Draft 2021 NHL Draft and Undrafted Free Agent Thread

[Entrancemperium]

I'm into Svechkov, can't really explain it, at first he seemed "meh" but lately I've just been warming to the idea of getting him, maybe even trading up to ensure it.

 

[RangerBlues]

Im into moving up. A lot!

 

[UnSandvich]

Consensus, if that means anything, is mid to late 1st.

Considering defense is his 'strength' and he's not a stand out offensive weapon, I'd see it hard for him to be drafted in the first 14 picks. You're right though he could very well be taken early.. This draft is going to be random and wild.

Chicago, Philly and Dallas can be the spoilers.

Not that it means a hell of a lot but a lot of the mocks I've been reading lately have him being taken before us.

Earlier season consensus had him in the mid-to-late 1st range. Most of the more recent rankings I’ve seen have him upper-mid teens

 

[Mac n Gs]

Im into moving up. A lot!

They're not moving up for McTavish, so just spare yourself the disappointment

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Pinnelli should be there. I think 15 might be a bit high for Zach. If they want him they should trade down and pick up a few more assets.

Yeah, but you never know with the NHL Draft. I mean players expected to go in the late-first and early second could wind up in the top-15.

But I don't know why Pinnelli is not getting more love from the draft pundits

 

[RangerBlues]

They're not moving up for McTavish, so just spare yourself the disappointment

Why not? Its good to dream of good things.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

I hope the Rangers go boom or bust with their pick. I heard this young centerman named Giorgio Trapatoni is blowing up draft boards this past week.

Next year we could be talking about Tommaso De Luca.
Wouldn’t that be molto Bello.

 

[UnSandvich]

I have to say, Svechkov is my #1 guy (and i think he'd be available), but Sillinger & Coronato are also very intriguing for me.

Besides his choppy skating from a technical standpoint, the Black Book was very complimentary of Coronato's game/abilities as a whole. (And he led the USHL at almost a goal-per-game pace)

Sillinger they have as the 5th best player in the draft

 

[bobbop]

If we keep the pick, no matter who we end up will be a steal according to at least one prospect ranking service.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

If we keep the pick, no matter who we end up will be a steal according to at least one prospect ranking service.

Or a reach

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Someone I really want the Rangers to potentially get is Sasha Pastujov. Don't know what his consensus rankings projections look like but his stats are very impressive. But I would love for them to trade up for a late 1st to grab him.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Draft to Dev: Sasha Pastujov

to add to that, this is also a very good article on him. It basically entails that if he can smoothen out his skating weaknesses, somewhat reinvent his shooting and the disconnect between his upper and lower body, all of the aspects of his game will gradually find improvement in his offensive toolbox. Jack Han is a very insightful hockey mind who worked in the Leafs org(assistant coach for the Marlies, I believe).

 

[Joey Bones]

I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Zach L'Heureux at 15 if McTavish, Kent Johnson and Francesco Pinnelli are all gone

Oof, I'd hope they trade back a little if that's the case. Feel they could select him in the early 20's and pick up like a 2nd to go with it.

Pinelli has been ranked in the later portion of the 1st too, but I see someone reaching on him before the 20's. Lots of good potential with him. There is some risk, though.

 

[Joey Bones]

He could very well go before 15, no?

He's been everywhere from No. 57 to No. 6. His selection could be in the late teens to early 20's from seeing most rankings.

He'd be a fine selection for NYR early...

 

[Joey Bones]

I have to say, Svechkov is my #1 guy (and i think he'd be available), but Sillinger & Coronato are also very intriguing for me.

Besides his choppy skating from a technical standpoint, the Black Book was very complimentary of Coronato's game/abilities as a whole. (And he led the USHL at almost a goal-per-game pace)

Sillinger they have as the 5th best player in the draft

Stay away from Coronato... That Chicago Steel team was insane this year and he was a high contributor off his line. Skating is atrocious.

As for Sillinger, he's okay, but there's definitely a risk. Very "juniors" like inconsistencies. Think @Edge called him a Turris of this class, which I can honestly see.

