2023 Draft Discussion

[Hammettf2b]

The guy has amazing talent. I pull the trigger on him if I'm the Wings and hes available at 9.

 

[Frk It]

And that's probably true. But 40? I can see that. Like I've been saying for months now, Leonard is a very, very talented player. That's lost on people that only want to focus on the power forward aspects of his game. Oliver Moore looked so much better in the games he played with Leonard versus the games without.

I mean I have come to appreciate him more as the season goes on. I don't think he is quite the slam dunk prospect that maybe you and others do, (I worry a little bit that he is a jack of all trades but a master of none, and that the physical game he thrives on now wont be as effective on bigger/stronger players.) But to be fair I have worries like that with all of the prospects in the 5-15 range.

Earlier on in the season I thought no question when watching that US team that Perreault was a better player than Leonard. More skilled/talented. As the season went on I started to view it more as a toss-up as to who is/will be better. Leonard is more versatile and a better athlete. I think Perreault is a better offensive player but has limitations physically Leonard doesn't and won't have. Trying to make a final ranking and I can tell you I always have them both in my top 12 or 13, and I usually have them 1 or 2 spots apart. Down the stretch I really saw enough skill from Leonard to be comfortable drafting him in the top 10-12, whereas I was not comfortable before in that terrirory.

I also think Leonard is going to go somewhere in the 4-7 range on draft day because he is more well-rounded and has a very high floor as a prospect. So I honestly think talking about him with our pick at 9 is somewhat a moot point, but I have been wrong on that before lol.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I mean I have come to appreciate him more as the season goes on. I don't think he is quite the slam dunk prospect that maybe you and others do, (I worry a little bit that he is a jack of all trades but a master of none, and that the physical game he thrives on now wont be as effective on bigger/stronger players.) But to be fair I have worries like that with all of the prospects in the 5-15 range.

Earlier on in the season I thought no question when watching that US team that Perreault was a better player than Leonard. More skilled/talented. As the season went on I started to view it more as a toss-up as to who is/will be better. Leonard is more versatile and a better athlete. I think Perreault is a better offensive player but has limitations physically Leonard doesn't and won't have. Trying to make a final ranking and I can tell you I always have them both in my top 12 or 13, and I usually have them 1 or 2 spots apart. Down the stretch I really saw enough skill from Leonard to be comfortable drafting him in the top 10-12, whereas I was not comfortable before in that terrirory.

I also think Leonard is going to go somewhere in the 4-7 range on draft day because he is more well-rounded and has a very high floor as a prospect. So I honestly think talking about him with our pick at 9 is somewhat a moot point, but I have been wrong on that before lol.

It was pretty much a moot point talking about him for our pick as far back as February, in my opinion. His physicality won't be THE defining trait of his game but definitely helps round it out. I mean, who wouldn't want a better skating, better defensive Tyler Bertuzzi on their team?

 

[Frk It]

It was pretty much a moot point talking about him for our pick as far back as February, in my opinion. His physicality won't be THE defining trait of his game but definitely helps round it out. I mean, who wouldn't want a better skating, better defensive Tyler Bertuzzi on their team?

Yeah, I see the thought process totally. Better scoring element also.

Some team is going to snatch him up in the first 6 or 7 picks, I am pretty confident. You can't not see that guy playing in the league in 4-5 years. I think similar story with Reinbacher.

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

The guy has amazing talent. I pull the trigger on him if I'm the Wings and hes available at 9.

Draft him at 9, have Feds help get him over here, talk to Chris about how much Feds helped in the process and get 91 retired in the rafters. Easy peasy

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Yeah, I see the thought process totally. Better scoring element also.

Some team is going to snatch him up in the first 6 or 7 picks, I am pretty confident. You can't not see that guy playing in the league in 4-5 years. I think similar story with Reinbacher.

Reinbacher came in at #9 in the EP draft guide, by the way. The Athletic mocks have him going higher.
Top defenseman. #2 shutdown defenseman, #3 neutral zone defender, #3 transition defenseman, #5 offensive defenseman, #5 hardest hitter.

