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

[thedarkstark]

Taking need with a top five pick is gross. No team has too many Kane's.

Trade the #1 pick for Evander Kane. Sign free agents former WWE superstar Kane, and rapper Big Daddy Kane.

Boom. 2025 NHL champs

 

[Darkstar]

Part me kind of just feels like he's the better version of Demidov.

He's almost a year younger, keeps getting better, he's bigger, been getting it done against vastly superior competition, etc...

Anyone else have opinions on this?

I don't think he has the hands or vision that Demidov has. I really like him, but I don't think his upside is as high.

 

[Darkstar]

Im not nearly as interested in Silayev as I was two months ago. The offense is like non existent.

As I posted a few weeks ago, anyone drafting Silayev is drafting tools and projection, he is very raw.

 

[Darkstar]

I can't wait for this years draft to be honest. Such an odd class.

After the 1st pick, this draft can go so many ways. I'm hoping someone mysteriously falls to us with the TB pick.

 

[HawksDub89]

I’ve been a big Lindstrom guy, but his health issues have me a bit concerned. Back issues for a big guy at 18 is alarming.

Catton has grown on me more than any other prospect.

Also I completely agree that Dickinson is a guy I could see KD being enamored with. Checks a bunch of his boxes. Especially skating and size.

 

[TLEH]

It's possible he doesn't even make it to Calgary. He just keeps getting better and he's been a boon in the playoffs so far.

Definitely possible. I could see him going as early as 6.

I don't see how Catton is safe.

He's far too undersized and lacking off the puck to be considered safe.

He's really not all that undersized, he's like 5'11 170. He doesn't play a perimeter game or anything, and he isn't soft. He fought Iginla and won easily. I see him as a safe NHLer because of his skating and hockey IQ combined with soft hands and a quick release. He probably will never be a franchise center but he also won't bust out and or be a third liner. His floor feels like a 50-60 point wing. Thats a lot higher than some other guys in the area.

The thing with Eiserman is age. I don't really like the player he is now, but he has that "maybe" factor like you're alluding to.

Being an August birthday definitely keeps the intrigue open about Eiserman. I just haven't seen any improvement in his game in a year, atleast when it comes to on ice processing. He still does the same dumb stuff he always does. Tunnel vision and really poor reads.

The obsession with speed is the only thing we know for sure because KD has stated something along the lines of "If you can't skate, you can't be a Blackhawk".

Among guys in the top 10 conversation, Sam Dickinson is the fastest. He's also 6'3" which I think is preference for Kyle. I don't know that I necessarily want to take him in the top 4, but I could see him being a guy that Kyle gets enamored with.

I could see them liking Dickinson, too.. but because so many guys are bunched together in 2-10 I think they will rule him out, positionally. They'll just use it as a tie breaker.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I think Levshunov has all the tools they’d want hence why I see him the most likely second overall pick. Good size, skates great, position of need, good intangibles as far as work ethic, attitude, coach ability. No real rush to insert into lineup ASAP. If that’s a hit, a set and forget top pair RHD for basically Bedard’s whole career is so insanely valuable. Think guys like Alex Pietrangelo, Charlie McAvoy, John Carlson. Teams in their Stanley Cup window would give one of their nuts for these kind of guys. They’re just hard to come by. I know everyone is hungry for forwards but Bedard is still there and just got there. The second line forward types aren’t so hard to come by and the sort of thing you sometimes luck out in late first or second round picks. The top line winger is often more available in trade than people realize. And more draft years to come.

 

[giza]

I just don't see the physicality in the future forwards. Lots of speed, skating, high motor and skill.....and that is all needed, but there needs to be those hard to play against types. I still stick with Lindstrom----you can't teach that size. You're talking Quinton Byfield V2 here.....health could be just a series of bad breaks (literally and figuratively). If he doesn't have a chronic problem, he seems like the perfect balancing act to the smaller sized centers.

 

[Castle8130]

I've figured out the best play for the Hawks. Trade the Tampa 1st + our 2nd round pick + whatever else gets us to move up far enough to take Iginla. Iginla would be an amazing fit on our team

 

[Kevin Musto]

I've figured out the best play for the Hawks. Trade the Tampa 1st + our 2nd round pick + whatever else gets us to move up far enough to take Iginla. Iginla would be an amazing fit on our team

They'd likely have to trade into the top 7 to draft Iginla.