 

[Mac n Gs]

At least we're one week away from Bob McKenzie's rankings! I really need to see where he has guys like Chibrakov, Pinelli, Savage, Svechkov, and a few others ranked.

 

[Joey Bones]

Craig Button List Owen Power NHL Draft - TSN.ca

Button's final list...

I'll be honest, I don't mind it outside Cossa at No. 15.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Craig Button List Owen Power NHL Draft - TSN.ca

Button's final list...

I'll be honest, I don't mind it outside Cossa at No. 15.

Svechkov at 6. At this point I don't think there's any way he's there at 15.

 

[Matt Rentfree]

Svechkov at 6. At this point I don't think there's any way he's there at 15.

If the board roughly breaks that way, I'm good with Johnson (if he falls a spot), Lucius, Pinelli or Chibrikov at 15 - might even possibly be able to trade down with Minnesota and still get one of Pinelli or Chibrikov.

 

[Joey Bones]

Svechkov at 6. At this point I don't think there's any way he's there at 15.

Idk, let's see where Bob has him on his list. Again, Button is the only one that had him in the top 10. I've seen extremes where he's in the late 2nd, too.

We'll see...

 

[UnSandvich]

I know our depth chart at RD is fairly loaded overall, but one guy who i'd like to grab in the 2nd if possible is Aleksi Heimosalmi. His only real big weakness is his size, and he's not Sean Behrens small either, clocking in at 5'11, 170lbs. Black Book has him as their 18th ranked prospect

On the 3-9 scale (Relative to the rest of the class, 5 is avg, lower bad, higher good), they rated him:
Hockey Sense 8
Compete 8
Skill 6
Skating 7
Misc. (part of which is size) 6

As a May '03 birthday, he has a bit more time to grow than some of his other peers too.

“When I first saw Heimosalmi it instantly reminded me of the first time I saw Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist. Not comparing him to those players, but because it only took a few shifts for me to start to really like all three players. Heiskanen was actually smaller than Heimosalmi when I saw him at the U18 in North Dakota. He shot up that summer ahead of his draft year. The three players do share a few common traits though, including high end hockey sense.” - HP Scout, Mark Edwards, May 2021

 

[duhmetreE]

Svechkov at 6. At this point I don't think there's any way he's there at 15.

IMO it never works that way. If you are not a shiny offensive toy or if you're small like Caufield, you fall.

Maybe I'm under estimating Svechkov's offense. Lias is still fresh....

 

[UnSandvich]

A little more about Heimosalmi from the Black Book:

"The main criteria that separates Aleksi for us is simply his sheer lack of mistakes he makes. There’s been legitimate three to four game samples, where if you took 120+ plays, he made no more than 5 mistakes. Now, that wasn’t the case for every sample set we evaluated. He let us down to a degree at the U18’s, when projecting how his defensive instincts would hold, but he was still solid overall. We also understand that he isn’t in the best junior league, but U20 SM-Sarja is certainly decent and produces talent every year. It’s not just his lack of mistakes though, it’s in the why he’s successful that matters to us. Aleksi’s biggest weakness isn’t his own fault, it’s just his build. He’s athletic, but he’s slight and projects to have a below average build for a defenseman by NHL standards. As a result, he needs to be able to compensate for having a slight frame without taking heavy damage. Fortunately for Aleksi, he has the hockey sense and the skating base necessary to make opposing players look foolish."

 

[mas0764]

No issues taking the BPA in the second round, or any round after the first. If it’s a RHD then it’s a RHD. So be it. It’s important to get hits in the draft more so than certain positions. That’s what free agency is for, signing organizational depth needs.

 

[Joey Bones]

No issues taking the BPA in the second round, or any round after the first. If it’s a RHD then it’s a RHD. So be it. It’s important to get hits in the draft more so than certain positions. That’s what free agency is for, signing organizational depth needs.

This whole class is going to be BPA. To what extent, no one knows for sure. NYR will pick their guys.

I'm just wondering who that'll be...