GDT: 2024 NHL Draft Talk - Picked 2nd, 18th, 27th, 67th, 72nd, 92nd, 138th, & 163rd Overall

[Geoist]

The Hawks scouts. Scouts from other teams don't matter in this scenario. We will see if they agree with that assessment or not.

So if literally all the other scouts say Demidov>Levshunov, and only the non-Russia Hawks scouts say Levshunov>Demidov you would trust the Hawks scouts? It wouldn't give you pause?

 

[Hattrick Kane]

The backlash isn’t about Lev and the player he could become, I don’t really doubt that.

It’s always been about where the scoring is coming from in the future. I think that’s a legitimate question that has not yet been adequately answered. We have lots of forward prospects that project to be bottom 6ers, but not really any top 6 guys.

So if Davidson wants to be competitive by 2027, I again ask, where will the scoring be coming from?

 

[clydesdale line]

So if literally all the other scouts say Demidov>Levshunov, and only the non-Russia Hawks scouts say Levshunov>Demidov you would trust the Hawks scouts? It wouldn't give you pause?

Why are you giving hypotheticals exactly? Of course scouts for an organization all won't have a consensus on a player (unless they are a special prospect like Connor Bedard) they will put in their input, argue and then ultimately it's up to the GM.

 

[Geoist]

Why are you giving hypotheticals exactly? Of course scouts for an organization all won't have a consensus on a player (unless they are a special prospect like Connor Bedard) they will put in their input, argue and then ultimately it's up to the GM.

It's not a complete hypothetical. While we don't know 100% what other teams are saying/thinking, scouting reports have Demidov almost universally between #2 and 3. Levshunov is all over the place (even as far back as #11). I just find it weird to just blindly trust one team's scouts over what nearly every other scout is saying (assuming they really do prefer Levshunov over Demidov).

 

[deytookerjaabs]

It needs to be repeated.....

If you look at publicly published scouting ranks the general breakdown of Lev versus Demidov is:

Demidov is in the top 3 in about 95%+ of the rankings out there with over half having him at #2.

Lev is in the top 3 in about 50% of the rankings out there. And the other half the majority have him out of the top 5.


That's a huge difference. It's not just "youtubers" or "fanbois" who see serious question marks in Lev's potential versus Demidov. Almost everyone ranks Demidov top3 for a reason.

 

[Geoist]

I agree with most of this, but projecting Demidov as a 100 point player is just as silly as anyone projecting Levshunov to be a 1D.

If Demidov hits and plays on Bedard's line he totally could be a 100 pt player.

 

[belfour30]

The backlash isn’t about Lev and the player he could become, I don’t really doubt that.

It’s always been about where the scoring is coming from in the future. I think that’s a legitimate question that has not yet been adequately answered. We have lots of forward prospects that project to be bottom 6ers, but not really any top 6 guys.

So if Davidson wants to be competitive by 2027, I again ask, where will the scoring be coming from?

No it's both

 

[Hattrick Kane]

It needs to be repeated.....

If you look at publicly published scouting ranks the general breakdown of Lev versus Demidov is:

Demidov is in the top 3 in about 95%+ of the rankings out there with over half having him at #2.

Lev is in the top 3 in about 50% of the rankings out there. And the other half the majority have him out of the top 5.


That's a huge difference. It's not just "youtubers" or "fanbois" who see serious question marks in Lev's potential versus Demidov. Almost everyone ranks Demidov top3 for a reason.

I’m not concerned about consensus among experts. They get it wrong every single year. And I’m a Demidov guy.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

We going to use this to talk about trades/rumors around league during draft as well?

If so Flames/Caps just made a trade

 

[ClydeLee]

The backlash isn’t about Lev and the player he could become, I don’t really doubt that.

It’s always been about where the scoring is coming from in the future. I think that’s a legitimate question that has not yet been adequately answered. We have lots of forward prospects that project to be bottom 6ers, but not really any top 6 guys.

So if Davidson wants to be competitive by 2027, I again ask, where will the scoring be coming from?

From defenders? And top 3 picks the next 2 years? Then when the team is more mature and some current prospects get shipped for good players, they can make even more UFA or trades with legit top 6 attributes in store. You don't want the team to still be bad, you didn't this year. But they need to be to get the talent. You can't even bank on 1 pick this high to be the gaurenteed offensive weapon.

But Davidson didn't say he wants to be competitive in 2026. Ben Pope said they will be... not some voice of anything there.

 

[ello]

I agree with most of this, but projecting Demidov as a 100 point player is just as silly as anyone projecting Levshunov to be a 1D.

