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

[Kevin Musto]

If that’s the comp that just reinforces my thoughts on not taking him that high.

That's not the comp.

If you're going to reply, include the full quote because you completely missed what I said.

 

[giza]

Demidov has accomplished nothing in the KHL. He's dominating his league which is good and it looks like he's willing to get his ass over here as soon as possible, but I hear his D isn't great ....I would think about him between 5-10 and not before.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Demidov has accomplished nothing in the KHL. He's dominating his league which is good and it looks like he's willing to get his ass over here as soon as possible, but I hear his D isn't great ....I would think about him between 5-10 and not before.

It seems politics have largely kept him out of the KHL.

He doesn't play D at the MHL level, because he doesn't need to. It's a dogshit league so he just waits around the blueline for breakout passes and then showboats his way past inept defenses. It's what leads to the most amount of points and wins.

But in the very small sample size of KHL games he's played, he didn't struggle in the defensive end. On the flip side, he struggled greatly on offense.

 

[BHawk21]

Hasnt he played like 6 games? Did he get any minutes?

 

[hawksfan50]

So did Lindstrom get injured again or was he scratched after returning g and pkayong games 1 and2 in the series vs. RED deer (he had 1g 1a ) because he struggled with getgibg his energy back after 2 games since he was out 2 and ahalf months WITHOUT BeibG able to skate ?
So was he injured again OR was this just because hexwasn't back i shape yet and burned out from theboeiir 2games so the coach divided to rest him for Hane 3?

Do we know the real story here?

Poster above said back i jury ..but maybe it was not an injury but rather a precaution not to rush him back so fast or with so little time between games?

A shame we cannot see the 100% healthy version...hopefully Medivibe Hat (down 2 games to 1 in the best of 7 series) can survive this series and eventually Lindstrom gets back to 100% .

If theyvdo not advance,Lindstrom could still play at the Workdvu18scfor Canada IF he can get back hos conditioning to peak form in time.

 

[kmwtrucks]

So did Lindstrom get injured again or was he scratched after returning g and pkayong games 1 and2 in the series vs. RED deer (he had 1g 1a ) because he struggled with getgibg his energy back after 2 games since he was out 2 and ahalf months WITHOUT BeibG able to skate ?
So was he injured again OR was this just because hexwasn't back i shape yet and burned out from theboeiir 2games so the coach divided to rest him for Hane 3?

Do we know the real story here?

Poster above said back i jury ..but maybe it was not an injury but rather a precaution not to rush him back so fast or with so little time between games?

A shame we cannot see the 100% healthy version...hopefully Medivibe Hat (down 2 games to 1 in the best of 7 series) can survive this series and eventually Lindstrom gets back to 100% .

If theyvdo not advance,Lindstrom could still play at the Workdvu18scfor Canada IF he can get back hos conditioning to peak form in time.

he took warmsups and did not play. maybe back was a llittle stiff. Guys with back issues just scare me off. I would do lesihnov or Demidov or trade back so someone can grab dickson, sliaynev pareky. and then take a Carter, Cotton helisnis or Igianla. sorry about the spellings

 

[Kevin Musto]

Hasnt he played like 6 games? Did he get any minutes?

Demidov?

I think like 12 minutes one game, and then the rest were under 10 minutes.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Assuming TB loses in the 1st round, who does everyone like at around #20-21?

Basha, Boisvert, Connelly?

 

[Kevin Musto]

Assuming TB loses in the 1st round, who does everyone like at around #20-21?

Basha, Boisvert, Connelly?

Everything suggests that Nikita Artamonov will somehow be available in that range.

Therefore he's the obvious choice for me.

 

[giza]

Jiricek could fall to that spot.........assuming that knee is A-OK, he looked like a good all around D man with a right handed shot and not bashful about hitting. I would also consider Basha and Charlie Elick...if we go Dman first, might want to take that other Big Center----Letourneau here. Artanamov wouldn't be a bad choice either.

 

[TLEH]

Jiricek, Artamanov, Freij, Basha.. I like these guys for the 2nd pick as of today. I hadn't even paid attention to Freij until the Junior A challenge but now his name is picking up steam and I really understand why. Beautiful skater.

His teammate Leo Sahlin Wallenius can play too.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Jiricek, Artamanov, Freij, Basha.. I like these guys for the 2nd pick as of today. I hadn't even paid attention to Freij until the Junior A challenge but now his name is picking up steam and I really understand why. Beautiful skater.

His teammate Leo Sahlin Wallenius can play too.

Good picks.

Jiricek could fall due to his injury. Would give us a raw, but high upside RHD.

I like Freij too. I've been starting to pay attention to him as well and as you said, he's such a fluid skater.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Charlie Elick baby

 

[Pez68]

I just don't understand how you can gauge Demidov playing against that competition. Who was the last major prospect drafted out of Russia that wasn't in the KHL? I feel like there's huge bust potential here.

 

[TLEH]

I just don't understand how you can gauge Demidov playing against that competition. Who was the last major prospect drafted out of Russia that wasn't in the KHL? I feel like there's huge bust potential here.

I don’t think anyone has ever been drafted Top 5 out of the MHL only.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I just don't understand how you can gauge Demidov playing against that competition. Who was the last major prospect drafted out of Russia that wasn't in the KHL? I feel like there's huge bust potential here.

