I don’t trust the rankings - he’s going top 10 for sure
Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread
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bleedblue1223
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- Jan 21, 2011
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They'll catch up as we get closer to the draft, similar to Reinbacher last season.
If we don't get top 3 pick, I don't know that we are going to get significantly different caliber of player at 8 versus 18. So may as well make the playoffs.
Celtic Note
Living the dream
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If this really is one of those not so great drafts and given where we are in the standings, I am guessing we are not going to bottom out enough to get a good enough pick that it matters much. Might as well make the playoffs. I think it’s going hurt us in the long run, but it’s too late to suck enough that it helps that cause.
Our goal needs to walk out of this draft with two top 4 defenseman which we should still be able to do.
Beauterham
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Are we? I mean, we have one 1st round pick that we can use to draft a defenseman, however if we want to draft a second one we either need to move Buch for a 1st rounder or trade him directly for an older defensive prospect that who is closer to the NHL. However, with us sitting in a playoff spot I don't see Army moving Buch anymore. I also don't think we can guarantee get a top 4 defenseman with our 2nd's (unless we, for example, package all our 2nd's and 3rds for a 1st?).
I disagree with you.. I can see netting two potential top four defenseman in the draft it’s deep enough. Is it a guarantee? No. It’s a much better draft four defenseman than last year and we should be able to get two Lindstein type prospects
Beauterham
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I haven't had the time to research next draft, but do you think it's deep enough to draft a second top-4 potential defenseman at 47-50? I honestly don't know.
potential top 4 but unlikely to be so is what I would expect to find beyond top 20 or so. This is not deep draft.
I have 20 guys that I have pegged as top 4 or pretty close and I don’t see Parekh, Kiviharju,Hutson, Mews, or Vaisenan as one of them.
I don’t know what to call Parekh. A rover?
Parekh is only one of guys you listed who excites me. Mess is a guy like I mentioned that could but probably won’t be good top 4 guy. Parekh I could see struggling to find a role, but I can also see him winning Norris trophies. His talent is immense and his potential is enormous.
He’s a total wild card, but I don’t see it because he doesn’t have elite speed. If he did, then I can see the dominance. I see carving out a Krug type PP guy career.
We are i'm afraid gonna disagree on him. He has good-really good speed, but he has elite offensive sense/vision and excellent agility. He also has really good stick defensively. He is a bit like smarter, more skilled, slightly less physical version of Faulk in the way he plays, except the ice is totally tilted when he is on the ice in a way faulk has never been able to do. Can parekh do that at nhl level? i think he can. There is risk, but i think he has as much upside as anyone outside of top 5 in this draft.
I hope you are right. It would be good for the game. He can turn a few things up like being such a pacifist defensively. Watched him a few times lately and he isn’t challenged at the CHL level. I just wonder what the AHL will bring when they are all like the CHL all stars. He has time though and will be gone long before we pick.
Memento
Future Authoress.
Love Parekh, and I’m fairly high on Mews as well with our first second round pick.
kimzey59
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Define "top 4 D man".
No, you're not likely to get a "difference maker" type D in the 2nd round.
That said, I do think there are some guys similar to an Edmonson or Mikkola that will be available in that range(Skahan, Lavoie, Badinka, Solberg, Pulkkinen). Not a given that they'll end up as top 4 guys, but there's enough upside to think it's possible.
For me, guys that can munch 18-22 minutes a night. May spend time on the PP or on the penalty kill. May be more offensive or defensive in their role, but don’t hurt you on either end.
Sportsnet's 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings: February Edition
In the last edition of the rankings before the NHL trade deadline, Sam Cosentino looks at what the top prospects are doing to increase their draft stock.
bleedblue1223
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Jiricek will be an interesting one because of his injury.
PocketNines
Cutter's Way
looks like picks approximately 19, 51, 56 is what they have now.
scandella with the right market squeeze could be worth a late 2d ... maybe
the only reason to trade either faulk or buchnevich this deadline is a compelling offer and if there is then they are probably adding another pick in the 20s
scandella with the right market squeeze could be worth a late 2d ... maybe
the only reason to trade either faulk or buchnevich this deadline is a compelling offer and if there is then they are probably adding another pick in the 20s
Bluesnatic27
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He'd be my target as a 2nd pick if the Blues were given the option.
I see a lot to like but can't shake the risk given where I think the Blues would pick.
