HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[Jack Skellington]

I like Leonard a lot and have a hard time choosing between him and Smith at the number 5 spot, but it's just funny to me how many of the passing plays he starts off only to see Perreault pull some pass that drops your jaw to the floor.

He's got his warts but man if he starts falling I'm calling teams right away.

He's a brilliant player. Some of the most creative shit I've seen from a prospect.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

He's a brilliant player. Some of the most creative shit I've seen from a prospect.

And it's quick too, he doesn't hold onto the puck forever looking for it, he snaps his head up and it's already on the guy's stick.

I don't find it weird at all that he led that line in scoring, he's the smartest of the bunch. I have him mocked at 19 to Chicago and if that happens, they need to find a power RWer immediately because him and Bedard will terrorize the league

 

[Deebs]

Marek is saying a source of his told him the Ducks are taking Michkov

What was this on....32 thoughts?

 

[SlafySZN]

What was this on....32 thoughts?

Yes. But the source didn’t say they will take Michkov, just said it could be possible

 

[Ozmodiar]

Yes. But the source didn’t say they will take Michkov, just said it could be possible

In other words, the source is calling Bedard to the Blackhawks?

That’s quite the source.

 

[BergevinBurner]

If Anaheim is seriously considering Michkov then you'd have to think they'd be open to a trade with Montreal. There's a good chance they could still get their guy at 5th plus god only knows what assets we'd have to include in the trade.

 

[Kaladin]

If Anaheim takes Michkov they are smarter than I gave that mgmt team credit for. Every team after Bedard should be trying to draft Michkov realistically. A lot of this noise may end up being misdirection by some very smart GM's hoping the second best player in the draft falls to them.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Got a question for the guys who've been looking at this draft a long time.

Who is the best player that you believe with be available at 5 OV has the highest chance of being a Center in the NHL?

2nd question is who do you think the BPA is at that spot.

Dvorsky. But if he doesn't improve his speed then he could be moved to wing too like Vilardi. Smith said he wants to be a center in NHL, but popular opinion seems to be he'll be a winger too; however if he gets drafted by Columbus or SJS, it's to be a center. He's not likely there at #5.

Moore & Danielson will for sure be centers at NHL level. Neither should be picked #5.

BPA is probably Michkov, but I'm on board with Leonard.

 

[tooji]

I think Kane would be the ultimate upside but then we have Kane's play-off heroics, what if he is regular season Kane with the Marner play-off track record?

Michkov is the only player available at our draft position with a realistic chance of hitting Kane’s potential. And if Marner is available at 5 I would f***ing take him too.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

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.


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

Yeah, Brady is still shit defensively worst is a lot of it is effort based. Works hard in offensive zone, but wanders his way into defensive zone too often. Coach needed to nip that in the bud quickly and never did.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I think Pietrangelo is a good comparable




Also (unrelated just a fun read):

From todays Athletic mock by Pronn-man

5. Montreal Canadiens: David Reinbacher, D, Kloten (SWISS)

If the Sharks go in a different direction at four I think this will be Smith. If not, it gets interesting. The Reinbacher and Ryan Leonard noise has been amplified in the last few weeks and people in the league are convinced it will be one or the other if Montreal doesn’t go down the Michkov route. I wouldn’t be so confident about what they will do. They held their cards pretty well last season at No. 1 overall even if by the closing few days it became obvious. I don’t think anyone in the league actually knows who they’re picking, but based on all the information I’ve gleaned of late, my bet is Reinbacher if I had to pick a name.

I mean it's a guess. I don't think he has any sources with Montreal.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

View attachment 719669

He doesn't come across as very confident of his prediction.

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.

There are other reasons, but maybe not to a teenage hockey player. Washington, as a city, rocks. Amazing things to see (personal favorite: Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center), excellent restaurant scene.

 

[Jack Skellington]

Things could be very funny this draft.

The only certainty is Bedard.

Ducks IMO will select Fantilli or take the swing for Michkov.

Columbus, left with choice of the three centre's could take Smith.

San Jose left with Carlsson or Fantilli could actually go bonkers and grab Reinbacher considering they are likely to trade EK.

