Prospect Info: 2023 Draft Thread (Yotes picking #6 & #12)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dirty Old Man

Yotah Hockey Club
Jan 29, 2008
8,072
6,250
Ostrich City
I'll take that hamburger bet. Six points in the standings is a lot of ground to make up for a team that is about to be gutted.
Yeah, I want in on this too. If we do a poll I'm predicting 5 wins in the last 32. I've seen this act before, too many times. It's going to be really depressing. For me, which means y'all'll be thrilled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jakey53

Jagged Ice

Registered User
Jul 10, 2011
3,326
2,878
Central Phoenix
Yeah, I want in on this too. If we do a poll I'm predicting 5 wins in the last 32. I've seen this act before, too many times. It's going to be really depressing. For me, which means y'all'll be thrilled.
Coyotes are spoilers in March and we have an easy February schedule where we'll get 8-10 points. I think we'll be lucky if we can stay ahead of San Jose.
 

Schemp

Registered User
Nov 12, 2018
4,469
2,862
Still stuck in Forum 40
I'm still dreaming of a lottery win and how much it could do for the franchise. In a lottery win, wouldn't we be better off keeping Chychrun, bringing in RHDs (like Livingstone), and not waste the ELC years of a future franchise player?
 

Dirty Old Man

Yotah Hockey Club
Jan 29, 2008
8,072
6,250
Ostrich City
Coyotes are spoilers in March and we have an easy February schedule where we'll get 8-10 points. I think we'll be lucky if we can stay ahead of San Jose.
I'm basing my assumptions on two historical examples, and the belief that our roster is about to be pretty comprehensively gutted (lets say we lose Chychrun, Gostisbehere, Bjugstad, and Guenther stays down...and this is before any injuries):

2004-05: last 32 games 4-19-5-4
2014-15: last 32 games 6-24-2
 

Vinny Boombatz

formerly ctwin22
Mar 21, 2008
11,216
6,960
Chandler, AZ
everyone like's Moore's motor, it's right up there with Bensons...and I love "Go Motor" players, but he doesn't have the talent of Smith.

Smith makes "pro" plays, which is why I have him ranked higher than Benson. Smith's hockey IQ is off the charts. If he had a "Go Motor", I'd rank him above Fantilli.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Freddy Sjostrom

hbk

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Feb 28, 2002
23,128
9,818
Visit site
everyone like's Moore's motor, it's right up there with Bensons...and I love "Go Motor" players, but he doesn't have the talent of Smith.

Smith makes "pro" plays, which is why I have him ranked higher than Benson. Smith's hockey IQ is off the charts. If he had a "Go Motor", I'd rank him above Fantilli.
I just watched a 15 minute video of Smith in a recent game pretty much consisting entirely of Smith sitting at the opponents blueline and dogging it on the back check.

He just doesn't strike me as a BA type player
 

Vinny Boombatz

formerly ctwin22
Mar 21, 2008
11,216
6,960
Chandler, AZ
I just watched a 15 minute video of Smith in a recent game pretty much consisting entirely of Smith sitting at the opponents blueline and dogging it on the back check.

He just doesn't strike me as a BA type player
Not going to disagree with this, as I've seen him be 'lazy' as well, but I've watched a lot of Smith's videos and he's the 80/20 player. If he had a 'Go Motor' like Benson or Moore, the dude would compete for 1st overall. He's got enormous talent, and I know that he doesn't seem to be a BA type player, but Geekie isn't a 'Go Motor' player, but he's really big and Smith isn't big, so yeah, not sure he's a BA type player.
 

Dead Coyote

Registered User
Oct 10, 2017
2,808
3,361
I think I'm gonna be honest. If we don't draft 1st, I hope we take Michkov. I can just see him falling to where we are, wherever that may be. But it's not because of skill, talent, or motor. It's because he's Russian and on a contract. I started off being a huge Fantilli fan and had him over Bedard. That got squashed at the WJC. But...the more time passes, and the more I watch the Russian leagues, the more I want Michkov. You want someone who can score goals? Michkov is your guy. Bedard is an overall better talent, his skill level is just higher- except for one thing. Michkov just has a nose for goals that you can't replicate. He could have the worst skill in the league and he'd still pick up goals by being in the right place at the right time. But he doesn't. He has some of the best skills in the league. His skating is smooth, his IQ is off the charts, he's playing against men in a top league and he doesn't look out of place. He's going to score 10 more points than Benson and we should take Benson because of his intangibles? That's his floor. That's like comparing Kucherov and Kaprisov. Both great players. But at their peaks? Not even close. And I love Benson! I think he easily should go 5th. But we won't be talking about Benson as a top 10 or top 20 player all time. We will be talking about Michkov in that conversation 20 years from now though.

