Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread

[Bye Bye Blueston]

is Eiserman the 2nd coming of Laine?

Phil kessel I think, if he hits as expected.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I mean, in terms of projecting we have Thomas, DD, and Dean. In terms of D, we'll probably still have Parayko through a rebuild barring something unforeseen. And Lindstein. Past that, hard to really rely on anyone. So 3/3 at center and only 2/4 at D, and it's harder to find a playable, reasonably aged D (under 30) where as even if Dean continues to not progress we can find someone like Hayes to play behind Dalibor. If we still had Dunn or Petro, I think it'd be a wash on the positions and then C has more value. But as is, we have a lot of talent at C and almost none at D.

And that is again the issue. The FO sets us up for failure on D. Someone will bail us out. We could find someone in the 2nd or next draft or the next draft. Make some more deals that largely underwhelm, And doing that has us with the cupboard pretty bare year after year on D. And this is the position we KNOW takes longest to develop. It's way easier to find a Bozak or Berglund than it has been for us to find a 2nd pairing D who wasn't being carried by a partner.

i agree with need on d, my point was that we need c depth too. we have lots of exciting winger prospects though, so we will see where this goes. i expect to see some of our good winger prosepcts dealt in next few years to address organizational needs.

 

[bleedblue1223]

i agree with need on d, my point was that we need c depth too. we have lots of exciting winger prospects though, so we will see where this goes. i expect to see some of our good winger prosepcts dealt in next few years to address organizational needs.

And sort of the the Trade Board talk, if you collect enough good prospects of any position, you can usually fill the gaps with moves at the NHL level.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

And sort of the the Trade Board talk, if you collect enough good prospects of any position, you can usually fill the gaps with moves at the NHL level.

winger do seem to be in less demand though, but if they are good enough things tend to work themselves out.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

My initial draft list. Please note that this isn't order I want Blues to pick, as some guys rated highly don't seem like great fit for us.

1. Celebrini
2. Silayev (D)
3. Levshunov (D)
4. Demidov
5. Eiserman
6. Lindstrom
7. Dickinson (D)
8. Helenius
9. Catton
10. Parekh (D)
11. Buium (D)
12. Greentree
13. Iginla
14. Connelly
15. Emery (D)
16. Boisvert
17. Brandsegg-Nygard
18. Hemming
19. LSW (D)
20. Roberts (D)

Other D to watch (in alphabetical order):

Danford
Elick
Fischer
Freij
Gill
Kleber
Mews
Shuravin
Yakemchuk

There are obviously other interesting forwards, but I don't have strong enough feeling on any of remaining forwards to note. As season goes on I will build out list to 32 or more.

I’m pretty good with this list. Remove Parekh and Emery in the top 15 and add Yak and Nygard. Not that I wouldn’t draft differently.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Here is my rankings spreadsheet of prospects I'm following. Behind on the separate overagers tab. Merging some in for the draft. Divided into preseason, beginning of the season to late NOV, late NOV to late Jan, Now late Jan to late March has started. Do some comparisons of how players have moved ranking wise.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Wheeler's midseason rankings just came out. Here are his top 3 tiers of players
1. Celebrini

2. Levshunov
3. Eiserman
4. Demidov

5. Silyayev
6. Parekh
7. Buium
8. Dickinson
9. Catton
10. Helenius
11. Lindstrom

I saw this and also EP’s new list. I also listened to their roundtable of “yeah but look at his stats”. Are your prospects future NHL players or is it a junior skills competition? An average NHL d man is 6’1.5” tall.

If it is a video game, then sure. I take Parekh for example. I can control what he does and can make him comeback on defense. I can make him hit and size doesn’t matter. If it’s the NHL then Dickinson is a no brainer.

 

[PJJJP]

Pronman's list came out
1. Celebrini

2. Silyayev
3. Yakemchuk
4. Lindstrom
5. Levshunov

6. Catton
7. Dickinson
8. Demidov
9. Eiserman

10. Parekh

 

[STL fan in MN]

I’d have it:

1 Celebrini

2 Silayev
3 Levshunov
4 Demidov

5 Dickinson
6 Helenius
7 Lindstrom
8 Eiserman

9 Catton
10 Buium
11 Connelly
12 Greentree
13 Iginla
14 Parekh
15 Hemming
16 Yakemchuk
17 Jiracek

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I’d have it:

1 Celebrini

2 Silayev
3 Levshunov
4 Demidov

5 Dickinson
6 Helenius
7 Lindstrom
8 Eiserman

9 Catton
10 Buium
11 Connelly
12 Greentree
13 Iginla
14 Parekh
15 Hemming
16 Yakemchuk
17 Jiracek

Very good list. I do like Lindstrom in the top tier, though in the top five.