Would be nuts if we are left to choose between Fantilli and Carlsson.

Anything can happen. And although we seem to have a consensus top 5, we hardly ever get it right!

It sounds like NHL guys are getting ridiculously wet about Fantilli. I just can't see him past 3.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

...so...if Bedard goes 1st, Michkov goes 2nd, and Columbus luvs Smith, we would either end up with Fantilli or Carlsson...I'd buy that for a dollar!!...

View attachment 719819

Wasn't that from Robocop?

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Wasn't that from Robocop?

 

[le_sean]

Watched the podcast earlier. I thought a source of his said Ducks could take Michkov not that they are taking Michkov

That would be a dumb move. Fantilli is like the perfect centre to compliment Zegras on the other top 6 line. It makes too much sense to take him from a Ducks perspective.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Posession is important but faceoffs are just one of hundreds of possession changing events in a given hockey game. They're given outsized influence because they're a discrete event that has always been recorded and categorized so it's an easy thing to look at. bBig faceoff wins/losses stick out in our mind, but winning a faceoff is not inherently more valuable than winning any given battle on the boards or creating a turnover in any other way.

WPA would disagree, late situation faceoffs are massive in terms of wins and losses in close games. Dvorsky is great at board battles and creating turnovers as well. Combine that with his faceoff ability and puck possession skills, he projects as a possession monster.

 

[JoelWarlord]

WPA would disagree, late situation faceoffs are massive in terms of wins and losses in close games.

Late situation faceoffs can be very important, but only that only amounts to 2-3 faceoffs in a given game, and you can just...have a faceoff specialist for those big draws if you need one. It's a nice bonus for a center to be good at it and you need 1-2 players that can, but unless a player is historically terrible and goes 25% in the dot every single night it's just not a big deal. The difference between a horrid faceoff guy that's 40% in the circle and the best guys in the league rolling at 60% winrate is about 2-3 faceoffs a game. Those faceoffs are not all going to be critical late game situations, some are going to be random offside faceoffs that amount to a nothing dump-in.

The Dvorsky element you brought up with board battles and stuff is my entire point. Late 3rd period faceoffs are very important in a close game but so are late 3rd period board battles, races to loose pucks, turnovers, blocked shots, and so on. Faceoffs are just one of hundreds of puck battles and turnovers that happen in any game.

 

[SOLR]

That would be a dumb move. Fantilli is like the perfect centre to compliment Zegras on the other top 6 line. It makes too much sense to take him from a Ducks perspective.

Lol no he's not. If I'm Anaheim it's Michkov or Carlsson. Fantilli isn't exactly 2 way, Zegras needs a 2 way center. I wouldn't even be surprised if Anaheim wants to trade down because Dvorsky is their target.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I mean it's a guess. I don't think he has any sources with Montreal.

I think he goes on his BPA/ prospect pool need.

Habs need RHD, Reinbachwr might be BPA, so he has Montreal taking him. I think that's what I saw Pronman describe his mocks as.

Jokes on him, we need like all the players who are likely to go there.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

That would be a dumb move. Fantilli is like the perfect centre to compliment Zegras on the other top 6 line. It makes too much sense to take him from a Ducks perspective.

They do have mason McTavish. Centre isn't really a need for them anymore but true it can't hurt to have more. I'd say Anaheim should take whoever they think BPA is whether that he Fantilli, Carlsson, or Michkov

 

[Vachon23]

If Anaheim really want Michkov then a trade with MTL would make sense

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Yeah, Brady is still shit defensively worst is a lot of it is effort based. Works hard in offensive zone, but wanders his way into defensive zone too often. Coach needed to nip that in the bud quickly and never did.

I've never seen a player cherry pick as much as him. Based on advanced stats, he's literally one of the worst defensive players in the nhl

 

[Saxon]

If Anaheim really want Michkov then a trade with MTL would make sense

 

[Vachon23]

I will believe it when it will happen. I’m not listing to any of those rumours

But If it’s true offer

5th + Josh Anderson vs 2nd OA