Fair enough. I just see a much clearer path for Demidov to become a star winger than Levshunov becoming a 1D.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Levshunov pick also makes a lot more sense if they can get Jones off this team. A fan can dream I suppose.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Funny that KD gave up a 2nd to move up two spots in the middle first but now with no moves is looking to draft a guy at 2 who could easily slide out of the top 5 (wouldn't doubt if other teams put out rumors of having Lev at the top of their board for this purpose).

 

[Sarava]

It’s really f***ing easy to make a team suck and pick Bedard.

Rick Hahn was a rock star 6 years ago, too.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Rick Hahn was a rock star 6 years ago, too.

So was Ryan Pace

 

[belfour30]

Rick Hahn was a rock star 6 years ago, too.

Don't remind me.

 

[Darkstar]

If Demidov hits and plays on Bedard's line he totally could be a 100 pt player.

I see them killing it on the PP together, but long-term I think Demidov drives his own line.

 

[TheFridge]

The backlash isn’t about Lev and the player he could become, I don’t really doubt that.

It’s always been about where the scoring is coming from in the future. I think that’s a legitimate question that has not yet been adequately answered. We have lots of forward prospects that project to be bottom 6ers, but not really any top 6 guys.

So if Davidson wants to be competitive by 2027, I again ask, where will the scoring be coming from?

And most of the Hawks defense prospects project as middle/bottom-pairing guys.

This isn't going to be the last time the Hawks draft top-5. It might not even be the last time they draft top-3. The Hawks are going to have more shots at getting high-end forward talent in the next two drafts and the good thing about forwards, is that they usually require less developmental time than D.

Look at some of the forwards at the top of next years draft: Hagens, Martone, Frondell, Misa, etc.

I've seen so many people on twitter talking about Pittsburgh, Edmonton and even our rebuild in the mid-2000s and they all seem to forget that Pittsburgh's rebuild didn't start with Crosby; Edmonton's didn't start with McDavid and ours didn't start with Kane. The Blackhawks current rebuild basically started with Bedard.

Pittsburgh drafted MAF 1st overall in 2003, Malkin 2nd in 2004, Crosby 1st in 2005 and Staal 2nd in 2006. Edmonton drafted Hall 1st in 2010, Nuge 1st in 2011, Drai 3rd in 2014 before drafting McDavid 1st in 2015 -- and they still had two top-10 picks in the next 3 drafts thereafter. Chicago drafted Barker 3rd in 2004, Skille 8th in 2005, Toews 3rd in 2006 and Kane 1st in 2007.

This is only CHIs 2nd draft after bottoming out. They finished 3rd-last last year, lucked into Bedard. Finished 2nd last this year. They're very likely going to be a bottom-5 team next year. You're going to get more shots at forwards. It doesn't all hinge on Demidov.

 

[TheFridge]

It needs to be repeated.....

If you look at publicly published scouting ranks the general breakdown of Lev versus Demidov is:

Demidov is in the top 3 in about 95%+ of the rankings out there with over half having him at #2.

Lev is in the top 3 in about 50% of the rankings out there. And the other half the majority have him out of the top 5.


That's a huge difference. It's not just "youtubers" or "fanbois" who see serious question marks in Lev's potential versus Demidov. Almost everyone ranks Demidov top3 for a reason.

Levshunov is the top ranked D from Peters, Pronman, Wheeler, Bob's list and Cental Scouting. It's the niche rankings that have him outside of the top-3.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Funny that KD gave up a 2nd to move up two spots in the middle first but now with no moves is looking to draft a guy at 2 who could easily slide out of the top 5 (wouldn't doubt if other teams put out rumors of having Lev at the top of their board for this purpose).

Literally rather take Demi then take whatever D is there at 18. I dont see the gap between Lev and the rest as massive as the 3/10 scouts see

 

[Hattrick Kane]

And most of the Hawks defense prospects project as middle/bottom-pairing guys.

This isn't going to be the last time the Hawks draft top-5. It might not even be the last time they draft top-3. The Hawks are going to have more shots at getting high-end forward talent in the next two drafts and the good thing about forwards, is that they usually require less developmental time than D.

Look at some of the forwards at the top of next years draft: Hagens, Martone, Frondell, Misa, etc.

I've seen so many people on twitter talking about Pittsburgh, Edmonton and even our rebuild in the mid-2000s and they all seem to forget that Pittsburgh's rebuild didn't start with Crosby; Edmonton's didn't start with McDavid and ours didn't start with Kane. The Blackhawks current rebuild basically started with Bedard.

