Pre-Game Talk: 2022 NHL Draft Mega Thread: All Draft Talk Goes Here!

[Captain97]

Why has

View attachment 564773

Hf been so buggy recently with double posts

Why has

View attachment 564773

Hf been so buggy recently with double posts

 

[1909]

Should be Wright, but I am more and more convinced it's gonna be Cooley by the way Hughes is talking and reports from many reporters close to the team. And Habs could swap picks with NJ which is in love with Slaf.

Not having Cooley in the line up this season or Wright might help aim at a bottom ranking and draft top five next Summer.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Should be Wright, but I am more and more convinced it's gonna be Cooley by the way Hughes is talking and reports from many reporters close to the team. And Habs could swap picked with NJ which is in love with Slaf.

If it's Cooley, I hope they can make a deal to trade down 1 or 2 spots. I don't care if the draft is in MTL or on the Moon, if they can get and extra piece to help towards getting another top 10 pick, do it. I wonder what the Coyotes would give to get Shane Wright, if they like him.

 

[dcyhabs]

You'd like to see more, we all would but his advanced stats show a guy who gave his linemates the puck in scoring areas a lot. Like a lot. Like more than most players tracked. Not just this year. I think his numbers are lower than they should have been but that's just a theory.

Its clear the Habs like and dislike things about all 3 players. We all have our preferences.

We just have to temper expectations. We are getting a good player but we likely aren't getting a franchise changing player.

The habs won't get McDavid, the question is whether they can get a play driver. Wright will carry his line, he'd work as long as he makes it at all. Cooley probably would as well. I don't know enough about Slaf to know if he would be a good individual or if he would drive the line.

A generational star would be nice to have, but what the team is lacking is a few players to drive play. If they are going to get yet another complementary player they might as well trade the pick.

 

[Takeru]

I think Kotkaniemi is a talented player, but when you're drafting players you have to get the right price for them. In particular with KK, he had a major deficiency that players drafted after him didn't have, and there wasn't enough compensation for it.

Brady was bigger, stronger, the better skater, more NHL ready prospect.
Quinn was one of the very best skaters in the draft, and his production for his position was actually just about off the charts.

Just a foolhardy pick that was followed up by suicidal development.

Linking this to what Hughes said about not expecting a player’s weaknesses to significantly disappear reassures me we shouldn’t fall for a KK type mistake (hopefully).

 

[atrud66]

Interesting.

You should bet big on this, good ROI at 10-1.

Pokerstars has Cooley 21-1

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

If it's Cooley, I hope they can make a deal to trade down 1 or 2 spots. I don't care if the draft is in MTL or on the Moon, if they can get and extra piece to help towards getting another top 10 pick, do it. I wonder what the Coyotes would give to get Shane Wright, if they like him.

Honestly I'd be down for a swap with Seattle if they include their 2023 1st for Habs 2023 1st (lottery protected)

 

[lilmaxo]

Cooley had 7 other guys that will be drafted in the first round playing with him and he wasn't able to show any sort of domination over his peers.

Cooley is the reason why Gauthier and Snuggergud are first pick material..

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

...people forget that Kotkaniemi was a long-term project, Timmins even supposedly said as much to Bargain Bin...yes, it was probably a mistake to take him over Tkachuk, but the plan wasn't to rush him into the NHL immediately...Bargain's need to "just make the Playoffs and then anything can happen" screwed KK's development; we'll never know if he would have been the "right" pick or not because of disastrous mismanagement from the beginning...

 

[CHarlie]

Logan Cooley is really starting to peek my interest!!!

 

[ottawa]

Should be Wright, but I am more and more convinced it's gonna be Cooley by the way Hughes is talking and reports from many reporters close to the team. And Habs could swap picks with NJ which is in love with Slaf.

Not having Cooley in the line up this season or Wright might help aim at a bottom ranking and draft top five next Summer.

If it's Cooley, I hope they can make a deal to trade down 1 or 2 spots. I don't care if the draft is in MTL or on the Moon, if they can get and extra piece to help towards getting another top 10 pick, do it. I wonder what the Coyotes would give to get Shane Wright, if they like him.

I'd bet all my money on there not being a 1 for 2 swap, when's the last time that happened?

