NHL Entry Draft 2024 NHL Draft Talk

[Sens in Process]

I know some of you will be impressed by Dickinson's performance tonight, but I have my suspicions that many scouts will not have the same favorable opinion. He really is not a credible puck mover. I would say his first pass is quite bad - missed passes and unforced icings all over the place. The last of his icings perhaps cost the team the game. And surprisingly, overall, he and Bonk were caved on the defensive end tonight. Bonk, who I was not impressed with tonight, really caries the load in the puck carrying/moving department. Dickinson doesn't get much puck handling responsibility. I did like Dickinson's push when the team was behind - he became more assertive offensively by joining the rush as trailer and shooter option. This doesn't mean I don't like the player, but I would put him at 5 or 6 ranking out of the big D. I don't see much upside offensively. He is a good player, but he doesn't regularly impact the game. I think he benefits from the structure and talent around him.

After the first couple of games of tourney, I thought Dickison over Parekh all day. I changed my opinion as the tournament progressed. You see flashes of brilliance with Parekh. He is clearly the best offensive defenseman in this year's draft. But- I simply can't get over his lack of physicality and timidness. He loses too many battles. He gets hit way too much. It has a lot to do with the straight up stance and glide thing he does when entering the offensive zone. He also gets wrecked on the forecheck. I think durability will be an issue with this guy. But, overall, I give him spot 3 or 4 in my top six D ranking. The upside is very high, but there is a bust factor.

The Ducks must be ecstatic to get Rodwin Dionicio in the 5th round. He is a player and could end up being a number 4 D if properly developed. Donovan was good too; He is another guy that should be an NHL regular. He needs simplify, but so do most CHL defensemen.

 

[HSF]

lots of people sleeping on Catton

 

[Tuna99]

I trust McKenzie's list and think we will not have Levshunov and Silayev as D options at #7. The other D might be available at #7.

on Silayev I’ve heard he’s signed in Russia for 3 more years so I could see him slipping, MacKenzie rates on talent, teams draft for need. I know everyone says BPA but Utah won’t draft a player who doesn’t speak English or can sell the franchise - they’ll draft a kid from North America. And Montreal loves their legacy kids and Euros, don’t see Demidov or Iginla slipping past #5.
seeing Barkov, Drasaital and the big centers dominarw I don’t think Lindstrom slips past #4, big centers always go in the top 5 if they are rated in the top 10

Will be an interesting draft - and how Ottawa drafts will fun to watch.

 

[BondraTime]

on Silayev I’ve heard he’s signed in Russia for 3 more years so I could see him slipping, MacKenzie rates on talent, teams draft for need. I know everyone says BPA but Utah won’t draft a player who doesn’t speak English or can sell the franchise - they’ll draft a kid from North America. And Montreal loves their legacy kids and Euros, don’t see Demidov or Iginla slipping past #5.
seeing Barkov, Drasaital and the big centers dominarw I don’t think Lindstrom slips past #4, big centers always go in the top 5 if they are rated in the top 10

Will be an interesting draft - and how Ottawa drafts will fun to watch.

Signed for 2 more years

Michkov was sighed for 3 more years last year and is in Philly already.

 

[BondraTime]

Dickinson definitely helped his case these playoffs and Mem Cup, looked very good for the Knights. I’d be surprised if he were there for the Sens.

Parekh, I still think someone jumps on the potential in the top 10, he’s got a very high ceiling. Not entirely sure the Sens can jump on that potential/grenade though.

 

[Icelevel]

Dickinson definitely helped his case these playoffs and Mem Cup, looked very good for the Knights. I’d be surprised if he were there for the Sens.

Parekh, I still think someone jumps on the potential in the top 10, he’s got a very high ceiling. Not entirely sure the Sens can jump on that potential/grenade though.

Absolutely no way we’re touching it.

 

[Sens in Process]

Absolutely no way we’re touching it.

I would be surprised if Dickinson was there #7. I think he checks a lot of boxes for teams and has a very high floor.

I wouldn't touch him at #7, unless Levshunov, Yakemchuk, and possibly Buium were off the table if we are going defense.

