HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[Twisted Sinister]

2027 is the year Gorton and Hughes are fired.


He is a pitbull on the ice. He plays quick. He is far from soft.

Anyone describing Michkov as soft is out of their goddamn mind (or just look at his height and assume). He constantly flies into corners to battle for the puck and often wins.

If he has one knock against him, I'd say that he sometimes has a nap on the defensive side of things, but calling him soft is insane.

To be honest, if we manage to grab Michkov and fricking But with our picks this year because other teams fear the Russian factor, that would be amazing. I think But is better than Slaf to be honest.

 

[Jaynki]

Anyone describing Michkov as soft is out of their goddamn mind (or just look at his height and assume). He constantly flies into corners to battle for the puck and often wins.

If he has one knock against him, I'd say that he sometimes has a nap on the defensive side of things, but calling him soft is insane.

To be honest, if we manage to grab Michkov and fricking But with our picks this year because other teams fear the Russian factor, that would be amazing. I think But is better than Slaf to be honest.

Bedard too is soft on defense. Who cares ?

These guys are the top offensive talent of people their age.

 

[River Meadow]

Okay so if we take Michkov at 5... who do we take at 17?

err I mean.. 32?


*wipes tears*

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Is it just SJS posters with a gut feel or does anyone have some actual sources/speculation from plugged in people leading their fans to thinking Michkov is their guy?

Cause if someone came to our board they'd get the impression we were taking Dvorsky no matter what and that's baseless speculation, not that it isn't within the realm of possibility.

I think they take Michkov too. Everything fits timing wise for them.

I think Smith is there at #5.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Okay so if we take Michkov at 5... who do we take at 17?

err I mean.. 32?


*wipes tears*

Sale falls all the way to 29, just like Kulich did last year because he sofffff.

 

[River Meadow]

Sale falls all the way to 29, just like Kulich did last year because he sofffff.

How great would it be if whoever gets picked at 17 turns out to suck and we get a steal at (29-32)?

LFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[JoelWarlord]

I really do think the Sharks are gonna just take him. The news that Michkov plans to attend the draft is pretty significant, and it just makes so much sense for the Sharks given their pool is so thin they really don't even have any specific positional needs. Hopefully if that's the case the Smith to Columbus talk turns out to be true as well. Getting out of this year with Carlsson after dropping to 5th would be an absolute home run.

 

[Jaynki]

I really do think the Sharks are gonna just take him. The news that Michkov plans to attend the draft is pretty significant, and it just makes so much sense for the Sharks given their pool is so thin they really don't even have any specific positional needs. Hopefully if that's the case the Smith to Columbus talk turns out to be true as well. Getting out of this year with Carlsson after dropping to 5th would be an absolute home run.

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

 

[SlafySZN]

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

Did their GM said something about it?

 

[JoelWarlord]

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

Would be interesting and honestly makes a lot of sense. I'm not a huge Zegras fan and think he's better as a winger but I could see them looking at Zegras and McTavish and deciding they'd rather swing big on Michkov, especially with Gaucher on the way who gives them a high floor option as a potential future 3C. It also makes sense to just pick Fantilli and put Zegras on the wing but the Ducks definitely have a case for taking Michkov.

My apprehension there on Anaheim would be the timing though, I'm not sure they really want to wait 3 years when they're trying to improve around Zegras/McTavish/Drysdale/Terry/Dostal plus already having guys like Zellweger and Minktyukov on the way.

Anyone describing Michkov as soft is out of their goddamn mind (or just look at his height and assume). He constantly flies into corners to battle for the puck and often wins.

If he has one knock against him, I'd say that he sometimes has a nap on the defensive side of things, but calling him soft is insane.

Yeah people calling Michkov soft are out to lunch. There's some defensive shortcomings but not anything that should be even remotely concerning with how talented he is and how much jam/motor/work ethic he shows. It will be trivially easy for Michkov to reach an acceptable baseline of defensive play as an NHLer.

 

[AHShadow]

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

I think that would be worst case scenario for us, since I don't think Columbus passes on Fantilli and then SJ probably takes Carlsson over Smith.

