HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[Simarino]

Obviously but they are attainable outside the 1st in almost every draft. Case in point Lane Hutson last year.
This year there is an abundance of small very skilled forward more than I can recall. Most of them will fail but if you hit on one it's quite possible he will become a superstar. For instance, one of my favourite prospect in the whole draft is Bradly Nadeau, I see tremendous upside more than many in the top 10 but he is small and possibly droping to the late 1st round which is incredible value for him and ludicrous because he has star potential. I would rather target him than getting a Zach Benson (who I also like a lot) but that is more likely not falling further than 10. The key is finding the proper balance to build a true contender. I feel Leonard is a rare specimen and he would be a game changer and a key player for many years and the type of player you need to have a contender and in a very competitive team. I think people do not like him because he is effective and not flashy. Everytime I have watched him play I always felt he was the best player at the USNTDP, I also see star potential and possibly a future captain. My comparable is a better goalscorer Landeskog.

Landeskog avg 34 goals per 82 games the last 5 years, if Leonard becomes a betterscorer Landeskog, you run to the stage to draft him at 5.

 

[AHShadow]

Marchessault, Kucherov, Kaprizov, Gaudreau, Point.

They also have all one thing in common that is not often talked about. They were not top 5 pick, nevermind 1st round pick and in some case went undrafted.

If we are talking about a 2nd round pick or late 1st. Give me all the talented midget you want.

Wouldn't you want to draft all of them with your 1st round pick? I can better understand if they're projected to go low, so you can draft someone higher and hope they fall to your pick, but if you believe that they'll be a 1st line center, just grab him because you think they're the best player available.

In your other post, you want to grab Leonard because he could be a Landeskog-esque player. Would you not want to have any of Kucherov, Kaprizov, Gaudreau and Point over Landeskog? I would 100%.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Imagine if Michkov falls...so much that the blackhawks pick him at #19...

 

[SwiftyHab]

 

[The Great Weal]

Imagine if Michkov falls...so much that the blackhawks pick him at #19...

If he falls out of the top 10, I can absolutely see them being super aggressive. They got 4 seconds and a ton of cap space to take on bad contracts.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Imagine if Michkov falls...so much that the blackhawks pick him at #19...

If he falls out of the top 10, I can absolutely see them being super aggressive. They got 4 seconds and a ton of cap space to take on bad contracts.

If Michkov falls out of the top 10 I'll eat my hat.

 

[Skip Bayless]

IB is probably the best twitter insider, but he just went full Elliotte Friedman right there.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Get insight.

Totally connected.

No one would have deduced that

 

[Team_Spirit]

Messi won't even fall to the Capitals keep dreaming about 18th

Skip is playing games today trying to get us all excited.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Wouldn't you want to draft all of them with your 1st round pick? I can better understand if they're projected to go low, so you can draft someone higher and hope they fall to your pick, but if you believe that they'll be a 1st line center, just grab him because you think they're the best player available.

In your other post, you want to grab Leonard because he could be a Landeskog-esque player. Would you not want to have any of Kucherov, Kaprizov, Gaudreau and Point over Landeskog? I would 100%.

Great but you make it seems like it is guaranteed that you will get a Kaprizov, Gaudreau and Point. They could also end up as Nic Petan or best case scenario like Cole Perfetti/Marco Rossi.

People assume all the smol players will end up as superstar. This is not a video game, you don't have a predetermined potential for each player.

As the Habs scouting have said, it is better to get size (when they discussed the Slafkovsky selection) early then we can go with smaller player later without being forced to select for size which lead the habs to select eventually Hutson.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Messi won't even fall to the Capitals keep dreaming about 18th

Skip is playing games today trying to get us all excited.

Damn, Messi is tiny.

 

[AHShadow]

Great but you make it seems like it is guaranteed that you will get a Kaprizov, Gaudreau and Point. They could also end up as Nic Petan or best case scenario like Cole Perfetti/Marco Rossi.

People assume all the smol players will end up as superstar. This is not a video game, you don't have a predetermined potential for each player.

As the Habs scouting have said, it is better to get size (when they discussed the Slafkovsky selection) early then we can go with smaller player later without being forced to select for size.

Can't you say the same thing about any player? If you would guarantee me a better shooting Landeskog at 5 then yeah I'd be 100% down in drafting Leonard.

I mean heck who would've thought that all of Byfield, Lafreniere and Kaako are all struggling right now.

I agree that at 5, you do want to have a certain floor, but you never want your philosophy to draft for size cause "at least they're big bodies". You'll never go far like that. We haven't had a game breaker since Kovalev and this is the draft to get one.

If you truly think Leonard can be that game-breaker (cause I know some scouting sites have him above Smith), then sure. But don't draft Leonard because "at worst he's a good plug on the topi 6."

Rewatched what Chris Boucher said about drafting Slaf and he just said that if we pick him now and this avoids us "later" (which I interpret as in the future) then that's a win for him. Don't think he means just later in the draft but that picking Slaf overall means that now they can actually draft BPA no matter their size.

 

[McGees]

So they may take one of the 5 guys ranked near 5.
Great insight from that insiderrrr

 

[Mrb1p]

Imagine if Michkov falls...so much that the blackhawks pick him at #19...

Lmao Bedard on one line and Michkov on the other. The most dangerous PP unit in history.

