2023 NHL Entry Draft

[le_sean]

Surprise, Tony is full of pasta AND shit

Let’s see who Mr. Sensitive blocks out of this royal f*** up

 

[26Mats]

Marinaro has some explaining to do.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Surprise, Tony is full of pasta AND shit

Let’s see who Mr. Sensitive blocks out of this royal f*** up

Portzline no longer visiting Tony's podcast definitely lol

 

[themilosh]

Is it great news if the Habs organization isn't taking any Russians?

Portzline just denied he ever wrote or said anything to that effect - so the evidence shifts back to the Habs being unwilling to take Russians in Russia.

If the Habs aren't taking Michkov under any circumstances, we'd want a team in front of us to take him, otherwise one of the players we liked and were willing to pick just got picked and you're one player deeper into your list.

That's why it is much easier to select Michkov 8/9th, as there will be less pushback from the press. I could see Hugo using that FLA1 ++ to move up if Michkov is still on the table at 9..

Having said that, most in here know i am not a fan of small players, but Michkov has polarising stats that make a big difference.

Is he:
5'9" 145lbs (Projects to 5'10" 165ish.. no thank you)) or
5'10" 178lbs (which means he has trunk strength, and should get to 5'11" 195lbs.)

 

[WeThreeKings]

That's why it is much easier to select Michkov 8/9th, as there will be less pushback from the press. I could see Hugo using that FLA1 ++ to move up if Michkov is still on the table at 9..

I don't think they have an issue with the press - I think the issue is more the environment and the likelihood of getting someone out of Russia right now.

Unless I've missed news of Michkov being an open, ardent supporter of Putin, or wearing a Z on his hockey gear.. the messaging is pretty easy to put together.

"Matvei Michkov is a talented young hockey player and is in no way responsible for what is happening in Ukraine."

If there was any push back from the press, they'd look bad because it's completely unfair to paint all Russians as supporters of Putin and the invasion.

 

[le_sean]

I don't think they have an issue with the press - I think the issue is more the environment and the likelihood of getting someone out of Russia right now.

Unless I've missed news of Michkov being an open, ardent supporter of Putin, or wearing a Z on his hockey gear.. the messaging is pretty easy to put together.

"Matvei Michkov is a talented young hockey player and is in no way responsible for what is happening in Ukraine."

If there was any push back from the press, they'd look bad because it's completely unfair to paint all Russians as supporters of Putin and the invasion.

Yeah the only issue with the press would be them saying “how can you spend a Top 5 pick on someone that may never come over.” The press doesn't care about the optics of a player being Russian, they care that the player is in the KHL.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yeah the only issue with the press would be them saying “how can you spend a Top 5 pick on someone that may never come over.” The press doesn't care about the optics of a player being Russian, they care that the player is in the KHL.

Yep and that's the question they should ask.. and they should have a very clear answer to that, as any team should picking Michkov barring a massive slide in which they can defend the risk/reward proposition.

 

[themilosh]

I don't think they have an issue with the press - I think the issue is more the environment and the likelihood of getting someone out of Russia right now.

Unless I've missed news of Michkov being an open, ardent supporter of Putin, or wearing a Z on his hockey gear.. the messaging is pretty easy to put together.

"Matvei Michkov is a talented young hockey player and is in no way responsible for what is happening in Ukraine."

If there was any push back from the press, they'd look bad because it's completely unfair to paint all Russians as supporters of Putin and the invasion.

In mtl the press is hockey oriented, and can see that..
In the US however, the press cares little of hockey and will jump at the opportunity to stir up crap to the Wokers.. it's not just Putin or ZZ it's the anti gay narrative they pushed this year. All bs, but marketing nightmare fir smaller US markets.

Matvei is signed for 3 more years in KHL, he wont be coming over until at least D+4, but..... if his trajectory continues, that might be the biggest rookie start since Teemu

 

[Mrb1p]

In mtl the press is hockey oriented, and can see that..
In the US however, the press cares little of hockey and will jump at the opportunity to stir up crap to the Wokers.. it's not just Putin or ZZ it's the anti gay narrative they pushed this year. All bs, but marketing nightmare fir smaller US markets.

Matvei is signed for 3 more years in KHL, he wont be coming over until at least D+4, but..... if his trajectory continues, that might be the biggest rookie start since Teemu

The wokers would probably take the side of the human being, rather than the regime, but what do I know, Im just a snowflake.

 

[26Mats]

Notice Porzline doesn't deny the part about the Blue Jackets taking Smith at 4th OA

 

[WeThreeKings]

Notice Porzline doesn't deny the part about the Blue Jackets taking Smith at 4th OA

Mentioned it above.

It's still unlikely at #2 they get jumped twice.

 

[26Mats]

Mentioned it above.

