2023 Draft Discussion

[Rzombo4 prez]

Are you talking about 6'0" Brayden Yager?

I don't buy 6'0" at all, although I did notice CS measured him at 5'11" recently. He looks small to my eyes whenever I have watched him. I really like him as a player, I just think people are setting themselves up for disappointment in calling him a center.

 

[norrisnick]

Hughes is 100% not an Yzerman defenseman. Small and leaning much more heavily towards offense than defense. If anything I could see Yzerman using him as a very valuable trade chip.

Rafalski was trash.

I think Yzerman is smart enough to identify good players regardless of stature.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

no the other one


I can see that, but i would think yzerman would still keep him because of the offense he would have provided. Walman isn't exactly huge like the other trees but he has the offensive upside.

Walman is 6'2" and plays a solid enough 2-way game but I don't expect him to blow up offensively. For as flawed as Hughes is, he's a modern Phil Housley. He'll put up points but I don't think we're going to see him ever turn into a guy that can lock down the opposition.

 

[Frk It]

I don't buy 6'0" at all, although I did notice CS measured him at 5'11" recently. He looks small to my eyes whenever I have watched him. I really like him as a player, I just think people are setting themselves up for disappointment in calling him a center.

Good thing is we are getting a combine this year for the first time in awhile, so we should get accurate height and weight measurements on these guys.

 

[Detroit Knights]

Walman is 6'2" and plays a solid enough 2-way game but I don't expect him to blow up offensively. For as flawed as Hughes is, he's a modern Phil Housley. He'll put up points but I don't think we're going to see him ever turn into a guy that can lock down the opposition.

i saw 6'1". eh oh well.

Karlsson isn't going to lock you up defensively either (terrible example but w.e). You just need to put a defensive defensemen with an offensive defensemen to bail them out and make sure your centers are 2-way players. It'll balance out.

 

[Frk It]

Those of you who are critical of Will Smith and Dalibor Dvorsky. I would encourage you to watch them at the U18s and see if you change your mind.

Also would encourage you to watch Eduard Sale, he should be getting more hype as a potential pick for us.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Those of you who are critical of Will Smith and Dalibor Dvorsky. I would encourage you to watch them at the U18s and see if you change your mind.

Also would encourage you to watch Eduard Sale, he should be getting more hype as a potential pick for us.

How is Dvorsky's acceleration looking? That was really my biggest complaint about his game and why I thought he looks more like a winger than a center.

 

[Holden Caufield]

What does everyone think of Bradley Nedeau if he is there in the 2nd ?

He seems like such a high upside pick to be able to potentially get him in the 2nd.

Just a lot of concerns because size and league? Haven’t seen him play in BCHL, but intrigued by some of the positive write ups.

Bradly Nadeau - 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

 

[Realgud]

What does everyone think of Bradley Nedeau if he is there in the 2nd ?

He seems like such a high upside pick to be able to potentially get him in the 2nd.

Just a lot of concerns because size and league? Haven’t seen him play in BCHL, but intrigued by some of the positive write ups.

Bradly Nadeau - 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

He's very skilled. He'd be a fantastic second round pick in my opinion, but yeah he's not big.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I really, really like Cristall's puck skills, shooting and passing but his stride is uglier than Brandt Clarke's.



There's a little bit of Cole Perfetti in his game (before anyone says it, yes I know that Perfetti played center in junior but we all knew he was going to be a winger in pro).

Playmaking winger with a great shot. He's another guy I wouldn't be mad about Detroit drafting with #18 and would be a steal in the 2nd.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I really, really like Cristall's puck skills, shooting and passing but his stride is uglier than Brandt Clarke's.



There's a little bit of Cole Perfetti in his game (before anyone says it, yes I know that Perfetti played center in junior but we all knew he was going to be a winger in pro).

Playmaking winger with a great shot. He's another guy I wouldn't be mad about Detroit drafting with #18 and would be a steal in the 2nd.

Ton of skill and offensive smarts, but beyond the skating, he really needs to change the way he plays. He will get crushed by back pressure in the professional game if he tries to slow things down like he does now. I want to see him making those moves while moving his feet.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Ton of skill and offensive smarts, but beyond the skating, he really needs to change the way he plays. He will get crushed by back pressure in the professional game if he tries to slow things down like he does now. I want to see him making those moves while moving his feet.

That is one thing that he and Will Smith have in common. I don't know enough about the prospect to say that he can for sure fix that but I have a lot of faith in the Wings development program for their picks. I hope they would identify that as an issue and work with him on it.

How do you compare a guy like Cristall to another undersized winger like Brindley or Perron? Who do you think has the more translatable skillset?

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I really, really like Cristall's puck skills, shooting and passing but his stride is uglier than Brandt Clarke's.



