2024 NHL Draft: Play with no weenie, for Celebrini

[thestonedkoala]

I don't trust the Wild scouts at all when it comes to d-men. It's been over a decade since they drafted a d-man that has played more than few games. Only 2 Wild drafted d-men (Hunt 12 games, and Belpedio 16 games) have seen any NHL action since the 2013 (Soucy/Olofsson) draft class.

Long gone are the Scandella, Leddy, Brodin, Dumba, Soucy, etc. draft guys that evaluated d-men.

To be fair, from the 2012-2013 season until 20-21 (almost a decade), Minnesota hasn't had to really care about their top 4 since it was a combination of Spurgeon, Brodin, Suter and Scandella/Dumba. They had to worry about their depth, but they had some good guys there.

On the other hand, they haven't been able to develop - well anyone since Guerin took over so...

 

[Wabit]

I mean, at the very least, the plurality of talent comes out of the CHL. It would be pretty bad to not draft out of there just because our scouting department hasn't taken many of the good ones. Maybe we need better scouts scouting the CHL.

I don't say avoid it completely, but it should be more of a top-5(ish) pick or a mid/late round pick league for me. Basically the NHL ready, or need more time in the league for development players.

I still think it's the best pre-draft developmental league in the world. It drops to the bottom of the list for post draft year development for me. It would be like telling the Boldy, Faber, Kunin, Tuch, etc (college players) they needed to stay and play 2 more years of high school hockey or be in the NHL as their only options going forward.

 

[Wabit]

To be fair, from the 2012-2013 season until 20-21 (almost a decade), Minnesota hasn't had to really care about their top 4 since it was a combination of Spurgeon, Brodin, Suter and Scandella/Dumba. They had to worry about their depth, but they had some good guys there.

On the other hand, they haven't been able to develop - well anyone since Guerin took over so...

Wallstedt and Rossi count as Guerin developed players for me.

I don't agree with they didn't need d-men. Brodin and Dumba were on the trade block almost their entire time in MN. Brodin and Spurgeon are injured almost every year and missing games. Dumba missed 2/3 of a season due to injury. 2 expansion drafts happened also and players needed to be accounted for.

Fletcher, for all his faults, was good at getting the college FA kids to sign in MN as an offset only drafting 1 d-man a couple of drafts. GMBG on the other hand can't even get the kids drafted by the team to sign in MN.

 

[AKL]

I still think it's the best pre-draft developmental league in the world. It drops to the bottom of the list for post draft year development for me. It would be like telling the Boldy, Faber, Kunin, Tuch, etc (college players) they needed to stay and play 2 more years of high school hockey or be in the NHL as their only options going forward.

I would generally agree that there should be more options for CHL players post draft. Riley Heidt a shining example of a player who could benefit from not going back to the CHL next season, but isn't NHL ready.

 

[57special]

I would generally agree that there should be more options for CHL players post draft. Riley Heidt a shining example of a player who could benefit from not going back to the CHL next season, but isn't NHL ready.

Yeah, he seems like a guy who is more than ready to play in the NCAA, but not mature enough physically to do well in the AHL. With the changes in the NCAA recently regarding earning money, you wonder if CHL players will have that backdoor available to them in the future.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (Picking one specific player, while also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (While also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

T1: Catton/Buium
T2: Helenius/Yakemchuk/Sennecke

 

[Digitalbooya]

T1: Catton/Buium
T2: Helenius/Yakemchuk/Sennecke

If you had to pick one player you're hoping for, who would that be?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

If you had to pick one player you're hoping for, who would that be?

Buium, even though I technically have Catton higher (1 spot).

 

[Digitalbooya]

Buium, even though I technically have Catton higher (1 spot).

Those two being realistic at 13 would certainly be interesting. Do you have them falling?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Those two being realistic at 13 would certainly be interesting. Do you have them falling?

Just seen both in certain rankings in the 8-12 range, so it’s not impossible. If Catton was a righty, i might have him ahead.

