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

[Chelios]

As I said appeals to authority are so boring.

Wouldn't the appeals to authority be the people using the fact that Demidov seems to be more of the consensus #2 among the scouting publications as their justification for wanting him?

 

[bwanajamba]

As I said appeals to authority are so boring.

Equally boring: "I just don't see it"

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Wouldn't the appeals to authority be the people using the fact that Demidov seems to be more of the consensus #2 among the scouting publications as their justification for wanting him?

Both can be true.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Equally boring: "I just don't see it"

Then why post anything?

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Most seem to have Dem ahead of Lev, sure, but it's not a universal consensus. And even notwithstanding that, most also have Lev at least in the top 3. I can't fathom a belief that a near-consensus top 3 player, and basically a universal top 5 player, in a given draft would have as low of a ceiling as some are expecting here.

 

[ello]

My bold prediction is you’ll have a huge meltdown despite knowing levshunov is likely the pick.

We’ll have clean diapers waiting for you!

Weird comment lol

 

[ndgt10]

Levshunov would be the most underwhelming 2nd overall since, well, ever.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Drinking a nice morning coffee out of my 2015 Stanley Cup mug thinking about that big goofy Drago patrolling our blue line. When suddenly I look at the mug and it says “Hawks 2 Lightning 1,
Hawks 2 Lightning 1
Hawks 2 Lightning 1,
Hawks 2 Lightning 0”

Tell me again Hawks fans about how we need forwards over defensemen to help *check notes* one of the five greatest prospects in the modern history of hockey.

The top 9 in 2015

Saad-Toews-Hossa

Versteeg-Richards-Kane

Sharp-Vermette-Teravainen

That 2015 team had a 20 goal scorer on their 4th line and won with basically only 4 Dmen once Rozi was out vs Minnesota


If you want to see what a stacked Dcore with little to no offense gets you look no further than the 2000s-present Nashville predators and all the “success” they had.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Most seem to have Dem ahead of Lev, sure, but it's not a universal consensus. And even notwithstanding that, most also have Lev at least in the top 3. I can't fathom a belief that a near-consensus top 3 player, and basically a universal top 5 player, in a given draft would have as low of a ceiling as some are expecting here.

No, he's not a universal top 5 when folks like Craig Button and the multiple scouts at organizations like FC Hockey, Dobber Prospects, The Hockey News all have him ranked out of the top 5.

But basically all of them have Demi at either 2 or 3, that is the only universal pick there.

 

[ChiHawks10]

No, he's not a universal top 5 when folks like Craig Button and the multiple scouts at organizations like FC Hockey, Dobber Prospects, The Hockey News all have him ranked out of the top 5.

Right. Isn't it something like 50% of scouting and prospect organizations have him outside the top 5?

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Right. Isn't it something like 50% of scouting and prospect organizations have him outside the top 5?

Yeah, the indy ones who have to publish this stuff before draft day. I don't know what internal team's boards look like.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Reading the Habs board because they have coverage on everything, but it seems like none of the insiders have them taking Demidov either.

I’ve now seen Anaheim really liking Buium as well as Montreal, and that Montreal could go Silayev if he drops with Demidov dropping even further. So it’s not just us, very strange lead up to this draft.

 

[statswatcher]

They keep saying, no it's pure bpa, yet in the same breathe say Bedard needs forward help.

i haven’t said anything to that effect. some have. i suggest quoting and responding to people and what they actually say instead of ascribing the weakest possible position you can think of to every person who could possibly disagree with you.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Fair enough, I was mostly looking at Central Scouting, McKenzie, and EliteProspects, admittedly.

 

[ClydeLee]

i haven’t said anything to that effect. some have. i suggest quoting and responding to people and what they actually say instead of ascribing the weakest possible position you can think of to every person who could possibly disagree with you.

Did I say you? If it doesn't apply, let it fly.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Lev has always lead the Ducks boards, who do you want polls everytime i looked by a significant margin too

People keep saying they want demidov. I think too many people here have convinced themselves Demidov is a higher talent or reputation than most scouts give him because of Forward need. They keep saying, no it's pure bpa, yet in the same breathe say Bedard needs forward help. I think there's a psychological factor happening therethey don't want to acknowledge.