If he's their guy, they would just take him with their own 1st round pick.

 

[BHawk21]

They'd likely have to trade into the top 7 to draft Iginla.

If he's their guy, they would just take him with their own 1st round pick.

top 7 seems high. he is a fairly big goal scoring center with a great lineage tho.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Last two lotteries were on Mon and Tues.
So...
~ one month to go until the lottery.

So excited!

 

[Kevin Musto]

top 7 seems high. he is a fairly big goal scoring center with a great lineage tho.

Calgary is picking 8 right now so I don't see how he slips below them

 

[giza]

I think Igninla would be a reach at 8.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I think Igninla would be a reach at 8.

Have you seen him recently?

He has really boosted his stock in the last couple months.

 

[Darkstar]

I don't see Iginla making it past the Flames. He's really progressed as a player this season and could easily be in a team's Top 10.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

I’m not sure if he’ll be available by then, but I like the idea of taking Beckett Sennecke with the Tampa pick

 

[Hattrick Kane]

They'd likely have to trade into the top 7 to draft Iginla.

If he's their guy, they would just take him with their own 1st round pick.

If the Hawks end up say 3rd, would you be mad at them if they just took Tij?

His stock seems to be absolutely skyrocketing. I would no longer be shocked if he went top 5.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I’m not sure if he’ll be available by then, but I like the idea of taking Beckett Sennecke with the Tampa pick

I'd be happy with that. I like Sennecke. And I think he has attributes that make him a fit for what the Blackhawks like.

If the Hawks end up say 3rd, would you be mad at them if they just took Tij?

His stock seems to be absolutely skyrocketing. I would no longer be shocked if he went top 5.

I wouldn't be mad about it.

I think there'd be some mild outrage here if it happened, but I could personally justify the decision to take him that high.

Celebrini is #1 with a bullet, and then there's little separating the wave of players after him.

 

[ColbyChaos]

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

Rule of thumb if you are a young promising player on a big KHL team, odds are you will play 4 minutes a game on the fourth line. All the while some older player with only 1/4th the talent will see the ice more than you.

It’s basically pray you get loaned to any team outside of Moscow and St Petersburg or play in a way lower league.

 

[TLEH]

I also really like Beckett Sennecke. Depends on where that pick falls.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

It seems like by the time Tampa’s pick rolls around, it gets pretty thin.

I’ve been adamant about not trading Reichel. But I can’t help but wonder if you could package him and Tampa’s first to get back into the top 10. Maybe a team who feels they’re close and don’t want to wait on their pick would bite, like Montreal.

Just fantasy but with luck we could come away with Celebrini and another top forward, that would be unreal.

 

[Kevin Musto]

It seems like by the time Tampa’s pick rolls around, it gets pretty thin.

I’ve been adamant about not trading Reichel. But I can’t help but wonder if you could package him and Tampa’s first to get back into the top 10. Maybe a team who feels they’re close and don’t want to wait on their pick would bite, like Montreal.

Just fantasy but with luck we could come away with Celebrini and another top forward, that would be unreal.

Not anymore.

The time to trade Reichel was last year's draft.

He doesn't have that kind of value now.

 

[Darkstar]

I’m not sure if he’ll be available by then, but I like the idea of taking Beckett Sennecke with the Tampa pick

I like what I've seen of him. He's got some upside. He'd be a great pick in that part of the draft.

 

[HawksDub89]

I think Levshunov has all the tools they’d want hence why I see him the most likely second overall pick. Good size, skates great, position of need, good intangibles as far as work ethic, attitude, coach ability. No real rush to insert into lineup ASAP. If that’s a hit, a set and forget top pair RHD for basically Bedard’s whole career is so insanely valuable. Think guys like Alex Pietrangelo, Charlie McAvoy, John Carlson. Teams in their Stanley Cup window would give one of their nuts for these kind of guys. They’re just hard to come by. I know everyone is hungry for forwards but Bedard is still there and just got there. The second line forward types aren’t so hard to come by and the sort of thing you sometimes luck out in late first or second round picks. The top line winger is often more available in trade than people realize. And more draft years to come.

Great perspective on Levshunov. Having a 1D and 1C makes filling out the rest of your core much easier.

The leafs are a great example of a team with multiple talented forwards but never a true 1D.

Colorado too until Makar.