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

[FrankMTL]

These discussions are starting to remind me of the 2009 draft, where Tavares was the consensus top pick for years leading up to the draft, but then in the final weeks there was speculation that NYI actually preferred the speedier Duchene and it was a distinct possibility that they would draft him at 1. Snow kept his cards close to his chest and ended up selecting Tavares in the end, despite the drama that led to the selection and I expect the same thing will happen on Thursday with Wright and the Habs.

You know what's funny is that I was going to compare Wright to Ryan O'Reilly/Patrice Bergeron and Cooley to Matt Duchene/Matt Barzal although I know some will say Cooley will score more than Barzal, but its more the play style.

 

[Walrus26]

Still quietly hoping that MTL is proud to select Simon Nemec.

 

[Mdamico]

With the 2022 NHL Draft right around the corner, Montreal Hockey Now predicts how the top-65 picks will break down in the Final MHN 2022 Mock Draft.

MHN Final 2022 NHL Mock Draft

With the 2022 NHL Draft right around the corner, it’s now time for Montreal Hockey Now’s Final 2022 NHL Mock Draft. With a little luck from the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery, the Montreal Canadiens won the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, while the New Jersey Devils jumped up to get the second […]

montrealhockeynow.com

 

[FrankMTL]

Still quietly hoping that MTL is proud to select Simon Nemec.

Lol kidding, I'm just playing around. Nemec is a fantastic prospect.

 

[Colezuki]

Still quietly hoping that MTL is proud to select Simon Nemec.

I hate to break it to you but Hughes said he'd ake one of the three forwards

 

[jaffy27]

Can you imagine if Bergevin was in charge of this draft.

"That Slaf boy is built like a truck. Who cares about picking a C, that kid is big"

Probably not but I can see him being so conflicted.

Don’t think that was the mindset when they drafted Caufield, or Kidney, or Farrell, or Norlinder, or Roy, or Mysak.

Thing is, Slaf is ranked 1 on McKenzie’s list and he is good and he is big, nothing wrong with liking that size meshed with the talent.

 

[NewEraGM]

I like it. Wright and Ostlund in round 1 would be great!!
But with the 33rd overall, I’d much rather go with Hutson over Warren if we are going defenseman. We have enough D prospects like Warren

 

[Walrus26]

I hate to break it to you but Hughes said he'd ake one of the three forwards

All part of the smokescreen ;-)

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

With the 2022 NHL Draft right around the corner, Montreal Hockey Now predicts how the top-65 picks will break down in the Final MHN 2022 Mock Draft.

MHN Final 2022 NHL Mock Draft

With the 2022 NHL Draft right around the corner, it’s now time for Montreal Hockey Now’s Final 2022 NHL Mock Draft. With a little luck from the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery, the Montreal Canadiens won the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, while the New Jersey Devils jumped up to get the second […]

montrealhockeynow.com

...if we can end up with Wright, Ostlund (who I can't see dropping that far), and Warren, I'll be more than happy...

 

[Saundies]

Don’t think that was the mindset when they drafted Caufield, or Kidney, or Farrell, or Norlinder, or Roy, or Mysak.

Thing is, Slaf is ranked 1 on McKenzie’s list and he is good and he is big, nothing wrong with liking that size meshed with the talent.

Kidney, Farrell, Norlinder were lower picks. Roy and Mysak are 6 ft so no slouches exactly. Caufield was a no brainer at the time for upside as he was clearly the most talented forward left when we were picking.

My post was mostly in jest but there's no doubt in my mind that MB would have had the world's hardest time passing on Slaf due to the size factor.

 

[Sorinth]

These discussions are starting to remind me of the 2009 draft, where Tavares was the consensus top pick for years leading up to the draft, but then in the final weeks there was speculation that NYI actually preferred the speedier Duchene and it was a distinct possibility that they would draft him at 1. Snow kept his cards close to his chest and ended up selecting Tavares in the end, despite the drama that led to the selection and I expect the same thing will happen on Thursday with Wright and the Habs.

