2023 NHL Entry Draft

[RationalExpectations]

How many of those D was drafted and developped by them? 2.

I don’t draft a D-man at 5 or 6 except his name is Makar in a deep talented forwards draft. Especially when we lack forwards lol.

How does MTL lack forwards but not top Dmen ? Last year was the same rhetoric : how could you draft Nemec when Slaf Cooley Wright all seem so good ? People should stop focusing on forwards shinny points in Juniors. Winning teams are built from the backend.

 

[Jack Skellington]

How does MTL lack forwards but not top Dmen ? Last year was the same rhetoric : how could you draft Nemec when Slaf Cooley Wright all seem so good ? People should stop focusing on forwards shinny points in Juniors. Winning teams are built from the backend.

BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA

 

[ReHabs]

Trading valuable picks for PLD is such a Bergevin move…..why? We, can have him for cash next year!!!!!! Are people really that shortsighted??

How many times did Bergevin trade valuable picks for high impact forwards?

 

[RationalExpectations]

Im with you. Except for Smith. Benson/Leonard for me and grab a RHD next draft or via trade. I don’t expect us to be able to draft a top 5-6 forwards with elite upside anytime soon.

With a Dubois trade and less bad luck health-wise, i don’t expect us to pick top 10 again going forward in this rebuild.

You don't expect to pick top 10 ? Which team in the East are going to be worse than the Habs next year ? Habs are going to be better no denying but which team is going to get that much worse ?

BPA BPA BPA BPA BPA

Yes and a potential top RD with very good IQ is BPA at 5

 

[Jack Skellington]

You don't expect to pick top 10 ? Which team in the East are going to be worse than the Habs next year ? Habs are going to be better no denying but which team is going to get that much worse ?


Yes and a potential top RD with very good IQ is BPA at 5

He very well could be but a part of me always worries taking the best dman in a very weak dmen draft. Sometimes feel like they can get inflated value. We very likely have to bite the bullet and take a swing on a dman with a top pick at some point though so maybe they will this year. Wish we had 5th pick last year and 1st this year . I do like Reinbacher though, he looks to be similar to Seider and Jiricek to my eye.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Where do you guys think Aydar Suniev could be picked?

Probably still there with our 3rd round?

He will go in round 2.

 

[HuGort]

There's a strong possibility we trade that pick. We still currently own it, but I'm personally mentally preparing myself to this scenario.

I was thinking other day maybe trade down couple notches, still get guy we want and pick up late first or early second? Add top goalie in draft with the extra second?

 

[SwiftyHab]

Huh? Despite formally suspending the agreement, the NHL reiterated they would still respect all existing and future KHL contracts.
It is still in Bettman's interest to respect contracts because the KHL could reciprocate by perhaps stealing some disgruntled Russian NHLr/prospect under NHL contract. The NHL doesn't want to go down this route.


There has not been one occurance of the Russian government threateneing players famillies, let alone killing them. My god. What are we N. Korea? lol
I mean the hysteria, delerium, xenophobia, etc. is at 110% in NA hockey circles. Its like McCarthyism of the 1950s. The flat out lies and innuendos are crazy.
Not saying Russia isn't totally messed up now, but let's be a little worldly beyond "OMG Putin is killing everybody!".


And of course KHL want to keep players in Russia, but let's not sensationalize things by attributing violence to the situation. That's just dumb.


If anything, Russian players are more at risk in North America. NHL agent Dan Milstein said the NHL has needed to provide extra security for Russian players at games because they and their families were receiving death threats because of the Ukraine situation.

Didn’t Gurianov just refuse to wear the pride jersey because he was afraid for the safety of his family back in Russia if he did.

 

[Zine]

Didn’t Gurianov just refuse to wear the pride jersey because he was afraid for the safety of his family back in Russia if he did.

No disrespect, but players say that because they know people like you will eat it up.
It’s a convenient excuse to forgo the pride thing yet not be torn to shreds by NHL media.


Even notorious Russian hater Slava Malamud cant deny this.
Rabid homophobia is a serious problem.. especially in Russian sportsmen culture. Its not cool at all.

Nobody family is being targeted for supporting LGBTQ. Just the thought of it is beyond comical.

.

 

[Schooner Guy]

And we also don’t know a ****ing thing about his fathers passing, so quit assuming anything until more is known.

I'm not assuming I know anything. We likely never will know what actually happened. That's the point.