We still get Smith which is still good, but the ideal is:
Ana - Fantilli
Columbus - Smith
SJ - Michkov
Habs - Carlsson

 

[River Meadow]

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

They can take Michkov.. Smith with his skill seems to be a can't miss prospect as well.

Smith to Caufield will be nice to see.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

There's a very real possibility that we come out with Michkov/Carlsson, Willander, and But which would be incredible

 

[SlafySZN]

Will Smith, please.

 

[Kent Nilsson]

Y’all setting yourselves up for disappointment if you think there’s a snowball chance in hell we’re getting Carlsson.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Agree. I even think Anaheim may take everyone with their pants down and select him 2.

There's no way. lol

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

If leafs end up blowing up the core because of this most recent playoff elimination, I not gonna say it was worth the devaluing of Florida's pick, but it was a sacrifice that had to be made

 

[River Meadow]

If leafs end up blowing up the core because of this most recent playoff elimination, I not gonna say it was worth the devaluing of Florida's pick, but it was a sacrifice that had to be made

Why tho?

It helps the Leafs.

Their core is a bunch of tw!nks and we knew that.

How is this good?


Anyway,

Would you guys be okay with Leonard at #5 if Smith is off the board?

He could be like a Mattchew Kachook for us.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Why tho?

It helps the Leafs.

Their core is a bunch of tw!nks and we knew that.

How is this good?

Would you guys be okay with Leonard at #5 if Smith is off the board?

He could be like a Mattchew Kachook for us.

For the memes, why else

Also you forget it's Toronto and they'll just mess up their next rebuild again

 

[River Meadow]

For the memes, why else

Also you forget it's Toronto and they'll just mess up their next rebuild again

I suppose, but tbh Leaf fans are so despondent right now it's not even fun to make fun of em, IMO at least.

 

[McGees]

2027 is the year Gorton and Hughes are fired.


He is a pitbull on the ice. He plays quick. He is far from soft.

or the year Michkov resigns in the KHL locking him in for another 8 years

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

I suppose, but tbh Leaf fans are so despondent right now it's not even fun to make fun of em, IMO at least.

That's the positive of blowing up the core. To renew their hope that one day they'll actually have a team that will go all the way only to see them fail again. Absolutely glorious

 

[habsfan891]

With pick 17 officially gone my prayers are now one of Michkov Carlsson Smith at 5 and Wallinder or Hrabal at 29

 

[Genghis Keon]

Both Michkov and Benson are 5'10, Leonard is 5'11.

Thats a whole two centimeters if difference between a size pick and a problematic midget team.

I love this board.

We'll obviously have to wait until the combine for at least Leonard and Benson and who knows what they'll all be listed at as 22 year olds in the NHL, but Central Scouting lists them as:

Leonard 6'0 192
Benson 5'9 163
Michkov 5'10 172

And while they all compete hard, you see Leonard running over guys and guys bouncing off of him. He's got the reputation of being a strong, powerful guy. He wouldn't be a size pick because he'll presumably always be around 6', but Marty Lapointe (5'11), Rod Brind'Amour (6'1), Jarome Iginla (6'1) and scores more were power guys who weren't super huge. Leonard has or could have that dimension to his game. For all their compete, Benson and Michkov just don't have that in their games.

I think you could put Leonard with a couple shrimps and have a well rounded line. I don't think you could necessarily say the same for Benson and Michkov.

That said, they all compete hard and I think they would all show up in the playoffs and be fan favourites. I'd definitely take Michkov first in the group without even thinking about it. Right now, I'd pick Leonard over Benson. I just think he has strong offensive tools and skills; no discernible weakness to hold him back; and the compete, willingness to go to the middle, and intangibles to maximize his potential and be better than the sum of his parts. For all his skill and will, I can imagine a scenario where Benson's size and lack of elite breakaway speed limit him.

 

[Mrb1p]

Love Leonard but anyone that had him over Benson is just a bandwagon fan thats watched a few u18s games.