GDT: 2023 Caps NHL Draft Thread

[Neil Racki]

Guy could be a fan favorite in a few years

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Agree, we do have no idea either way. We have no idea if they even pursued a deal.

Either way, I do feel mgmt is trying to tow the line between building for the future and competing now which usually doesn’t end well.

With the plan they are pursuing right now, you end up being just bad enough to miss the playoffs and just good enough to not get great draft positioning. It’s a bad strategy. They need to make up their mind on what they are trying to do.

It’s an optimal strategy for 895, like it or hate it.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

I don't know, they could have made different choices of course but looking at max potential i see an elite two-way center (Suzuki) an elite sniper (Caufield) a good to great huge power forward with skill (Slaf) 2 good playmaking #2 C (Newhook and Dach) a bruising d-man (Xhekaj) a good to great two-way D with offensive skill (Reinbacher) a good two-way D with some snarl (Guhle).

Sure, Cooley and Wright are great and i guess Nemec aswell but seems like they're building a pretty strong two-way team with an edge and they already have a Cooley and a Wright in Caufield and Suzuki.

But obviously, predicting these things isn't even done to a high degree by people doing it for a living so what do i know

Calling Suzuki an elite two-way center is being very generous at this point in his career. His underlying metrics are by and large pretty bad and his scoring stats this year we’re inflated by shooting 16%. He’s supposed to be a beast defensively but he’s not. He has all the talent to be a top 15 center for sure but he’s not there yet and he hasn’t shown improvement in important areas of his game. He’s more Kuznetsov than Barkov at the moment. Obviously he’s still young so he can and probably will develop but I bet if you have the Habs some truth serum they’d tell you they thought he’d be further along by now. Caufield I agree is a great sniper but he’s terrible defensively.

And back to my original point, I am not saying they’re all bad players but they’re worse off than they could or should be. Given where they are in their rebuild and what they could have gotten I can’t help but think they’ve lowered the ceiling on what the team can be coming out of this.

 

[Rockingred12]

Hi guys,

Interesting info from tg channel @cherkasatlant of Russian former hockey player and hockey bloger Mikhail Cherkasov (youtube channel CHERKAS ATLANT).

He knows Michkov and short interviewed him at draft about how he’s feeling etc and in comments some users asks Mikhail why he didn’t ask Matvei about Caps and he reply (google translate):

Guys, dear! Follow the NHL better. The guy was chosen by Phil, he is happy, for him this is the best moment in his entire career to which he was going, what should I ask about Washington at such a moment, this is simply inappropriate!)

Although…

- Matvey, a Russian scout of Washington, a former player, at the age of 50, pitted you all over the country, causing a bunch of hate, threatening to confirm this by saying that you want to go to Washington, given that you had 0 meetings with them in 3 days and already ruined relationships?)

This is: a) not an ethical question, not an appropriate question b) it was clear to everyone that he would not be there and this is not a brilliant move by the scouts of Washington, but vice versa))

Interesting info about 0 meetings with Caps

 

[Misery74]

Whatever you think of the pick, it was the right pick on paper. I’m pretty pleased that we got Leonard, as it was hard to imagine him falling to us.

He could also possibly contribute to OV goal record, as well as rebuild.

I know folks are bummed about MM, but as a “plan B”, this is really a great night for the Caps.

 

[trick9]

Here we go.

Myatovic 1st in the 2nd round. Brindley next, damn.

5 more to go... come on down, Andrew Cristall.

 

[Kalopsia]

Damn it Columbus, stop taking all the Wolverines!

 

[Marshall]

Dammit, Shorks.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Surprised Cristall is still there.

 

[Langway]

Cristall it is.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Cristall, yes please.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

We got Crtistall!

 

[trick9]

Andrew Cristall!

 

[The Instigator]

Hell yeah.

 

[Marshall]

Nicely played, Caps.

 

[Kalopsia]

There's your swing-for-the-fences pick Twabby!

 

[twabby]

Excellent pick. A+

 

[pman25]

Cristall, that's sick! He might be top 6 or bust but whatever...it's a 2nd rounder

 

[g00n]

Exactly who I thought. Surprised he was still there but had a feeling.

USA!

 

[Langway]

Why 2023 NHL Draft prospect Andrew Cristall is 'an offensive threat' who can't be doubted

Andrew Cristall may not be the top player in the 2023 NHL Draft, but he's a big-time offensive producer with a lot of potential.

theathletic.com

Needs to work on his defense, skating and off puck compete but he carried Kelowna offensively last year.

 

[HeyMattyB]

Do we all feel a little better now? lol

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

I love how quickly the NHL blows through rounds 2-7. So much better than the NFL draft.

 

[twabby]

Arguably a better pick than Leonard. Given that he was their pick at #40 I am fine with them not trading it. Absolute home run. Well done!

 

[EroCaps]

Real solid.

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Wings on phones trying to trade 2nd round pick