GDT: 2023 Caps NHL Draft Thread

[Calicaps]

Crazy talk.

Compete level cannot be measured with an X.

 

[Cush]

Hmm, no 3rd rounder this year

 

[Hivemind]

There are 7th rounders with the same "compete level" as 1st rounders. Quintin Laing had tons of "compete level." Matt Hendricks had tons of "compete level." Beck Malenstyn has tons of "compete level." I don't want any of them as a top 10 pick.

It's like @Brian23 said, compete level is the bare minimum you want with a high end pick. You need other factors that distinguish the prospect.

This isn't to say Leonard doesn't have other factors or that Leonard is a bad pick. But the folks who are questioning "compete level" being a major selling point have a legitimate point themselves.

 

[HTFN]

Compete level should be a bear minimum for a top 10 pick, or any pro really. It being the selling point should be terrifying.

Look, Leonard wasn't on my radar at all but just watching his tape and getting a feel for how he approaches the game, this dude is going to be competitive. I don't know how yet, I don't know if his physical gifts will win out or if he'll have to find a more Gallagher way of doing things but that guy's going to play NHL games. He could be Eller, he could be Eller+, but something in that ballpark feels virtually guaranteed just by how the guy approaches the game.

If he can channel Wilson (and honestly a better, more deserving version of Wilson, somewhere firmly between Wilson and Oshie, they can show him every single thing he needs to be a menace with his tools.

Outside of the Michkov fantasy if there was a a guy to draft just to expose to his peers/mentors might end up with a DBZ fusion dance version of the best of them.

Imagine being Leonard learning your sneaky talent moves from Oshie and your "f*** you, deal with it" moves from Tom Wilson. Hoooooo boy.

 

[Silky mitts]

I do not buy that this is a low ceiling player. We just saw a high motor power forward carry his team to the finals, always a huge premium on power forwards like with the Jeannot trade.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Is the Minnesota staff still hydrated?

 

[Hivemind]

Handsight evaluations of the 1st round of this draft is going to come down to a four things for me:
1. What would it have cost to trade up to 6th?
2. How does Leonard do?
3. How does Michkov do?
4. How does Benson do?

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

There are 7th rounders with the same "compete level" as 1st rounders. Quintin Laing had tons of "compete level." Matt Hendricks had tons of "compete level." Beck Malenstyn has tons of "compete level." I don't want any of them as a top 10 pick.

It's like @Brian23 said, compete level is the bare minimum you want with a high end pick. You need other factors that distinguish the prospect.

This isn't to say Leonard doesn't have other factors or that Leonard is a bad pick. But the folks who are questioning "compete level" being a major selling point have a legitimate point themselves.

Ah, so compete level is a binary trait? There aren't players that elevate the effectiveness of theor skill sets due to their compete level?

 

[Brian23]

He could be Eller, he could be Eller+, but something in that ballpark feels virtually guaranteed just by how the guy approaches the game.

Which is fine, but if I got Eller at 8th overall I'm gonna be pretty disappointed.

Im shooting to go yard when I have such a high pick, even a double isn't gonna feel great I'm that spot.

 

[MW6]

Kuzy to NSH for 24th OA, Caps select Perreault

 

[Holtbyisms]

Meh.

8. Washington Capitals: Ryan Leonard, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

January 21, 2005 | 6′ 0″ | 190 pounds

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Player comparable: Artturi Lehkonen

Background: Leonard has often been the top-line right wing on the U.S. NTDP playing a ton of minutes in all situations. He was invited to USA’s world juniors camp but was cut. He scored the golden goal in overtime at the 2023 U18 worlds. He played the most out of all the 2005-born players with the 2004 age group in the 2022 season. Leonard scored five goals and six points in five games at the 2022 U18 World Championships. He is committed to Boston College.

Analysis: Leonard is a versatile winger with a lot of elements to his game that an NHL coach will covet. He’s a strong skater who competes very well, with a direct style of play and despite an average-sized frame he has a lot of physicality in his game. He combines that with excellent hands and an ability to make highly skilled plays with the puck at full speed. His playmaking isn’t great but there’s vision and finishing ability in his game to score at higher levels. Leonard may never truly stand out at either end of the ice, but he will never give a coach a reason to sit him and projects as a quality top-six wing.

