2024 NHL Draft Thread - Upd: Draft Lottery is May 7th

[TLEH]

It's because you're not projecting.

Nobody is placing Silayev at #2 because of what he is now.

Sure I can agree with that, but the LEVEL of projecting needing to happen is a lot, and in the top 5? That’s not happening every year.

 

[Larmer83]

It's because you're not projecting.

Nobody is placing Silayev at #2 because of what he is now.

It's possible.

Edit: I'm not closing the book an any of the 2024 draft class 1/2-way through my reading of chapter one.

 

[Idionym]

Outside of Celebrini, does anyone in this class have a good shot of being in the NHL next year?

 

[TLEH]

Outside of Celebrini, does anyone in this class have a good shot of being in the NHL next year?

Not in my opinion.

 

[HawksDub89]

Part of the reason I end up back at Catton. Yeah he’s probably a 60 point center but atleast I know I’m likely to get that. Everyone else is a swing for the fence player that could end up barely playing.

Both the Russians are extremely talented but Silayev could be Hedman or he could be Oleksiak. Good luck Kyle.

How confident are you that Catton sticks at C? ( genuinely curious)

I still like him a lot, his upside isn’t the highest compared to others. But I do feel he’s a safe top 6 forward in some capacity.

 

[TLEH]

How confident are you that Catton sticks at C? ( genuinely curious)

I still like him a lot, his upside isn’t the highest compared to others. But I do feel he’s a safe top 6 forward in some capacity.

Extremely. He’s a center. He’s a 50-80 point 2C that plays with pace and has a great hockey brain. Uses his teammates, battles in the corners, is on the right side of the puck. Just doesn’t have the size down the middle.

Think it’ll be difficult to run Bedard and him a 1 and 2 down the middle. You’d need someone like Lowry as your 3 if you’re doing that. And that guys unique.

 

[HawksDub89]

I dont see us trading down at 3 or 4. KD seems to have a certain type of player he likes. Arytom, Silayev, Lindstrom I would guess he would take one of those. size and skating.

Lindstrom seems like a KD favorite. Checks the boxes he likes.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Ducks Sharks game went to OT. Ducks won, now 8 points up on us and the Sharks now up three. I believe the Senators and Jackets are up by 12 points on us.

We’re damn close to locking in a top 4 pick.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Would've preferred a Sharks win, but them (and the Ducks) both still improved their points percentage tonight. That's a BIG win for the tank.

 

[ello]

Id put on money on Lindstrom being our pick if we don't draft n1. Skates well, athletic and we need size up front.

Personally I wouldn't loveeee it. I don't see Lindstrom as a line driver. I find Basha and McKenna tend to do a lot more of the heavy lifitng and are just overall more noticeable, creative and impactful. However Lindstrom's size and athletic tools will help his skills translate much easier than smaller, slower players. Always fun to bet on a player with a sharp upwards developmental curve as well. Overall he reminds me a lot of PLD.

On the other hand, who else after Macklin really has definitive top line/top pairing upside...

 

[Kevin Musto]

Id put on money on Lindstrom being our pick if we don't draft n1. Skates well, athletic and we need size up front.

I think for sure he's their guy at 3.

At 2? Davidson probably has fantasies about Silayev.

 

[Darkstar]

Id put on money on Lindstrom being our pick if we don't draft n1. Skates well, athletic and we need size up front.

Personally I wouldn't loveeee it. I don't see Lindstrom as a line driver. I find Basha and McKenna tend to do a lot more of the heavy lifitng and are just overall more noticeable, creative and impactful. However Lindstrom's size and athletic tools will help his skills translate much easier than smaller, slower players. Always fun to bet on a player with a sharp upwards developmental curve as well. Overall he reminds me a lot of PLD.

On the other hand, who else after Macklin really has definitive top line/top pairing upside...

I have some questions about Lindstrom's hockey IQ and playmaking ability, but I think there is enough upside that I could see him eventually playing alongside Bedard, at LW.

 

[HawksDub89]

Id put on money on Lindstrom being our pick if we don't draft n1. Skates well, athletic and we need size up front.

Personally I wouldn't loveeee it. I don't see Lindstrom as a line driver. I find Basha and McKenna tend to do a lot more of the heavy lifitng and are just overall more noticeable, creative and impactful. However Lindstrom's size and athletic tools will help his skills translate much easier than smaller, slower players. Always fun to bet on a player with a sharp upwards developmental curve as well. Overall he reminds me a lot of PLD.

