Pre-Game Talk: 2023 Draft Discussion

[Steve Zissou]

Kempe @ 29th OA.

 

[NikF]

Best Michigan player, probably ever. Best out of any of the recent guys (Power, Beniers, the Hughes brothers, Connor) Just a dominant player this season as a freshman, and didn't just feast on bad teams (like some accused him of when he scored a lot early in the season). Michigan ended up with the toughest schedule in the country, and he destroyed everyone from Lindenwood to Minnesota. He has an NHL star caliber shot, he skates very well and he plays mean and on the edge. Naurato says he reminds him of Matthew Tkachuk, I have said his ceiling is Auston Matthews as a goalscorer, and I think both are accurate. He probably won't be as mean as Tkachuk and will probably end up a notch below Matthews, but a guy with 50 goal potential who plays mean is going to be insanely valuable. I think his only downside is he doesn't have elite game sense in the offensive zone, it's not where guys like Cooley and Caufield were in the B10. But he does things those guys aren't capable of.

Matty Beniers is a blue chip prospect, at age 20 just lead all rookies in scoring, is likely to win rookie of the year and is contributing significantly on a team that might be making a deep playoff run. Adam Fantilli is at another level more talented than Beniers, and is also bigger, faster and meaner. Just a much better prospect.

It's great the Ducks didn't get Bedard, but they got a guy who goes #1 in a lot of normal draft years. Fantilli is going to be even more hated on this forum than Zegras is.

It's going to suck when the Ducks new core is established and the Kings will just start to figure out where Byfield, Turcotte etc. are, after Kopitar finally succumbs to age with Doughty to follow. If you take the big picture view, I don't think it's as clear which team is closer to winning the Cup as many would like.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It's going to suck when the Ducks new core is established and the Kings will just start to figure out where Byfield, Turcotte etc. are, after Kopitar finally succumbs to age with Doughty to follow. If you take the big picture view, I don't think it's as clear which team is closer to winning the Cup as many would like.

It is, and I think Blake is already in job-preservation mode, as long as he makes the playoffs, he's safe. I called it the Nashville Method before and he's probably got at least a few years of security that way before we sink to the bottom of the Pacific. The Sharks will take some time to un-f*** themselves but everyone else is already trending up or at least is in our boat (Van, Cal).

I just don't understand, with basically unlimited resources at their fingertips, that they're either unable to see or unable to execute on the years-long issues, and I'm not sure which is worse.

 

[ZJames]

It is, and I think Blake is already in job-preservation mode, as long as he makes the playoffs, he's safe. I called it the Nashville Method before and he's probably got at least a few years of security that way before we sink to the bottom of the Pacific. The Sharks will take some time to un-f*** themselves but everyone else is already trending up or at least is in our boat (Van, Cal).

I just don't understand, with basically unlimited resources at their fingertips, that they're either unable to see or unable to execute on the years-long issues, and I'm not sure which is worse.

Nothing will change until Kopitar and Doughty either retire, leave via FA, or demand a trade. My hope is that once they are gone, ownership will realize what kind of a hole they are in and be forced to make sweeping changes throughout the org.

 

[King'sPawn]

Editing more video of Cleveland, I can definitely see the Kings trying to get him, maybe not until the third or fourth round. 6'4, can play mean, LHD. Checks all the boxes.

 

[Lt Dan]

Editing more video of Cleveland

 

[King'sPawn]

View attachment 706666

Don't think I'm not going to try to make a reference in my article.

 

[LAKings88]

It is, and I think Blake is already in job-preservation mode, as long as he makes the playoffs, he's safe. I called it the Nashville Method before and he's probably got at least a few years of security that way before we sink to the bottom of the Pacific. The Sharks will take some time to un-f*** themselves but everyone else is already trending up or at least is in our boat (Van, Cal).

I just don't understand, with basically unlimited resources at their fingertips, that they're either unable to see or unable to execute on the years-long issues, and I'm not sure which is worse.

I'm wondering how Calgary will do under a new coach. Seems like a lot of guys didn't enjoy last season. If they figure it out they still have the pieces to compete for a spot.

Vancouver who knows. They should be more competitive.

Edmonton, Vegas, and Seattle are all good teams.

LA could easily be on the outside of the playoffs next year depending on health of teams and improvements.

If out of by the deadline they will have some solid ufas that teams will come calling on (RV/Roy) could net some nice returns. Big IF of course.

 

[johnjm22]

Los Angeles Kings Draft History at hockeydb.com

Kind of OT and random, but sometimes I'll go to HockeyDB and look up the King's draft history. I like checking out obscure draft picks that we all forgot about and seeing what happened to them. I find it interesting.

