HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[Estimated_Prophet]

He's the same height as Dustin Brown, Gudas, Clutterbuck, Tanev and Romanov. Bigger than Callahan.

This is such a non-issue.

It certainly isn't a non issue especially as some of the ones that you listed have a long history of injuries. These guys are also mainly hunters but Leonard will be hunted because he will have the puck on his stick more than any of them ever had. You could have named Crosby, Andrew Shaw, Deadmarsh, Scott Stevens, Chris Higgins, Dan Carcillo etc who were either plagued by concussions/injuries or were devastated with career ending concussions.

I am not saying that Leonard should be avoided in the top 10 or even that Montreal should outright dismiss him but he comes with an elevated risk of injury relative to most of the players that are in that range and it would be foolish to ignore this variable. I see him as a high floor/low ceiling pick, if you are ok with that then take him at 5 OA........I still prefer Dvorsky but would be fine with Leonard, to each his own as there is no right answer at this point in their development.

 

[McGees]

Well I sincerely Hughes actually selects players because they're the best at hockey rather than because they have the mental fortitude to handle our market. Maybe if the Habs stop selecting busts in the top 5 they won't have to endure our big scary media guys like *checks notes* Eric Engels.

Nope. That is the only thing they look at. Don't even watch games.

 

[Schooner Guy]

You don't need to be big to hit hard

Look at Dustin Brown or prime Cal Clutterbuck

Sam Bennett couldn't do a pull-up at his draft Combine and he's a killer on the ice. Very valuable come playoff time.

 

[Andrei79]

You don't need to be big to hit hard

Look at Dustin Brown or prime Cal Clutterbuck

Or Adam Deadmarsh, the guy who's frame Leonard ressembles most imo.

 

[McGees]

Suzuki is like back off bro...

 

[Redux91]

Just because a guy plays with jam doesn't take away from his offensive skill. Leonard is a skill player who has grit, not the other way around.

Yeah I think a lot of people are having trouble with this too lol

 

[Andrei79]

Leonard wont have any issue dealing with the physicality of the NHL, it might be an issue long term if injuries hit him given his play style, but it sure wont stop him to win his puck battles, crashes the net, playing inside ect. He is strongly built and plays with the same edge and sandpaper RHP do or prime Gallagher did. He is a bigger and more skilled RHP, he clearly belongs to the discussion at 5 OV and would be a fantastic pick IMO. Reinbacher, Dvorsky or Leonard, Im going to be pretty happy with any of them.

I think you'll be happy as they're the most likely picks imo.

 

[Kennerback]

Yeah I think a lot of people are having trouble with this too lol

I can play the role of devil’s advocate…
I like the videos of Yakupov bowling over guys in the OHL Ovechkin-style. If Leonard could work on the timing and staying on his skates part of bodychecks, he’d reach Yakupov level.
We’re just having fun here.

 

[Redux91]

I can play the role of devil’s advocate…
I like the videos of Yakupov bowling over guys in the OHL Ovechkin-style. If Leonard could work on the timing and staying on his skates part of bodychecks, he’d reach Yakupov level.
We’re just having fun here.

Lol, that's great dude.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Suzuki is like back off bro...

Smith or Leonard for me, if Michkov is a DND.

Bookmark it for future reference/roasting session.

 

[Zilo44]

Sam Bennett couldn't do a pull-up at his draft Combine and he's a killer on the ice. Very valuable come playoff time.

He had a separated shoulder I think

 

[Schooner Guy]

He had a separated shoulder I think

He may have had something wrong but normally players opt out of those sorts of physical evaluation exercises at the Combine when they have an injury.

In any event, Bennett was very slight when drafted but hits like a freight train on the ice.

 

[Goldenhands]

https://www.tvasports.ca/2023/06/09/je-nai-pas-du-ete-charme-par-reinbacher

Martineau not really charmed by Reinbacher. Its worth noting that he is admitedly not a fan of Reinbacher at our spot, compares him to Mcdonagh, which I think is a pretty bad comparison. He is totally in the Will Smith bandwagon.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I wouldn’t melt down over Leonard but I wouldn’t get excited either. Should be a solid top 6 winger.

 

[WeThreeKings]

So I just listened to the Athletic Podcast.

The Habs really like Leonard and Reinbacher. There's no indication they have any interest in Michkov.

The sense around the league is that Arizona loves Reinbacher and will take him at 6 if he is available. Montreal may get a lot of calls, including from Arizona, for the 5th pick, to try to jump up and get Reinbacher before Arizona can.

Unlikely Montreal does move the pick, but there will be a lot of interest.

Teams as far down as 15 are doing their 'what if Michkov is available' thought experiments.

The other thing I forgot to mention in the other thread is that the sense is San Jose will go with one of the top 4 centers, but if they don't it would be Reinbacher or an off chance on Michkov.. but Montreal will be doing their due diligence on Leonard and Reinbacher mostly as teams don't expect the top 4 to fall any differently than the centers going 1-4.

 

[Noble]

If it's between Leonard and Reinbacher, I take Leonard all day.