My hot take on Dickerson: I am not entirely sure if he ends up being a better player than Kleven. They will play a similar role, but when the pedigree and hype wear off - I think it will be closer than people think.

If you want to a see cluster F game from Dickinson, I suggest you watch game 2 of the OHL playoff series against Flint:

You get to see him on the power play, which rarely happened in the Memorial Cup. And you get to see why he is not part of their regular unit......He also makes some catoptric errors on the defensive end. He can only hit a stretch pass when the guy is stationary and wide open.

To address your point, I agree and I really like Parekh. If we were picking in the early teens, I would be all over him - the risk/reward ratio would be reasonable. But even though I like Parekh more(because of his ceiling), I couldn't justify taking him in the top 10. Dickinson will be a solid player for sure. I think he is destined to be a 2nd pairing D man who can play a shutdown role, but will never put up big points.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

My hot take on Dickerson: I am not entirely sure if he ends up being a better player than Kleven. They will play a similar role, but when the pedigree and hype wear off - I think it will be closer than people think.

Bruh. I know your not a fan but come the f*** on. All you have to do is watch Dickinson for 2 shifts to see he's 10x the prospect that Klevin was in his draft year, and a reason why he's considered a top 10 pick.

They aren't even the same style of players. One guy loves to jump into the play whenever he gets the chance, boasting the hands and skating ability to maneuver through opponents, and already has an NHL-caliber shot, despite being one of the youngest in the draft. The other prefers to sit back, play it safe, and delivers crushing hits when he decides to.

Their styles, skill sets, and player profiles are entirely different. A more apt comparison would be Chabot.

 

[bicboi64]

I want Memorial Cup champ Parekh on the Sens.

 

[Tuna99]

I want Memorial Cup champ Parekh on the Sens.

We already got Donovan

 

[bicboi64]

We already got Donovan

But then we'll have two.

Elite pairing of Donovan and Parekh for the Sens will make Sandy-Zub our 2nd pairing one day

 

[Sens in Process]

Bruh. I know your not a fan but come the f*** on. All you have to do is watch Dickinson for 2 shifts to see he's 10x the prospect that Klevin was in his draft year, and a reason why he's considered a top 10 pick.

They aren't even the same style of players. One guy loves to jump into the play whenever he gets the chance, boasting the hands and skating ability to maneuver through opponents, and already has an NHL-caliber shot, despite being one of the youngest in the draft. The other prefers to sit back, play it safe, and delivers crushing hits when he decides to.

Their styles, skill sets, and player profiles are entirely different. A more apt comparison would be Chabot.

Let's see what happens - Dickinson is not Chabot in any stretch of the imagination. There not even close. I have my issues with Chabot, but he is a very talented offensive player...way better offensive instincts than Dickinson and has been basically a 40 point D-man, despite getting PP time. Dickinson cannot even get sustained PP minutes

Dickinson is a 25 to 35 point D-man in the NHL, and so will Kleven be in all likelihood.
This is what Wheeler says about him and he is a big proponent of Dickinson, rating him sixth overall in his final draft rankings: Wheeler

He’s not the most dynamic player with the puck, and some have concerns about his IQ but he has all of the physical tools you look for, he can really shoot it (which I know he has worked on), he comfortably handles and skates it, he has a high floor, and he could have a very high ceiling (at both ends) with continued development along the path he’s on. There are also some who want to see him play a little meaner but he’s a dominant defender at the junior level and he competes/plays hard across big minutes.

Chabot is dynamic. Dickinson is not.

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

lots of people sleeping on Catton

Reminds me of Point/Jarvis type. Small player who falls but has loads of offensive upside.

Heck Catton just outproduced Jarvis's draft eligible season in the WHL and is similar stature.

I'd love for the Sens to pick Catton at #7, even though everyone is obsessing of defensemen because of our "need".

 

[DrSense]

Agree with the idea of Yakemchuk. RHD that produces points similar to Dickinson, but comes in a meaner package and on the more sought after RHD side. Has shown great puck skills and is the 2nd best goal scoring D in the draft behind Parekh.