But please fill your boots and wait for the outcomes of the "investigation". I'm sure it will be 100% truth.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'm just not gonna buy it's "western world Russian hysteria" when the leader of that nation, for two years, has senseless slaughtered neighboring Ukraine for completely fabricated reasons.

If they're capable of doing what they've been doing to Ukraine, they are more than capable of killing Michkovs dad, of punishing families of those who denounce the war, of keeping prized athletes from performing anywhere else but Russia.

I'm not blaming any organization from staying away from that uncertainty.

 

[NotProkofievian]

No disrespect, but players say that because they know people like you will eat it up.
It’s a convenient excuse to forgo the pride thing yet not be torn to shreds by NHL media.


Even notorious Russian hater Slava Malamud cant deny this.
Rabid homophobia is a serious problem.. especially in Russian sportsmen culture. Its not cool at all.

Nobody family is being targeted for supporting LGBTQ. Just the thought of it is beyond comical.

.

Hi, me again, does Slava Malamud know when Fedotov will be arriving in Philadelphia?

 

[Zine]

I'm just not gonna buy it's "western world Russian hysteria" when the leader of that nation, for two years, has senseless slaughtered neighboring Ukraine for completely fabricated reasons.

If they're capable of doing what they've been doing to Ukraine, they are more than capable of killing Michkovs dad, of punishing families of those who denounce the war, of keeping prized athletes from performing anywhere else but Russia.

I'm not blaming any organization from staying away from that uncertainty.

????

Replace Ukraine with the slaughter fests of brown people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc. and the same could be said for the US government.
Like, OMG! Better not draft US players!
I suppose this doesn't fit the narrative though.

There’s no reason to forgo Russian prospects; err.. apart from xenophobia, hysteria and ignorance.

Hi, me again, does Slava Malamud know when Fedotov will be arriving in Philadelphia?

He will for next season. He has a contract with them.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

????

Replace Ukraine with the slaughter fests of brown people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc. and the same could be said for the US government.
Like, OMG! Better not draft US players!
I suppose this doesn't fit the narrative though.

There’s no reason to forgo Russian prospects; err.. apart from xenophobia, hysteria and ignorance.



He will for next season. He has a contract with them.

Leave politics out of this.

While I agree with you that the US is no saint for their involvement in the Middle East, when we turn this conversation back to hockey we can quickly establish that even if the US is wrong for those things - the league is based out of the US/Canada so there is no risk associated to taking players from there not joining your team at some points.

I’d take Michkov at 5 if I was Hughes and he’s still on the board. I think cooler heads will eventually prevail and it would be crazy not to grab the 2nd best player in this draft.

Maybe I’m just a blind optimist on this topic.

 

[Fuonki]

????

Replace Ukraine with the slaughter fests of brown people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc. and the same could be said for the US government.
Like, OMG! Better not draft US players!
I suppose this doesn't fit the narrative though.

There’s no reason to forgo Russian prospects; err.. apart from xenophobia, hysteria and ignorance.



He will for next season. He has a contract with them.

Your whataboutism doesn't really help you here since the US never had a mandatory military draft that included hockey players during the Iraq war.

 

[SwiftyHab]

No disrespect, but players say that because they know people like you will eat it up.

lol I like the way you preface your insult.
It’s like me telling you that your long hair looks really nice because it really helps cover your fat face.

Anyway Putin, it was nice chatting with you. Hope you’re right and I’m wrong but we’ll just have to see what the GMs do at the draft.

 

[NotProkofievian]

He will for next season. He has a contract with them.

Can't wait.

 

[WeThreeKings]

????

Replace Ukraine with the slaughter fests of brown people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc. and the same could be said for the US government.
Like, OMG! Better not draft US players!
I suppose this doesn't fit the narrative though.

There’s no reason to forgo Russian prospects; err.. apart from xenophobia, hysteria and ignorance.



He will for next season. He has a contract with them.

Yes, f*** the US government.

But there's no concerns with an American player being available to the NHL teams.

 

[Zine]

Your whataboutism doesn't really help you here since the US never had a mandatory military draft that included hockey players during the Iraq war.

Hockey players aren't going to war though. Nor will they. Nor have they ever.


It’s intricacies like this that are lost on North Americans. ‘Yall see everything in black and white, all or nothing, and have no concept of the realities of gray.
Its all OMG! Putin killed Michkov’s dad because … uhh.. errr. Putin is evil and other reasons!