NJ will tell us to take Slaf, and they take Wright and play him as a winter.

 

[dcyhabs]

Since there is a clear pattern of hiring who you know (Gorton, Hughes, Bobrov, Lecavalier, St-Louis) I think they have a clear bias for Cooley. I hope they take Wright if he is deemed the BPA by their scouts.

It's one thing to hire people you know, another to pick players because of proximity. They should have a good idea of how Cooley projects, we'll see if that means they think he should go 1OA or not. On the management side I've known good managers who tend to try to bring their team along, and I've seen bad managers who bring yes men, we'll see how Hughes does.

I think it's good that Hughes is keeping his options open. I'm a little disappointed that he said he would publicly commit to one of the top 3, there could be advantages to keeping Nemec/Jiricek and others in the discussion.

The habs have made lots of errors in the past by painting themselves into a corner, often on the coaching end when it became obvious that players weren't going to get ice time. They haven't done well when other people are in a difficult situation, either, they helped out the Rangers and Lightning when they should have been taking advantage.

Open options are good. If someone offers a lot to drop down a spot or two that could be interesting. If no one does they have to make the right choice.

 

[jaffy27]

Cooley is the reason why Gauthier and Snuggergud are first pick material..

I remember many were saying the same thing about Caufield that Turcotte inflated his numbers, it was all Turcotte.

Turcotte has a grand total
Of 0 goals so far in his NHL career

Caufield though……

 

[SlafySZN]

I have stayed away from the repetitive debates on this forum and elsewhere (hello Twitter). Mais là, je me mouille.

I believe the Habs will take Cooley. Will I be disappointed if they pick Wright or Slavkovski? No.

My hunch is that Renaud is doing the dirty deeds for the organisation. I said that I would be waiting for some ‘inside’ info. I think that’s the first inkling into their intentions : preparing the crowd for a not-Wright.

He threw Slav’s name out there for the NJ decoy. But I do believe that Hughes is leaning Cooley. In part because of familiarity (not only that, but I noticed that it seems to contribute in many hockey-related decisions he takes), and because of the style of player Cooley is : speedy, IQ, character.

Crowd at the Bell Centre won’t be happy (the polls here reflect the general perception. And some will boo (certain of that). But they have their sights on the American kid.

Meaning we will have to live with our centre line for at least 1 more season. One of the weakest centre line in the East, IMHO. Barf.

On La Dose, his tone was too unequivocal. And seeing his partner’s tweet last evening tells me that he has a source. It’s not HuGo. But he is very close to Bouillon. Very. And Bouillon might have been used here.

Grasping at something that is not there? Maybe. If others come out today with the same ‘insight’, it will reaffirm my belief.

Cooley it will be.

Bouillon also said few weeks ago on a radio show that his favorite player of the draft is Cooley, he said he thinks he’s gonna be the best of the draft in a few years.

 

[lilmaxo]

Cooley is the reason why Gauthier and Snuggergud are first pick material..

For those who haven’t seen this. Reposting this list from the logan cooley prospect board a poster sent.

The USNTDP has harder schedule than OHL teams, including many games vs a number of division I NCAA oppnents.

Here is how Cooley stacked up vs D1 relative to others (ppg)

Keller (15-16): 1.64
J Hughes (18-19): 1.60
M Tkachuk (14-15): 1.46
Cooley (21-22): 1.36
Matthews (14-15): 1.30
Kane (05-06): 1.27
Zegras (18-19): 1.25
Wahlstrom (17-18): 1.15
Caufield (18-19): 1.13
van Riemsdyk (06-07): 1.07
Larkin (13-14): 1.00
Snuggerud (21-22): 0.94
Howard (21-22): 0.88
Wilson (06-07): 0.80
Beniers (20-21): 0.76
Boldy (18-19): 0.75
Nazar (21-22): 0.75
Compher (12-13): 0.75
Saad (09-10): 0.73
Farabee (17-18): 0.69
Hartman (11-12): 0.64
Norris (16-17): 0.62
Gauthier (21-22): 0.60
B Tkachuk (16-17): 0.50
White (14-15): 0.50
Eichel (13-14): 0.50
Roslovic (14-15): 0.38
Terry (14-15): 0.31
Rust (09-10): 0.27

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

For those who haven’t seen this. Reposting this list from the logan cooley prospect board a poster sent.