There's a little bit of Cole Perfetti in his game (before anyone says it, yes I know that Perfetti played center in junior but we all knew he was going to be a winger in pro).

Playmaking winger with a great shot. He's another guy I wouldn't be mad about Detroit drafting with #18 and would be a steal in the 2nd.

i think he’ll go closer to top 10 than the 2nd round but who knows with this draft it’s a crap shoot

 

[Frk It]

How is Dvorsky's acceleration looking? That was really my biggest complaint about his game and why I thought he looks more like a winger than a center.

I would just say watch for yourself and see. I have never thought his skating is something that holds him back when seeing him in international tournaments before.

 

[HoweFan]

I think our choice will be whoever makes it to our pick from Reinbacher, Moore, or Leonard.

 

[lilidk]

I could give you 10 more guys, it will depends on Draper interviews

I think our choice will be whoever makes it to our pick from Reinbacher, Moore, or Leonard.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I really, really like Cristall's puck skills, shooting and passing but his stride is uglier than Brandt Clarke's.



There's a little bit of Cole Perfetti in his game (before anyone says it, yes I know that Perfetti played center in junior but we all knew he was going to be a winger in pro).

Playmaking winger with a great shot. He's another guy I wouldn't be mad about Detroit drafting with #18 and would be a steal in the 2nd.

That is one thing that he and Will Smith have in common. I don't know enough about the prospect to say that he can for sure fix that but I have a lot of faith in the Wings development program for their picks. I hope they would identify that as an issue and work with him on it.

How do you compare a guy like Cristall to another undersized winger like Brindley or Perron? Who do you think has the more translatable skillset?

Brindley and Perron.

 

[lilidk]

5 picks in top 50 , I fill like a kid in the candy store.

 

[Atoadaso]

5 picks in top 50 , I fill like a kid in the candy store.

Gotta imagine Steves moving couple of those picks. I know this is the draft thread but I hope we can get an immediate impact player with some of them.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Yager's playoffs have been REALLY impressive. Love when a player can elevate his game when it matters. He's got a huge bump on my list. I get that the regular season scoring went down but he's really developed his playmaking game. He's a guy that seems to be constantly improving and tinkering with his game. Love seeing that in a prospect.

Honestly, I feel like I have a bias for Yager. Something about his game just clicks for me, and it's made me frustrated all year when he's been just so damn ineffective despite having such obvious tools.

So this playoffs is all the excuse I need to completely ignore everything from this season and make him my guy at 9.

 

[Frk It]

Honestly, I feel like I have a bias for Yager. Something about his game just clicks for me, and it's made me frustrated all year when he's been just so damn ineffective despite having such obvious tools.

So this playoffs is all the excuse I need to completely ignore everything from this season and make him my guy at 9.

50 assists and 78 pts in 67 games = so damn ineffective?????

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

That is one thing that he and Will Smith have in common. I don't know enough about the prospect to say that he can for sure fix that but I have a lot of faith in the Wings development program for their picks. I hope they would identify that as an issue and work with him on it.

How do you compare a guy like Cristall to another undersized winger like Brindley or Perron? Who do you think has the more translatable skillset?

I think Smith has a similar issue. I just can't decide if I think it is as big of an issue for centers. Brindley plays a much different game and plays with more speed (and also plays more directly). I have watched very little of Perron this year even though I know he is well respected.

Again this isn't about how fast you can skate, but rather slowing down to hold onto the puck as long as possible.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Gotta imagine Steves moving couple of those picks. I know this is the draft thread but I hope we can get an immediate impact player with some of them.

I'm not sure he will

I believe he loaded up with those picks as the draft is deep and he wants to draft and build an even deeper prospect pool.

Now perhaps he would move Bostons 2024 1st rd pick for an immediate impact player but that player would need to be under 24 to be worth it

 

[Atoadaso]

I'm not sure he will

I believe he loaded up with those picks as the draft is deep and he wants to draft and build an even deeper prospect pool.

Now perhaps he would move Bostons 2024 1st rd pick for an immediate impact player but that player would need to be under 24 to be worth it

Idk, he’s already hinted that he’ll make a trade to improve the team immediately if it makes sense to. At some point you’re gonna have to either move picks or prospects to improve this team because outside of small miracle were not getting a Bedard level player out of the draft who can improve this team year 1. I totally agree that Bostons pick is in play to get moved as well as our first next year. I also wouldn’t be shocked tho depending on where the isle pick lands if they package that and a 2nd if some player who Steve likes could be had, ideally a scoring forward I’d presume.

 

[Detroit Knights]

I'm not sure he will

I believe he loaded up with those picks as the draft is deep and he wants to draft and build an even deeper prospect pool.

Now perhaps he would move Bostons 2024 1st rd pick for an immediate impact player but that player would need to be under 24 to be worth it

So PLD then