It's still unlikely at #2 they get jumped twice.

Odds are 42% they pick 4th. It's their most likely slot to draft, yet less than the 58% chance they draft 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Pretty similar to odds being 44% we pick 6th, though we could of course even drop to 7th.

But if they drop to 4th, only way we're still at 5th is if both Chicago and San Jose win the lottery, which is very unlikely.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Odds are 42% they pick 4th. It's their most likely slot to draft, yet less than the 58% chance they draft 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Pretty similar to odds being 44% we pick 6th, though we could of course even drop to 7th.

But if they drop to 4th, only way we're still at 5th is if both Chicago and San Jose win the lottery, which is very unlikely.

I'm prepared to pick 6th.. but hoping we are one of the jumpers.

We should already know, alas, the NHL sucks.

 

[26Mats]

Didn't deny CBJ's interest in Will Smith..

So if we want Smith, we'll need to CBJ to be a lotto winner.

I heard Portzline's podcast. He definitely says he doesn't think Columbus would draft Michkov at 4, and says his sense is they'd take Will Smith.

15:24 minute mark of the latest podcast (April 17th):

Front & Nationwide | Podcasts | The Athletic

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic breaks down the latest news surrounding the Columbus Blue Jackets and touches on topics from around the NHL

theathletic.com

 

[morhilane]

Notice Porzline doesn't deny the part about the Blue Jackets taking Smith at 4th OA

If the draft order doesn't change and one of the top 3 team takes Michkov that means one of Fantilli/Carlsson falls to the Habs...

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Is it great news if the Habs organization isn't taking any Russians?

Portzline just denied he ever wrote or said anything to that effect - so the evidence shifts back to the Habs being unwilling to take Russians in Russia.

If the Habs aren't taking Michkov under any circumstances, we'd want a team in front of us to take him, otherwise one of the players we liked and were willing to pick just got picked and you're one player deeper into your list.

Guess it depends on if we like Michkov or not. But the fact there’s a Bobrov connection with him, and that Hughes has a Smith connection, I think we’ll be ok.

 

[Deebs]

Its the 2nd best league in the world.

No chance, it's not what it used to be. It's watered down hockey. It might be 4th

 

[ginomini]

The wokers would probably take the side of the human being, rather than the regime, but what do I know, Im just a snowflake.

Actually, real wokes don't give much shit about Ukraine. They actually say that we talk too much about Ukraine (because close to EU, White, etc.) and not enough about Rohingas, Uygur, DRC, etc., etc.

So yeah, drafting Michkov should absolutely not be a mediatic problem. Only hockey media will question if he ever comes but they will always preface by saying he's the second best talent in the draft (Like they do every year with russian prospects).

 

[rochab]

To me here's the thing about Michkov... The key information about his desire to come to NA, the intricacies about the contractural and political nuances of his situation are all pretty much stuff we as lay people don't have access to and unless an NHL team makes us privy to that we're all just guessing about what level of risks are involved in drafting him. So I think we would all be wise to refrain from absolute statements like "Don't draft Michkov at all at 5" or "If we don't draft Michkov at 5, I'm going to put my foot through my TV". until more info comes out.

 

[SwiftyHab]

 

[26Mats]

If the draft order doesn't change and one of the top 3 team takes Michkov that means one of Fantilli/Carlsson falls to the Habs...

I'm not following you.

Portzline said his sense is the Jackets want a center and aren't looking to wait 3 years for Michkov. So they'd take Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, or Smith in that order.

 

[McGees]

1 big game.
Now ranking him 2nd overall (behind But)

 

[JT3]

Regardless of the whole Marinaro/Portzline nonsense, it is true Bobrov has serious connections with SKA and hopefully would give the Habs the ability to seriously vet the situation. Honestly as far as I'm concerned, unless we win the lottery Michkov is the best case scenario. To this point there isn't enough evidence to suggest it will be impossible to get Russian players out of Russia, I imagine the front office will certainly do their due diligence on it and if we pass, so be it, I would assume they decided there was too much risk involved.

But man, if we grab Michkov, trade for Dubois, and then pick up a RHD next draft, we are off to the races.

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Dach - Dubois - Michkov

D core consisting of some combo of Guhle/Matheson/Barron/Hutson/Xhekaj/Mailloux/2024 1st

Not to mention all the other prospects we have, as well as our future 1sts/CGY 1st, free agent signings/trades/etc. Hard not to get excited about that scenario imo

 

[Team_Spirit]

 

[morhilane]

I'm not following you.

Portzline said his sense is the Jackets want a center and aren't looking to wait 3 years for Michkov. So they'd take Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, or Smith in that order.

I didn't actually listen to what he said, just read the highlight which gave me the impression they were just going to take Smith no-matter-what and not that it was about taking a center no-matter-what.