Bedard
Michkov
Carlsson
Fantilli
Benson

Is what the ranking should be. It won't. But it should be.
 

hbk

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Feb 28, 2002
23,128
9,818
Visit site
Not going to disagree with this, as I've seen him be 'lazy' as well, but I've watched a lot of Smith's videos and he's the 80/20 player. If he had a 'Go Motor' like Benson or Moore, the dude would compete for 1st overall. He's got enormous talent, and I know that he doesn't seem to be a BA type player, but Geekie isn't a 'Go Motor' player, but he's really big and Smith isn't big, so yeah, not sure he's a BA type player.
BA has drafted tons of small skilled players in the early rounds. Schmaltz, Fabbri, Tarasenko, etc. Heck even Cooley is a small skilled guy. Most of these guys played with energy and tempo though and that's what I know I've missed out of Smith in the few USNDP games that I have managed to watch this year. Long stretches where you don't notice him at all. I turn on a Minnesota game and you don't even have to be watching to know that Cooley is on the ice because the puck always seems to find him and he's making plays. That's the difference. I don't see the effort with Smith and that concerns me despite his obvious skill level. You compare that to Bensen and it's the same thing as Cooley. Puck is always on his stick. He's always working his tail off. It's part of the reason I'm disappointed in Yager's game this year as well. Last year you noticed Yager. His shot alone got your attention. This year he just seems not as involved or not involved in the way you want him to be and I would have written Yager's name in ink a year ago in the top 10. Now? it's pencil and the eraser is in my hand. And I like Yager more than Smith...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vinny Boombatz

lanky

Feeling Spicy
Jun 23, 2007
9,487
7,029
Winnipeg
I'm convinced. I'll put Benson at 5 ahead of Smith.

Still excited to see Smith at the U18s so I can gauge him for myself. Consistency is a challenge for most kids that age. It's possible he's earning these criticisms on his weaker performances.
 

Vinny Boombatz

formerly ctwin22
Mar 21, 2008
11,216
6,960
Chandler, AZ
BA has drafted tons of small skilled players in the early rounds. Schmaltz, Fabbri, Tarasenko, etc. Heck even Cooley is a small skilled guy. Most of these guys played with energy and tempo though and that's what I know I've missed out of Smith in the few USNDP games that I have managed to watch this year. Long stretches where you don't notice him at all. I turn on a Minnesota game and you don't even have to be watching to know that Cooley is on the ice because the puck always seems to find him and he's making plays. That's the difference. I don't see the effort with Smith and that concerns me despite his obvious skill level. You compare that to Bensen and it's the same thing as Cooley. Puck is always on his stick. He's always working his tail off. It's part of the reason I'm disappointed in Yager's game this year as well. Last year you noticed Yager. His shot alone got your attention. This year he just seems not as involved or not involved in the way you want him to be and I would have written Yager's name in ink a year ago in the top 10. Now? it's pencil and the eraser is in my hand. And I like Yager more than Smith...
I agree, he's more Schmaltz in determination, but skill level is way higher. The thing that concerns me w/Benson is that he's not only short, but small...very small frame.

I would truly just like to finish in the bottom 3 and win the lottery and avoid any uncertainty and pick Bedard/Fantilli/Carlsson. Let's just go easy this draft and get 1 of the top 3 picks.
 

rt

Clean Hits on Substack
BA has drafted tons of small skilled players in the early rounds. Schmaltz, Fabbri, Tarasenko, etc. Heck even Cooley is a small skilled guy. Most of these guys played with energy and tempo though and that's what I know I've missed out of Smith in the few USNDP games that I have managed to watch this year. Long stretches where you don't notice him at all. I turn on a Minnesota game and you don't even have to be watching to know that Cooley is on the ice because the puck always seems to find him and he's making plays. That's the difference. I don't see the effort with Smith and that concerns me despite his obvious skill level. You compare that to Bensen and it's the same thing as Cooley. Puck is always on his stick. He's always working his tail off. It's part of the reason I'm disappointed in Yager's game this year as well. Last year you noticed Yager. His shot alone got your attention. This year he just seems not as involved or not involved in the way you want him to be and I would have written Yager's name in ink a year ago in the top 10. Now? it's pencil and the eraser is in my hand. And I like Yager more than Smith...
I like Yager too but I do wonder if he’s a winger. I’m a little disappointed in Yager because I haven’t seen as much growth this season in him as I hoped for from last season. Not like Benson who’s improved leaps and bounds.
 

Dead Coyote

Registered User
Oct 10, 2017
2,808
3,361
I think Benson is more talented than Smith and had not only the best motor in this top ten but in the majority of top tens in several years at least.
Agree. Outside of maybe Bedard when he's motivated, because that kid's skating is nuts. I'm a big fan of Benson's will though, as he always seems to be striving for more. I'd easily take him over Smith, who is the complete opposite.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad