2024 NHL Draft Thread Part 2 - Picks 2 & 18 in the 1st Round

[Kevin Musto]

Buium is going to play in the NHL for a long time. Outside of Celebrini I definitely feel the most confident in Buium playing 800+ games.

I'm not saying Buium won't have a long career.

I just don't see how he's more projectable than Dickinson who's 6'3" 203lbs and skates like the wind. That's a far safer bet to make.

 

[Chuck Testa]

I read online that Dickinson is in incredible shape as well.

Reminds you of a former Hawk who was also in incredible shape himself.

A fella named Duncan Keith.

 

[kmwtrucks]

Lev feels like he is going to fall somewhere between 5-10 in 3-4 years as the best players in this draft. so just tough getting the 6th best player at #2. and yes if he was a LD he would go 5-10 and not 2-5.

 

[Dead Meat]

Demidov will not be skating in June due to injury.

He's off my board now...too risky

 

[WarriorofTime]

I wonder if Levshunov would be in talks for #2 overall if he was a left shooting D?

I personally don’t see ANY elite skills. I see a dude with a very high floor (a lot of good projectionable skills) & therefore, is a safe pick.

Transition and ability to drive play are elite.

 

[Kevin Musto]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800579842611822829

 

[crazyhawk]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800579842611822829

yeah gimmy some Tij!

 

[Kevin Musto]

yeah gimmy some Tij!

Hopefully that was a Blackhawks scout

 

[TLEH]

Pavelski went out on his own terms at his age because of the brain. Feel the same way about Buium in terms of being safe.

Being huge and skating like the wind has never guaranteed you of anything. Understand the game at an elite level and the floor is high.

I haven’t seen the OHL near as much as the NCAA or WHL but I never felt like Dickinson was an elite thinker in my views. Not dumb, but not elite.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Pavelski went out on his own terms at his age because of the brain. Feel the same way about Buium in terms of being safe.

Being huge and skating like the wind has never guaranteed you of anything. Understand the game at an elite level and the floor is high.

That's why my boy Strome will be around forever

I haven’t seen the OHL near as much as the NCAA or WHL but I never felt like Dickinson was an elite thinker in my views. Not dumb, but not elite.

That's a fair assessment

 

[hawksfan50]

Craig Button said on Sportsnet after the Florida win to go up 2-0 that:

"If you can't win puck battles,you are not winning games"..

Which...party tell of the Hawks surface forwards and prospects can win puck battles?

Adding another undersized "artiste" like Demidov will not achieve the Bitton analysis...maybe entertaining reg. Season..but Mot built for physical NHL playoffs..

On D .. Levshunov has some jam ..but not realky physical as would LD Stian Solberg be ...

Hawks need first round talent butcshoukd becA or A+ in physical pkay to win those puck battles..Yes need to skate...need to score..but need muscle and strength too ..We already drafted smaller artistes and we do not need middling D physicality.. We ned Big Boy kam up front and on D ..

Otherwise as Bitton rightly says.. youvare not goibgvto win when itvcouts most..

Of course you also need goaltending
...

..

 

[Sacha BOXviert]

In pick 2 you choose the best player available. Davidson has already announced that he is looking for potential.

 

[dj Mahoney]

I dont think this guy will be around when we make 2nd pick but ,,,,,,,,,

 

[MTU34]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800579842611822829

If it were my decision he’s probably the pick. Absolutely love his game

 

[Kevin Musto]

If it were my decision he’s probably the pick. Absolutely love his game

You may have Kyle's job

 

[crazyhawk]

If it were my decision he’s probably the pick. Absolutely love his game

I think Tij and Bedard could make a dynamic duo.

 

[Mrfenn92]

I’d be alright with tij

 

[MTU34]

I think Tij and Bedard could make a dynamic duo.

He’s pretty damn close to being the absolute perfect winger for Bedard

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Iginla and Catton are my two favorite prospects in this draft.

 

[TheDachKnight]

Pavelski went out on his own terms at his age because of the brain. Feel the same way about Buium in terms of being safe.

Being huge and skating like the wind has never guaranteed you of anything. Understand the game at an elite level and the floor is high.

I haven’t seen the OHL near as much as the NCAA or WHL but I never felt like Dickinson was an elite thinker in my views. Not dumb, but not elite.

Buium’s not even a below average skater either. He’s average to above average for his size with the best hockey sense in the class. Some of the cuts and stuff he made couldn’t be made by someone who’s a below average skater for his size.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800579842611822829

He also plays the game the right way. I don’t think he’s a C, but he’ll be an elite wing.