Today I realized that Jacob Middleton was an LA Kings draft pick. I had no idea. Last guy picked in the entire draft in 2014.

Middleton was the full time 2nd pairing LHD on a playoff team this year (Minnesota). I find that kind of remarkable.

Why do I find it remarkable? Because yet again the Kings hit on a 7th round draft pick.

From 2009 to 2015 LA Drafted:
Matt Roy
Jacob Middleton
Dominik Kubalik
Jordan Nolan
Nic Dowd

All in the 7th round.

 

[King'sPawn]

Los Angeles Kings Draft History at hockeydb.com

Kind of OT and random, but sometimes I'll go to HockeyDB and look up the King's draft history. I like checking out obscure draft picks that we all forgot about and seeing what happened to them. I find it interesting.

Today I realized that Jacob Middleton was an LA Kings draft pick. I had no idea. Last guy picked in the entire draft in 2014.

Middleton was the full time 2nd pairing LHD on a playoff team this year (Minnesota). I find that kind of remarkable.

Why do I find it remarkable? Because yet again the Kings hit on a 7th round draft pick.

From 2009 to 2015 LA Drafted:
Matt Roy
Jacob Middleton
Dominik Kubalik
Jordan Nolan
Nic Dowd

All in the 7th round.

Yeah - one thing the Kings have been very good about back in the DL days, they are good at churning out NHL-caliber players.

 

[Herby]

This is why I am way more on the blame the management and the development team than the scouts. They have found some real gems, like the ones you listed + Faber, Anderson, Spence picks outside of round 1. With later picks, you are more likely to let them develop in the leagues they should be in, where as with 1st round picks sometimes management does stupid things.

Also, we now know the biggest draft blunder the team has made post Dave Taylor was because the GM overrode the scouts, who absolutely had the right guy picked. This may or may not have happened the next year as well.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

This is why I am way more on the blame the management and the development team than the scouts. They have found some real gems, like the ones you listed + Faber, Anderson, Spence picks outside of round 1. With later picks, you are more likely to let them develop in the leagues they should be in, where as with 1st round picks sometimes management does stupid things.

Also, we now know the biggest draft blunder the team has made post Dave Taylor was because the GM overrode the scouts, who absolutely had the right guy picked. This may or may not have happened the next year as well.

Yeah, Blake overriding the scouts for Turcotte is absolutely worse than any flub Dean made. Teubert over Karlsson and Forbort over Tarasenko are more forgivable considering they were deeper in the round where things get a lot muddier.

The irony, though, is that Dean Lombardi himself probably does the same thing with Turcotte if he were still GM.

If our one Euro scout was the lone voice of reason clamoring for Stutzle, that seems to be an institutional blind spot. There should have been more guys with eyes on Stutzle.

 

[johnjm22]

McKenzie's rankings, which are based on actual NHL scout surveys, had Turcotte ranked at #4.

The pick was completely fine.

 

[kilowatt]

McKenzie's rankings, which are based on actual NHL scout surveys, had Turcotte ranked at #4.

The pick was completely fine.

Yeah, I’m not concerned with any of the picks we made. Byfield, Turcotte, Kupari, Vilardi. It’s that for the most part they feel like they’re well below where they should be on the average development curve. What’s more likely, we whiffed on half a decade of first round picks or that as an organization we have do a very bad job of developing forwards?

 

[King'sPawn]

Here's my video on Brady Cleveland (No. 6 in white), one I've talked about quite a bit. You can also see Kings prospect Jack Sparkes, who wears No. 27 for Muskegon.

 

[Mcsorley47]

Why get excited for the draft.

We all know we’re getting another 5’11 offensive defensemen from Europe.

Its like their bored.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I

If out of by the deadline they will have some solid ufas that teams will come calling on (RV/Roy) could net some nice returns. Big IF of course.

RV Roman Vopat? I liked Jan Vopat better. Arvidsson won't return that much.

 

[Herby]

McKenzie's rankings, which are based on actual NHL scout surveys, had Turcotte ranked at #4.

The pick was completely fine.

I used to have similar views, and was more critical of the development than the pick. But with what has come out recently, you have no issue with the GM overriding the scouts?

I think Blake deserves much more blame for this than I thought he did two weeks ago.

Yeah, I’m not concerned with any of the picks we made. Byfield, Turcotte, Kupari, Vilardi. It’s that for the most part they feel like they’re well below where they should be on the average development curve. What’s more likely, we whiffed on half a decade of first round picks or that as an organization we have do a very bad job of developing forwards?

