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

[Byron Bitz]

I give day one an A- and day 2 a D-. Day one put us in a position to leave Vegas with two good prospects but a botched day 2 means we’re leaving with one

 

[All Mod Cons]

Brad absolutely smashed it today. Really impressed with his work under difficult circumstances. Weird feeling having some prospects with size.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Brad absolutely smashed it today. Really impressed with his work under difficult circumstances. Weird feeling having some prospects with size.

How do you know? Could be all tyler biggs

 

[All Mod Cons]

How do you know? Could be all tyler biggs

No they couldn't.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

I can't believe what San Jose got in the first 2 rounds:

Celebrini
Dickinson
Chernyshov
Wellenius

Geez.

They need it lol

 

[hockeywiz542]

Wes Clark | NHL Draft | Toronto Maple Leafs

Wes Clark | NHL Draft

www.nhl.com

 

[Macallan18]

They need skilled D.

He’s big, but he has less than 80 games left in his body.

Hopefully he wants too much of an overpay to live in Canada.

at his injury rate, that has to be at least 3 seasons

 

[Kiwi]

Overall I didn't think it was a bad draft and that 2nd next year isn't anything to complain about imo, a 2nd is always useful at TDL time

I don't mind the fact we took some bigger bodied guys, especially on defence and the bonus is they don't seem to only have size going for them

Skating, competitiveness, physicality, IQ, leadership seemed to be mentioned a lot to

 

[The Masters]

Wes is a stone cold killer

 

[uncleben]

No they couldn't.

Right.
But they could be Biggs and Gordeev and Rasanen and Korshkov and Greenway and Middleton and Mattinen and Chebykin and Nielsen and Desrocher and Engvall and Gauthier and Olden

Idk why people choose to ignore the fact that we have been drafting big players all along, across GMs, and it's just that none of them amounted to much because size does not automatically equal success...

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

One thing's for sure, Wes is either going to look like a genius or a complete idiot in 4-5 years. It's hard to see a middle ground given his unconventional approach.

2024 NHL Draft winners and losers: Scott Wheeler ranks all 32 teams' selections

Scott Wheeler reviews how all 32 teams did at the 2024 NHL Draft, with thoughts on almost every pick.

www.nytimes.com

Losers​

Toronto Maple Leafs​

The Leafs were (yet again) light on picks.

I thought No. 31 was a little high for Ben Danford, but I’d been told he was their guy pre-draft, so moving back and grabbing him made sense. He’s a great kid who everyone around the OHL has a ton of time and respect for. They thought about naming him their captain this year in Oshawa. He’s got the defensive foundation and he developed more and more poise and offensive smarts in his game this year, adding elements that weren’t there in minor hockey or even his 16-year-old year. He’s a low-ceiling guy but he could be an effective NHL defenseman.

Victor Johansson, at No. 120, wasn’t in my top 100 but I was told to spend some time on him late in the year. He’s a heady, two-way type with decent athletic tools, even if he’s still early in his development and a long shot.

Holinka is the most interesting of their three fifth-round picks. He clearly looked to be above his peers at Czechia’s junior level this year and has some pro tools.

There were some peculiar picks in the fifth and seventh rounds from the Leafs, though. Sam McCue was a warrior for the Knights and he’s the one of their last five picks who I think has a chance to get a pro contract. He’s probably a bottom-six AHLer, though.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5595373/2024/06/28/maple-leafs-draft-picks-grades-2024/

2024 Draft Grade: C​

I like Ben Danford, Toronto’s pick at No. 31. I wasn’t sure I would have done it at 31, and I didn’t talk to many scouts before or after the draft who would have either. I think he will play in the NHL though and plays a style of game that’s easy to like. They didn’t pick again until the fourth round, so this class will mostly be about whether Danford is a third- or second-pair defenseman in the league. Their fifth-round pick Miroslav Holinka’s toolkit is quite intriguing though to get at 151.

