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

[waffledave]

Wonder if we see the Slaf odds change at all with RDS overreacting to the Slaf meeting tomorrow morning.

They haven't moved at all. I actually cashed out my Cooley bet because they offered me more than double my wager. Then I used it all to make bets on Slaf, Cooley and Nemec (at 85-1!)

You never know.

I will make money if anyone but Wright is picked.

 

[sampollock]

I really prefer Wright
Man, all these years all we ever heard was you can't trade for a centre have to draft them
now we're sitting with number one overall a center is available and the debate is on

 

[Omar]

perhaps, but anyone at #7 is 2 years away from playing.. the rebuild has to be finished in max two years and we should be ready to compete for SC by year3. IMO, the only pick of value this draft after Wright, would be Nemec or Jiri to give us the immediate playing time and learning curve. If not those guys, Id prefer to just stay with our team, baggage and all and keep offloading for current prospects like Barron etc... hopefully hit on 1 or 2 by next year (heinman, etc..) and a few of our current draft crop make the jump.. the rest can be filled through FAs next year. still need to tank in 23 - bottom 3 pick here we come!!

finally doing this right.

The rebuild does not “have to be finished” in max two years. Who are you? Geoff Molson?

 

[WeThreeKings]

They haven't moved at all. I actually cashed out my Cooley bet because they offered me more than double my wager. Then I used it all to make bets on Slaf, Cooley and Nemec (at 85-1!)

You never know.

I will make money if anyone but Wright is picked.

Same. The odds were too good before McKenzie's list.

 

[Kennerback]

François Gagnon se demande si Juraj Slafkovsky ne sera pas le choix du Canadien au 1er rang | RDS

Le fait que Hughes et le reste de son état-major rencontreront le Slovaque jeudi seulement soulève des questions à mes yeux.

www.rds.ca

D’ailleurs, un acteur impliqué de très près dans le repêchage et toutes ses ramifications m’assurait dur comme fer, en après-midi mercredi, que le Canadien avait déjà fait son choix et que c’est le nom du gros ailier slovaque qu’il allait prononcer.

“someone with intimate knowledge of the draft”?

 

[Omar]

I've been mostly lurking since the end of our season.

I would prefer that the 1st overall prospect would have been a concensus, no-questions-asked, generational talent.

This just makes it possible we get another Wickenheiser.

I HATE players who play in 2nd gear and can't kick it up and show more urgency, unless they are head and shoulders over everybody else skill-wise, like say Jean Beliveau was. I previously said I didn't want Wright, then said I'd take the chance, and now I just don't know. I mean, it's not helping that I have never really seen any of them play. Looking forward to the WJC to see them play after they've been drafted.

I'll trust our scouts and front office to pick the right player.

That’s why I’m hoping to trade down to 3 to get an asset and better draft value.

 

[jrom]

If we draft Slaf over Wright and Cooley I never want to hear again from any Habs fans/pundits/media/GMs/coaches etc how hard good Centres are to get.

Don't talk about drafting BPA either then (I'm not saying Slaf is BPA but if Habs pick him it's because they consider him clearly above the other 2 despite him being a winger)

 

[WeThreeKings]

“someone with intimate knowledge of the draft”?

probably Snake

 

[The Last Red]

And kk was light years ahead of slaf in terms of draft year league play. He had 10 points ffs. 10. Points. That's a big yikes from me dawg. That resume is the slightest I've ever seen for a guy apparently in the running for 1st overall. That's like the mcdonalds manager who won employee of the year being in the running for CEO.

Let's draft a kid 1st overall because hes big and scored against countries who dressed their roller hockey team in the olympics. Woohoo yippeee.

Hyperbole yes, but looking at that league play... 1st overall? Really? f*** me if that's who we end up with.

Wow, that's a really bad analogy. Like terrible.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

If Molson is directly influencing draft picks the habs are doomed whoever they take. It would take a really, really good reason to take someone other than Wright but if they found that reason they should go with it. The best player from this draft likely isn't ranked top 5 now, if they have some way to find that pick, go for it.

If they are really offering 26 and 33 for a pick in the teens I'm surprised no one has jumped, but maybe teams are waiting to see how the first 10 picks or so go before making moves in the teens. There are so many polarizing picks that some guys are going to drop.

I expect the habs will take Wright.

That's actually false. I just did a little sample and since 2004, the top player(s) in the draft almost always came from the top 3-5 with a few exceptions like 2013 with Vasy and Forsberg (who was projected at 3OA), 2011 with Kucherov (although the rest of the top players were very high picks), and 2008 (Karlsson and Josi) although you still had Stamkos and doughty. So actually chances are the best player coming out of this draft is likely going to be coming out of the top 5.

All years where top player came out of top 5: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, not including any 2020s draft as too early.

