NHL Entry Draft 2024 NHL Draft Talk

[BondraTime]

Seabrookks last contract, hawks wanted to buy him out, but signing bonuses, made it not worthwhile.

The Sharks wanted to give away EK's contract as well, doesn't change what he was in his prime. Seabrook from ~07-18 was a top defensive D in the league.

 

[bicboi64]

man if Levshunov is somehow available at #7 and we pick him, we are sooo set

 

[Icelevel]

Does Yakemchuk actually play anything like Pietrangelo? I’m confused about him using that comp because they don’t seem similar from the little I’ve seen.

Dickinson

 

[bert]

Pronman released his draft rankings of the top 129 prospects.

He gets it right with Yakemchuk in the top 5

It is a polarizing list, but I respect Pronman. He is always willing to learn and evolve, while also balancing his opinions with input from NHL affiliated scouts.

Pronman's List

Best list I have seen yet in my opinion. He values D men over scoring wingers. NHL teams will do the same. Which is why I hope one of these D men is there for Ottawa to pick at 7. I hope its one that can play both ways. Buium, Silayev, Levshunov, Dickinson and Yakemchuk. Outside chance they are all gone but I expect one of them to be there.

If we're going by Pronman's list, I would be elated if Demidov fell to us. There's no way in my mind that he goes any lower than 3

Last player I would take in the projected top 10. Most risk, least valuable asset in hockey. They cant miss with this pick. High end individual skill level but plays a hope game like Spezza except he is an undersized, russian winger. What could go wrong!....

 

[bert]

Yakemchuk reminds me of Jared Cowen, has the tools but lacking a toolbox. The brain needs to catch up with his body. I wouldn’t touch him with #7. But Yak is polarizing in that he can be an early riser or gets picked later in the first.

Uhhh I dont see this at all on any level.

 

[bert]

If we choose Yak, I'd be expectingt a Damon Severson type guy in the NHL, with better offense and worse D and skating.

Pretty good 2nd pair option

He is way more physical, is meaner and has a better shot. At the same age they arent close. So basically you think he wont develop?

 

[BondraTime]

He is way more physical, is meaner and has a better shot. At the same age they arent close. So basically you think he wont develop?

I think he's going to develop as much as most of the players in the draft, I don't think a 21 minute a night guy in your top 4 is a very bad outcome for Yakemchuk, or any D

He's a very skilled, very flawed D, and I don't think his jump and adjustment to the pro game is going to be a very clean one.

 

[bert]

I think he's going to develop as much as most of the players in the draft, I don't think a 21 minute a night guy in your top 4 is a very bad outcome for Yakemchuk, or any D

He's a very skilled, very flawed D, and I don't think his jump and adjustment to the pro game is going to be a very clean one.

His faults are coachable and can develop. You cant teach what he has, you cant develop a mean streak or size. His raw skill is also very very good. He had a better year as an 18 year old in jr than Severson has ever had at any level. Severson is also easy to play against.

Secondly not every skillset develops the same amount I think you know that. Yakemchuks upside is very high. There arent many players that are both mean and have skill. Then take into account his position and the fact that he has a big body. His skating will naturally improve as he gets stronger and used to his body.

If you want to say his hockey sense is very poor and you see no room for growth than thats fine. But the rest is there. I see some Dion Phaneuf in him. Both had cannons, both have great first pass. Both can get in trouble on defensive reads.

 

[BondraTime]

His faults are coachable and can develop. You cant teach what he has, you cant develop a mean streak or size. His raw skill is also very very good. He had a better year as an 18 year old in jr than Severson has ever had at any level. Severson is also easy to play against.

Secondly not every skillset develops the same amount I think you know that. Yakemchuks upside is very high. There arent many players that are both mean and have skill. Then take into account his position and the fact that he has a big body. His skating will naturally improve as he gets stronger and used to his body.

If you want to say his hockey sense is very poor and you see no room for growth than thats fine. But the rest is there. I see some Dion Phaneuf in him. Both had cannons, both have great first pass. Both can get in trouble on defensive reads.

I take all that in consideration, I understand, or like to think I understand at the very least, what goes into projecting guys. Doesn't mean I'm very good at it, but I am able to see what these guys are and bring right now at the very least, and use that into making my own unprofessional opinions.

We project Yakemchuk differently, I may very well be 100% off the mark. Won't be the first, and won't be the last, but that's what I'm expecting for him.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Burns isn't the best comparison because he was a much better skater than Yakemchuk, which makes a world of difference at the NHL level.

Stylistically Yakemchuk plays like Bouchard, but Bouchard is a much smarter player and a better playmaker.

Don't think Yakemchuk's offense will translate as well to the NHL level but he is tougher and more physical.

