2024 Draft Thread - Friday June 28 and Saturday June 29 - Sphere Las Vegas

[notbias]

Chayka, the elite former GM who never achieved anything? jk

Was his sister, she runs an analytics company

 

[Morgs]

Is she hot? I can't say no to a hot woman. lol

She's a woman who runs the 2nd largest private NHL analytics company, it's terrible to put her worth based on her hotness.

Definitely don't google Meghan Chayka.

 

[Squiffy]

In this pre-recorded dramatization, Treliving and his staff perform a song about their plans with the 23rd pick, followed by a scene in which they react to Leaf HFBoard thoughts about the 31 pick.

​

 

[REALTALK81]

Danford is a better defender than Elick imo. Elick can’t handle a puck, we need guys who can defend and make a first pass.

Better defender is questionable to me. I've watched enough Gens games this year to see him progress but I would be stunned if we was more than a 3rd pairing guy. You are right though. We do need guys who can defend and make a first pass. Which is why I wanted Emery in the first place and would have been comfortable with taking him at 23.

 

[tmlms13]

She's a woman who runs the 2nd largest private NHL analytics company, it's terrible to put her worth based on her hotness.

Definitely don't google Meghan Chayka.

So I obviously did..... she is 39 and went to Brock University...... Dubas is 38 and went to Brock University.....

 

[Fonzieleaf]

For the second year in a row, we take someone who wasn't projected to go in the 1st round. Cowan was expected to go somewhere in the 3rd, Danford in the 2nd However we hit a home run with Cowan so hopefully Wes knows what he's doing here. Wondering if he was our pick all along at 23 or if the guy we wanted was taken.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Solberg was the kind of D 90% of the board yearns for and the trade back value we got was the same price we paid for 3 months of Edmundson or Lyubushkin. Maybe Wes hit another home run and he ends up better than Stian, not gonna complain about the player.

Yep. I feel like they had a bigger, higher upside version of this player available at #23, but opted for a smaller, lower upside player to add #58 overall and a guy that is right handed.

I hope the kid proves me wrong and becomes a prime TJ Brodie / Matt Roy / Marc Methot type that insulates a #1 D-man for 5+ years... But right now I'm underwhelmed. Any time the GM
Starts imediately talking about character and handedness, rather than skill or an elite trait, it gives me pause for concern.

 

[LaPlante94]

Ollie Josephson would be a nice pick at 57.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

He's 6'1, 190lbs. That's not "big" by NHL defenseman standards. That's very average size wise.

Gudas is 6' and 208lbs. I'm not worried about his size. That's a decent build and he might still grow an inch or 2

 

[Smif]

She's a woman who runs the 2nd largest private NHL analytics company, it's terrible to put her worth based on her hotness.

Definitely don't google Meghan Chayka.

Let's just say she has options if the analytics company doesn't work out.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Gudas is 6' and 208lbs. I'm not worried about his size. That's a decent build and he might still grow an inch or 2

I didn't say it was a bad build, nor am I worried about his size. Morgs claimed that 6'1, 190lbs is big and I was just arguing that it's pretty average for an NHL D-man.

I also think that Gudas plays well above his size and that most players don't do that. Here is to hoping that this kid does.

 

[stats1]

For the second year in a row, we take someone who wasn't projected to go in the 1st round. Cowan was expected to go somewhere in the 3rd, Danford in the 2nd However we hit a home run with Cowan so hopefully Wes knows what he's doing here. Wondering if he was our pick all along at 23 or if the guy we wanted was taken.

I think the Leafs wanted Emery and thought they could move down to grab him only for the Rangers to take him a spot ahead

 

[Fonzieleaf]

I think the Leafs wanted Emery and thought they could move down to grab him only for the Rangers to take him a spot ahead

That's what I was thinking.

 

[IrishInOntario]

I think the Leafs wanted Emery and thought they could move down to grab him only for the Rangers to take him a spot ahead

One thing is for sure, Treliving stared at his phone until the last second hoping for a call that would allow him to trade down further. He clearly knew that Danford was a reach at #31 and could be had later and was hoping (presumably) to trade down again for more draft capital. I don't they're thrilled to have made that pick where they did.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

She's a woman who runs the 2nd largest private NHL analytics company, it's terrible to put her worth based on her hotness.