The surprise I still would want is buium but I have Lev after that

I don't want a forward for the sake of taking a forward I want the Hawks to take the best skater available I just have a handful of defenseman and several handful of forwards more highly rated than Levshunov.

 

[hawksfan50]

If the Mckenzie rankings based on actual 10 NHL scouts polls carry the most weight vs. The "amateur" "niche" Not paid by any NHL team to rank players 'opinions" guys,then LevvIS the best dman available projected to make a difference as a pro..

And Demidov is the best forward available after Celebrini..

So Hawks deciding amongst the next 2 best players after Celebrini according to "the pros:=NHL paid scouts.

Thisvit conesdown to positional priority.

Lez is projected as big minutes giy playing all situations..PP1 and PK

But so does $9.5...he must rank near the bottom of all designated #1D in net effectiveness
Therevis also the question of $9.5's contract goingv6 more seasons...effectively blocking Lev fromeven playingvthec1D roles.. by logic...if Lev plays 1 more season at MSU before turning pro ,this means 5 more seasons for him as de-facto leader ofvtgec2bd pairing only !

Maybe Hawks can speed up his transition to designated #1D by either:

1.Shaving off last 2 sessons Seth's contract via trade ...though Hawks should be contenders by then so why would Jones waive his NMC?

2.Buying out Jones in last year of his deal...So that means ONLY 4 seasons once Lev joins Hawksvin 2025/26 for hom tobassune#1D role.

Basically drafting Lev meansx4-6 seasons of beingbthe designated #2D playongvRD on thec 2ndpairing.

Hawks may view a3RD of Levand a 3RDcof Rinzel as cover for the ineffectiveness of $9.5 as a 1D such that the Net effect is finely atvleast2 OK
..
Anyway evenI IF LEV had star impact of top15 best dnan in the NHL as his ceiling,he woukd need to star as just tgec2 rolecdman on the Hawks..and when hisxEKC iscukvarecyoubgonnavpayvhim morectgan Jones?

3.Would Jones settle for being demoted to 2Dman as lead on just 2nd pair RD and not on P PP1 as Lev supplants himmon1stbpairingvand PP1?

The logic of drafting Lev is thus questioned given the $9.5 problem that cannot gobaway...you do notboay a 2ndpairing guy$9.5millionper.

So this is the dilemma.. butcsdI said having hipefullyvan effectivec2RD and 3TDcwith Lev and Rinzrl would mitigate tge problem of a por man's 1D with Jones.

They can hopecthatvhavongvLev and Ronzel doingvthec2RDcandc3RDcriles will somehow alleviate the burden on Jones such that he performs a kit moreclikecac$9.5value 1D vs.a giy half that pay level or worse.


As to Demidov...ifvhevgetscto100pts + wibgervon a top line itvseemsvludicrouscHawkscpickba 2PairibgvRDv ONLY.
Tge actual ckearvproblem in this drcion is neither Lev or Demidov..but ratgervtgecSeth Jones Jones issue.

Yes Hawks need anotger RightcshotcRD..if not worthy of picking at #18? Then we woukd need to wait to a future draft to grab one..If thatvis not next draft ,then as Hawks getca kit better will be harder to get one of these ...so maybe KD thinks better to draft Lev now even If he mist wait 4,5,6 more sesdonscto get the #1D and 1RD role.
With zdemidov the path to true stardom isconlyva 1 season wait..Once he woukdvjoinHawks in2025/26 ,you slot homat RW with Bedard.. and ifvyhey click,you have a dynamic duo set for 15 more seasons!

ThebproblemnisctgstcSeth Jones blockscany RD's path to glory as tge #1role guy on D...for Too Ling.


But it will be whatvitvwillbe.. KD has a 50% chancevof making a wrong decision..
Not a disaster.. but maybe not the best decision for Hawks future?

 

[MTU34]

Yeah, the indy ones who have to publish this stuff before draft day. I don't know what internal team's boards look like.