18. Alfons Freij, LD — Växjö Lakers (J20 Nationell)
David Saad – There are a lot of great playmaking defensemen in this year’s draft, and Freij is up there with the best of them. He has been purely dominant at the J20 level with Växjö. Quick-twitch hands allow him to escape pressure easily, even with his back against the boards. He senses that pressure early, too, allowing him to respond proactively and choose the right escape routes. Factor in his mobility and he has the tools of a possession monster — few things can ever keep Freij from putting the puck where he wants it.What separates him from his peers of a similar archetype, however, are the compliments to that game. He knows when to simply shoot the puck and rarely, if ever, overpasses. He is active defensively as well, demonstrating a great understanding of how to build on the advantages he creates. Freij has more or less everything you want your offensive defensemen to have, and is solid defensively as well. His aggressive style of play leads to him being overeager at times and there still are some habits he needs to learn in-zone, but as he reigns himself in, he can become one of the best defensemen in this class.
22. Adam Jiříček, RD — HC Plzeň (Czech Extraliga)
Anni Karvinen – Adam Jiříček is a very interesting name for the upcoming draft for many reasons. His season has been very up and down as he’s been playing mostly at the highest pro level in Czechia. His level of play has varied a lot within games, from being very tentative to trying to do too much. However, Jiříček’s raw tools are incredibly intriguing, with his physicality shining the brightest. He loves to use his body to separate players from the puck. He’s also a great skater; his edgework is excellent, allowing him to make spin-off of checks effectively. However, his skating stance needs a bit of development; currently, it has a negative effect on his acceleration.Unfortunately, Jiříček’s season came to an abrupt end after he suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the World Junior Championships. It is such a shame because we believe the player himself and, of course, scouts around the world would have wanted to see him play well in the World Juniors and in the upcoming U18 Worlds.
25. Dominik Badinka, RD — Malmö Redhawks (SHL)
Sebastian High – Badinka is our pick for the likely late riser in this draft class, as his type of profile and toolkit rarely goes overlooked among NHL teams. He’s very mobile, composed under pressure, and a consistently capable breakout passer. He uses his aggression, scanning, and physicality in tandem with his mobility to effectively defend the rush and the slot at the SHL level. His handling remains quite limited, which in turn limits his on-puck offense, but his fluid off-puck rotations in the offensive zone help create space, time, and defensive confusion. His game exudes maturity, which has been routinely tested by SHL competition; he keeps the simple and effective play in his back pocket while scanning for more dangerous options, making his fall-back option a consistently smart one. Some tool refinement will be needed for Badinka to project as a clear top 4 talent in the NHL, but he already possesses many important building blocks for a modern meat-and-potatoes defenseman.27. Jesse Pulkkinen, LD — JYP (Liiga)
Sebastian High – Pulkkinen has impressed us more and more with each passing viewing, and we wouldn’t rank a D+1 this high if that weren’t the case. His style of play is as unique as his development trajectory; the hulking left-handed defenseman moves around the ice with shocking fluidity, which his handling skill can match. He’s composed under pressure – almost to a fault, as he can overestimate his ability to shield possession at times – and beyond comfortable with the puck on his stick. He has shown a level of offensive dare at both the WJC and in Liiga that complements his toolkit and creativity, and facilitates a 2nd pairing and PP2 projection. He uses his mobility and reach to match footwork when defending the rush, maintaining an increasingly consistent tight gap, and being able to close it aggressively and quickly.We see upside with Pulkkinen in all three zones, but he shines brightest with the puck on his stick. To maintain a spot this high on our board, Pulkkinen will need to continue to balance on the line between actively fine-tuning his habits and retaining his offensive aggressiveness, which he has done very well so far this season.
39. Harrison Brunicke, RD — Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Hadi Kalakeche – One look at Brunicke’s stat line — only 21 points in 46 games — will have you wondering why he is our 39th-ranked prospect at this stage in the draft cycle. Very rarely does a CHL defender worth a top-40 pick not even cross the 0.5-point-per-game threshold in their draft year. However, Brunicke’s lack of points hides a particularly alluring set of tools, and an even more impressive foundation of habits and decisions.The size-mobility combo is already a big plus — at 6 foot 3 and willing to engage physically, and with the edgework and lateral agility he displays, Brunicke covers a lot of ice. He closes gaps early, is especially proficient when it comes to boxing players out of the slot, and matches footwork in transition to maintain a steady distance between him and the puck-carrier. Very solid decision-making, aided by constant scanning and set-up fakes, makes him reliable on retrievals and pass receptions. On top of that, Brunicke shows flashes of high-end skill on the puck and already has the confidence to keep trying things. If he continues to try and take opponents by surprise with inside-out dekes and high slot drives while adding some more offensive-zone activation to his game, we could be looking at a true do-it-all two-way blue-liner whose analytical impact consistently outranks his peers.