And if you look at Tavares' production it goes to show how meaningless the critisms about Wright's production really are. Tavares' actually had a drop in ppg in his draft year (2.0 to 1.86), whereas Wright's improved significantly. And Tavares' also highlights how much the team has an impact on production as he was traded mid-season and went from 1.69 to 2.08ppg. And it especially impact his goals per game (The criticism against Wright), going from 0.81 to 1.33.

 

[lamp9post]

Still quietly hoping that MTL is proud to select Simon Nemec.

I don't know...the consensus based on what I've read suggests that Nemec is likely to top out as a #2/3 dman and doesn't possess stand-out skill in any specific area (though very good all-around).

 

[Schooner Guy]

Wright is/has been more touted than Hischier was prior to the 2017 draft.

Agree 100%. Hischier surpassed other players during his draft year.

 

[Walrus26]

I don't know...the consensus based on what I've read suggests that Nemec is likely to top out as a #2/3 dman and doesn't possess stand-out skill in any specific area (though very good all-around).

Prime MTL Petry perhaps? Remind me again how hard that is to come by and how wow'ed we were by that level of performance because we've been starved of that sort of player since prime PK?

I just think it's harder to get even that sort of back end talent than it is to get a 1B centre.

 

[First Line]

I like it, would be happy with Warren. Would be sad to see Lutz go one spot before us in 2nd round at 61st.

 

[lamp9post]

Prime MTL Petry perhaps? Remind me again how hard that is to come by and how wow'ed we were by that level of performance because we've been starved of that sort of player since prime PK?

I just think it's harder to get even that sort of back end talent than it is to get a 1B centre.

Sorry, I don't recall 2nd pair defenseman Jeff Petry "wowing" anyone with his play. Solid player and at his peak a luxury to have on the 2nd pairing, but I think you're overselling him a bit here. Certainly not the caliber of player you hope for with a 1OA pick.

We'll have to agree to disagree about you last sentence. As a Hab fan, you know as well as I do how deprived we've been of top centres the past 2+ decades.

 

[Jack Skellington]

Prime MTL Petry perhaps? Remind me again how hard that is to come by and how wow'ed we were by that level of performance because we've been starved of that sort of player since prime PK?

I just think it's harder to get even that sort of back end talent than it is to get a 1B centre.

Petry is dumb but ridiculously gifted. Nemec is a way different player. His standout skill is his intelligence and puck moving. He's a very solid player all around though.

 

[Paddy17]

You know what's funny is that I was going to compare Wright to Ryan O'Reilly/Patrice Bergeron and Cooley to Matt Duchene/Matt Barzal although I know some will say Cooley will score more than Barzal, but its more the play style.

The vibe I'm getting from Cooley's game is Pierre-Marc Bouchard, if you remember him. When you go look at the Bouchard highlights, looks a lot like Cooley.

Wright gives me Getzlaf vibes, but also Ryan Strome on the lower end...

 

[Adam Michaels]

Wright, Ostlund, Warren, and Cameron Lund?

Consider me a happy man if they walk out of the first 2 rounds with this.

 

[lamp9post]

Agree 100%. Hischier surpassed other players during his draft year.

Yes, it was Patrick who was expected to be the #1 going into the season, but his injury trouble made him too risky a pick at #1. Point is, Hischier never really had the #1 pick hype surrounding him, despite being selected first. Wright is the more hyped prospect between the two and I would take his upside over Hischier's any day.

 

[Schooner Guy]

The vibe I'm getting from Cooley's game is Pierre-Marc Bouchard, if you remember him. When you go look at the Bouchard highlights, looks a lot like Cooley.

Wright gives me Getzlaf vibes, but also Ryan Strome on the lower end...

I don't see the comparison at all between Wright-Getzlaf. Both skilled. Wright's a far better skater at the same age. Getzlaf was a big horse though who attacks the middle of the ice and plays a physical game.

 

[cphabs]

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……

Fantastic

 

[Maitz]

Honestly Warren at 33 is not ok for me doesn’t fix our offensice dman need and I don’t think he is the BPA available at that spot. I’d rather pick Luneau at 26 and Mesar at 33

 

[SwiftyHab]

the more I read into KHs comments, and watch vids and read scouting reports, the more I’m preferring the Cooley pick.

 

[cphabs]

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.

Happy to have a capitalist in charge… rather than socialist ideology driven by? Socialist ideology.