2023 Draft Discussion

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Or, draft a center anyway. See how it all shakes out. Kasper can play wing.

And, most centers can adapt to the wing.

Or draft BPA because Larkin is a point per game(ish) scorer at center and this team needs both better defense and offense.

If Reinbacher is still there, get him and don’t overthink. He’s something like Seider as a mobile, physical, smart RHD with unknown/unrealized offensive potential. I’d bet real monies that he’s better defensively on day one than Hronek was this season for us. He’s gonna be realgud. His floor looks like top 4 D.

If Reinbacher isn’t there get someone talented but fearless. They don’t have to be Tom Wilson tough but a guy that will take the puck to the net and not afraid to take a hit to make a play? Detroit needs more of that. Leonard, Yager, Barlow or Danielson. Maybe add Oliver Moore, Calum Ritchie and Eduard Sale to that list.

 

[lilidk]

Or, draft a center anyway. See how it all shakes out. Kasper can play wing.

And, most centers can adapt to the wing.

Very first game and they put Kasper on second line as a center.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Or draft BPA because Larkin is a point per game(ish) scorer at center and this team needs both better defense and offense.

If Reinbacher is still there, get him and don’t overthink. He’s something like Seider as a mobile, physical, smart RHD with unknown/unrealized offensive potential. I’d bet real monies that he’s better defensively on day one than Hronek was this season for us. He’s gonna be realgud. His floor looks like top 4 D.

If Reinbacher isn’t there get someone talented but fearless. They don’t have to be Tom Wilson tough but a guy that will take the puck to the net and not afraid to take a hit to make a play? Detroit needs more of that. Leonard, Yager, Barlow or Danielson. Maybe add Oliver Moore, Calum Ritchie and Eduard Sale to that list.

I like the approach.

I don't think Reinbacher will be there, I agree

Moore and Sale will most likely be gone, but the rest, I wouldn't complain much.

(Unless Ritchie is the top pick)

Very first game and they put Kasper on second line as a center.

I know.

 

[Frk It]

Both 1sts, 2 of the 3 2nds, and Soderblom? Im talking that level of package....which I think is arguably worth the 3rd overall to certain teams. I think we'd be harder pressed if it was say Montreal, Chicago, Columbus, or AZ sitting there, but with the right team with the need for completely revamping their system....I think it would be possible. Or am I way out to lunch?

I think teams are going to view a #3 pick in this draft like a #1 pick in most other drafts. And we have seen how rare or infrequently those picks get moved. We are not the first team to have a surplus of assets to potentially move up higher in a draft, premium picks just don't usually get moved because they are so coveted.

If I remember correctly, in the 2012 draft the Islanders offered every single pick they had in the draft to Columbus for #2 to trade up and get Ryan Murray, and they said no. Just kind of shows you those aren't usually available.

 

[Holden Caufield]

Hopefully we are looking at this guy since he is playing with Lombardi:

(He is a LD but underrated)

In the mlive Lombardi article it says Draper is a regular at Flint home games.

So I’d guess both Bertucci and Pitre are very well scouted and strong opinions have been formed by the brass.

 

[Frk It]

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Or, draft a center anyway. See how it all shakes out. Kasper can play wing.

And, most centers can adapt to the wing.

Right, we're just talking about a situation where the need for a top 6 center is dire and you look toward trading up with all your assets trying to get Will Smith or something like that.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Right, we're just talking about a situation where the need for a top 6 center is dire and you look toward trading up with all your assets trying to get Will Smith or something like that.

Uh, nope.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

<10 games of someone at 18/19 years old is going to determine your draft strategy?

When you're trying to read the tea leaves? Not so much determine the strategy by itself, but it's worth seeing if some kind of outlier pops up—either by him looking really good or really bad.

Uh, nope.

If Kasper looked like garbage, I bet they would consider it.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

I feel like both first rounders should be centers. Centers can always play wing. When the Wings were dominant (1995-2009) we usually had like 6 natural centers on the roster.

