HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[Expos94]

I get it that he is not your pick. No need to throw Leonard under the bus. Like for Slafkovsky, let's give 2-3 years before making a judgment.

Everyone will love Leonard come playoff time

 

[waitin425]

Seeing posters on here saying Michkov only wants to go to Washington to play with Ovy. It's there any source to this? Or just trying to convince themselves they will get him.

In three years when he comes over, at the start of the 2026 season Ovi will be 41. Unless there are other reasons to love Washington, this makes zero sense. Come to NA and play one or two seasons max with your idol. Possibly none.

 

[yianik]

7th, between Benson and Wood.

Top 4
Reinbacher
Benson
Cooley
Wood
Smith
Leonard

Ill hear anyone that wants to discuss Cooley vs any of Wood, Smith, Leonard and even a few more after. He has no case in the top 6 IMO.

Ok, thanks for that

At the time of the draft I'd probably have it

Bedard
Michkov
Carlsson
Fantilli
Smith
Nemec
Leonard
Cooley

Wow, last years guys not doing well

 

[Gustave]

Arpon did a live Q&A for Athletic Subscribers. Wasn't there for the entire thing, but caught the end of it where he was saying that the Habs don't really believe in having a lot of small players in their top 6 and that already having Caufield makes it difficult to draft players like Michkov and Benson.

I understand it but still disagree with the overall process. I understand if you have two equally rated players and you take the guy with size instead, but I just don't get drafting a less-talented bigger guy instead of a higher-skilled player.

In general I agree with the Habs vision of how the game should be played, but they do seem to put a lot of emphasis on size, which I'm wondering would come to bite us back eventually.

That's very interesting and thank you for sharing.

On that point, I'd like to make a point. Vegas, per exemple, love big ass teams. They go for size and talent. Think Stone, MaxPac, Eichel, etc. That's just the add-ons of course. JAM is the small player on that team, like say a Caufield. So the comparison seems justified.

But it does come with a caveat in that it shrinks their possibilities. We are all aware that big talented players are seldom available. Thing is with Vegas is that they will pay the price for it. They don't balk when they see that rare big guy. Here at HabsHF, we would die inside to see all our prospects and picks traded for those guys. It's the price to pay. So if HuGo's strategy is similar, they better start paying the price to get those types. It's how you acheive it.

 

[waitin425]

I see some debate going on about size of players, etc. I don't think drafting Michkov is going to hurt, just because we have Caufield.

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - PLD (6'3) - Michkov (6'0)

Elite prospects currently has him as 5'10 while wikipedia says 6'0. Even if he is 5'10, I think the size of the rest of the guys in the top 10 balances our two snipers on those lines.

Add in our future big D men Guhle (6'2), Barron (6'2), Mailloux (6'3), Xhekaj (6'4)

This team is not going to be "small" and not going to be pushed around. We have plenty of size to shelter a few smaller skilled ones.

 

[Doublechin]

I see some debate going on about size of players, etc. I don't think drafting Michkov is going to hurt, just because we have Caufield.

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - PLD (6'3) - Michkov (6'0)

Elite prospects currently has him as 5'10 while wikipedia says 6'0. Even if he is 5'10, I think the size of the rest of the guys in the top 10 balances our two snipers on those lines.

Add in our future big D men Guhle (6'2), Barron (6'2), Mailloux (6'3), Xhekaj (6'4)

This team is not going to be "small" and not going to be pushed around. We have plenty of size to shelter a few smaller skilled ones.

How did we get PLD lol

Also Michkov is more 5'10

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

The team seemed to be more for size, but odd that they really only drafted 3 players of size and 1 is a goalie.

1st draft. This one there are players of size and skill that will be there all throughout the draft, so if it's that much of a concern, draft Michkov and go.

It's not like Smith is a sizeable player, or plays above his size.

 

[Andrei79]

I see some debate going on about size of players, etc. I don't think drafting Michkov is going to hurt, just because we have Caufield.

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - PLD (6'3) - Michkov (6'0)

Elite prospects currently has him as 5'10 while wikipedia says 6'0. Even if he is 5'10, I think the size of the rest of the guys in the top 10 balances our two snipers on those lines.

Add in our future big D men Guhle (6'2), Barron (6'2), Mailloux (6'3), Xhekaj (6'4)

This team is not going to be "small" and not going to be pushed around. We have plenty of size to shelter a few smaller skilled ones.

Mickov is definitely not 6'.

And I can also definitely tell you Dubois isn't a Canadiens player.

 

[yianik]

If he starts shit*** publicly on undrafted players as an hired NHL scout, his career as an NHL scout will be very short. Imagine if it was true, and that information helped another team skip Michkov and draft the player Washington really wants at #5-7?

IMO this is all lies, smokescreen and posturing. Everybody lies at this time of the year.

People who think NHL employees will publicly give true, useful informations to media before the draft are really fun.

And this is why Bobby Mac is unique. Under ultra secrecy, he gets the real deal lists of 10 scouts and blends them together to come up with a list. Outside of him, yeah, a scout that talks about prospects in public is gone as it prejudices his team, and so that doesn't happen

 

[waitin425]

How did we get PLD lol

Also Michkov is more 5'10

Mickov is definitely not 6'.

And I can also definitely tell you Dubois isn't a Canadiens player.

Okay, okay, I know....PLD is not a Habs and yes...Michkov is more 5'10.

Let's then assume that we don't get PLD and Beck is forecasted as our 2C by the time Michkov comes over.

At 5'11 and 191 lbs he has similar build to Slick Nick.

Our top 6 would look like....

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - Beck (5'11) - Michkov (5'10)

Not a HUGE top 6, but as long as Slaf and Dach play with some grit and become your bangers in the corners, this is acceptable as far as I'm concerned.