 

[Colezuki]

To clarify for goldenhands, I actually don’t hate slaf I think he looks great I just don’t want us to give up an opportunity to draft a center of equal value

 

[NewEraGM]

This Francois Gagnon news is wrong. He’s saying habs would be drafting Juraj because they have a meeting tomorrow. That meeting was supposed to be 2 days ago but cancelled flights delayed that meeting.

Now maybe habs do draft Juraj but the fact the Francois Gagnon is citing that as the reason makes me think he’s getting wrong info. I still think it’s Wright. Kent Hughes just playing everyone like a fiddle

 

[MD thaivuN]

probably Snake

inb4 Grant

 

[morhilane]

“someone with intimate knowledge of the draft”?

NHL/media person in the hotel lobby exchanging rumors/gossip like old ladies.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This Francois Gagnon news is wrong. He’s saying habs would be drafting Juraj because they have a meeting tomorrow. That meeting was supposed to be 2 days ago but cancelled flights delayed that meeting.

Now maybe habs do draft Juraj but the fact the Francois Gagnon is citing that as the reason makes me think he’s getting wrong info. I still think it’s Wright. Kent Hughes just playing everyone like a fiddle

Yeah, Renaud and Francois are grasping at straws.

AHL assignment when Cooley can also go to the AHL
then a meeting happening tomorrow that was scheduled the other day but was delayed because of flight issues.

Like come on guys, vet your shit.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Slaf is like a giant compared to Wright.

Actually, their shoulders are almost at the same height, maybe an inch in difference. Slaf has a long head.

 

[Milhouse40]

If Molson is directly influencing draft picks the habs are doomed whoever they take. It would take a really, really good reason to take someone other than Wright but if they found that reason they should go with it. The best player from this draft likely isn't ranked top 5 now, if they have some way to find that pick, go for it.

If they are really offering 26 and 33 for a pick in the teens I'm surprised no one has jumped, but maybe teams are waiting to see how the first 10 picks or so go before making moves in the teens. There are so many polarizing picks that some guys are going to drop.

I expect the habs will take Wright.

I know...but I don't see it as Molson influencing the pick.

I see it more as him telling his guys that if they are about to pissed off 90% of the base.....they better be 100% right and to show him the guy will be a lot better, They shouldn't have any shadow of a doubt, Molson is still President of the team.

Let's not forget, this is still a business in the end. Always a business.

BUT I have to say, Molson didn't picked the most popular people when he choose Hughes and Gorton.....and they didn't pick the most popular in St-Louis either. This pick might be a different story since the fanbase is so one-sided.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

If Molson is directly influencing draft picks the habs are doomed whoever they take. It would take a really, really good reason to take someone other than Wright but if they found that reason they should go with it. The best player from this draft likely isn't ranked top 5 now, if they have some way to find that pick, go for it.

If they are really offering 26 and 33 for a pick in the teens I'm surprised no one has jumped, but maybe teams are waiting to see how the first 10 picks or so go before making moves in the teens. There are so many polarizing picks that some guys are going to drop.

I expect the habs will take Wright.

That's actually false. I just did a little sample and since 2004, the top player(s) in the draft almost always came from the top 3-5 with a few exceptions like 2013 with Vasy and Forsberg (who was projected at 3OA), 2011 with Kucherov (although the rest of the top players were very high picks), and 2008 (Karlsson and Josi) although you still had Stamkos and doughty. So actually chances are the best player coming out of this draft is likely going to be coming out of the top 5.

All years where top player came out of top 5: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, not including any 2020s draft

 

[HuGo Sham]

This Francois Gagnon news is wrong. He’s saying habs would be drafting Juraj because they have a meeting tomorrow. That meeting was supposed to be 2 days ago but cancelled flights delayed that meeting.

Now maybe habs do draft Juraj but the fact the Francois Gagnon is citing that as the reason makes me think he’s getting wrong info. I still think it’s Wright. Kent Hughes just playing everyone like a fiddle

he's actually speculating.. If you listen to the interview, he's only 'hearing' things. They could be voices in his head

 

[Noble]

Wow, that's a really bad analogy. Like terrible.

Thank you for your feedback I'll be sure to take that into consideration the next time I make an obvious shtick post

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Slaf is too pretty, the night life is gonna eat this kid alive. Go with the less attractive one.

Or we could ask Jaffy to go out to the same spots he'll hang and stare him down a few times. That should take care of things.

 

[Colezuki]

Kent is a smoke monster, he belongs in a marvel comic

 

[sampollock]

Kent is a smoke monster, he belongs in a marvel comic

If he takes Wright he can be Captain CH man

 

[Team_Spirit]

lmao @ 0:55 did narcity get trolled or is it done on purpose

 

[Rapala]

Reminds of the time another public figure from the sports world, had passed away in a Montreal hotel room from natural causes at age 56: Don Drysdale, Hall of Fame Dodger Pitcher, Dies at 56 : Baseball: Fierce right-hander, in Montreal to broadcast a game, apparently suffered a heart attack.

May he RIP.

Man I totally forgot about that.