His offense is like going yolo on plays.

 

[DJB]

Don’t know why but I feel like we are going OHL this year with one of Dickinson or Sennekke

 

[Golden_Jet]

His offense is like going yolo on plays.

I think you meant to say Parekh for yolo.

 

[ijif]

For myself, passing on Yakemchuk is quite easy. He is neither an elite skater nor thinker. I understand it is not always possible, but in a perfect world, I would like all of our draft picks to be strong skaters or thinkers.

 

[Hale The Villain]

His offense is like going yolo on plays.

He attacks the net and dangles defenders like a forward, which he can do because his hands are unreal, but it's not very translatable to the NHL level (see Rundblad).

There's going to be an adjustment period for him. We know it's difficult to jump into the play or pinch a lot if you aren't an elite skater ala Karlsson/Sanderson, as you can't make up for mistakes using your skating ability. Yakemchuk isn't a bad skater once he gets going but his footspeed is an issue and it will potentially prevent him from being a risk-taker at the NHL level.

He'll have to play within the game more at the pro level. He's got an excellent shot and handles the puck well so he should be able to generate some offense from the point, but I have been underwhelmed with his vision in the offensive zone. He's talented enough to hit the tape of teammates when the option is there, but he's not a play creator like a Parekh/Buium.

I think scouts have identified a number of these concerns, while fans have not, hence his average ranking being outside of the top 10.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

I think you meant to say Parekh for yolo.

Parekh a lot more methodical than Yak.

 

[Hale The Villain]

For myself, passing on Yakemchuk is quite easy. He is neither an elite skater nor thinker. I understand it is not always possible, but in a perfect world, I would like all of our draft picks to be strong skaters or thinkers.

My thoughts exactly, and skating and decision-making is even more important for D than forwards.

I don't think Yakemchuk would be a terrible pick at 7 ala Boucher/Thomson, but there should be better options IMO.

 

[aragorn]

Yakemchuk is the next Zach Bogosian.

Isn't that exactly what they are looking for now in their pursuit of Chris Tanev?

If we choose Yak, I'd be expectingt a Damon Severson type guy in the NHL, with better offense and worse D and skating.

Pretty good 2nd pair option

I would add much more physical & tougher.

Burns isn't the best comparison because he was a much better skater than Yakemchuk, which makes a world of difference at the NHL level.

Stylistically Yakemchuk plays like Bouchard, but Bouchard is a much smarter player and a better playmaker.

Don't think Yakemchuk's offense will translate as well to the NHL level but he is tougher and more physical.

I agree & also compare him to Bouchard but disagree that Bouchard is smarter or a better playmaker, instead I would say much tougher & much more physical while still be a big point producer.

The cures/objectives that were outlined in my post were more specific and of higher priority versus acquiring tougher forwards which I believe are maybe about the 5th priority for the Senators off season.

The priorities imho in the order of priority are:

1. RD 2. Goaltending 3. Sign Pinto 4. Middle six forward that is also hopefully a good PKer 5. Maybe tougher forwards.

I'm not sure you are understanding me, I agree with your priorities but I don't agree that we need to go out & get some of these players that are tougher & harder to play against & have said this before. By adding Ostapchuk & Kleven we add to bigger, tough players, one on D & one at forward who are tougher & harder to play against than the guys we are letting go. Yakemchuk is a RD who is big, strong, tough & hard to play against while at the same kind can produce pts making the team as a whole harder to play against. I'm also saying that if they can get some of their players already on their roster to finish their checks more often which goes to your point about coaching & forcing them to be harder to play against, finsih their checks, hit more & block more shots. I've also made several posts to acquire Ullmark a #1 goaltender, I've advocating signing a RD UFA like Matt Roy RD or Jalen Chatfield RD who I like who is big & tough too. My last proposal advocated to sign Chatfield & re-sign Pinto so I believe I have addressed all your priorities as well as made the team bigger, tougher & harder to play against IF Green can get some of these guys to play a tougher game.

 

[aragorn]

I think he's going to develop as much as most of the players in the draft, I don't think a 21 minute a night guy in your top 4 is a very bad outcome for Yakemchuk, or any D

He's a very skilled, very flawed D, and I don't think his jump and adjustment to the pro game is going to be a very clean one.

In our debate/discussion regarding Dobson versus Bouchard you said very similar things about Bouchard & how much better a defenceman Dobson was & you were right to a point. Dobson was the better all around defenceman, but I argued that I though Bouchard would put up bigger numbers. I have been actually surprised that Dobson has flourished as well offensively but good for him. I see Yakemchuk more like Bouchard that I think he will be a more productive defenceman than say Dickinson while Dickinson will be the better all around D. While I think Dickinson does have a bit of a mean streak so does Yakemchuk & I view them as being much closer tin talent where Yak is is slightly better offensively. I think either would be great picks for Ott & n ot that far apart in talent, but Ott need a RD. Yikes, gotta go.