While we have mostly a different amateur crew at the helm, this would not dissimilar from when we drafted Sanderson, who was in the 8-12 range in the rankings, and we took him 5th overall, to the surprise of many. Yakemchuk is generally seen in the same range 8-12 range, so taking him at 7 would hardly be a reach.

I do really like Levshunov, Lindstrom and Iginla, so issues taking any of them, and also not really upset with the idea of Parekh or Dickinson either, but Yakemchuk almost feels like a "statement" pick before free agency of how this team is going to re-model itself with skill AND grit & physicality.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

I can see the Chabot and Dickinson similarities. They both attack the same way by leveraging their skating and length. but problem is that Chabot has wayyy better hands and it let's him get away with stuff that I'm not sure Dickenson will be able to against NHL forwards and D.

I don't trust eithers hockey IQ much. Seem like players who rely on their physical gifts rather then an elite brain.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Reminds me of Point/Jarvis type. Small player who falls but has loads of offensive upside.

Heck Catton just outproduced Jarvis's draft eligible season in the WHL and is similar stature.

I'd love for the Sens to pick Catton at #7, even though everyone is obsessing of defensemen because of our "need".

We also need another puck carrying forward that can back off the D, right now it's only Stutzle who can do that on our roster.

It's not enough.

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

We also need another puck carrying forward that can back off the D, right now it's only Stutzle who can do that on our roster.

It's not enough.

Agreed. More speed and offensive firepower upfront please.

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Batherson
Catton - Pinto - Giroux (resigns because he's still a beast)

or

Sanderson - Yakemchuk
Chabot - Zub

 

[GCK]

Bruh. I know your not a fan but come the f*** on. All you have to do is watch Dickinson for 2 shifts to see he's 10x the prospect that Klevin was in his draft year, and a reason why he's considered a top 10 pick.

They aren't even the same style of players. One guy loves to jump into the play whenever he gets the chance, boasting the hands and skating ability to maneuver through opponents, and already has an NHL-caliber shot, despite being one of the youngest in the draft. The other prefers to sit back, play it safe, and delivers crushing hits when he decides to.

Their styles, skill sets, and player profiles are entirely different. A more apt comparison would be Chabot.

I’m not saying his comparison is good but your description of Klevin is very much out dated.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Let's see what happens - Dickinson is not Chabot in any stretch of the imagination. There not even close. I have my issues with Chabot, but he is a very talented offensive player...way better offensive instincts than Dickinson and has been basically a 40 point D-man, despite getting PP time. Dickinson cannot even get sustained PP minutes

Dickinson is a 25 to 35 point D-man in the NHL, and so will Kleven be in all likelihood.
This is what Wheeler says about him and he is a big proponent of Dickinson, rating him sixth overall in his final draft rankings: Wheeler

Chabot is dynamic. Dickinson is not.

Chabot's draft year:
45 points in 47 games +27.

Dickinson draft year:
70 points in 68 games +56.


You're right, they're not even close. Dickinson was a much better and more well-rounded prospect than Chabot was in his draft year.

I agree that Chabot is more dynamic offensively, but I mentioned it because he's a much closer player comparison to Dickinson than Tyler Kleven, who is completely different in his style of play.

Him not getting power play time at 17 years old, since the 19-year-old Bonk got most of it, and still managing to score 11 power play goals, while Chabot got most of his points on the power play, isn't really the flex you think it is. I'd rather have the 17-year-old who was trusted in the final minutes of big playoff games and still managed to put up power play points as the second option, while producing majority of his points at even strength.

I do think there are some flaws in Dickinson's game, as is the case with most prospects, but completely dismissing his offensive potential by comparing him to Tyler Kleven is really underselling him. I actually love the way Tyler Klevin has progressed since being drafted but that dude put up 2 points in his draft year. Come on.

In my opinion, Kleven will be a 20-30 point defenseman, similar to Zub.
Dickinson, on the other hand, I see as more of a Shea Theodore type, who is relied upon at both ends of the ice and could potentially be a 40-50 point player.

As for Chabot, with the right partner, the right team, and no injuries, he should be a 60-70 point defenseman by now, but his career high is only 55 points due to various circumstances. I blame Dorion and DJ Smith for his stagnated development, and never reaching his full potential.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

People are forgetting Dickinson can already defend (not perfectly). That’s why he’s so highly rated.