I just don't see the offensive upside with Reinbacher. I'm not convinced he'll be a top pairing defenseman and I'm not taking a 2nd pairing guy with a top 5 pick. If I'm taking a defenseman with a top 10, let alone 5, pick he better be the go to guy for almost every situation.

Just don't see that with Reinbacher personally.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If it's between Leonard and Reinbacher, I take Leonard all day.

I just don't see the offensive upside with Reinbacher. I'm not convinced he'll be a top pairing defenseman and I'm not taking a 2nd pairing guy with a top 5 pick. If I'm taking a defenseman with a top 10, let alone 5, pick he better be the go to guy for almost every situation.

Just don't see that with Reinbacher personally.

A lot of scouts do - they think if he improves his handling ability, everything else is there. Is he a 70 pt guy? No, but that's not the only way to evaluate a 1st pairing defender.

And I completely respect your analysis and read on the player. I'm just trying to bring in the perspective of what is being heard around the combine, the scouting community gathered at the event, and what is being communicated through the media.

Reinbacher has a lot of helium right now and will be going top 6 on draft day. He's not considered a reach at all by NHL teams in that vicinity. So far that the Habs will receive a ton of interest and calls for number 5 to jump Arizona to get Reinbacher.

 

[Doublechin]

A lot of scouts do - they think if he improves his handling ability, everything else is there. Is he a 70 pt guy? No, but that's not the only way to evaluate a 1st pairing defender.

And I completely respect your analysis and read on the player. I'm just trying to bring in the perspective of what is being heard around the combine, the scouting community gathered at the event, and what is being communicated through the media.

Reinbacher has a lot of helium right now and will be going top 6 on draft day. He's not considered a reach at all by NHL teams in that vicinity. So far that the Habs will receive a ton of interest and calls for number 5 to jump Arizona to get Reinbacher.

Ouf

Imagine they offer us 6 and 12 for 5++

What's a realistic return?

 

[Noble]

A lot of scouts do - they think if he improves his handling ability, everything else is there. Is he a 70 pt guy? No, but that's not the only way to evaluate a 1st pairing defender.

And I completely respect your analysis and read on the player. I'm just trying to bring in the perspective of what is being heard around the combine, the scouting community gathered at the event, and what is being communicated through the media.

Reinbacher has a lot of helium right now and will be going top 6 on draft day. He's not considered a reach at all by NHL teams in that vicinity. So far that the Habs will receive a ton of interest and calls for number 5 to jump Arizona to get Reinbacher.

As long as he's a top pairing, minute eating, reliable defenseman who can QB a powerplay, I'd be happy. I don't expect 70 pts from him, or even 60 for that matter, but with a top 5 pick he needs to be the guy on the back end that we can count on in all situations imo.

Not ruling that out of his future at all, I'd love to be wrong because that would be a hell of a player and a massive building block for us for sure. I just feel a little more confident in Leonard's potential impact in the NHL. I'd have to see more from Reinbacher to sway my opinion on him in all honesty.

 

[Goldenhands]

A lot of scouts do - they think if he improves his handling ability, everything else is there. Is he a 70 pt guy? No, but that's not the only way to evaluate a 1st pairing defender.

And I completely respect your analysis and read on the player. I'm just trying to bring in the perspective of what is being heard around the combine, the scouting community gathered at the event, and what is being communicated through the media.

Reinbacher has a lot of helium right now and will be going top 6 on draft day. He's not considered a reach at all by NHL teams in that vicinity. So far that the Habs will receive a ton of interest and calls for number 5 to jump Arizona to get Reinbacher.

No doubt Arizona jumps on Reinbacher if still there, thats why I was so nervous they pass us in the standing, almost had a stroke when Drouin came close to tie it in the last seconds of our last game. Now we are in the driver seat, we will see who is the pick on draft day, but its going to be a really solid player.

 

[Mister Hab]

HDB (Hockey Data Base) has Ryan Leonard at 6'0, 190lbs (edit: 192lbs! I swear 5min ago it was 190lbs! it must be updated by the pound/minute!! lol!), and...Will Smith is at 6'0, 181lbs.

NHL Mock Draft has Ryan Leonard at 6'0, 190lbs, and...Will Smith at 6'0, 172lbs (maybe the HDB site is more updated?! Smith is at 181lbs on HDB!!).

Will Smith: center
Ryan Leonard: winger/center (more of a winger?).

Centers have a lot of value (Smith, Dvorsky...6'1, 190lbs, etc).

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

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4th round pick?

 

[Goldenhands]

On an informal basis, the odds on Mise-O-Jeu have changed since the Habs press conference, Michkov was the favorite before, now Will Smith leads the race at 2.75, followed by Reinbacher at 3.75, then Leonard 5.00, Michkov 5.5, Dvorsky 7.00.

 

[Mister Hab]

Interesting...I wonder what the MISE-O-JEU odds will be on June 28!!


Right now:
Smith (natural center)
Reinbacher (top 2 or 4 dman?)
Leonard (winger or center?)
Michkov (winger)
Dvorsky (natural center)

 

[McGees]

Habs: What type of animal are you?
Leonard: Beast

lol

Pronman also has a lot of good things to say about Reinbacher for those that think he is merely a 'safe pick'.