GDT: 2021 NHL Entry Draft - Round 1: July 23 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, SN NOW, TVA Sports) Part II

[King'sPawn]

With the season over, and pre-lottery, I figure to keep a singular thread on the draft. Thoughts, ideas, gripes, memes (Cower for Power, Lose for Hughes, Play like you can't for Brandt, etc).

Key Dates:
Lottery - Wednesday, June 2nd
NHL.com Media Site

Draft lottery odds:


Update - Kings are picking 8th

Draft -
Day 1 (first round), July 23rd
Day 2 (rounds 2-7), July 24th

Mock drafts:
Draftsite - 2021 NHL Mock Draft | Lines.com
Mynhldraft - 2021 NHL Mock Draft | 2021 NHL Draft | NHL Draft
Corey Pronman - NHL Mock Draft 2021: From 1 to 224, Corey Pronman projects all seven rounds

Draft Rankings:
Bob McKenzie's April Rankings - Owen Power the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s mid-season draft rankings - TSN.ca
Craig Button's May Rankings - Craig’s List: Defencemen dominate top of NHL draft prospect rankings - TSN.ca
The Draft Analyst - 2021 Draft Rankings: Final Top-32 (May) - The Draft Analyst
Future Considerations - NHL Draft Rankings - FC Hockey
McKeen's - Draft

Draft Guides:
THN - FREE WITH SUBSCRIPTION | 2021 DRAFT PREVIEW | 7406
EliteProspects - The EliteProspects 2021 NHL Entry Draft Guide
HockeyProspect's Black Book - 2021 NHL Draft Black Book Is Now Available! - HockeyProspect.com
Future Considerations - Guide - FCHockey

Draft Sims:
Draft Prospects Hockey - draftsim
Future Considerations - FC Hockey

I have been trying to watch some draft analysis and shift-by-shift videos to try to compile my own list. Definitely encourage anyone to do so to get yourself caught up.

Even in worst case scenario, the Kings drop to 10th, they'll still have a great chance at a good player.

Click to read more...

 

[kingsboy11]

Draft day is finally here and the other thread was reaching the end so perfect time for a special GDT. I'm actually going to be working during the draft so I won't be able to catch any of it unfortunately.

I'm hoping for on the the defenseman to fall, but if not not then I would prefer to go with one of the wingers. I understand the pull of taking Wallstedt and I do rate him highly, but I wouldn't take him at 8. I wouldn't be upset if we took him, but I'd prefer us taking a skater instead.

 

[Sol]

Going to draft Teubert's alter ego.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I would like to draft Jack Eichel.

 

[Bandit]

Past 8OA’s have been pretty unimpressive so I wouldn’t mind trading it or taking the goalie.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Past 8OA’s have been pretty unimpressive so I wouldn’t mind trading it or taking the goalie.

The Kings have enough goalies I believe! I'd rather they zeroed in on a scoring LWinger or LD-man if available! If not trade the pick and secure more picks then turn around and package a few to move up the board is the way the Kings have done it in the past especially with San Jose and Anaheim always picking ahead of them.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Good Luck to the Kings may all their picks be on the mark and astute!!!

 

[Ronk]

Favorite off-season day of the year! Here's hoping we do something that makes the majority smile.

No whammies, no Hickeys, no Teuberts!

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

LA is going to trade Vilardi and their 1st for Reinhart...hell I'd trade even more than that...can the Kings trade Wolanin,Lemieux,Lizotte,Frk,Wags,Hrenak,Vallalta just to make Buffalo respectable

 

[LAKings88]

I’m expecting lots of movement now. So of course it’s gonna be boring right?

 

[Reaper45]

How about 8th overall for Bertuzzi and 22nd overall? Keeps our prospects and we still add to our top 6.

