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Draft 2024 NHL Draft Prospects & Undrafted Free Agents

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UnSandvich said:
"Meanest player on the ice; nicest player off the ice."

See, that's not at all what I've read at all.
“I think he’s going to go firmly in the first. A big, long body, a very good skater. Very athletic. A little bit of a tweener because he’s
not naturally nasty. He’s not an offensive guy. I think he defends well. I like him in transition and retrievals. He’s a first-round pick
for me.” – NHL scout, June 2024
EP Draft Guide quoted

"The other danger here is that in Emery’s recovery process on the rush, he’s not that difficult to play against
consistently. There were minimal flashes of mean but it doesn’t look terribly natural. So, we saw some players try to take
him outside-in on the rush after a failed pokecheck and Emery allowed them to “get corner” on him a bit more than
we’d like to see at the level of competition he was dealing with."
Black Book

"So, we have a 6’3” frame with huge athletic upside. He’s a better 1-on-1 defender than anything else. E.J. isn’t a natural
mauler or big hitter despite how he often gaps up in the neutral zone. And the puck skills might actually be a stopper in
terms of NHL upside. His decisions with the puck put some caution on the overall hockey sense and mental processor
that this player offers as well."
Black Book

"Emery says he models his game after K’Andre Miller – and there’s some stylistic connection there – but Miller was bigger, meaner, and more skilled by a significant degree."
Black Book
Click to expand...
If Miller is being described as "meaner" than a potential draftee..yikes.
 
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RempireStateBuilding said:
If Miller is being described as "meaner" than a potential draftee..yikes.
Click to expand...

UnSandvich said:
"Meanest player on the ice; nicest player off the ice."

See, that's not at all what I've read at all.
“I think he’s going to go firmly in the first. A big, long body, a very good skater. Very athletic. A little bit of a tweener because he’s
not naturally nasty. He’s not an offensive guy. I think he defends well. I like him in transition and retrievals. He’s a first-round pick
for me.” – NHL scout, June 2024
EP Draft Guide quoted

"The other danger here is that in Emery’s recovery process on the rush, he’s not that difficult to play against
consistently. There were minimal flashes of mean but it doesn’t look terribly natural. So, we saw some players try to take
him outside-in on the rush after a failed pokecheck and Emery allowed them to “get corner” on him a bit more than
we’d like to see at the level of competition he was dealing with."
Black Book

"So, we have a 6’3” frame with huge athletic upside. He’s a better 1-on-1 defender than anything else. E.J. isn’t a natural
mauler or big hitter despite how he often gaps up in the neutral zone. And the puck skills might actually be a stopper in
terms of NHL upside. His decisions with the puck put some caution on the overall hockey sense and mental processor
that this player offers as well."
Black Book

"Emery says he models his game after K’Andre Miller – and there’s some stylistic connection there – but Miller was bigger, meaner, and more skilled by a significant degree."
Black Book
Click to expand...
Must be talking Millenial-Mean, as opposed to Gen X mean.

If K'Andre was Gen X he would be the Gentle Giant. But I guess he Millenial Mean cause he once hacked a loogie at a Dman.
 
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Full Buffalo Sabres interview on the upcoming NHL Draft post #6,581 in the Around the NHL thread. Go to the 22:00 mark. Kevyn Adams states he has contacted all the other GMs and has let them know that Buffalo is wide open to moving their 1st. Also very open to trading back and would also consider moving up.
 
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Clark Kellogg said:
Click to expand...

After Hagen Burrows went back to high school hockey I watched some of his past games from his first USHL stint. Definitely stood out. At the time he had very little coverage. I'll have to go back and watch some games from his 2nd stint this year. I was hoping he'd be a little secret come draft day. Not that I think he's a blue chip or anything like that but I like the potential in the mid to late rounds. Big, talented kid. He's since went on to win player of the year for Minnesota hockey. Now he's projected to possibly go in the 3rd round.
 
I really have my hopes pinned to Freij, but something tells me we will not be picking at 30. I think we see the pick and a roster player traded for an immediate roster upgrade.
 
