2023 NHL Entry Draft Discussion

[Zombotron]

 

[NomadSports94]

Blessing in disguise? If he can't go, he can't show why we want him so bad lol

 

[pitseleh]

But did the couple of extra starts for Demko and an extra 3 minutes a game for Hughes and Pettersson really push them from 8 to 11? It's hard to see how that would be adding up to 4 points unless you're really counting on Delia crapping the bed, but ultimately he went 3-2 in the starts he did have.

I see those as relatively symbolic moves that were intended to send the team a signal for the next season. I think it was as a reasonable tactic to meet their short term goals, even if I think the overall strategy of trying to compete with this roster is going to fail long term.

Yeah, there is a reasonable question of how much worse they would have been if they used the post-deadline stretch as developmental/see what we’ve got period.

Not sure they would have needed to drop to 8 to make it worthwhile though. Even 9 would have bumped their odds of Bedard/Fantilli by 4%.

And while it was unreasonable to expect them to tank, they could have maintained a focus on next year by trying to instil good habits in the players on the team and give more opportunity to depth players for the purpose of evaluation, so they know what they have for next season.

 

[Orr4Norris]

Absolutely, the system is broken and it’s ruining the game. Having half the fanbase cheering for losses is brutal

I 100% hate rewarding failure. I would much prefer a draft system where every team out of the playoffs has equal odds for picks 1-16. And I wouldn’t feel bad for the ‘bad’ teams as they purposely make themselves bad. In a hard cap world, teams definitely have a decent chance of improving themselves over the summer.

But that is not how the NHL operates. And refusing to accept this is not going to benefit your team.

 

[Vancouver_2010]

Sounds like a canuck prospect already

 

[VintageBure]

If we pick at 11 I feel like we are going way off the board.

 

[MS]

I 100% hate rewarding failure. I would much prefer a draft system where every team out of the playoffs has equal odds for picks 1-16. And I wouldn’t feel bad for the ‘bad’ teams as they purposely make themselves bad. In a hard cap world, teams definitely have a decent chance of improving themselves over the summer.

But that is not how the NHL operates. And refusing to accept this is not going to benefit your team.

To be very clear : not theoretically liking tanks and not accepting them are two totally different things.

I hate tanking as a thing, but given the parameters that currently exist in the NHL and the roster we had at the time, it was clearly the correct thing for us to be doing from 2015-2019. It's also clearly the correct thing for Montreal and Chicago to be doing right now, and I think it's ridiculous that SJ didn't lean harder into a tank earlier.

The fact that I think tanking is a ridiculous and unrealistic option for this team right now has nothing to do with the fact that I don't like tanking in theory. It has everything to do with the current roster build and the financial and people realities of the NHL.

 

[Ernie]

Yeah, there is a reasonable question of how much worse they would have been if they used the post-deadline stretch as developmental/see what we’ve got period.

Not sure they would have needed to drop to 8 to make it worthwhile though. Even 9 would have bumped their odds of Bedard/Fantilli by 4%.

And while it was unreasonable to expect them to tank, they could have maintained a focus on next year by trying to instil good habits in the players on the team and give more opportunity to depth players for the purpose of evaluation, so they know what they have for next season.

I mean.. they were giving a ton of meaningful minutes to college and AHL players so they also did that, partly not by choice obviously because of injuries and trades.

Frankly, looking at their roster, they had no business ending as strongly as they did.

 

[NomadSports94]

If we pick at 11 I feel like we are going way off the board.

Off the board picks I would be ok with at 11 include: Honzek, But, Simashev, Musty, Stenberg, Stramel

 

[Nucker42]

If Reinbacher is gone I want Matthew Wood. 6’3 righty Center already ppg in NCAA

 

[Bleach Clean]

I could see Honzek and Dvorsky being taken earlier than expected like Nazar last year. Teams love big, reliable two ways centers. Could see them both sneak into the top 10

Do you see Honzek as a C in the NHL? I think he settles on the wing. Dvorsky has a better chance of staying at C.

Thoughts on Sale? Seems like a low motor/glacial skater. It will drive coaches nuts, but his skill level is apparent when playing against his own peers, and sometimes against men too.

The difficult one for me is Cristall. Missing size, speed and defensive IQ. Is weak on the boards. But very high level skill and IQ. I would feel more comfortable ranking him in the top10 if he was better on defense.

If Reinbacher is gone I want Matthew Wood. 6’3 righty Center already ppg in NCAA

What do you think of Gabe Perrault instead? Or Leonard?

 

[MS]

If Reinbacher is gone I want Matthew Wood. 6’3 righty Center already ppg in NCAA

Really looking forward to seeing Wood at the U18s.

Which it turns out start tomorrow, and I'm heading on vacation so I'd better remember to PVR the heck out of that tourney today.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Would you now ? I would happily meet you in person or online to play poker anytime. The fact that you think doubling your odds for zero cost isn't the move suggests you don't have a remote clue wtf you're talking about, especially poker wise. People make their living off of 3.5% at the poker table.