Draft Class​

31. Ben Danford, RHD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

February 6, 2006 | 6′ 1″ | 190 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Danford was a strong two-way defenseman for Oshawa this season who played a lot of minutes. Danford skates quite well. He’s able to escape pressure with the puck and skate pucks up ice like a pro. Defensively he closes on pucks quickly, and competes well enough to win a lot of close races. Offensively he’s not dynamic, but he’s quite smart with the puck. He makes a lot of difficult passes, often while skating with pace. I don’t think he stands out at either end of the ice in the NHL, but he could be a useful defenseman for an organization.

Thoughts on the pick: Danford is a likeable player. He is a very smart and competitive defenseman who skates well and has decent size. He’s not the sexiest defender, but he has a lot of substance and projects as an NHL defenseman. He’s a third-pair type for me who can play hard minutes, but if there’s a bit more offense to come in his game, I can see him getting to a second-pair projection.

120. Victor Johansson, LHD, Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell)

April 25, 2006 | 6′ 1″ | 143 pounds

Analysis: Victor Johansson is a good-skating defenseman who competes well and has some physicality in his game. He is average-sized and his puck play is a question for the higher levels.

151. Miroslav Holinka, C, HC Ocelari Trinec U20 (Czechia U20)

November 10, 2005 | 6′ 1″ | 183 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Analysis: Holinka played a limited-minutes role in the top Czechia league. He was very good at their junior level and showed fine for the Czech U20 team. He’s a center with intriguing pro tools. He’s a good skater with strong puck skills who can beat defenders one-on-one with pace. I don’t think he’s a great playmaker or finisher but he’s strong enough in both areas. Holinka has been a penalty killer in junior and for the national team as well. I like a lot about his game, but I don’t know if he stands out enough in any area and with average size to have a clear NHL role.

152. Alexander Plesovskikh, LW, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)

August 1, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 172 pounds

157. Timofei Obvintsev, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)

January 6, 2005 | 6′ 4″ | 176 pounds

200. Matthew Lahey, LHD, Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)

July 17, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 201 pounds

Analysis: Lahey is a 6-foot-5 defenseman who moves well for a big man and has NHL athleticism. His puck play is a question. He showed OK puck-moving in the BCHL and produced with no power-play time but whether he has enough skill to play against better players is what he will have to prove.

216. Sam McCue, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

October 3, 2005 | 6′ 1″ | 187 pounds

Analysis: McCue competes hard and has some skill but his skating isn’t great.

225. Nathan Mayes, LHD, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

June 10, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 181 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average

Analysis: Mayes is a tall defenseman who had a solid rookie WHL season for Spokane. His athleticism is highly intriguing given he’s quite mobile for his size. He’s strong, wins puck battles and plays with some bite. He shows some flashes with the puck, but Mayes isn’t a natural puck-mover. His ability to carry pucks up is NHL caliber though. He has a chance to take real steps next season and look like a pro defenseman.

Beat writer’s analysis​

One major takeaway from the Leafs’ draft haul in 2024: After selecting only 24 defencemen in their drafts since 2013, and only really connecting on four of those players, Toronto appears to have identified and addressed an organizational need. Half of their eight picks this draft were defencemen and three of them stand 6-foot-2 or taller. It’s easy to assume this is the influence of Brad Treliving coming to fruition for the Leafs but the truth is they have needed these types of defenders in the organization for far too long. Whether any of these players pop and become NHL players obviously remains to be seen. But the Leafs did seem intent on finding defencemen with pro-ready size to, quite possibly, ease their transition to a professional career. — Joshua Kloke

 

[Rare Jewel]

How do you know? Could be all tyler biggs

Yeah. I mean, if Danford bucks the trend of the low ceiling firsts, like Biggs and Gauthier, from disappointing or busting, then yay, but as of now, it's about as "meh" a pick as you would want.

We'll see about the rest. I wouldn't grade it higher than a B- and that may be generous.

 

[Nineteen67]

at his injury rate, that has to be at least 3 seasons

I was thinking about 2 seasons.