I would still run to the podium to select Reinbacher if he's there at our pick. I don't know if he's that legit #1 guy but I feel confident about him at least being the Mattias Ekholm, Brett Pesce or Ryan McDonagh as the premier #2/#3 guy in the league. There is a ton of value in that.

 

[SantosHalper]

Yager has a higher floor than Barlow? Break that down for me.

Center/winger
Quick and accurate release
Zone entries
Backchecking
Skating
Defensive awareness
Highly competitive
Still maturing

 

[Frk It]

Center/winger
Quick and accurate release
Zone entries
Backchecking
Skating
Defensive awareness
Highly competitive
Still maturing

Yeah I’ll disagree that Brayden Yager who’s best attribute is goal scoring and scored less than 30 goals this year and less than last year and is listed at 5’11 166 lbs has a better floor than Colby Barlow

Literally the only kind of advantage from a floor perspective is that he plays center. And given his listed size/skating I don’t know how likely it is he will be able to stick at center.

You’re not selling me on that one. And I like Yager and have had him in my top 15 just about all year. The reason Yager and Benson and Perrault aren’t ranked higher is because of their risk/floor.

 

[RedHawkDown]

If Michkov is there at 9 we’ve been blessed by jesus himself. Passing on that would be a massive mistake.

He will be the 2nd best player from this draft and wouldn’t be surprised if he was the best.

 

[ZDH]

Yea. Lots of screaming if Michkov somehow slips past Washington.

 

[lilidk]

Center/winger
Quick and accurate release
Zone entries
Backchecking
Skating
Defensive awareness
Highly competitive
Still maturing

Last season Yager was working on his playmaking skills, previous seasons was mainly shooter ,had almost 2 points per game during last playoffs.

 

[lilidk]

Looks like a lot of mock draft has Yager could be available for RW

 

[Frk It]

I was listening to a podcast with Craig Button on it and he said he expects Cristall and Heidt to get picked outside the first round from talking to people around the league.

I’d be very happy with getting one of those two with our second rounders.

 

[HisNoodliness]

I was listening to a podcast with Craig Button on it and he said he expects Cristall and Heidt to get picked outside the first round from talking to people around the league.

I’d be very happy with getting one of those two with our second rounders.

That's how you end up at the top of all those silly "who won the draft" articles.

Looks like a lot of mock draft has Yager could be available for RW

Honestly I'm higher on Yager than most and would strongly consider him at 9 depending on who is there... But I'm really hoping that he makes it to 17. Getting Perreault and Yager or something like that would be incredible for our forward core

 

[Holden Caufield]

Yeah I’ll disagree that Brayden Yager who’s best attribute is goal scoring and scored less than 30 goals this year and less than last year and is listed at 5’11 166 lbs has a better floor than Colby Barlow

Literally the only kind of advantage from a floor perspective is that he plays center. And given his listed size/skating I don’t know how likely it is he will be able to stick at center.

You’re not selling me on that one. And I like Yager and have had him in my top 15 just about all year. The reason Yager and Benson and Perrault aren’t ranked higher is because of their risk/floor.

I have concerns with Yager. Smaller and physically weak player. Skating needs to improve. His production is okay, but not going to get you excited. And analytically he is an ‘off the puck player’. The amount of time he has the puck on his stick while he is on the ice, is very low for a high draft pick and especially for a centre.

His lack of size, skating and willingness to log the puck would indicate he probably won’t be a Center.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Reinbacher came in at #9 in the EP draft guide, by the way. The Athletic mocks have him going higher.
Top defenseman. #2 shutdown defenseman, #3 neutral zone defender, #3 transition defenseman, #5 offensive defenseman, #5 hardest hitter.

I would still run to the podium to select Reinbacher if he's there at our pick. I don't know if he's that legit #1 guy but I feel confident about him at least being the Mattias Ekholm, Brett Pesce or Ryan McDonagh as the premier #2/#3 guy in the league. There is a ton of value in that.

You know Niklas Kronwall was once the premier #3 guy in the league.

 

[Perfect Human]

You know Niklas Kronwall was once the premier #3 guy in the league.