Someone posted a link to a Pronman article where he says there’s no real consensus among the teams. Even said he’d talked to one team that doesn’t have either in their top 5.

This draft is a complete mess behind Celebrini. This is just my opinion, but I don’t think there’s a single player in this class that I’d feel “good” about taking at 2 in an average year.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I will say one thing I really like about Lev is he's got a Brian Rafalski deceptive wrister that goalies struggle to pick up. He doesn't bomb it past guys like Yakemchuk but I think he scores ten goals a year where the goalie says f*** I should have had that and that's a skill.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

If Hawks don't take Demidov my guess is Flyers throw there pick with limited restrictions next year in the talked about deal with Jackets to jump to #4 and grab him

The hold up is Flyers wanting to give up Avs 1st in 2025 not own 1st in 2025

 

[ello]

For people saying that Anaheim fans seem interested in Lev:

They already have 3 forwards drafted in the top 5 on their team (Carlson, Gauthier, McTavish) a top 10 guy in Zegras who still has top line upside and a legit top 6 fwd in Terry

Our forward pool absolutely pales in comparison

 

[crazyhawk]

Given that this year's draft doesn't have a consensus 2nd OA I would look to trade down to 4 or 5 if the return is good enough. Draft Tij ( he is one who doesn't really have any question marks ) as he I believe will be a warrior and a great compliment to CB.

 

[statswatcher]

Did I say you? If it doesn't apply, let it fly.

you said “they”, “they” here being “People (who) keep saying they want demidov.” i’ve seen plenty of people who “keep saying that” who haven’t said anything about how bedard needs help, including myself. i’ve also seen plenty of people gesture at the d prospect pool in justifying picking a dman. you don’t see me making sweeping generalizations about everyone that wants lev or whoever doing so out of a sense of positional need. the closest i got to it is when i said that’s what it would read like to me if the hawks made that pick. dare i say it’s you with some kind of psychological complex you don’t want to acknowledge? no, i dare not. i don’t know you, and evidently i am not nearly as presumptuous as you. or at least, i’m not here to score points on a pseudonymous hockey forum.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Given that this year's draft doesn't have a consensus 2nd OA I would look to trade down to 4 or 5 if the return is good enough. Draft Tij ( he is one who doesn't really have any question marks ) as he I believe will be a warrior and a great compliment to CB.

I actually wouldn't mind at all if they move down to 4-5 and take Iginla.

 

[Larmer83]

For shits and giggles, I re-watched the NCAA semi-final between Michigan and MSU through two periods. Lev made some excellent plays and some really shitty plays.

He's pretty damn good at defending the rush but runs into problems when his feet are not moving.

There is a noticeable disconnect in puck placement between in the d zone and o zone. As an example, when attacking low on the left side, he makes a nice backhand pass for a good scoring chance for a winger then retrives the puck(Still down low) and feathers another nice backhand pass to a teammate behind the net. But when in his zone on a PK and not pressured, he makes the same backhand pass to behind the net to no one which eventually was picked up by a Michigan player. There were a couple of attempts to clear the zone that led to turnovers.

He had a couple of really good looks above the circles by smartly anticpating the play and finding soft spots. He had a couple of nice pinches and made solid plays off those aggressive moves.

He was turnstyled by Marshall Warren(A dman with pedestrian offensive skills) which is a play that sticks in my head. On another play, he over commited to the far left side in the neutral and let a guy get behind him.
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If drafted by the Hawks, I believed he needed another year at MSU and then a year at Rockford. Now I'm not so sure and it has to do with working on his bad habits asap which I don't see happening at MSU.

Draft him and park his ass in Rockford for at least year if not more. Do a reverse of Vlasic in 2022-23 and Kaiser this past season when they were given PP time to work on puck skills. At MSU, Lev will be behind Maxim Strbak on the PK but in Rockford have him do 1st unit PP and PK. Have him take more dzone starts then he gets at MSU. More difficult minutes. Be smarter on when to attack in the o zone.
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Happy draft day to all!