 

[Mike Liut]

We are still going to finish at .500 and draft in the top 10.

 

[LGB]

Really like Tij Iginla. Put him and Dvorsky on the same line the other team may never touch the puck.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Really like Tij Iginla. Put him and Dvorsky on the same line the other team may never touch the puck.

Probably one of my favorite wingers in the draft.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

U19 5 nations tourney is the 6-9 of February. Interesting Swedish roster of draft eligibles this year and D+1. Stancl is playing as well. Be a good look for Noel Fransen Oskar Vuollet, Herman Traff, and Svante Sjodin. Feel sorry for Swedes stuck on SHL 4th lines.

 

[Beauterham]

Due to having 2 toddlers at home, I haven't had a lot of time yet to read up on the draft yet. can anyone tell me how this years goalie crop is?

I wouldn't be surprised if the Blues to pick a goalie in round 2-4 as Hofer is graduated, Zherenko is in the 'A' and unless Cranley or Ellis pull 'a Binnington' I don't think they will ever be good enough for the NHL.

 

[Majorityof1]

Due to having 2 toddlers at home, I haven't had a lot of time yet to read up on the draft yet. can anyone tell me how this years goalie crop is?

I wouldn't be surprised if the Blues to pick a goalie in round 2-4 as Hofer is graduated, Zherenko is in the 'A' and unless Cranley or Ellis pull 'a Binnington' I don't think they will ever be good enough for the NHL.

Don't count Ellis out. He has been killing it in the ECHL. He got called up for 2 games in the AHL and hasn't missed a beat. He is a ,926 where the other two Springfield goalies are a .910. Only 2 games, but he might be figuring it out. He has ridiculous skills. It hopefully just took him a minute to figure it out as a pro.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Don't count Ellis out. He has been killing it in the ECHL. He got called up for 2 games in the AHL and hasn't missed a beat. He is a ,926 where the other two Springfield goalies are a .910. Only 2 games, but he might be figuring it out. He has ridiculous skills. It hopefully just took him a minute to figure it out as a pro.

I'm waiting for him to message Armstrong saying, "I'm ready."

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Watched/watching a few CHL games. The Misa brothers are very impressive. I wanted to catch Parekh’s game and Misa just kept being the focus. Michael is really good.

Mayich looked good in part of a game I caught. Dvorsky is just going to be fun for a lot of years. Really has some moves.

 

[LGB]

Highlights from 2 CHL games and the top prospects game that showcase Iginla's skillset. This kid looks like a future first liner IMO. Highly skilled and always attacking, high IQ, high motor. The only flaw I could see in his game is he tries to do too much sometimes leading to turnovers, but I don't even really think that's a problem. He's too smart to not eliminate some of those plays from his game as he moves up the ranks and while he's in juniors it will only serve to expand his skillset.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Highlights from 2 CHL games and the top prospects game that showcase Iginla's skillset. This kid looks like a future first liner IMO. Highly skilled and always attacking, high IQ, high motor. The only flaw I could see in his game is he tries to do too much sometimes leading to turnovers, but I don't even really think that's a problem. He's too smart to not eliminate some of those plays from his game as he moves up the ranks and while he's in juniors it will only serve to expand his skillset.

I predict he will be drafted before Eiserman.

 

[LGB]

I predict he will be drafted before Eiserman.

Haven't watched a lot of Eiserman yet but I could see it, hoping Tij stays a bit under the radar so we have a chance to pick him.

 

[Celtic Note]

Highlights from 2 CHL games and the top prospects game that showcase Iginla's skillset. This kid looks like a future first liner IMO. Highly skilled and always attacking, high IQ, high motor. The only flaw I could see in his game is he tries to do too much sometimes leading to turnovers, but I don't even really think that's a problem. He's too smart to not eliminate some of those plays from his game as he moves up the ranks and while he's in juniors it will only serve to expand his skillset.

Kid looks good. Constantly moving and finding open ice on offense and hounding the puck on defense.

 

[Mike Liut]

Highlights from 2 CHL games and the top prospects game that showcase Iginla's skillset. This kid looks like a future first liner IMO. Highly skilled and always attacking, high IQ, high motor. The only flaw I could see in his game is he tries to do too much sometimes leading to turnovers, but I don't even really think that's a problem. He's too smart to not eliminate some of those plays from his game as he moves up the ranks and while he's in juniors it will only serve to expand his skillset.

freaking stud

 

[Mike Liut]

Since it looks like the tank is coming to an end, these are the players I like in the 12-18 range

Michael BrandseggNygard​

Adam Jiricek​

Tij Iginla​

Trevor Connelly​

​

 

[bleedblue1223]

I have a feeling Iginla is gone by the time we pick. I'd even be slightly annoyed if Calgary doesn't take him.