 

[Callidusblackhawk]

He’s pretty damn close to being the absolute perfect winger for Bedard

A more Skilled Hagel on one side and a mean power forward on the other are the ideal linemates for Bedard IMO. If Tij is the former I don't mind that pick at all at 2.

 

[WarriorofTime]

My prediction: With Canada hockey registration numbers cratering, the Drafts in about seven or eight years, once you get to 2013, 2014, etc. births, are really going to fall off, other countries like USA can pick up the slack a bit, but the overall levels will probably be down as Canada won't be feeding in as strong of a future NHL pipeline, which will leave players drafted between the years of 2022-2026, players born between 2004-2008, well poised to dominate the NHL on a relative scale at their extended primes with lesser than usual incoming competition behind them.

In 2022, about two months after Canada celebrated what was then its 18th world junior hockey championship, the CEO of hockey equipment giant Bauer, Ed Kinnaly, declared: “The number of kids getting involved in hockey in Canada is spiraling downward … but nobody’s talking about that.”


At the time, Hockey Canada reported 340,365 youths younger than 18 participating in the sport, a 35% drop from 523,785 just 13 years earlier. That number slightly rebounded in 2023 to 360,031, but is still some 15% below pre-pandemic levels even while soccer and tennis numbers in Canada have already recovered.

Canadian youth hockey facing steady decline

All four ice rinks at Susan Fennell Sportsplex are full of action on this winter Saturday morning, the air filled with the sound of hockey skates grinding through ice and pucks clanging off the glass.

www.sportsnet.ca

This is an ideal time to be loading up on draft capital.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

My prediction: With Canada hockey registration numbers cratering, the Drafts in about seven or eight years, once you get to 2013, 2014, etc. births, are really going to fall off, other countries like USA can pick up the slack a bit, but the overall levels will probably be down as Canada won't be feeding in as strong of a future NHL pipeline, which will leave players drafted between the years of 2022-2026, players born between 2004-2008, well poised to dominate the NHL on a relative scale at their extended primes with lesser than usual incoming competition behind them.

Canadian youth hockey facing steady decline

All four ice rinks at Susan Fennell Sportsplex are full of action on this winter Saturday morning, the air filled with the sound of hockey skates grinding through ice and pucks clanging off the glass.

www.sportsnet.ca

This is an ideal time to be loading up on draft capital.

Hockey is a sport for the rich.

 

[razor ray]

My prediction: With Canada hockey registration numbers cratering, the Drafts in about seven or eight years, once you get to 2013, 2014, etc. births, are really going to fall off, other countries like USA can pick up the slack a bit, but the overall levels will probably be down as Canada won't be feeding in as strong of a future NHL pipeline, which will leave players drafted between the years of 2022-2026, players born between 2004-2008, well poised to dominate the NHL on a relative scale at their extended primes with lesser than usual incoming competition behind them.

Canadian youth hockey facing steady decline

All four ice rinks at Susan Fennell Sportsplex are full of action on this winter Saturday morning, the air filled with the sound of hockey skates grinding through ice and pucks clanging off the glass.

www.sportsnet.ca

This is an ideal time to be loading up on draft capital.

Interesting theory but I think the best athletes in Canada will still gravitate toward hockey. Same with Finland, Sweden, and Russia. Even if they numbers are down...the top athletes are still probably going to pick hockey. Its the sports culture of those countries.

In the USA its about expanding into new markets like what's happening in Seattle, Vegas, and Salt Lake which are also now adding the infrastructure and programs for hockey. Then the hope is having some of the best athletes in those areas gravitate toward the game. I live in Scottsdale and I just saw Matt Knies and AM34 at lunch (both great athletes) yet neither kid would not have picked hockey had we not had the infrastructure in place here. We now have several rinks, programs, and even added ASU as a D1 college program. 20 years ago much of this did not exist. I think the United States has a high ceiling to grow more and it would be great to add Atlanta and one other city (hopefully Arizona) to the NHL. To a lesser extent some of the AHL and ECHL markets are doing well growing the game and the majority of those teams are in USA and adding new markets. Now its just a matter of the top athletes picking hockey over all the other sports options for the talent pool to grow.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Hockey is dying in Canada. Maybe a slow death, but it won't be the same. In my current small city (50k), there is one house league team per age group, 1 B travel team, and 1 A team.

When I was a kid in a small town (6k), we had 6-8 house league teams per age group, a travel B team, and a travel A team.

I wouldn't say it's a sport for the rich, I mean you have to have some money, but I can afford it and I'm not rich. My kids just choose not to play.