Kronwall-Stuart was so damn good. They were the best second pairing in the league by a long shot. They each made the other so much better.

 

[lilidk]

I was listening to a podcast with Craig Button on it and he said he expects Cristall and Heidt to get picked outside the first round from talking to people around the league.

I’d be very happy with getting one of those two with our second rounders.

You probably need to trade up to get one of them

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

Reinbacher came in at #9 in the EP draft guide, by the way. The Athletic mocks have him going higher.
Top defenseman. #2 shutdown defenseman, #3 neutral zone defender, #3 transition defenseman, #5 offensive defenseman, #5 hardest hitter.

I would still run to the podium to select Reinbacher if he's there at our pick. I don't know if he's that legit #1 guy but I feel confident about him at least being the Mattias Ekholm, Brett Pesce or Ryan McDonagh as the premier #2/#3 guy in the league. There is a ton of value in that.

Yeah you have to take him at 9 barring some top 5 talent slipping to us.
If Seider is our #1 RD it's ok if he slots in behind him on the second pairing.

A future of :
Walman - Seider
Edvinsson - Reinbacher
Wallinder - (Insert Name)

Seems realgud.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

I think it’s because Leonard actually plays somewhat of a skill game. I see him having a pretty good chance to be a Tkachuk type whereas Barlow (who I’d be happy with at 17 but not 9) I see more as a Perron type.

It's because Leonard is flat out better at everything else.

There's a minority of people that think Will Smith will be the 2nd player selected from the NTDP because they've seen that Leonard was the glue guy on that line. Without Leonard around to do the dirty work, win the corner battles, do the defensive heavy lifting, Will Smith and Perreault don't break USNTDP scoring records.

Idk man, Tkachuk was 4th in the NHL in points per game this season. Leonard was third on his line in points by a very solid distance this year. Leonard is also significantly smaller.

I like the player, I really do. But I don't know that the numbers support him being the line driver of this NTDP team, or being a really high level point producer at the NHL level.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

A future of :
Walman - Seider
Edvinsson - Reinbacher
Wallinder - (Willander)

Seems realgud.

 

[Henkka]

Some finnish mock is going on and we got Ryan Leonard as #9 and Tom Willander as #17.

Reinbacher was available there at #9, but guys preferred a forward at #9.

My personal opinion was to do it opposite ways. Take Reinbacher at #9 and then some forward at #17. Ritchie, Stramel, Danielson, Stenberg, Sale etc. were still available.

 

[SantosHalper]

Yeah I’ll disagree that Brayden Yager who’s best attribute is goal scoring and scored less than 30 goals this year and less than last year and is listed at 5’11 166 lbs has a better floor than Colby Barlow

Literally the only kind of advantage from a floor perspective is that he plays center. And given his listed size/skating I don’t know how likely it is he will be able to stick at center.

You’re not selling me on that one. And I like Yager and have had him in my top 15 just about all year. The reason Yager and Benson and Perrault aren’t ranked higher is because of their risk/floor.

Yager will still grow and skating can still be improved, Barlow needs to improve his skating as well. Yager is way ahead of Barlow in 2-way game, another reason why the floor is higher.

Yager didn't have the best season, maybe he took too much pressure because it was his draft year. Yager was projected top-10 pick 2 years ago, i remember seeing him in the top-5 as well. Maybe the pressure got to him, same thing happened to Räty. Projected 1st round pick, even a projected top-5 pick 2-3 years before the draft. Draft year comes and everything goes wrong.

Only thing what Barlow really got is the shot, everything else is mediocre. Yager has more tools now already.

But neither are good options #9, both decent picks #17. There will be way better options available #9.

 

[newfy]

The guy has amazing talent. I pull the trigger on him if I'm the Wings and hes available at 9.

It would be the ultimate high risk high reward move that the wings could really use to get that elite forward theyre missing.

Woulda kinda suck though waiting for if he'll ever come over or not

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

I think this was brought up in another thread, but Elite Prospects had Gracyn Sawchyn was up the rankings.

Right handed C, elite speed and skating skill. I could be convinced, would love him in the second round.

Basically, Yzerman has to get a right handed C this year IMO.