 

[AKL]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (Picking one specific player, while also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

Iginla

 

[Webster]

I've been following the Norwegians of course, and it doesn't sound like any of them will land here. MBN said he feels like Chicago or Detroit could pick him, been talking a lot to them. And Solberg said the Leafs have been all over him, even invited him to their facilities.

 

[Owen Nolan]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (Picking one specific player, while also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

Yakemchuk - Eiserman

 

[AKL]

I've been following the Norwegians of course, and it doesn't sound like any of them will land here. MBN said he feels like Chicago or Detroit could pick him, been talking a lot to them. And Solberg said the Leafs have been all over him, even invited him to their facilities.

All of those teams pick after the Wild

 

[Webster]

All of those teams pick after the Wild

Sure, but I have a feeling there will be some trades and moves up and down. Who knows, will be interesting.

 

[keppel146]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (Picking one specific player, while also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

Eiserman

 

[f7ben]

Catton , Eiserman , Connelly

 

[keppel146]

Celebrini, Lev, Buium, lindstrom, Demi, catton, silyev, Iginla, Dickinson, yak are my predicted top 10 in some variation, I think…

Leaves senneke, parekh, eiserman, helenius, MBN, that I think would be in the next 11-15ish range.

 

[saywut]

Who is everyone hoping the pick is? (Picking one specific player, while also being realistic)

I’m hoping for Sennecke at this point.

Hoping for Helenius, expecting MBN.

 

[57special]

I have no idea who will be there, but i am hoping it is a no brainer of a pick like Boldy was. Even at that time it was pretty obvious that we got lucky.

Otherwise, I think that we will have a shot at one of Parekh, Helenius, Yakemchuk, or Sennecke. If we do get a shot at Catton, i sure hope that we take him, size be damned. He is not Rossi (not that he was a bad pick). Will end up a little taller, and is faster. About the same high end IQ and skill.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Yeah if you feel good about Helenius 13 is a good spot to be in. I’m not a huge fan of the player

I’m happy with Iginla / Sennecke / Catton / Yak / Perekh / Buium

 

[BagHead]

Yeah if you feel good about Helenius 13 is a good spot to be in. I’m not a huge fan of the player

I’m happy with Iginla / Sennecke / Catton / Yak / Perekh / Buium

As a 5'11" 190lbs. Finnish C/W who has a well rounded game, is said to be very intelligent, is stronger and more physically engaged than his size would make one think, and is ranked by scouting services around #9, he sure does sound like another player the Wild have drafted. Then again, Helenius has skating often listed as a strength and not a weakness, so it's not 1:1.

Personally, I'd be fine with another Granlund at 13th overall. Others probably feel we've been there before, so they want something different, and that's fine too.

 

[57special]

If you had to pick one player you're hoping for, who would that be?

Celebrini.

 

[57special]

As a 5'11" 190lbs. Finnish C/W who has a well rounded game, is said to be very intelligent, is stronger and more physically engaged than his size would make one think, and is ranked by scouting services around #9, he sure does sound like another player the Wild have drafted. Then again, Helenius has skating often listed as a strength and not a weakness, so it's not 1:1.

Personally, I'd be fine with another Granlund at 13th overall. Others probably feel we've been there before, so they want something different, and that's fine too.

Helenius is a better skater, bigger, and stronger than MiG was during his draft year. Better two way player. Not nearly the puck handler or passer. Probably a better shooter, but that's not saying much, as MiG's shot was pretty bad early on. Main thing i like about Helenius is his smarts. Thing I don't like is that i think he is sort of maxed out physically, but i could be wrong on that. He could end up with a fire hydrant body like fiala and Kap, weighing over 200 lbs.

Bottom line is that I don't think that Helenius and Granlund's game have much in common. You hope that his floor is as a guy like Haula, and(keeping it Finnish here)his ceiling, Aho. Pretty wide spread, i know.

Yeah if you feel good about Helenius 13 is a good spot to be in. I’m not a huge fan of the player

I’m happy with Iginla / Sennecke / Catton / Yak / Perekh / Buium

Parekh freaks me out. You?