one player is clearly better than another you have to take him.

 

[Edge]

I keep seeing Carson Lambos in range of where the Rangers might pick. I’ll note that back in January—Steve aka The Draft Analyst who posts here now and again had Lambos at 3OA only behind Power and Beniers (two guys were not going to get).

So the question is if Lambos were there at 15/16 do you take him over the best forward? and I’m thinking yep—you do. Even if you have a crap load of LD if one player is clearly better than another you have to take him.

Lambos is in that category, like a few others, where he's falling and you have to really ask yourself why they're falling and whether they can turn it around.

With Lambos, Raty and a few others it's a tough balancing act to rank them between initial expectations and what you "think" they're capable of, compared to what they've shown thus far.

Sometimes its hard to excited about a kid who is falling as opposed to a kid who is rising --- which is understandable. But sometimes you end up with someone like Couture or Chychrun and the gamble pays off.

Raty and Lambos are going to be particularly challenging for scouts because initial expectations can cut both ways for them. On the one hand, it potentially gives them the benefit of the doubt over players who, frankly, have shown more this season. On the other hand, it can also prevent people from accepting the types of prospects they are, as opposed to how they were expected to be.

Personally, I have other players I'd take in that range.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Lambos is in that category, like a few others, where he's falling and you have to really ask yourself why they're falling and whether they can turn it around.

With Lambos, Raty and a few others it's a tough balancing act to rank them between initial expectations and what you "think" they're capable of, compared to what they've shown thus far.

Sometimes its hard to excited about a kid who is falling as opposed to a kid who is rising --- which is understandable. But sometimes you end up with someone like Couture or Chychrun and the gamble pays off.

Raty and Lambos are going to be particularly challenging for scouts because initial expectations can cut both ways for them. On the one hand, it potentially gives them the benefit of the doubt over players who, frankly, have shown more this season. On the other hand, it can also prevent people from accepting the types of prospects they are, as opposed to how they were expected to be.

Personally, I have other players I'd take in that range.

A “shot in the dark” type of educated guess - what percentage would you give to Rangers trading the pick in a deal as opposed to keeping and making the pick which will likely be 15?

 

[Edge]

A “shot in the dark” type of educated guess - what percentage would you give to Rangers trading the pick in a deal as opposed to keeping and making the pick which will likely be 15?

Right now, I think they're leaning toward keeping the pick.

It's possible if a deal came along they'd move it, but the impression I've received is that it really does have to be the right deal for this time. The Rangers acquired a lot of young talent, and potentially high-end or top talent, in a short period of time. But now they really have to make sure they spread out the talent so that it arrives in waves and gives them options in a few years when/if non-core players start to become too expensive, or if they need to make different kinds of moves.

So right now I'd say there's at least a 70 percent chance they keep the pick.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Right now, I think they're leaning toward keeping the pick.

It's possible if a deal came along they'd move it, but the impression I've received is that it really does have to be the right deal for this time. The Rangers acquired a lot of young talent, and potentially high-end or top talent, in a short period of time. But now they really have to make sure they spread out the talent so that it arrives in waves and gives them options in a few years when/if non-core players start to become too expensive, or if they need to make different kinds of moves.

So right now I'd say there's at least a 70 percent chance they keep the pick.

Thanks!

In that case, I'm on the Raty train full speed ahead. Go for broke at that spot in this type of draft.

 

[UnSandvich]

Traded down a bunch of times, ended up with the following on draftsim:

23. C Xavier Bourgault (Shawnigan Cataractes- QMJHL)
49. LD Evan Nause (Quebec Rempartes- QMJHL)
53. RW Chase Stillman (Esbjerg U20- Denmark U20)
55. C Wyatt Johnson (Windsor Spitfires- OHL)
64. LD Aidan Hreschuk (US NTDP)
85. C Josh Doan (Chicago Steel- USHL)
111. G Alexei Kolosov (Dinamo Minsk- KHL)
143. G Talyn Boyko (Tri-City Americans, WHL)
175. C Francesco Arcuri (Kingston Frontenacs- OHL)
207. LD Noah Meier (GC/Kusnacht U20- U20-Elit [Switzerland?])

Tbh, i forgot i'd just picked a goalie at 111, hence the double dip there

 

[eco's bones]

Lambos is in that category, like a few others, where he's falling and you have to really ask yourself why they're falling and whether they can turn it around.

With Lambos, Raty and a few others it's a tough balancing act to rank them between initial expectations and what you "think" they're capable of, compared to what they've shown thus far.

Sometimes its hard to excited about a kid who is falling as opposed to a kid who is rising --- which is understandable. But sometimes you end up with someone like Couture or Chychrun and the gamble pays off.

Raty and Lambos are going to be particularly challenging for scouts because initial expectations can cut both ways for them. On the one hand, it potentially gives them the benefit of the doubt over players who, frankly, have shown more this season. On the other hand, it can also prevent people from accepting the types of prospects they are, as opposed to how they were expected to be.

Personally, I have other players I'd take in that range.

To be honest I have a bunch of ideas in my head besides taking a forward or center—and we all know that players drafted as centers often end up on the wing if they make it. I have Wallstedt in my head and also Sebastian Cossa and also defensemen.

I think Igor is great but in more of a Mike Richter way than a Henrik Lundqvist way—so I’m not against shoring up that position. Impossible to pass on someone like Guenther but the Rangers are super strong going forward on the wing even were we to subtract Buchnevich and Kreider.