If this team had a true second line center and Copp on the third line they would've been in the playoffs this year.

edit: I would go so far as to say all 4 first round picks this year and next should be Cs. Draft D and G with the later picks and hope for a home run. If the Islanders pick keeps dropping (a very real chance of dropping to 14 by the end of the season) I would see if Vancouver would accept one of each of our 2023 and 2024 picks for Pettersson.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I feel like both first rounders should be centers. Centers can always play wing. When the Wings were dominant (1995-2009) we usually had like 6 natural centers on the roster.

If this team had a true second line center and Copp on the third line they would've been in the playoffs this year.

edit: I would go so far as to say all 4 first round picks this year and next should be Cs. Draft D and G with the later picks and hope for a home run. If the Islanders pick keeps dropping (a very real chance of dropping to 14 by the end of the season) I would see if Vancouver would accept one of each of our 2023 and 2024 picks for Pettersson.

Which centers exactly?

 

[lilidk]

I feel like both first rounders should be centers. Centers can always play wing. When the Wings were dominant (1995-2009) we usually had like 6 natural centers on the roster.

If this team had a true second line center and Copp on the third line they would've been in the playoffs this year.

edit: I would go so far as to say all 4 first round picks this year and next should be Cs. Draft D and G with the later picks and hope for a home run. If the Islanders pick keeps dropping (a very real chance of dropping to 14 by the end of the season) I would see if Vancouver would accept one of each of our 2023 and 2024 picks for Pettersson.

It should be best available player and if there are couple of them then better take center. Kasper put on test for test of the season if he could be our feature first line center. If guy like Leonard available at 11 you grab him with both hands and forget about center

 

[NickH8]

It should be best available player and if there are couple of them then better take center. Kasper put on test for test of the season if he could be our feature first line center. If guy like Leonard available at 11 you grab him with both hands and forget about center

I've got a love affair with Leonard. I need him in my life.

Starting to grow a ton on Dvorsky as well. Even if his skating makes him a winger he has such a solid two-way game and skill.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

I've got a love affair with Leonard. I need him in my life.

Starting to grow a ton on Dvorsky as well. Even if his skating makes him a winger he has such a solid two-way game and skill.

I'm on the Leonard hype train now. Kasper and Leonard together would be so good.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I would go so far as to say all 4 first round picks this year and next should be Cs. Draft D and G with the later picks and hope for a home run. If the Islanders pick keeps dropping (a very real chance of dropping to 14 by the end of the season) I would see if Vancouver would accept one of each of our 2023 and 2024 picks for Pettersson.

What? Why?

The centers outside of the lottery guys do not project to be better than their similarly ranked winger counterparts. Will Smith might be a Robert Thomas (his name is just as boring) or an Espen Knutsen for the few here that remember that name.

None of the guys from 5 to 20 are expected to be can’t-miss superstars. Several will be good to great. there may be some total surprises that become superstars, but anyone that can predict that accurately from this group of draftees should be buying lotto tickets instead.

Draft the best player available here because Detroit has organizational depth weaknesses everywhere.

 

[lilidk]

I'm on the Leonard hype train now. Kasper and Leonard together would be so good.

+Lambert?

 

[DamonDRW]

This is a kind of sad thread for me. Choosing between Leonard, Reinbacher, Barlow, Smith, Danielson is good in any other draft not this one, where there are players that will produce the impact for sure just like Carlsson, Michkov, Fantilli... We should have been choosing between one of those.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I think that Jakub Dvorak(LD) is going to be Yzerman' s pick in 2nd/3rd round. He is massive 6 foot 5, fast skating, physical DEFENSIVE defenseman, perfect bottom pair guy.

 

[Tetsuo]

I think Leonard has Detroit written all over him. If the draft goes 'chalk' and none of the top guys fall, then I think starting at pick 8 or 9 he feels like the guy. He brings scoring, tenacity and responsibility, three traits this squad desperately needs more of in the top 6.