 

[KingTech]

I only trade 8 one of 2 ways 1) to move up and draft one of the 4 defenseman. 2) to get a top pairing defenseman under 26 We can find a top 6 forward in free agency

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Thinking goes something like this:

1. Buffalo Owen Power D
2. Seattle Matthew Beniers C
3. Anaheim William Eklund LW
4. New Jersey Luke Hughes D or Mason McTavish C/LW
5. Columbus Mason McTavish C/LW or Luke Hughes D
6. Detroit Dylan Guenther LW
7. San Jose Simon Edvinsson D or Jesper Wallstedt G
8. Los Angeles Brandt Clarke D or Jesper Wallstedt G

 

[No Name The Nameless]

LA is going to trade Vilardi and their 1st for Reinhart...hell I'd trade even more than that...can the Kings trade Wolanin,Lemieux,Lizotte,Frk,Wags,Hrenak,Vallalta just to make Buffalo respectable

That's a lot of assets. I don't like the idea of giving two premium trade assets in Vilardi and 8oa.

 

[kovacro]

No matter what happens, remain calm tonight folks. We are setup to add a pretty solid prospect.

 

[bland]

The Kings are actually in a good spot to use a first rounder on a goalie. If the top 4 defenders are gone, if they are even rated above the goalies on the Kings list, they are more than comfortable enough in their forwards to choose the player with the highest upside. I know a lot more about Wallstedt than Cossa, but I do rank him higher than the multitude of forwards projected in that range.

Normally I wouldn't take a goalie that high, but at this point the Kings asset list is practically playing with house money.

 

[Schrute farms]

In almost every draft, someone unexpected goes early like in the top 10. sometimes more than one. I'd expect this draft could be even more so with the CV lack of scouting time. So i'm really curious to see who will be the team that goes with the surprise/shocking pick...and what player(s) that ends up being. Like maybe Cossa going as the first goalie around 4-8 or Detroit going with some Russian at #6.
Then again, watch this draft end up being super boring lol

 

[Schrute farms]

The Kings are actually in a good spot to use a first rounder on a goalie. If the top 4 defenders are gone, if they are even rated above the goalies on the Kings list, they are more than comfortable enough in their forwards to choose the player with the highest upside. I know a lot more about Wallstedt than Cossa, but I do rank him higher than the multitude of forwards projected in that range.

Normally I wouldn't take a goalie that high, but at this point the Kings asset list is practically playing with house money.

Yeah, i generally feel this way too. If all of the four D are gone and they are sold on one of the wingers being the right goal scorer that we need, then going either Wallstedt/Cossa would be fine. I'd prefer goalie in the 2nd or 3rd round, but if you love the goalie and believe he's a franchise guy then go for it.

 

[KopitarFAN]

LA Kings Predictions for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft: Round 1

 

[onlyalad]

In almost every draft, someone unexpected goes early like in the top 10. sometimes more than one. I'd expect this draft could be even more so with the CV lack of scouting time. So i'm really curious to see who will be the team that goes with the surprise/shocking pick...and what player(s) that ends up being. Like maybe Cossa going as the first goalie around 4-8 or Detroit going with some Russian at #6.
Then again, watch this draft end up being super boring lol

As long as it isn’t the Kings trading up and selecting an unknown winger from Mexico City.

 

[SFKingshomer]

As long as it isn’t the Kings trading up and selecting an unknown winger from Mexico City.

Louis Mendoza? He can fly!

 

[kovacro]

Good example of the volatility of this draft..

 

[Brodeur]

As long as it isn’t the Kings trading up and selecting an unknown winger from Mexico City.

Somebody posted the 1995 Draft on YouTube and there was a bit of recurring unintentional comedy with Mexico City. The summer time tournament we now know as the Hlinka Gretzky Cup originally started as the Pacific Cup in the early 90's. Japan hosted the first few tournaments (maybe to drum up interest leading to Nagano '98?) but Mexico City hosted in 1994. So a few times during the draft, the commentators (without a trace of irony) would say something about a prospect along the lines of "he looked great in Mexico." Off the top of my head, I think Aki Berg was part of the "impressive in Mexico" club.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[KopitarFAN]

Given the above by McKenzie, it's very possible (if not likely) that we see someone perceived as "off the board" go Top 7. Not to mention, we have no idea what the Kings board looks like, but it seems plausible that someone could fall right into their lap.