On the other hand, who else after Macklin really has definitive top line/top pairing upside...

Yep. If I were wagering it would be Lindstrom or Levshunov for me.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

It's because you're not projecting.

Nobody is placing Silayev at #2 because of what he is now.

You don't want to be projecting this much at two.

 

[kmwtrucks]

we are .300 % and SJ is the closet at .324%

TAMPA is in the 2nd wild card spot by 590% DET 580 is the closet alot of teams are 550. need to tampa to cool down.

LA is in the 1st wild card spot .583% blues are in the 2nd .551% nash, Seatle AZ are between .529 and .510

Canucks tied with Boston and .724 for the best. we will see how the trade works for them. they have way over acheived to this point.

OTT is currently in the 5th worst .447 with MIN at .480 and Columbus are.420. feel like OTT might have a good run these last 32 games so the 3rd rounder could move down a few slots

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

How confident are you that Catton sticks at C? ( genuinely curious)

I still like him a lot, his upside isn’t the highest compared to others. But I do feel he’s a safe top 6 forward in some capacity.

Catton is a very safe pick. His floor is like a Craig Conroy.

 

[TLEH]

You're either taking Dickinson or Catton and sacrificing truly elite upside in the Top 5 to guarantee you're getting a difference maker and a solid hockey player, or you're taking Silayev, Levshunov, Lindstrom, Demidov and taking a risk on the elite upside with a variety of outcomes.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

 

[Toews2Bickell]

where is macklin

 

[bwanajamba]

You're either taking Dickinson or Catton and sacrificing truly elite upside in the Top 5 to guarantee you're getting a difference maker and a solid hockey player, or you're taking Silayev, Levshunov, Lindstrom, Demidov and taking a risk on the elite upside with a variety of outcomes.

Pretty good way of looking at it. Personally, with the pieces currently in place and no guarantee of picking in the top 3 again (but a very strong chance of picking in the top 10 at least once or twice more in the next couple of years), I'm swinging on upside all day. (I also think the likes of Lindstrom, Levshunov, and Silayev have a good chance of being solid contributors even if they don't hit their ceiling.)

 

[x Tame Impala]

You're either taking Dickinson or Catton and sacrificing truly elite upside in the Top 5 to guarantee you're getting a difference maker and a solid hockey player, or you're taking Silayev, Levshunov, Lindstrom, Demidov and taking a risk on the elite upside with a variety of outcomes.

Go big or go home with a top 5 pick. Why draft a potentially top 9 guy that high when you can make a trade or a UFA signing for one instead? I'd rather take a home run swing and miss than settle for a high floor, middling ceiling player.

 

[TLEH]

Go big or go home with a top 5 pick. Why draft a potentially top 9 guy that high when you can make a trade or a UFA signing for one instead? I'd rather take a home run swing and miss than settle for a high floor, middling ceiling player.

Well I'm pretty confident in his 2C outcome, possibly a lower end 1C, absolute worst case scenario he's a decently scoring 3C like 40 point guy. Or with Dickinson I think you're getting a 3LD that might become a 2LD. I think those are better than middling ceiling. I think they have 8 ceilings and like 5 for floors, if you're talking 1-10. While the other guys I listed have floors in the 3 range and ceilings at the 10.

I agree with go big in the Top 5, but most years you aren't projecting this much in the Top 5, you're getting more a sure thing. Its only asking the question. I would be comfortable taking Catton at 2. Others won't be. Only time will tell.

 

[Chuck Testa]

Is Lindstrom going to be moreso a prime Bertuzzi-esque player or a Bickell type player?

 

[x Tame Impala]

Well I'm pretty confident in his 2C outcome, possibly a lower end 1C, absolute worst case scenario he's a decently scoring 3C like 40 point guy. Or with Dickinson I think you're getting a 3LD that might become a 2LD. I think those are better than middling ceiling. I think they have 8 ceilings and like 5 for floors, if you're talking 1-10. While the other guys I listed have floors in the 3 range and ceilings at the 10.

I agree with go big in the Top 5, but most years you aren't projecting this much in the Top 5, you're getting more a sure thing. Its only asking the question. I would be comfortable taking Catton at 2. Others won't be. Only time will tell.

I watched that Lindstrom scouting report vid (look at me researching prospects!) and I love the idea of having a 6’4” center who can skate like that.

 

[hawksrule]

Losing both March games against San Jose should lock up fewest points.