The USNTDP has harder schedule than OHL teams, including many games vs a number of division I NCAA oppnents.

Here is how Cooley stacked up vs D1 relative to others (ppg)

Keller (15-16): 1.64
J Hughes (18-19): 1.60
M Tkachuk (14-15): 1.46
Cooley (21-22): 1.36
Matthews (14-15): 1.30
Kane (05-06): 1.27
Zegras (18-19): 1.25
Wahlstrom (17-18): 1.15
Caufield (18-19): 1.13
van Riemsdyk (06-07): 1.07
Larkin (13-14): 1.00
Snuggerud (21-22): 0.94
Howard (21-22): 0.88
Wilson (06-07): 0.80
Beniers (20-21): 0.76
Boldy (18-19): 0.75
Nazar (21-22): 0.75
Compher (12-13): 0.75
Saad (09-10): 0.73
Farabee (17-18): 0.69
Hartman (11-12): 0.64
Norris (16-17): 0.62
Gauthier (21-22): 0.60
B Tkachuk (16-17): 0.50
White (14-15): 0.50
Eichel (13-14): 0.50
Roslovic (14-15): 0.38
Terry (14-15): 0.31
Rust (09-10): 0.27

Please elaborate the stats lines thst gives PPG.

Also I remember @WeThreeKings posted the D1 stats and Cooley was closer to ppg rather than 1.36. Something like 24 pts in 23 gp.

 

[Runner77]

Eh, trading the first overall pick when the draft is in Montreal is gonna make people mad.

Damned if you do/don't type situation.

He’s not married to anything, it seems — not to picking first and not to any of prospects. He doesn’t care about drama or impressing a crowd.

However, he’ll focus on value wherever he can find it. If it comes in the form of a team wanting to overpay for the 1OA, then he’s willing to forego the pick. At the end of the exercise, this is the kind of flexibility that opens opportunities.

We may just be seeing a different style of finding value and structuring deals that most GMs don’t practise. I’m hoping we’ll see it implemented on the draft floor.

 

[CaptainKirk]

I'd bet all my money on there not being a 1 for 2 swap, when's the last time that happened?

NJ will tell us to take Slaf, and they take Wright and play him as a winter.

I was thinking if MTL really does love Cooley and with NJ wanting Slaf so bad, and of how much Arizona needs a win and a reason for people to attend their University Arena next year... AZ getting "touted #1 Shane Wright" might be worth something to them.

 

[ottawa]

I was thinking if MTL really does love Cooley and with NJ wanting Slaf so bad, and of how much Arizona needs a win and a reason for people to attend their University Arena next year... AZ getting "touted #1 Shane Wright" might be worth something to them.

That should be worth something to us.

Go with Wright please

 

[NeptunesTrident]

Perhaps Arizona likes Cooley more than Wright? If Habs like Cooley take him at #1. Why risk losing him for a 3rd? We’ve got too many picks as it is.

 

[CaptainKirk]

That should be worth something to us.

Go with Wright please

Yes, I'm just going by the possible rumors of HuGo liking Cooley better. I'd also prefer Wright, but I'm no expert.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Idc if we pick Coolkid or Wright but don't draft slaf and dont drop down from the draft. I don't want them to swap 3oa because they don't know which 1 to take and a scared to do so. Follow your plan.

Coolkid and Wright are both center. Exactly what we need and who are the best 2 bpa

 

[Colezuki]

Im happy with Wright, fine with Cooley, but angered if Slaf

 

[Wats]

Perhaps Arizona likes Cooley more than Wright? If Habs like Cooley take him at #1. Why risk losing him for a 3rd? We’ve got too many picks as it is.

You definitely ask for more than a 3rd rounder IMO

 

[ottawa]

Idc if we pick Coolkid or Wright but don't draft slaf and dont drop down from the draft. I don't want them to swap 3oa because they don't know which 1 to take and a scared to do so. Follow your plan.

Coolkid and Wright are both center. Exactly what you need and who are the best 2 bpa

Yep, you have the #1 pick. Take who you think is BPA, even if that's Slaf.

Hopefully they go with Wright