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

[Pez68]

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.

I don't know man. I'm not sure his mohawks and dangling through the slot is going to work at all in the pros. His skating is great, he has great hands, but nobody is hitting him in the MHL. He's just too far apart from his competition to really get a feel on how it translates.

 

[belfour30]

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.

Jiricek had like 2 pts in the games he played, and idk if the league he plays in is even that good.

 

[Pez68]

This is the video I'm basing my Demidov opinion on, by the way. I agree with a lot of what the poster is saying about his hands and skating, but he's not going to be able to do this shit against better competition(better skaters and stronger players, mostly) I also noticed he became extremely predictable about halfway through watching the video. Judge for yourself:

 

[bwanajamba]

I don't know man. I'm not sure his mohawks and dangling through the slot is going to work at all in the pros. His skating is great, he has great hands, but nobody is hitting him in the MHL. He's just too far apart from his competition to really get a feel on how it translates.

Bad defense is not endemic to one junior league and he produces offense in a variety of ways. Just like any other high-end offensive talent his tape is full of plays that won't work in the NHL but also full of plays that will. He might develop bad habits and/or not progress as long as he's stuck in that league- those are real risks. But his skill and vision pop off the tape and he works his ass off. I'd bet on him personally.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

 

[clydesdale line]

 

[HawksDub89]

That's not the comp.

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

LOL easy there tough guy. You threw out those names, not me.

He’s big, skates well and plays great D.

Weird, he almost reminds me of a player already on the roster.

 

[belfour30]

It just seems like this draft is going to be a total crapshoot outside of Celebrini. Just gonna have to hope that KD/Doneghy pick the right guy.

 

[HawksDub89]

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

Basha, Boisvert, Connelly?

I hope they pass on Connelly. Boisvert has skating issues. I do really like Basha though.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It just seems like this draft is going to be a total crapshoot outside of Celebrini. Just gonna have to hope that KD/Doneghy pick the right guy.

I think Levshunov is probably a bit safer than people on HFBoards consider, where I find the main prospect board to be a bit more negative on him than everywhere else. His floor is probably like a Zach Bogosian minus injuries, but upside is quite a bit higher. He's a bit raw defensively but he's got all of the tools, a work ethic that his coaches/teammates rave about to get better, and he's already excellent offensively.

As far as Demidov goes, nobody is projecting him to score 2 PPG in the NHL, so the fact that much of the points won't translate isn't really that different from every other junior superstar that gets discussed come draft day. He's got loads of projectable traits. A player can't control the competition they play against and MHL is a feeder for KHL/VHL so there are still some good players scattered throughout the League, which does admittedly have a lot of bad ones throughout, it's not like an ACHA feeder or something.

 

[HawksDub89]

I would love to get a shot at Dean Latourneu with our first 2nd rounder. Doubt he falls that far.

He’s a bit of a project but he has a pretty exciting ceiling. Think we gotta take some upside swings.

 

[belfour30]

I would love to get a shot at Dean Latourneu with our first 2nd rounder. Doubt he falls that far.

He’s a bit of a project but he has a pretty exciting ceiling. Think we gotta take some upside swings.

I'd rather take Eilick or EJ Emery there.

Take some shots on forwards with the later 2nds and their early 3rd.

 

[HawksDub89]

I'd rather take Eilick or EJ Emery there.

Take some shots on forwards with the later 2nds and their early 3rd.

Yeah I like both of those guys. Kind of underscores my point about being able to find good defensive D with size later on. (Albeit not 6-7, but still)

I’m a big fan of emery. I think he’s pretty safe. Skates well, plays great defense. He won’t be a big points guy but I think he’s a better passer than he’s given credit for.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I’m a big fan of emery. I think he’s pretty safe. Skates well, plays great defense. He won’t be a big points guy but I think he’s a better passer than he’s given credit for.

I think if he has a good U-18s he'll slide into the 1st round.

 

[MicronMega]

I hope they pass on Connelly. Boisvert has skating issues. I do really like Basha though.

I know about the character issues as an 11 year old. But, I am still a Connelly fan. He is s top-ten talent. Connelly and Demidov would seal the forward skill-depth for years to come.

 

[WarriorofTime]

He's gonna end up in the donut of spots between the Hawk picks, but boy is he playing well right now.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Spokane is down 3-1 in Game 4 mid-way through the 2nd period, on the verge of getting swept by the top seed, Prince George. Catton should be good to go and top line center for Canada at the U-18s. For reference, Celebrini had 15 points in 7 games in that role last season. Celebrini is 5 months younger than Catton, so 17 months younger in terms of age at the time of tournament. I'll be interested to see how he does at that event.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

He's gonna end up in the donut of spots between the Hawk picks, but boy is he playing well right now.

There’s a 0% chance he’s slipping past Calgary. It’s hilariously obvious.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Jiricek had like 2 pts in the games he played, and idk if the league he plays in is even that good.

As I said, he's raw.

But he's very toolsy.

Not unlike when we drafted Sam Rinzel.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I really like Iginla. Connelly would floor me as being a KD pick.

 

[TLEH]

If there was a way to make money on the Hawks not picking Connelly I would bet my house.

 

[CapitalistInfidel]

I'd rather take Eilick or EJ Emery there.

Take some shots on forwards with the later 2nds and their early 3rd.

I’d take Badinka over both of those guys. Badinka’s floor in my opinion is an above average #5. Elick and Emery may not make it to the NHL. Badinka doesn’t have much of a ceiling but guys who have a floor as a starter on D don’t last past the first round

 

[clydesdale line]

If there was a way to make money on the Hawks not picking Connelly I would bet my house.

I'd bet my house and my mom's.

Also I would love Letourneau in the 2nd. Sure there's a less than 10% chance he turns into Tage Thompson but I'd gladly roll the dice on the upside. Way moreso than taking a kid who projects as a bottom 6 forward or a bottom pairing defenseman.

 

[Darkstar]

I'd rather take Eilick or EJ Emery there.

Take some shots on forwards with the later 2nds and their early 3rd.

I'm a big fan Elick. I don't how much he will be able to develop offensively, but I think with his combination of size and skating, he can be a really good shutdown dman.

 

[Kshahdoo]

This is the video I'm basing my Demidov opinion on, by the way. I agree with a lot of what the poster is saying about his hands and skating, but he's not going to be able to do this shit against better competition(better skaters and stronger players, mostly) I also noticed he became extremely predictable about halfway through watching the video. Judge for yourself:

Man, he scored 4 points in 2 games vs the team half of which were KHL/VHL regulars. I assure you, it's tougher than the opposition Bedard played vs in WHL. When playoffs time comes, MHL teams get reinforcements from VHL and KHL, that's why it's much tougher to beat opponents in playoffs than regulars, but not for Demidov. He has the same pace as in the regular.