Pittsburgh drafted MAF 1st overall in 2003, Malkin 2nd in 2004, Crosby 1st in 2005 and Staal 2nd in 2006. Edmonton drafted Hall 1st in 2010, Nuge 1st in 2011, Drai 3rd in 2014 before drafting McDavid 1st in 2015 -- and they still had two top-10 picks in the next 3 drafts thereafter. Chicago drafted Barker 3rd in 2004, Skille 8th in 2005, Toews 3rd in 2006 and Kane 1st in 2007.

This is only CHIs 2nd draft after bottoming out. They finished 3rd-last last year, lucked into Bedard. Finished 2nd last this year. They're very likely going to be a bottom-5 team next year. You're going to get more shots at forwards. It doesn't all hinge on Demidov.

Korchinski, Vlasic and EDM will all solidly be top 4 guys and I’d say Rinzel is likely trending that way as well. I’m far less concerned about the defense in general.

I just figure we need to take more shots at forward because if we get unlucky and one of those high picks we’ll be getting in the future doesn’t work out, then it takes that much longer to get a top tier forward on the roster. Because most of these guys won’t be ready their draft year, I’d rather

 

[hawksfan50]

Craig Button in his mock draft tonight onTSN has Hawks taking Demidov at #2 (also Demidov was #2 overall on his rankings kist).
At #18 he has Hawks taking Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard ...Michael Hage went off the board at #17 in this mock draft ,but in his rankings MBN was ranked higher than Hage...I personally think Stian Solberg is t and would have gone Dman(LD) with Solberg at e better if the 2 .Norwegians..but IF it goes as per Button's mock in the real draft
I coukd see why a 2 way 200ft winger with physicality could entice KD..Maybe hevthinks he coukd beca Hossa -like player for complimenting Bedard or DEMIDOV OR Both if they all pkay on the same line in a fewcyears?

Still drafting 2 RW in round one woukd be very strange ...Denidov isxa left shot playing hisvoff wing and I think MBN is a rightcshot I believe...would they forrn a line with 2 wingers playing their off sides?

This iswhy if Hage (C) is off the board ,I woukd suspect KD instead takes Lucjanko over MNN if he wants to take a forward..go forCebtervover another RW ..unless he thinks Demidov will notbplay with Bedard 5x5 ...in that case it makes sense to add MBN to help Bedard with a 200 ft 2-way wingerti dig pucks off boar batykescto get it to Bedard and let Denidov do hisvown star thing on line 2?

We shall find out if indeed Hage goes before MBN or of both off board before 18 or if both there at 18 (if both there forvus I suspect Hagevis KD's choice rather than using roundc1 on 2RWs .


In a choice between Hage or Solberg.. I still want Solberg ...becausevtyeboppscjaving to go down our Leftcsidecwiukd have problems getting byVlssic and Solberg and EdM woukd beca very goidc3LD..so tgatcsidecsecure...KK I woukd shift to RD ..a goid skatercshoukdvhave no problem doibgvthat..The fact Kk's shotvstinks means at least in repkacingvMurphyvatc2RD,Kk could still skatecandvoass better than ztyecturtle speed Barfy can..so gotta be an improvement unless Kk turns total bust...I hope he does improve both offensively and defensively.. if not and he bisys ,thatvwoukd becaxstback.

Look thecrightvsidevisxsickly in poor shape.. $9.5 is not worth $9.5 and isxa farce asa 1D ..no instinct for defending.. They shoukd move hom to forward if they can find a true1D (Lev will not be that) ..But we have 6 more drafts to find that eventually Seth Jones replacement who woukd bevyhat 1D as a RD 1st pair guy.6 more draftscisxa kong tome to surely land one to fill the role.. However in the meantime just let us replace Barfy with a dman that can actualky provide some scoring and can ...you know...actualky skate ...OfcKk cannot do it as a RD...trade hom and Kaiser or Allen for 1xwho can be a good 2RD..
We could just bring in ufa RD as stop-gaps..but Murphy has go tobgp by TDL nextcsprong.
The very thought of $9.5 as 1RDxand Barfy as 2RD ...means another long sorrowful season upcoming.

But you cannot get it all done in 1 draft..Youbplay the cards as they fall ...

 

[statswatcher]

if i were KD and the plan is actually to take lev, i’d be resurrecting the ghost of james jesus angleton to sniff out whatever moles are in the org leaking it and kick them out in the street.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I know it's a crazy idea but you can think Lev is the pick like I do and not agree with it because you like other guys better. Appeals to authority don't work on me.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Levshunov is the top ranked D from Peters, Pronman, Wheeler, Bob's list and Cental Scouting. It's the niche rankings that have him outside of the top-3.

If Craig Button, The Hockey News, scouting organizations like FC Hockey & Dobber Prospects are "niche" then I suppose the only good report we can get is from The New York Times. Amen.