 

[fahad203]

Nice to have more than 3 draft picks

But overall I am a bit disappointed. Sure we all know in about 4 years. But it would have been nice to pick some high ranking prospects

 

[Leaf Fans]

If Treliving/Shanny arent looking to recoup picks via kampf and jarkork wtf are they doing

Marner seems to be coming back/not dealt at minimum

We are looking to run the same core with roy + zadorov/tanev added

They can be doing anything else.

 

[hamzarocks]

They can be doing anything else.

They (extending to hunter+lou+dubas and mlse as a whole) have been doing anything else but building a cup contending team since 2017

Bad moves, no long term vision, complacency mindset has led to 8 years of complacent 1st round results

You may think otherwise, but not being aggresive pre and at the draft for a team who has failed as often and heavily as the Toronto Maple Leafs is not a good sign to put faith and trust into this ownership + management group

 

[All Mod Cons]

Right.
But they could be Biggs and Gordeev and Rasanen and Korshkov and Greenway and Middleton and Mattinen and Chebykin and Nielsen and Desrocher and Engvall and Gauthier and Olden

Idk why people choose to ignore the fact that we have been drafting big players all along, across GMs, and it's just that none of them amounted to much because size does not automatically equal success...

Not a fan of Wes Clark I take it?

 

[Leaf Fans]

They (extending to hunter+lou+dubas and mlse as a whole) have been doing anything else but building a cup contending team since 2017

Bad moves, no long term vision, complacency mindset has led to 8 years of complacent 1st round results

You may think otherwise, but not being aggresive pre and at the draft for a team who has failed as often and heavily as the Toronto Maple Leafs is not a good sign to put faith and trust into this ownership + management group

They have been aggressive. They just haven't done what you wanted.

 

[uncleben]

Not a fan of Wes Clark I take it?

That has nothing to do with what I said at all

I like a lot of what he has done in the past 5 years and he has shown a shrewd and keen sense at scouting, not afraid to listen to his team of scouts and advocate for their picks


I do think this year's draft was a little focused on "we need grit and truculence!" and very little less focused on actual ceilings.
I do think most of the picks were off the board and picked ahead of the more consensus rankings
But I also think their team of pro scouts knows more than consensus rankings and scouting players as a hobby, like me

But then - and mostly to the point - I think none of that, or how I feel about Clark, has anything to do with people claiming we've only drafted smaller players in the past, when in fact, we've always picked a mix of players of size, and those players of size had proportionally less success.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Wes Clark has been good the last few years, no reason to doubt.

 

[Sypher04]

I give day one an A- and day 2 a D-. Day one put us in a position to leave Vegas with two good prospects but a botched day 2 means we’re leaving with one

I think pushing the 2nd out a year makes a ton of sense. Gives us a trade chip we sorely need for the deadline or a pick for next year.

 

[All Mod Cons]

That has nothing to do with what I said at all

I like a lot of what he has done in the past 5 years and he has shown a shrewd and keen sense at scouting, not afraid to listen to his team of scouts and advocate for their picks


I do think this year's draft was a little focused on "we need grit and truculence!" and very little less focused on actual ceilings.
I do think most of the picks were off the board and picked ahead of the more consensus rankings
But I also think their team of pro scouts knows more than consensus rankings and scouting players as a hobby, like me

But then - and mostly to the point - I think none of that, or how I feel about Clark, has anything to do with people claiming we've only drafted smaller players in the past, when in fact, we've always picked a mix of players of size, and those players of size had proportionally less success.

Hopefully we've drafted good, big players. Other teams seem to manage it.

 

[hamzarocks]

They have been aggressive. They just haven't done what you wanted.

Trading the 23rd for 31st + 58th and then 58th for a 2nd + 7th isnt aggresive, it is typical everyday moves. Not moves a team in need of a major retool/shift needs

Your not nearly delusional enough to think otherwise but you continue to play the act for some strange reason

 

[Leaf Fans]

Your not nearly delusional enough to think otherwise but you continue to play the act for some strange reason

Neither are you.