That's my issue with the pick being Demidov. This pick essentially has to be a homerun. It needs to be the Kane to the Toews pick. That's a whole hell of a lot to gamble on a kid playing in a trash league against awful competition. It's like betting on a 4-legged horse to win a race against a field of 3-legged horses.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I just don't understand how you can gauge Demidov playing against that competition. Who was the last major prospect drafted out of Russia that wasn't in the KHL? I feel like there's huge bust potential here.

I wouldn't say the bust potential is huge.

But he is outside my top 5.

I can't see why anyone here would want the Blackhawks to select him over someone like Lindstrom, if we're just comparing forwards.

 

[TLEH]

Highest pick I could find recently with a ton of MHL games in their draft year was Denisenko at 15. He had 22 points in 31 games. Demidov has 60 in 30 which is a lot higher than guys like Nichuskin, Podkolzin, etc. I get the hype. I like his game. But there is obviously risk.

I am comfortable taking the risk because I think there isn't that many for sure guys you're missing. A lot of guys have risk after Celebrini. I think there is going to be multiple Top 15 picks this year that don't play. Thats really unusual.

I wouldn't say the bust potential is huge.

But he is outside my top 5.

I can't see why anyone here would want the Blackhawks to select him over someone like Lindstrom, if we're just comparing forwards.

See but then I look at Lindstrom and you're essentially gambling on a guy who apparently can't stay healthy and had a good 35 game run in the WHL. When I watch Medicine Hat, Basha looks like he is the one making the line go. Everyone has their mega downside this year, even in the Top 7 or so.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Highest pick I could find recently with a ton of MHL games in their draft year was Denisenko at 15. He had 22 points in 31 games. Demidov has 60 in 30 which is a lot higher than guys like Nichuskin, Podkolzin, etc. I get the hype. I like his game. But there is obviously risk.

I am comfortable taking the risk because I think there isn't that many for sure guys you're missing. A lot of guys have risk after Celebrini. I think there is going to be multiple Top 15 picks this year that don't play. Thats really unusual.


See but then I look at Lindstrom and you're essentially gambling on a guy who apparently can't stay healthy and had a good 35 game run in the WHL. Everyone has their mega downside this year, even in the Top 7 or so.

It will all be moot when the Hawks win the lotto again, and end up with Celebrini.

 

[TLEH]

It will all be moot when the Hawks win the lotto again, and end up with Celebrini.

@Rooh is already doing whatever crazy voodoo shit he does

 

[Kevin Musto]

See but then I look at Lindstrom and you're essentially gambling on a guy who apparently can't stay healthy and had a good 35 game run in the WHL.

The injury is a fair point to bring up.

Blackhawks would have to do their homework there.

I don't have access to that information, so I'm just going off of the player's upside.

 

[Pez68]

I watch Demidov, and I see someone who is just bigger, faster, and stronger than the shitty competition he's playing against. What he's doing in the MHL isn't going to work in higher leagues, mostly because they can all skate with him. And herein lies the problem with drafting players out of Russia. There's no other context to gauge these players with, because they aren't playing against their peers.

I'm just not taking him top 5. I'll roll the dice on players I have more complete data on, and risk it. Nobody would fault you for passing on him.

 

[kmwtrucks]

The safest pick at # 2. Is probably Dickinson. But do we need a number 2D that is a lefty feel like we already got a few of those.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I just don't understand how you can gauge Demidov playing against that competition. Who was the last major prospect drafted out of Russia that wasn't in the KHL? I feel like there's huge bust potential here.

I don’t think anyone has ever been drafted Top 5 out of the MHL only.

That's my issue with the pick being Demidov. This pick essentially has to be a homerun. It needs to be the Kane to the Toews pick. That's a whole hell of a lot to gamble on a kid playing in a trash league against awful competition. It's like betting on a 4-legged horse to win a race against a field of 3-legged horses.

What makes it a more difficult comparison is in year's past, a Russian eager to prove his NA-willingness would come over and play in Canadian Juniors. Svechnikov was a solid 2nd overall pick in 2018 and played in Barrie in his Draft year, and even prior to that was playing for Muskegon before he was import draft eligible. That path was not available for Demidov, so he was more or less trapped in the MHL since St. Petersburg felt like jerking him around same as they have done to Michkov.

For what it's worth, a kid like Daniil But split time in the KHL/MHL in his draft year (2022-23) but was mostly in the MHL (32 MHL games vs. 15 KHL games). He was exactly 1 PPG in the MHL and went 12th in the Draft. There's not a lot of great comparisons, But, Miroshnichenko, Yurov, Svechkov, Chinakhov all paid dues in the MHL, and Demidov is a much better prospect than all of them. You'll struggle to get an apples to apples comparison because Demidov is just a lot better than recent Russian forward prospects other than Michkov who signed a long extension. If a player is in a lesser junior league because of geographic restrictions, all you can ask him to do is stand head and shoulders in it, which Demidov has done.

Drafting a kid based on junior league is a bit like picking NCAA March Madness teams based on what conference they are in. I understand the desire to use it as a proxy, but you really have to look at everyone individually to make proper assessments.

​

 

[TLEH]

Yeah like I said; I’ve seen enough of his games that I would be comfortable taking him, even at 2. But there is obviously risk. But he is head and shoulders above almost anyone that has played meaningful MHL minutes. Like almost 100% better, atleast scoring wise.