 

[Sens in Process]

It is funny because Pronman rates Dickinson hockey sense as below average. I think his raw athleticism, with London's talent and team structure mask a lot his deficiencies. When you watch London, Dickinson is not offensive driver; he appears to better without the puck than with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. In this draft, he is worthy of top 7 pick, but there are holes to his game. People actually think Dickinson's offense will translate but Yak's won't? Yak was compared to Jared Cowen earlier in this thread. But really, for argument's sake, Dickinson is more like Cowen. Cowen was the big, and athletic shut down D-man who helped lead Spokane to a championship as a D-1 prosect. People were raving about his defensive game, saying he was a "human eraser" with a projectible offensive game. Spending years on stacked team in junior masked his lack of hockey sense. I am not saying this applies to the same degree with Dickinson, but there is some there, there.

As @bert was saying, Yak's size, strength and meanness combined with hands, shot and average to good hockey sense and skating are just too good to pass up.

In our debate/discussion regarding Dobson versus Bouchard you said very similar things about Bouchard & how much better a defenceman Dobson was & you were right to a point. Dobson was the better all around defenceman, but I argued that I though Bouchard would put up bigger numbers. I have been actually surprised that Dobson has flourished as well offensively but good for him. I see Yakemchuk more like Bouchard that I think he will be a more productive defenceman than say Dickinson while Dickinson will be the better all around D. While I think Dickinson does have a bit of a mean streak so does Yakemchuk & I view them as being much closer tin talent where Yak is is slightly better offensively. I think either would be great picks for Ott & n ot that far apart in talent, but Ott need a RD. Yikes, gotta go.

I am pretty sure everyone was knocking Bouchard's hockey sense too at the time.

 

[Senator Stanley]

I think we can throw away that Jared Cowan comparison. In his D+1 season, Cowen was a 0.5 point per game player, and he never topped a point per game in junior. Dickinson and Yakemchuk were both over a point per game as draft eligibles.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

It is funny because Pronman rates Dickinson hockey sense as below average. I think his raw athleticism, with London's talent and team structure mask a lot his deficiencies. When you watch London, Dickinson is not offensive driver; he appears to better without the puck than with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. In this draft, he is worthy of top 7 pick, but there are holes to his game. People actually think Dickinson's offense will translate but Yak's won't? Yak was compared to Jared Cowen earlier in this thread. But really, for argument's sake, Dickinson is more like Cowen. Cowen was the big, and athletic shut down D-man who helped lead Spokane to a championship as a D-1 prosect. People were raving about his defensive game, saying he was a "human eraser" with a projectible offensive game. Spending years on stacked team in junior masked his lack of hockey sense. I am not saying this applies to the same degree with Dickinson, but there is some there, there.

As @bert was saying, Yak's size, strength and meanness combined with hands, shot and average to good hockey sense and skating are just too good to pass up.


I am pretty sure everyone was knocking Bouchard's hockey sense too at the time.

no one knocked Bouchard's hockey sense.. that was an obvious + . His skating was the concern

 

[Hale The Villain]

no one knocked Bouchard's hockey sense.. that was an obvious + . His skating was the concern

Yup. Same goes for his competitiveness and attentiveness, particularly in his own zone.

Actually a lot of the big worries with Bouchard match the worries with Parekh.

 

[Icelevel]

Not sure how interesting this is. Good idea anyway. Gotta skip around a bit, it’s a long one.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

I think we can throw away that Jared Cowan comparison. In his D+1 season, Cowen was a 0.5 point per game player, and he never topped a point per game in junior. Dickinson and Yakemchuk were both over a point per game as draft eligibles.

6 players hit 90 + points in WHL in Cowens year.

vs 18 this year.

 

[Micklebot]

I think we can throw away that Jared Cowan comparison. In his D+1 season, Cowen was a 0.5 point per game player, and he never topped a point per game in junior. Dickinson and Yakemchuk were both over a point per game as draft eligibles.

Ya, I have no idea where or to who Cowen was comes from, doesn't make much sense to me.

I can't say I've watched enough of these guys to have strong opinions, I'll likely get behind whoever we pick,

Having said that, there are guys who's rankings and projections I've trusted in the past and agreed with, that I tend to go to.

Mckeens is one of them, they had Stü over Byfield and nailed Sanderson as the top D in 2020, I tend to trust these guys and they really like Dickenson and Silayev. I was surprised to see Buium lower on their list though, and Levshunov at 7th (not complaining).