Post-Game Talk: 2024 NHL Draft -- Rate it, Love it or Hate it

[Estimated_Prophet]

Can't.
Wait.
For.
The behind the scenes Habs Draft video.

It will be truly great if it outlines a determination to acquire both Demidov and Hage. I would love to hear some insight on the Koivu pick as well as maybe shining a light on the later picks that none of us are familiar with and perhaps create some buzz around here about them.....I mean except for the armchair pundits who don't like them even though they don't know them.

 

[jaffy27]

A+++ on 1st round alone

Many intriguing players, nice mix of size and skill and mean players.

So far an outstanding draft

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807147312680227013

 

[NotProkofievian]

Do you actually believe that lol?

Why even say anything?

Yes. What you think they're homeruns or something?

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

The votes should be publicly available so I can add the C and C+ contributors to my IL.

Yes. What you think they're homeruns or something?

I don't know what they are which is why I am not sharing an opinion on them.

 

[jaffy27]

It's a tale of two drafts IMO. First day is pretty darn good. Second day Montreal be drafting just anybody

Just anybody as in prospects you don’t know or prospects THEY don’t know?

 

[Draft]

There were guys I preferred on day two that I would have liked for us to draft, but I’ve seen just about nothing of the guys they picked instead so I’ll hold off judgement. Felt the same way last year and that seems to be working out for us. I’m not a big fan of overagers and I think we left some pretty good skill on the table to focus on size. Misa is the guy I would have taken several times over who we picked.

Game breaking talent and a C prospect with top-6 upside are exactly what we needed day one and we got it. The value in these two picks far outweighs the rest of the draft and I’m not seeing anyone I would have been pounding the table for in the late 2nd.

Good draft. A.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I don't know what they are which is why I am not sharing an opinion on them.

The base rate of a 3rd round + pick is a bust. I don't think we beat the market.

 

[BLNY]

Well? What do you think?


1st round:

Ivan Demidov (W)
Michael Hage (C)

3rd round:
Aatos Koivu (C)
Logan Sawyer (C)

4th round
Owen Protz (LD)

5th round
Tyler Thorpe (W)
Mikus Vecvanags (G)

6th round
Ben Merrill (C)

7th round
Makar Khanin (W)
Rasmus Bergqvist

I went with B+.

First round is an A to A+.

Third round is a B. Which Aatos is the real one? The ppg player in league play or the underwhelming U18 player. We'll see. Sentimentally, it's a great pick. Sawyer is taking an extra year before NCAA. He put up nice numbers in a year that split the AJHL and BCHL. Both players went earlier than their ranking.

Fourth round is a B-. Not a direct need, but Protz will play two more years of junior before turning pro. Then it's a couple of years there at least. Worst case, he's a mean piece of work for Laval.

Fifth is a B-. I like the Thorpe pick. Big, skates well, put up decent offensive numbers. If he's coachable, he's got a shot. Latvian goalie doesn't address a need, so I struggle with this pick.

Sixth is a C+. Could have taken a bigger swing if going for a over age player. Playing a year in BCHL before going to NCAA.

Seventh is a "who knows".

 

[newdimension]

5. Ivan Demidov
My pick: Ivan Demidov
Rating: A++++++++++++

Can't believe he was there for us. How the hell did this happen? Love it.


21. Michael Hage
My pick: Yegor Surin
Rating: A

While I would have loved Surin's feistiness, Hagel is also an excellent pick. Excellent skill and seems to have great character.


70. Aatos Koivu
My pick: Henry Mews
Rating: B+

Great bloodline pick. I'm perfectly fine with it.


78. Logan Sawyer
My pick: Adam Jecho
Rating: C+

Could be a bottom-six type in the future, who knows. I feel like he could have been taken a round later. I feel like someone such as Jecho has more tools with similar upside, though. Sawyer's going to a good program, however, so we'll see how it plays out.


102. Owen Protz
My pick: Raoul Boilard
Rating: D

Protz is guy that feels like you could get a similar type of player in a later round. Boilard, with more icetime, could have a breakout season. It felt like they were leaving some upside on the table.


130. Tyler Thorpe
My pick: Colton Roberts
Rating: B
.
Maybe I would have taken his teammate, Colton Roberts, but Thorpe was one of my favorite overagers this year. I'm absolutely fine with this pick -- maybe he's a Brett Leason or Justin Brazeau type, which would be fine.


134. Mikus Vecvanags
My pick: Anthony Romani
Rating: n/a; but if I had to give a score, C

Aside from seeing him a few times at the U18's, I don't have much info about Vecvanags. He's a Euro goalie, which is perfect to take some late swings on, I guess.


166. Ben Merrill
My pick: Miroslav Satan
Rating: D

Meh. The Habs definitely had a "type" for their late swings this year, at least. Think I would have preferred them taking a chance on Satan. The 2024 draft pick, that is. Not the lord of the underworld.