The organization has issues developing players, for sure. But some of the red flags with Turcotte were before the team ever had a hold of him (other than a prospect camp). And those issues may have been seen by our scouts, but disregarded by the GM who apparently placed more value on what his former teammate thought.

 

[yankeeking]

We paid 2 seconds for Mcnab I think we could get that and maybe a b prospect for Roy and if lias Anderson returned a second than iaffalo or lizzote should get that, unfortunately we have to move guys so seconds in a deep draft wouldn’t be bad .Buffalo has 35 and 42 I believe and either one of those could be first round talent and they need RHD

 

[johnjm22]

I used to have similar views, and was more critical of the development than the pick. But with what has come out recently, you have no issue with the GM overriding the scouts?

I think Blake deserves much more blame for this than I thought he did two weeks ago.

What has come out recently? The stuff about Turcotte not being liked by teammates?

It's not like the Kings scouting staff didn't have Turcotte ranked high even if they thought more highly of TZ.

We paid 2 seconds for Mcnab I think we could get that and maybe a b prospect for Roy and if lias Anderson returned a second than iaffalo or lizzote should get that, unfortunately we have to move guys so seconds in a deep draft wouldn’t be bad .Buffalo has 35 and 42 I believe and either one of those could be first round talent and they need RHD

Roy is worth a 1st.

 

[Herby]

What has come out recently? The stuff about Turcotte not being liked by teammates?

It's not like the Kings scouting staff didn't have Turcotte ranked high even if they thought more highly of TZ.


Roy is worth a 1st.

I couldn't care less about the attitude stuff, already said as much.

But when you have scouts who have presumably watched these kids play many games and they suggest to take one player and you take another player, and it turns out to be a massive whiff, all of the blame falls on the GM. Does it bother you if Rob Blake trusted the opinion of Tony Granato over those of his scouting team?

 

[johnjm22]

I couldn't care less about the attitude stuff, already said as much.

But when you have scouts who have presumably watched these kids play many games and they suggest to take one player and you take another player, and it turns out to be a massive whiff, all of the blame falls on the GM. Does it bother you if Rob Blake trusted the opinion of Tony Granato over those of his scouting team?

I don't love it.

But I can't really criticize it much either considering most NHL scouts had Turcotte above Zegras. So picking him there was reasonable.

And again, it's not like the Kings own scouts weren't high on Turcotte even if they liked Zegras more.

Personally, headed into that draft, I didn't like Turcotte or Zegras. I wanted Byram, but after Colorado picked him, I didn't have that strong of an opinion on the remaining prospects. I would've been okay with trading down actually.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't love it.

But I can't really criticize it much either considering most NHL scouts had Turcotte above Zegras. So picking him there was reasonable.

And again, it's not like the Kings own scouts weren't high on Turcotte even if they liked Zegras more.

Personally, headed into that draft, I didn't like Turcotte or Zegras. I wanted Byram, but after Colorado picked him, I didn't have that strong of an opinion on the remaining prospects. I would've been okay with trading down actually.

I remember a LOT of us praying for Byram

I was stoked Turcotte fell though, didn't expect that

Only one I wasn't very high on was Dach, and Cozens to a lesser degree, thought he was great but ranked too high

 

[johnjm22]

I remember a LOT of us praying for Byram

I was stoked Turcotte fell though, didn't expect that

Only one I wasn't very high on was Dach, and Cozens to a lesser degree, thought he was great but ranked too high

After Jack Hughes I wasn’t really that high on any of the 1st round rated USNDT guys. I viewed them as all being in the same tier. Had no real preference for one over the other.

Any time I start hearing Mike Richards comparisons that makes me a bit concerned. Players of that ilk tend to get overrated IMO. Plus I recall Turcotte having some injuries already, so I wasn’t as high on him as others were.

I must say, I've been surprised by how good Zegras, Caufield and Boldy have been right out of the box. So I guess I was wrong about that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

After Jack Hughes I wasn’t really that high on any of the 1st round rated USNDT guys. I viewed them as all being in the same tier. Had no real preference for one over the other.

Any time I start hearing Mike Richards comparisons that makes me a bit concerned. Players of that ilk tend to get overrated IMO. Plus I recall Turcotte having some injuries already, so I wasn’t as high on him as others were.

I must say, I've been surprised by how good Cozens, Zegras and Boldy have been right out of the box. So I guess I was wrong about that.

I do remember plenty of discussion that they were collectively overrated because how can that whole damn team get drafted in the 1st, haha. But I agree that most of them have actually relatively surprised. Unfortunate that we get the one that, for health and otherwise, has relatively disappointed.