Of guys who have a reasonable chance to be available at our pick, I'd probably rank them

1. Beaudoin
2. Parascak
3. Surin
4. Freij
5. Vanecker
6. Letorneau
7. Badinka
8. Emery
9. Elick
 
Synergy27 said:
I really have my hopes pinned to Freij, but something tells me we will not be picking at 30. I think we see the pick and a roster player traded for an immediate roster upgrade.
Click to expand...
Idk if I mentioned here, but it was something I was looking through last week. For as much love as these Swedish dmen get going into the draft, a lot of them really haven't panned out at all. The overall results for the last 10ish years are pretty unimpressive given how good these kids are within their systems and how they show up at the WJCs. Off the top of my head, the obvious standouts are Dahlin and Hampus Lindholm. Someone like Forsling took years of development and work to get where he is, but he's obviously hit an elite level lately.

Rasmus Andersson is very good, and Kylington was trending up nicely prior to his personal issues that derailed two years of his career. Edvinsson leads the younger crop now, but other promising ones like Boqvist and Lundkvist have been really disappointing. I do like Freij though given his really strong skating and puck-moving skills. I think his defensive game needs a lot of work though because I thought it was a bit soft at the WJC. Would be a really solid pick at 30
 
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RangersFan1994 said:
Rangers need more North American style of players. Rangers have not had success drafting euros lately that are forwards or defense. Doesnt scream Rangers pick to me. Pass
Click to expand...
Did you even bother to look up Surin’s scouting profile, or did you automatically just jump to the wrong conclusion because it was a Russian player? Surin plays like a lunatic, and if anything, leans towards crossing the line more than not. He’s as much of a buzzsaw as it’s gonna get in this draft

I’ll save you the time on another prospect that’ll be in discussions for 30: Matvei Gridin played all year in the USHL and was great on a line with Sacha Boisvert.
 
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Mac n Gs said:
Did you even bother to look up Surin’s scouting profile, or did you automatically just jump to the wrong conclusion because it was a Russian player? Surin plays like a lunatic, and if anything, leans towards crossing the line more than not. He’s as much of a buzzsaw as it’s gonna get in this draft

I’ll save you the time on another prospect that’ll be in discussions for 30: Matvei Gridin played all year in the USHL and was great on a line with Sacha Boisvert.
Click to expand...

You know full well they didn't do any research whatsoever.
 
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Mac n Gs said:
Did you even bother to look up Surin’s scouting profile, or did you automatically just jump to the wrong conclusion because it was a Russian player? Surin plays like a lunatic, and if anything, leans towards crossing the line more than not. He’s as much of a buzzsaw as it’s gonna get in this draft

I’ll save you the time on another prospect that’ll be in discussions for 30: Matvei Gridin played all year in the USHL and was great on a line with Sacha Boisvert.
Click to expand...

Looking around the NHL there are loads of soft North American players. A lot of people just don't want to say it. The whole idea that North American hockey players are by nature tougher is a myth. The truth also is that a lot of the more skilled players are on the soft side too. Everyone is constantly on the lookout for a guy who can do all of scoring, hitting and fighting but those guys are rare.

As far as Surin I like him but I don't like him as much as Pulkkinen and as others have mentioned I think all things being even the Rangers will go with a defenseman (unless they trade the pick). I think for some he might be a little bit of a reach at 30 and there are other defense options other than Pulkkinen but he's the one I like best. I've been interested in him since watching the WJC's. He was terrific there.
 
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eco's bones said:
Looking around the NHL there are loads of soft North American players. A lot of people just don't want to say it. The whole idea that North American hockey players are by nature tougher is a myth. The truth also is that a lot of the more skilled players are on the soft side too. Everyone is constantly on the lookout for a guy who can do all of scoring, hitting and fighting but those guys are rare.

As far as Surin I like him but I don't like him as much as Pulkkinen and as others have mentioned I think all things being even the Rangers will go with a defenseman (unless they trade the pick). I think for some he might be a little bit of a reach at 30 and there are other defense options other than Pulkkinen but he's the one I like best. I've been interested in him since watching the WJC's. He was terrific there.
Click to expand...
I was watching tape on Pulkkinen yesterday. The size, skating, and skill package is honestly amazing. Nobody that’s 6’6 should move like that, but he made a lot, and I mean a lot, of terrible reads and plays defensively. For someone that’s a year older, I expect better in that area. He kind of reminded me of Zadorov from a skill/skating perspective, but his decision making and soft play reminded me of John Moore.

I think he’d need a lot of coaching and structure to break those habits, and if you do, it could be a major homerun
 
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