 

[norrisnick]

This is a kind of sad thread for me. Choosing between Leonard, Reinbacher, Barlow, Smith, Danielson is good in any other draft not this one, where there are players that will produce the impact for sure just like Carlsson, Michkov, Fantilli... We should have been choosing between one of those.

There is no way we could have been that bad this year. Not unless Larkin/Seider/Raymond were scratched/hurt most of the year. Lottery win is the only way we'd be able to pick from that group.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

Thinking through it - the Wings in 4 years will ideally have some things generally settled out (don't jump down my throat of the projection here, more to illustrate a point):

Top 6C's - Larkin, Kasper
Top 6 Wingers - Raymond

Middle 6C/Ws - Veleno/Soderblom/Rasmussen/Copp
Middle 6W - Berggren, Lombardi (?), Mauzer(?)

Top 4D's - Seider, Edvinsson, Wallinder (?)
Bottom 4D - Johansson, Sebrango (?)

Goalies: Cossa, Whatever

What I don't see a lot of here in our pipe is top end winger talent. It wasn't much of a thought because we had Bert and Vrana last off season so there was less of an immediate need, but adding something of a pure scoring stud back into our Top 6 feels like more and more of a priority.

All of that is to be said: despite wanting great C Depth, etc, if we spent our draft capital grabbing high end scoring wingers with upside, I'd be pretty psyched

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

I doubt we land in a position to draft Smith, but I comfortably would given the chance.

Look at the past decade or so of drafts. Taking the NTDP’s 1C, especially when they lead the team in points per game, is just about the safest investment of draft capital you can make.

Saw comparisons to Turcotte earlier in the thread which is curious to me - if anyone in this draft should flag that risk, surely it’s Moore.

 

[NickH8]

This is a kind of sad thread for me. Choosing between Leonard, Reinbacher, Barlow, Smith, Danielson is good in any other draft not this one, where there are players that will produce the impact for sure just like Carlsson, Michkov, Fantilli... We should have been choosing between one of those.

Boo hoo our team is taking steps forward

 

[NickH8]

Thinking through it - the Wings in 4 years will ideally have some things generally settled out (don't jump down my throat of the projection here, more to illustrate a point):

Top 6C's - Larkin, Kasper
Top 6 Wingers - Raymond

Middle 6C/Ws - Veleno/Soderblom/Rasmussen/Copp
Middle 6W - Berggren, Lombardi (?), Mauzer(?)

Top 4D's - Seider, Edvinsson, Wallinder (?)
Bottom 4D - Johansson, Sebrango (?)

Goalies: Cossa, Whatever

What I don't see a lot of here in our pipe is top end winger talent. It wasn't much of a thought because we had Bert and Vrana last off season so there was less of an immediate need, but adding something of a pure scoring stud back into our Top 6 feels like more and more of a priority.

All of that is to be said: despite wanting great C Depth, etc, if we spent our draft capital grabbing high end scoring wingers with upside, I'd be pretty psyched

This is the strategy we discussed when this rebuild started. Stock up on D and big and/or two-way forwards early, since they take longer to develop. When we're about to break out draft those high scoring wingers. A guy like Leonard or Cristall can have an impact in D+1 or D+2.

I doubt we land in a position to draft Smith, but I comfortably would given the chance.

Look at the past decade or so of drafts. Taking the NTDP’s 1C, especially when they lead the team in points per game, is just about the safest investment of draft capital you can make.

Saw comparisons to Turcotte earlier in the thread which is curious to me - if anyone in this draft should flag that risk, surely it’s Moore.

I've actually cooled off on Moore a bit because of that reason. I see him going around guys a lot, and I'm not sure how that will translate. He doesn't have the high end creativity of Smith or the power game of Leonard. I think he's a safe bet to be a strong middle 6 C, and that's well worth a high pick, but he's more in the Danielsson range now for me.

 

[Frk It]

I see the USDP guys differently

I have it

Smith
Moore
Perreault
Leonard

I don’t really get the angle of Leonard having this super high upside. Like being worth taking with the top pick. And if we are talking about playing a power game in the NHL, he’s not the biggest guy in the world.