 

[Andrei79]

Discussing Leonard, while I'm a big fan, I don't like the Tkachuk comparisons at this moment. Both Tkachuks understand how to break systems, they have very high offensive awareness. Matthew moreso than Brady, but in part because he's more skilled and Brady knows his limits and works within them. Leonard has the skating they don't have, but doesn't have the size either. Other players are better comparisons imo. It's why I'd have Smith ahead and probably Dvorsky too, but I'm 50-50 on that one still.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Messi won't even fall to the Capitals keep dreaming about 18th

Skip is playing games today trying to get us all excited.

When you think you're big, but not that big

Andre could've craddled Messi like a baby in his arms.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Discussing Leonard, while I'm a big fan, I don't like the Tkachuk comparisons at this moment. Both Tkachuks understand how to break systems, they have very high offensive awareness. Matthew moreso than Brady, but in part because he's more skilled and Brady knows his limits and works within them. Leonard has the skating they don't have, but doesn't have the size either. Other players are better comparisons imo. It's why I'd have Smith ahead and probably Dvorsky too, but I'm 50-50 on that one still.

Yup, just like Seider to Reinbacher, the Tkachuk to Leonard comp is a bad one.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Landeskog avg 34 goals per 82 games the last 5 years, if Leonard becomes a betterscorer Landeskog, you run to the stage to draft him at 5.

By better goalscorer I should have mentioned he has a better shot/release than Landeskog and yes 30 goals+ should be attainable quite surely maybe a couple 40 goals+ seasons. His shot is truly underappreciated, it's fast, it's heavy, it's accurate and he can score in so many ways. Tipping, crash the net, beat GK clean, one timer, deke. He has it all.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Can't you say the same thing about any player? If you would guarantee me a better shooting Landeskog at 5 then yeah I'd be 100% down in drafting Leonard.

I mean heck who would've thought that all of Byfield, Lafreniere and Kaako are all struggling right now.

I agree that at 5, you do want to have a certain floor, but you never want your philosophy to draft for size cause "at least they're big bodies". You'll never go far like that. We haven't had a game breaker since Kovalev and this is the draft to get one.

If you truly think Leonard can be that game-breaker (cause I know some scouting sites have him above Smith), then sure. But don't draft Leonard because "at worst he's a good plug on the topi 6."

Rewatched what Chris Boucher said about drafting Slaf and he just said that if we pick him now and this avoids us "later" (which I interpret as in the future) then that's a win for him. Don't think he means just later in the draft but that picking Slaf overall means that now they can actually draft BPA no matter their size.

Do I believe Leonard can become a game changer? 100%, zero doubt in my mind.

Byfield I had him very low (he was having great stats based mostly off the rush which is very hard to do at the NHL level) otherwise he is/was soft and could not create inside the box or make power move to open space , Lafrenière I am surprised by his struggle to be honest, I still think he has some potential but he is the case of a player that cannot adapt his game to the NHL pace. Kakko is starting to look very good.

Don't get me wrong Caufield is my favourite player now and I have nothing against small player. I just find that they are more attainable via trade and/or free agency than power forward type.

 

[Skip Bayless]

If he falls out of the top 10, I can absolutely see them being super aggressive. They got 4 seconds and a ton of cap space to take on bad contracts.

I would actually stand up and clap in my living room if that were to happen. Teach a lesson to these NHL jabronis.

 

[SlafySZN]

Obviously but they are attainable outside the 1st in almost every draft. Case in point Lane Hutson last year.
This year there is an abundance of small very skilled forward more than I can recall. Most of them will fail but if you hit on one it's quite possible he will become a superstar. For instance, one of my favourite prospect in the whole draft is Bradly Nadeau, I see tremendous upside more than many in the top 10 but he is small and possibly droping to the late 1st round which is incredible value for him and ludicrous because he has star potential. I would rather target him than getting a Zach Benson (who I also like a lot) but that is more likely not falling further than 10. The key is finding the proper balance to build a true contender. I feel Leonard is a rare specimen and he would be a game changer and a key player for many years and the type of player you need to have a contender and in a very competitive team. I think people do not like him because he is effective and not flashy. Everytime I have watched him play I always felt he was the best player at the USNTDP, I also see star potential and possibly a future captain. My comparable is a better goalscorer Landeskog.

He has the skills to be flashy too, that’s the thing. Not overly creative but he’s not some grinder who dump the puck either.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

He has the skills to be flashy too, that’s the thing. Not overly creative but he’s not some grinder who dump the puck either.

I know but when people hear: high character, safe and high compete they believe he has no skills for some reasons.

 

[SlafySZN]

I know but when people hear: high character, safe and high compete they believe he has no skills for some reasons.

I’ll be very mad if the habs can’t get Smith at 5 and they pass on Leonard for another player. Gonna hurt lol. But i think he fits very well what they’re looking for.

 

[jaffy27]

When you think you're big, but not that big

Andre could've craddled Messi like a baby in his arms.

Conan the Destroyer with Wilt Chamberlain who’s enormous….but what’s Andre doing there?

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Discussing Leonard, while I'm a big fan, I don't like the Tkachuk comparisons at this moment. Both Tkachuks understand how to break systems, they have very high offensive awareness. Matthew moreso than Brady, but in part because he's more skilled and Brady knows his limits and works within them. Leonard has the skating they don't have, but doesn't have the size either. Other players are better comparisons imo. It's why I'd have Smith ahead and probably Dvorsky too, but I'm 50-50 on that one still.

Tell that to Kent Hughes. He made that comparison.