I mean you do realize the guys being sent to Ukraine are the equivalent of your military reserves, right? It’s not people freshly conscripted.
And there very easy ways of getting out of conscription.
There’s a serious, serious, lack of worldliness and common sense understanding of Russia with the NHL.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Hockey players aren't going to war though. Nor will they.


It’s intricacies like this that are lost on North Americans. ‘Yall see everything in black and white, good and bad, and have no concept of the realities of gray.
Its only OMG! Putin killed Michkov’s dad because … uhh.. errr. Putin is evil!

I mean you do realize the guys being sent to Ukraine now are the equivalent of your military reserves, right? It’s not people freshly conscripted off the streets.
And there’s very easy ways of getting out of conscription.

Yeah, like avoiding your address of record. Oops, looks like that one doesn't exist anymore because Putin said so.

 

[ReHabs]

Leave politics out of this.

Except to brazenly and repeatedly insist that a certain hockey prospect's father was personally assassinated by a heart attack gun at the direct order of the Russian President... okay sure thing. Don't forget your humanity and sympathy, is what I'm saying. Many Russian players flew in and out of Russia without any issue or problem despite the hysterics of Canadian (hockey) media.

It's not reasonable to suggest that the situation will change so drastically based on nothing.

In any case, the perceived external risk with Michkov is substantial -- we can admit it but the reward is potentially massive. Imagine a ready-made player who can produce like Kaprizov coming over on an ELC just as the Habs get serious about contention. It would be foolish to skip on such a talent no matter the risks. He's the second best prospect of the draft.

 

[Mandala]

Our odds for the lottery are

6 44.2%
5 24.5%
7 13.9%
2 8.8%
1 8.5%

So in that order of odds I would pick

6 Leo Carlsson, C, SHL
5 Will Smith, C, USDP
7 Zach Benson, F, WHL
2 Adam Fantili, C, NCAA
1 Connor Bedard, C, WHL

I seem to have a preference for centres. Maybe years of weakness at that position influences my choice.

I did not choose Mitchkov because of politics in Russia and fear his contract will be "extended" after three years. Unless he defects, I would not use a pick on him. This is our last top 5 for awhile. We have to choose a player that can join us within 1-2 years like any normal top 5 player.

 

[Fuonki]

Hockey players aren't going to war though. Nor will they. Nor have they ever.


It’s intricacies like this that are lost on North Americans. ‘Yall see everything in black and white, all or nothing, and have no concept of the realities of gray.
Its all OMG! Putin killed Michkov’s dad because … uhh.. errr. Putin is evil and other reasons!

I mean you do realize the guys being sent to Ukraine are the equivalent of your military reserves, right? It’s not people freshly conscripted.
And there very easy ways of getting out of conscription.
There’s a serious, serious, lack of worldliness and common sense understanding of Russia with the NHL.

First of all, I'm Finnish and have met my fair share of Russians during my lifetime. You're absolutely right that these "intricacies" of operating in the corrupt Russian system are not clear or obvious for us at all, but you don't seem to understand that the key concept here is uncertainty.

Nobody has any certainty on what direction will Russia go from here on out. You cannot trust Putin or his cronies for even the tiniest amount. And because you simply cannot trust that Russia will let their hockey players (or people in general) avoid military conscription and freely move abroad, there is risk factor here that does not exist for drafting hockey players from elsewhere.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Our odds for the lottery are

6 44.2%
5 24.5%
7 13.9%
2 8.8%
1 8.5%

So in that order of odds I would pick

6 Leo Carlsson, C, SHL
5 Will Smith, C, USDP
7 Zach Benson, F, WHL
2 Adam Fantili, C, NCAA
1 Connor Bedard, C, WHL

I seem to have a preference for centres. Maybe years of weakness at that position influences my choice.

I did not choose Mitchkov because of politics in Russia and fear his contract will be "extended" after three years. Unless he defects, I would not use a pick on him. This is our last top 5 for awhile. We have to choose a player that can join us within 1-2 years like any normal top 5 player.

Curious who are you #3 & 4 picks?

Most would have Carlsson in that spot

 

[Mrb1p]

I grew up watching an NHL without a single Russian player. There's a lot more happening right now in Russian than just the war.

And Im 30 years old and Ive never seen a top 15 forward play for the Habs.

Waiting 3 years for this sounds manageable.