That defence plus the offense teams think he can have. Plus the natural tools. Extremely enticing.

 

[Sens in Process]

Chabot's draft year:
45 points in 47 games +27.

Dickinson draft year:
70 points in 68 games +56.


You're right, they're not even close. Dickinson was a much better and more well-rounded prospect than Chabot was in his draft year.

I agree that Chabot is more dynamic offensively, but I mentioned it because he's a much closer player comparison to Dickinson than Tyler Kleven, who is completely different in his style of play.

Him not getting power play time at 17 years old, since the 19-year-old Bonk got most of it, and still managing to score 11 power play goals, while Chabot got most of his points on the power play, isn't really the flex you think it is. I'd rather have the 17-year-old who was trusted in the final minutes of big playoff games and still managed to put up power play points as the second option, while producing majority of his points at even strength.

I do think there are some flaws in Dickinson's game, as is the case with most prospects, but completely dismissing his offensive potential by comparing him to Tyler Kleven is really underselling him. I actually love the way Tyler Klevin has progressed since being drafted but that dude put up 2 points in his draft year. Come on.

In my opinion, Kleven will be a 20-30 point defenseman, similar to Zub.
Dickinson, on the other hand, I see as more of a Shea Theodore type, who is relied upon at both ends of the ice and could potentially be a 40-50 point player.

As for Chabot, with the right partner, the right team, and no injuries, he should be a 60-70 point defenseman by now, but his career high is only 55 points due to various circumstances. I blame Dorion and DJ Smith for his stagnated development, and never reaching his full potential.

You can't compare numbers in different leagues, ten years apart and in completely different contexts. Look at Dickenson vs Chabot's teammates and their relative point production- we are talking worlds apart in talent. Chabot played on a mediocre team that lacked offensive pop in his draft year; Dickinson plays on an offensive Juggernaut that puts up 4 to 5 goals a game.

Dickinson will be in the same tier as Zub and Kleven(projecting here- I am a big fan). That is a very good player.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

You can't compare numbers in different leagues, ten years apart and in completely different contexts. Look at Dickenson vs Chabot's teammates and their relative point production- we are talking worlds apart in talent. Chabot played on a mediocre team that lacked offensive pop in his draft year; Dickinson plays on an offensive Juggernaut that puts up 4 to 5 goals a game.

Dickinson will be in the same tier as Zub and Kleven(projecting here- I am a big fan). That is a very good player.

We shall revisit this in 5 years.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

We also need another puck carrying forward that can back off the D, right now it's only Stutzle who can do that on our roster.

It's not enough.

I know one shouldn't "draft for need" but honestly, given the choice I feel we need another high-end forward over a high-end D. I have faith in Chabot(and he did look good under Martin), and we just need to sign one of the UFA RHD to solve our D problems.

 

[jhutter]

on Silayev I’ve heard he’s signed in Russia for 3 more years so I could see him slipping, MacKenzie rates on talent, teams draft for need. I know everyone says BPA but Utah won’t draft a player who doesn’t speak English or can sell the franchise - they’ll draft a kid from North America. And Montreal loves their legacy kids and Euros, don’t see Demidov or Iginla slipping past #5.
seeing Barkov, Drasaital and the big centers dominarw I don’t think Lindstrom slips past #4, big centers always go in the top 5 if they are rated in the top 10

Will be an interesting draft - and how Ottawa drafts will fun to watch.

McKenzie ranks based on what he hears from people around the league, which is why his list is always the closest to what the final draft results are.

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

I know one shouldn't "draft for need" but honestly, given the choice I feel we need another high-end forward over a high-end D. I have faith in Chabot(and he did look good under Martin), and we just need to sign one of the UFA RHD to solve our D problems.

Exactly. Give me Catton or another high end forward and try to sign DeMelo, Tanev, Pesce, Carrier or Roy at RD to plug that need. We'll be better off that way IMO.

Drafting another LD just punts the same dilemma we have now with Sanderson, Chabot, Chychrun at LD, just further down the road.

**EDIT: I do think that if we are set on drafting a LD, that Zeev Buium is the right choice at #7.