Definitely don't google Meghan Chayka.

Not sure if serious. It was a joke.

(Edit) Holy shit, she could be a model. lol

 

[francis246]

Better defender is questionable to me. I've watched enough Gens games this year to see him progress but I would be stunned if we was more than a 3rd pairing guy. You are right though. We do need guys who can defend and make a first pass. Which is why I wanted Emery in the first place and would have been comfortable with taking him at 23.

They definitely gambled, Emery was probably their first choice but he got picked! So had to go to the next. Emery still has question marks in his game too

 

[Martin Skoula]

Yep. I feel like they had a bigger, higher upside version of this player available at #23, but opted for a smaller, lower upside player to add #58 overall and a guy that is right handed.

I hope the kid proves me wrong and becomes a prime TJ Brodie / Matt Roy / Marc Methot type that insulates a #1 D-man for 5+ years... But right now I'm underwhelmed. Any time the GM
Starts imediately talking about character and handedness, rather than skill or an elite trait, it gives me pause for concern.

I don’t mind the player it’s just the argument that we NEEDED to trade down because we have no picks, we got less value than either one of Edmundson/Lyubushkin cost. You can’t say we’re so desperate for picks we need to trade down from a great fit at 23 and at the same time rent 2 bottom pairing defensemen for twice the value we got from trading down. If we’re going for it we need the best shot at an impact player ASAP, if we’re not going for it and retooling with longterm projects we have no business renting #6/7 D.

It’s the constant half measures with this team, we have one foot on two trains going opposite directions.

 

[sxvnert]

There are many who believe he’s going to make a solid third-pairing NHL defenseman someday."

Rather have traded this pick for tanev or zadorov at the deadline.

 

[Morgs]

Not sure if serious. It was a joke. Take the stick out.

I added to your joke, friend.

The other two people who quoted me seemed to understand that.

 

[KMNRB]

It's hardly a good pick at 58.

The first time I noticed this player is when I checked the 2nd round mock draft on mynhldraft.com, and Danford is the projected 58th pick by Anaheim.

However disappointed that they didn't pick any of my favorites (Stolberg, Emery, Badinka), it does appear that our scouting staffs can correctly assess hockey IQ and potentials better than anyone else. Hopefully he can become something like a Tanev 2.0

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Ollie Josephson would be a nice pick at 57.

Agreed. He's an elite defensive center who has very nice playmaking skills but needs more finishers on his team.

I added to your joke, friend.

The other two people who quoted me seemed to understand that.

Yeah, I read it too fast my bad. I tried to ninja edit.

 

[IrishInOntario]

I don’t mind the player it’s just the argument that we NEEDED to trade down because we have no picks, we got less value than either one of Edmundson/Lyubushkin cost. You can’t say we’re so desperate for picks we need to trade down from a great fit at 23 and at the same time rent 2 bottom pairing defensemen for twice the value we got from trading down. If we’re going for it we need the best shot at an impact player ASAP, if we’re not going for it and retooling with longterm projects we have no business renting #6/7 D.

It’s the constant half measures with this team, we have one foot on two trains going opposite directions.

I don't mind the player either, but my take is this. After they traded out of the #23 spot and got a second round pick, I think they targeted Danford, but knew they could get him in the second round. They were trying to trade down again to acquire another 2nd round pick, that would have given them 3 2nds. They never got the call and got their hand caught in the cookie jar, tying them to Danford at #31, probably 8-10 picks higher than they wanted to draft him and they didn't get the extra pick they coveted.

 

[LaPlante94]

Agreed. He's an elite defensive center who has very nice playmaking skills but needs more finishers on his team.


Yeah, I read it too fast my bad. I tried to ninja edit.

Good skater and playmaker and already really good defensively. If he can be a Plekanek type of player that's a win in my book.

 

[REALTALK81]

They definitely gambled, Emery was probably their first choice but he got picked! So had to go to the next. Emery still has question marks in his game too

Most prospects have question marks surrounding their game but it depends on how you see them growing. What can be taught, what can further be solidified. Truth be told, I wasn't a fan of Cowan but I've had a healthy dose of crow this past year. I truly hope that trend continues with this pick.

 

[jaric1862]

I wonder who would’ve had to be there for the leafs to keep the 23rd pick.