Doubling your odds, with no cost is something you just do if you can. 1% or 20%. This horse has been beaten to death, but this winning to prove something was stupid. It was done for the fair weather fans to keep buying tickets. That's it.

(Don't bother with the notion we need to win now for Pettersson and Hughes to stay here. It's nonsense. You know what would do a lot more than winning bs games at the end of a bs season? Actually having the players to consistently compete.)

Not meaning to derail this thread further, but what sort of poker do you play, and what sort of money? Always wanting to find more poker players. The group I play with is $100 buy in, dealers choice. No one usually wins or loses more than $200, so not enough money to hurt anyone, but enough that you don't bet stupid.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

If we pick at 11 I feel like we are going way off the board.

Nathan Smith

Do you see Honzek as a C in the NHL? I think he settles on the wing. Dvorsky has a better chance of staying at C.

Thoughts on Sale? Seems like a low motor/glacial skater. It will drive coaches nuts, but his skill level is apparent when playing against his own peers, and sometimes against men too.

The difficult one for me is Cristall. Missing size, speed and defensive IQ. Is weak on the boards. But very high level skill and IQ. I would feel more comfortable ranking him in the top10 if he was better on defense.




What do you think of Gabe Perrault instead? Or Leonard?

Honzek is interesting. If someone is convinced he can play C, he should go Top 10-15. Personally think he ends up a W.

 

[Gstank]

Is Wood really seen as a C? Im pretty sure he projects as a Winger

 

[docbenton]

Is Wood really seen as a C? Im pretty sure he projects as a Winger

Has played C his whole life but played wing freshman year...will likely move back to center. I don't think he skates that bad, would definitely be a strong candidate for our pick IMO. Very skilled RHC with size.

 

[MS]

Has played C his whole life but played wing freshman year...will likely move back to center. I don't think he skates that bad, would definitely be a strong candidate for our pick IMO. Very skilled RHC with size.

Worth noting as well that despite being born in Lethbridge and playing NCAA hockey in the states, he's also a local kid who played his minor hockey in Nanaimo.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Has played C his whole life but played wing freshman year...will likely move back to center. I don't think he skates that bad, would definitely be a strong candidate for our pick IMO. Very skilled RHC with size.

What denotes him as very skilled relative to his peers?

 

[Bubbles]

Has played C his whole life but played wing freshman year...will likely move back to center. I don't think he skates that bad, would definitely be a strong candidate for our pick IMO. Very skilled RHC with size.

He has never played centre. His two years in the BCHL he was on the wing.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I could see Honzek and Dvorsky being taken earlier than expected like Nazar last year. Teams love big, reliable two ways centers. Could see them both sneak into the top 10

I agree with you. They should get good attention. As will Wood if teams see him as a C (I think he's a winger).

The prospect that I really like, but has kind of been overshadowed by others, is Gabe Perreault. He is so damned efficient with his plays. Nothing wasted. He could prop up a pedestrian centre, IMO. I just don't know if he will be able to press the play in the NHL himself, as you can't always pass your way out of trouble.

He's not dynamic either. I really struggle with projecting him...

 

[Canucks LB]

Nathan Smith


Honzek is interesting. If someone is convinced he can play C, he should go Top 10-15. Personally think he ends up a W.

Watched Honzek a few times, came out very impressed

 

[MS]

What denotes him as very skilled relative to his peers?

He played at the U18s last year as a double-underage and just led and NCAA team in scoring at age 17 playing mostly against 22-23 year olds.

 

[Bleach Clean]

He played at the U18s last year as a double-underage and just led and NCAA team in scoring at age 17 playing mostly against 22-23 year olds.

That's great, but when I say peers I mean the other draft eligible players in the mid-1st round. If it's against all draft eligible players, then yes, fully accepted.

 

[MS]

That's great, but when I say peers I mean the other draft eligible players in the mid-1st round. If it's against all draft eligible players, then yes, fully accepted.

I mean, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on this player.

But scoring a point-per-game in the NCAA at age 17 (a full year younger than a typical freshman) is to me much more impressive than the numbers guys like Danielson/Yager/Moore put up against weaker competition at lower levels.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I mean, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on this player.

But scoring a point-per-game in the NCAA at age 17 (a full year younger than a typical freshman) is to me much more impressive than the numbers guys like Danielson/Yager/Moore put up against weaker competition at lower levels.

For context, Wood is on my short list for players at 11. It goes:

Perrault
Sale
Wood
Cristall
Reinbacher

I don't have Danielson/Yager/Moore ahead of Wood at this point. (Things could change)

I'm just not sure on Wood's skill level. His skating allows players to close on him fast and he throws passes into odd areas. I like his athleticism though and he recovers well. Producing well, but he's not high end in that regard (to the eye). Points wise he's good. So I'm trying to get a sense of it.