43. EJ Emery, RD — USNTDP (USHL)
Hadi Kalakeche – Emery’s drop in our rankings from 27th to 43rd is based on two factors: other prospects have elevated their game, and Emery hasn’t as much over the past three months. Since our last rankings, Emery has only logged three points in 11 games, and although offense is not what he is known for, you want to see at least some form of adaptation to get more pucks to dangerous areas, and we just haven’t. A fantastic skater with some of the best rush defending tools in this draft, Emery is still worth a shot as a second-rounder — he’s exploring with offense, though, which bodes well for his future on a second pair. If he can’t figure out what works and what doesn’t, there’s still a role for him in long run as a bottom-pair rush specialist in the NHL.46. Tarin Smith, LD — Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Hadi Kalakeche – An incredibly intelligent defenseman, Smith supports play with area passes, constant scanning and timely offensive activation. His hands are surprisingly good, as he can dangle forwards from the blue line or even score goals when he gets a lane to the slot. Defensively, Smith identifies his checks and sticks to them like glue, and has gotten much better at boxing out the slot. His skating holds him back considerably in both directions, but if he can improve his edgework and weight transfers, there’s a clear path to a second-pairing, second power play role for Smith.60. Matvei Shuravin, LD — Krasnaya Armiya Moscow (MHL)
Graham Montgomery: – Shuravin is an intriguing defensive prospect. He has decent size and skates well. He uses his reach effectively and maintains good gap control defending against the rush. His major limiting factor is in transition, with some of the worst breakout metrics we’ve ever seen. He projects as a defensive defenseman at the pro level, but he struggles with offensive transitions mightily, even against MHL competition. Ignoring outlet pass options in favor of dump-ins, throwing passes up to nobody for icing after icing… he will need to improve a lot in this area to be considered earlier in the draft for us.********************************************************************************
I didn't get to finish my thoughts after posting. These are Dobber write-ups, but they give you an idea of the player and their game. After pick 16 as the first 16 are pretty well the top 16....things open up after that. Like last year, there is still a wild card potential top 2-3 guy available in Alfons Freij. Like Willander last year, he is an exceptional skater. Willander was further along defensively, but Freij is further along offensively. Both have a fairly complete game and play/played in another D man's shadow. Freij plays behind LSW on the same team, but is a better skater and is already an average NHL sized defenseman. Around pick 17-20, he may still be available.
If he is gone, then what? Pulkkainen is still a legit top 4 prospect. Great size. He will go early. Maybe even in the top 15. He checks a lot of boxes. Jiracek and Badinka also are top 4 candidates and both right handed shots. Jiracek lost some time this year and really does little offensively. Badinka does a lot of things well and nothing spectacularly. Just an overall solid tool box for a top 4 and is already playing top 4 in a pro league. I don't see Emery or Roberts lasting until our 2nd pick. I personally like both of them over Jiracek. If they did, then I would be all over drafting them. I can see Brunicke and Smith both being available with our 2nd or 3rd pick. I think Shuravin falls to our 2nd pick, if you can ever get him over to North America. However, the draft notoriously drafts Euros higher (2nd round and beyond) than rated and size does matter. Lots of guys of interest....if they fall. LSW, Skahan, Elick, Fischer, Gill, Marrelli,... Late round gems....Soini, Ralph, Kol, Boden, and Marrelli. Eliasson as this year's Pulkkainen...
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6. Henry Mews - Defense - Ottawa 67's
The reads on Mews are just so all over the place right now. I've seen and heard some classify him as a high upside offensive type. I've seen him called more of a steady "jack of all trades" type. Where's the truth? It's funny, because when Mews was OHL draft eligible the mixed feelings on him among scouts were just as real. Is he just a guy that is tough to get a read on? It does seem like every time I watch Mews (be it in U16 action, U17 action, Hlinka/Gretzky Cup, the OHL), I get a bit of a different version. In a way, this kind of scares me a bit. There have been guys with that profile over the years who just haven't developed well to become long time NHL defenders. For me, that's why he's more of an early second round type. I certainly see the upside. The skating is terrific. He can create by leading the charge offensively, pushing deep inside the offensive zone to break down coverage. The defensive game and decision making have improved since his erratic Hlinka/Gretzky Cup performance. This is especially true for his physical intensity level; he seems to get "meaner" with every viewing. Maybe he will continue to grow on me. But in a year with so many good defenseman available (across the entire 2024 draft), I see others with a more defined role at the next level.
It’s reviews like this, watching him play, and his being undersized that make me want to what til the third round.
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