210. Makar Khanin
My pick: Tomas Galvas
Rating: C+

I like it overall. Khanin's a perfectly fine late swing. I would have used a pick on Tomas Galvas, who looked good at the U20's, and who definitely should have been drafted... but lacks size. Nonetheless, Khanin has skill and some nice shooting ability, so there's definitely something to work with.


224. Rasmus Bergqvist
My pick: Jack Bodin
Rating: C-

I'll give it a C-. Bergqvist is kind of an unknown. I think I would have preferred a chance on the underrated Bodin. At minimum, Bodin would have been some RHD depth.



Overall: B


I'll give the draft a solid B, solely because of the amazing first round. Every pick after are some swings. Hopefully guys such as Koivu and Sawyer can progress to give us some depth scoring. We'll see about the others.

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807149764708020701

 

[The Great Weal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807147312680227013

We should have done everything to add Surin just because of this:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806917688129634670

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807150908570042794

 

[sandviper]

I would go with an A-. They made the correct selection with the fifth overall, and that defines the rest of the draft. While I like Michael Hage, I would have been happier remaining at 26th, particularly since Greentree was selected at that point, I think that there was value, there, that we passed on.

Philosophically, I cannot agree with the selection of so many overagers, and there were some extreme reaches.

Koivu was heartwarming.

With overagers, these kids are closer to the type of player they may end up being. Of course they can develop more but there’s less “guessing” and the development staff can take over and continue molding the player.

I wouldn’t pick an overager early, but later on is perfectly fine.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807149764708020701

Getting FloJack Horseman vibes with this pick.

It is pretty funny and cute to see some nerds on here prioritizing day 2 as much as day 1.

“First day was an A+++ but 2nd day I didn’t get my 4th round pet project so B- I guess”

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807152651299111349

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Does anyone have the link to the bobrov Lapointe interview?

 

[HomaridII]

Does anyone have the link to the bobrov Lapointe interview?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807142589075689738

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

To me, drafts you can only really base on about 3 rounds.

Judging by rounds 4 thru 7 are almost pointless. Its literally winning the lottery. Even if some pan out, their careers tend to be interchangeable 4th liners or 7th defenseman that get passed around like the bong at a party

 

[jellybeans]

On average 1 or 2 will be nhl'ers so just Demidov is a huge win for the habs

 

[MD thaivuN]

D for Demidov

 

[calder candidate]

Love day one even if it feel like we traded up for no reason, I don't have my list handy but of the top of my head here is who I would have pick...
Koivu is the only guy that I might have pick and I probably would not have consider it before 78th
1st round:
Ivan Demidov (W)
Michael Hage (C)

3rd round:
Aatos Koivu (C)
Logan Sawyer (C) - Zarubin

4th round
Owen Protz (LD) - Josephson, Osburn, Boilard

5th round
Tyler Thorpe (W) Misa, Vuollet, Caswell
Mikus Vecvanags (G) Poirier, Whipple, Romani

6th round
Ben Merrill (C) Kol, Pautov, Burnevik

7th round
Makar Khanin (W) Satan, Uljanskis
Rasmus Bergqvist - It doesn't matter but there had to be someone else younger and more upside...

 

[ReimanSum1908]

D for Demidov

Shouldn't that be DD for DemiDov?

 

[Miller Time]

To me, drafts you can only really base on about 3 rounds.

Judging by rounds 4 thru 7 are almost pointless. Its literally winning the lottery. Even if some pan out, their careers tend to be interchangeable 4th liners or 7th defenseman that get passed around like the bong at a party

Indeed. The hit rate is so incredibly low for every organization that it's pointless to rate.

Love the approach we used to the first 3 rounds both as individual player choices and in how well the picks for the organization needs & unique context.

Demidov is a great pick. Upside to be the best player in the class, very low odds he doesn't become an everyday NHLer at worst.

Hage... Top end of the class upside, tools to be an effective middle 6 staple if his offensive production ceiling isn't reached, also a very likely floor of NHL regular.

Koivu in 3rd round... Bloodlines, skill set, city & org connection... That he's a 3rd rounder (vs a 1st round /can't miss) prospect kinda makes it better. Less scrutiny & expectations and more room for a long runway to a feel good story. All the support and love with far less of the pressure.

3 great decisions both independently and as a whole that leverages the potential power of the intense Montreal hockey culture.

KH gets it.
Gorton gets it.
Molson is staying out of the way.
Habs haven't been in such good hands for as long as I've been following the team.

Future is bright

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

I weigh the 1st rounders most heavily. Demidov was a grand slam, I like Hage a lot (had Greentree a bit higher but very happy with him still). Koivu was a bit higher than I had him but definitely intriguing.

I scouted 180 prospects this year, none of our other picks were among them so I can't really comment on them but I hope they found something amongst them.