My main point.....Michkov is NOT a DND because of his size.

 

[Michoulicious]

Okay, okay, I know....PLD is not a Habs and yes...Michkov is more 5'10.

Let's then assume that we don't get PLD and Beck is forecasted as our 2C by the time Michkov comes over.

At 5'11 and 191 lbs he has similar build to Slick Nick.

Our top 6 would look like....

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - Beck (5'11) - Michkov (5'10)

Not a HUGE top 6, but as long as Slaf and Dach play with some grit and become your bangers in the corners, this is acceptable as far as I'm concerned.

My main point.....Michkov is NOT a DND because of his size.

Of course he's not.

He's probably after Bedard the most talented player at a draft since McDavid.

 

[Andrei79]

Okay, okay, I know....PLD is not a Habs and yes...Michkov is more 5'10.

Let's then assume that we don't get PLD and Beck is forecasted as our 2C by the time Michkov comes over.

At 5'11 and 191 lbs he has similar build to Slick Nick.

Our top 6 would look like....

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - Beck (5'11) - Michkov (5'10)

Not a HUGE top 6, but as long as Slaf and Dach play with some grit and become your bangers in the corners, this is acceptable as far as I'm concerned.

My main point.....Michkov is NOT a DND because of his size.

I agree, Michkovs size shouldn't be the deterrent.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Yeah michkov could even go 2-3 if this wasent happening with Russia

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I see some debate going on about size of players, etc. I don't think drafting Michkov is going to hurt, just because we have Caufield.

Dach (6'4) - Suzuki (5'11) - Caufield (5'7)
Slaf (6'3) - PLD (6'3) - Michkov (6'0)

Elite prospects currently has him as 5'10 while wikipedia says 6'0. Even if he is 5'10, I think the size of the rest of the guys in the top 10 balances our two snipers on those lines.

Add in our future big D men Guhle (6'2), Barron (6'2), Mailloux (6'3), Xhekaj (6'4)

This team is not going to be "small" and not going to be pushed around. We have plenty of size to shelter a few smaller skilled ones.

I think you can have one small guy on each of the top two lines. As you said, the size of the other guys would balance it out. In an ideal world we get PLD and Michkov. We’d then have a future top 6 of:

PLD-Suzuki-Caufield
Slafkovsky-Dach-Michkov

 

[CoopersFalls]

Won’t be surprised if MTL takes Ethan Gauthier at 31 or 37. He seems to think so too according to Twitter.

 

[Playmaker09]

 

[HuGort]

McCagg has Dvorsky third overall.

McCagg was on 690 yesterday. Dvorsky he had 3rd overall. Called him a cross between ROR and Bergeron. He said he wouldn't select Michkov. Heard rumours he was bad teammate. Too Much risk.

McCagg had a lot to say actually. He said Smith and Carlsson both have short comings. Smith is like Wright last year. Carlsson is bad defensively, can't win a faceoff. Said in WJC Sweden took him off center and played him on wing.

He said Habs should take Leonard. Has it all. Never mentioned Benson. Rainbacker and Wallinder he has as close. Wallinder came in late in season. The 6'7 goalie will go first.

Not sure if I forgot anybody else he mentioned.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Imagine thinking this is just some no skilled plug, lmfao.

 

[Gainesvillain]

Leonard has more pure skill than he gets credit for, and makes smart plays at top speed.

If Hughes thinks he's the guy at 5, I'm not going to argue.

 

[BergevinBurner]

McCagg was on 690 yesterday. Dvorsky he had 3rd overall. Called him a cross between ROR and Bergeron. He said he wouldn't select Michkov. Heard rumours he was bad teammate. Too Much risk.

McCagg had a lot to say actually. He said Smith and Carlsson both have short comings. Smith is like Wright last year. Carlsson is bad defensively, can't win a faceoff. Said in WJC Sweden took him off center and played him on wing.

He said Habs should take Leonard. Has it all. Never mentioned Benson. Rainbacker and Wallinder he has as close. Wallinder came in late in season. The 6'7 goalie will go first.

Not sure if I forgot anybody else he mentioned.

Interesting that he has Dvorsky 3rd but still thinks we should take Leonard. Is he assuming Dvorsky is gone at 5th, or that Leonard is just a better fit for Montreal?

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Ok, thanks for that


Wow, last years guys not doing well

Cooley would likely climb now, as would Jiricek (above Wright), but I'm going off how I felt at draft time

 

[Skip Bayless]

Imagine thinking this is just some no skilled plug, lmfao.

It’s the Brady Tkachuk phobia again

 

[le_sean]

I mean he’s just so good and underrated around these parts. Imagine getting him and PLD during the draft. Who would want to face this top-6 in a 7 game series?

PLD-Suzuki-Cole
Slaf-Dach-Leonard

 

[bcv]

Imagine thinking this is just some no skilled plug, lmfao.

Not that long ago, I said that I liked him but picking him at 5 would be a mistake.

I got some heat for that comment, so I decided to look more into him to see if I was wrong or they were.

I had a small sample size when I made that comment and I kinda assumed his inflated scoring totals were because of Smith.

If he's the pick, I'd be happy with it. Michkov's still my pick, but I have no skin in the game. It's not my job or my money that's on the line and I would definitely understand if the Habs decided to pass on him.

It’s the Brady Tkachuk phobia again

I still think Brady is overrated though and that Leonard is the better prospect and probably the better NHLer.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I mean he’s just so good and underrated around these parts. Imagine getting him and PLD during the draft. Who would want to face this top-6 in a 7 game series?

PLD-Suzuki-Cole
Slaf-Dach-Leonard

Looks pretty good, need to get PLD as well though.