Basically I’m open to any number of picks at all positions. I just think it’s important to get as good a player as possible. I’m more interested in that than position.

 

[True Blue]

Sometimes its hard to excited about a kid who is falling as opposed to a kid who is rising --- which is understandable. But sometimes you end up with someone like Couture or Chychrun and the gamble pays off.

Does a Robertson fall into that category? Granted he has not played in the NHL yet, but as I recall he was considered as a first rounder and then fell all the way into the Rangers lap in the second.

 

[Rangerboy030]

Well, here's my DraftSim:

15. Fedor Svechkov, C (was torn between him and Bolduc)
64. Ville Koivunen, RW
79. Ilya Ivantsov, C
99. Oliver Kapanen, C
105. Yegor Guskov, G
111. Aleksi Malinen, LD
143. Oliver Moberg, RW
175. Brett Brochu, G (totally just picked him because of his name)
207. Nikita Buruyanov, C (draft all the Russian centres!)

Probably went a bit overkill with drafting centres in hindsight - an extra D or W wouldn't have gone amiss.

 

[Edge]

Does a Robertson fall into that category? Granted he has not played in the NHL yet, but as I recall he was considered as a first rounder and then fell all the way into the Rangers lap in the second.

He certainly does. You could add theoretically add Staal to that list, you could Cuylle to that list, Sauer, Duclair and others. On the flip side, you can add Day, McColgan, etc.

The objective is to find the sweet spot where the upside is worth the risk, and you feel reasonably okay taking a player over other options on the board.

At 15, in a draft like this, the answer is maybe. It's possible we'll see at least two centers who came in "under expectations" sitting there on the board when the Rangers come up - Raty and Bolduc.

You'll also have a center who is rising a bit in Pinelli, though he comes with less hype and possibly less pure, natural "ability" to work with. I also think a legit dark horse there is someone like Svechkov who is incredibly smart. You can make a damn good argumen that Pinelli has looked better as a potential second like center than Bolduc and Svechkov could end up in a similar role to Raty.

And then beyond centers, I don't know if there's anyone who quite has the skill profile that Chibrikov brings. But he's smaller and he's a wing.

Chibrikov is the one who gives me concerns about passing on. I think with maturity, there's legit 30 goal, 70 point potential there.

 

[MetalJaws]

Worth noting that both L’Heureux and Bourgault have primarily moved to the wing.

If you have the time, could you post your top 5 Centers in the Draft you think the Rangers would be looking at if they were to select one in that 15 range?

I know this is a 3-4 years out type pick but can you see them trading the 1st rounder for a player that can help immediately? What would you say the odds of trading or selecting this years 1st rounder are?

 

[Savant]

He certainly does. You could add theoretically add Staal to that list, you could Cuylle to that list, Sauer, Duclair and others. On the flip side, you can add Day, McColgan, etc.

The objective is to find the sweet spot where the upside is worth the risk, and you feel reasonably okay taking a player over other options on the board.

At 15, in a draft like this, the answer is maybe. It's possible we'll see at least two centers who came in "under expectations" sitting there on the board when the Rangers come up - Raty and Bolduc.

You'll also have a center who is rising a bit in Pinelli, though he comes with less hype and possibly less pure, natural "ability" to work with. I also think a legit dark horse there is someone like Svechkov who is incredibly smart. You can make a damn good argumen that Pinelli has looked better as a potential second like center than Bolduc and Svechkov could end up in a similar role to Raty.

And then beyond centers, I don't know if there's anyone who quite has the skill profile that Chibrikov brings. But he's smaller and he's a wing.

Chibrikov is the one who gives me concerns about passing on. I think with maturity, there's legit 30 goal, 70 point potential there.

I think if last years draft is any indication the Rangers do not want to draft a small guy high. Passed up a lot of small guys to take big guys. Berard might be the 2nd or 3rd best guy they picked on talent but didn’t pick him until 5th

 

[Matt Rentfree]

Tried my first draftsim. Compared to past years, I know relatively little about most of these guys, so I went nuts on forwards. Definitely more fun when you have strong opinions as opposed to throwing darts.

15 - Chaz Lucius - C
64 - Joshua Roy - C
79 - Matthew Knies - LW
99 - Manix Landry - C
105 - Peter Reynolds - C
111 - Justin Jaenicke - LW
143 - Jake Martin - RD
175 - Artem Guryev - LD
207 - Joe Vrbetic - G

 

[Bluenote13]

Tried my first draftsim. Compared to past years, I know relatively little about most of these guys, so I went nuts on forwards. Definitely more fun when you have strong opinions as opposed to throwing darts.

15 - Chaz Lucius - C
64 - Joshua Roy - C
79 - Matthew Knies - LW
99 - Manix Landry - C
105 - Peter Reynolds - C
111 - Justin Jaenicke - LW
143 - Jake Martin - RD
175 - Artem Guryev - LD
207 - Joe Vrbetic - G

Nice draft, that sim is a bit off but alot of fun. You hit on alot of names I wouldn't mind seeing on our draft board.

I like the two Center picks, probably the top pivots on the board at those slots. Landry is another guy I like in round 2 or 3. Janicke and Martin are two guys I see rising on lists as time goes on.

Unsandvich mentioned Boyko as a mid/late round G pick, I think that screams NYR, good call