Thoughts on the pick: Leonard is a very good all-around and competitive forward. He’s not dynamic with the puck, but he has excellent skill and scoring ability as well. What I think Washington fans will also like is how physically advanced he is, and there is potential for him to be in Washington in two to three years due to that and his complete game.

This scouting report is unlike most others for him. I wouldn't get to hung up on it.

 

[Hivemind]

I do not buy that this is a low ceiling player. We just saw a high motor power forward carry his team to the finals, always a huge premium on power forwards like with the Jeannot trade.

I don't think he's a low ceiling player, either. But I do think there's legitimate question marks about how likely he achieves his potential is, given how difficult it is to project players from the USHL/NTDP, and how talented his linemates were.

 

[Brian23]

The other thing not talked about, the selling point is his compete and gumption while being a big boy on a dominant line playing against kids. That's another thing that's worry me. I'd wanna hear about he physically dominated or just dazzled them with skills.

 

[HTFN]

Which is fine, but if I got Eller at 8th overall I'm gonna be pretty disappointed.

Im shooting to go yard when I have such a high pick, even a double isn't gonna feel great I'm that spot.

Half of the yard picks moved before him. If they think he's going to bring more than Benson and co. I have to believe they have something to lean on with the pick. I don't think the Caps' drafting has slipped that far.

 

[ChaosLord]

Chi Town with Bedard/Moore not bad so far.

Thats comparable to what the Eagles did in the NFL draft. Holy smokes.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Compete level wins cups and that's what I want. I don't care about fancy scoring and regular season stats anymore. I want more SC in my lifetime. No more Manthas in the Caps organization please.

 

[Roric]

 

[Brian23]

Half of the yard picks moved before him. If they think he's going to bring more than Benson and co. I have to believe they have something to lean on with the pick. I don't think the Caps' drafting has slipped that far.

It bothers me more cause it feels more of the same. "multi-tool" guys who aren't great at anything. Always an assumed safe floor. It reminds me of GMGM guarding his nuts and never taking a swing.

 

[zappa4ever]

Hopeful Leonard pans out to be a great Cap once he comes here, I'll trust GMBM and the scouts over the doom-and-gloomers here who have pre-panned his future having barely watched a few minutes of highlights (at best) of the player and have seen a couple fancy stats and rankings lists, lol

 

[Langway]

Dvorsky would have been the main rare talent upside swing I think if you're going to second-guess it down the road. But Dvorsky's skating has to get so much better that it's a lot harder to plug and play him at center any time soon. On paper maybe you could say Benson but I also think we need to be mindful of the team culture they're trying to build.

Leonard was the most readymade option to coincide with the remainder of the Ovi era. He's got the competitive DNA to be able to play all over the lineup in a variety of roles.

 

[MileHighCapsFan]

This scouting report is unlike most others for him. I wouldn't get to hung up on it.

It's Pronman's analysis on The Athletic.

 

[Hivemind]

Ah, so compete level is a binary trait? There aren't players that elevate the effectiveness of theor skill sets due to their compete level?

Please try responding to what I wrote instead of taking some random swing in the dark at a tangential point. The point being discussed is that "compete level" being the selling point, rather than their skill sets being the selling point, is potentially a red flag. It's not that compete level is bad or that compete level isn't important, or that it's a "binary trait" (whatever that means).

 

[Brian23]

Compete level wins cups and that's what I want. I don't care about fancy scoring and regular season stats anymore. I want more SC in my lifetime. No more Manthas in the Caps organization please.

This feels like an the old skins fans who harp only on oline being all the team needs cause of the hogs.

The team won the cup off the enigmatic and sublime skill of Kuznetsov.

 

[Hivemind]

Rangers get the third player on the Leondard/Smith line.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

This feels like an the old skins fans who harp only on oline being all the team needs cause of the hogs.

The team won the cup off the enigmatic and sublime skill of Kuznetsov.

I don't care about the skins or NFL and winning the SC is a team game. Thankfully, Kuzy bought in early and unfortunately quit after winning one.