HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Redux91]

Wha??


We just traded picks and Romanov for Dach….?

Weeellll Technically
We traded a '1st' for Dach, as I guess that's what Chicago wanted the most, and in turn used that 13th ov on a F

BUT , it did take Romanov + picks to acquire the Pick for Dach
We were lucky Islanders basically wanted a LD of which we had/have many, but it's not what Chicago wanted from us

So yes it technically falls into the 'we traded a D from our surplus to Acquire a top 6 C' category
But hardly an easy trade with some shrewd maneuvering by both Hu and Go and a bit of luck the team at 13th ov, which was an acceptable pick for Chicago, was indeed interested in our surplus of assets at D
And the 'top6 C' part is more hindsight boasting than anything as at the time we were obviously 'hoping' for top6 potential

It'll cost much more for a 'potential achieved/potential looks clearer' type deal
Which is most likely what they'll want to do next instead of 'taking another stab at lucking out'

All in all just to say.. people are making this 'trade a D for top 6 F' thing look entirely easier than it is/going to be
Just. Draft. The F.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Outside of Celebrini the forwards don't excite me much at the top of the draft. There's still a few months, but especially if a few teams choose forwards ahead of the Habs, I would probably draft a D-Man. It just looks like the value play. Shaping up like a 2008 draft. Definitely that was a good year to draft defensemen.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

You wild for the Catton ranking. Whats with Levshunov at 8 ?

Thanks, I take it as a compliment. Catton is probably my favorite forward from the last 4 drafts.

As for Levshunov, I'll sum it up like this: I think he has great tools, but when you put them all together you end up with less than the sum of the parts. Haven't been impressed by his decision-making. Reminds me of Jiricek, on whom I was lower as well (may have been a mistake though!). I don't see him as a franchise defenseman or an offensive dynamo for now. My projection for him in terms of role would be similar to Reinbacher's, which means an average D2 or very good D3. Not a bad pick by any means and I expect him to be gone before 8th, I just don't think his upside is as massive as people make it out to be.

He's actually a lot like Reinbacher if the latter took more risks.

 

[Mrb1p]

Outside of Celebrini the forwards don't excite me much at the top of the draft. There's still a few months, but especially if a few teams choose forwards ahead of the Habs, I would probably draft a D-Man. It just looks like the value play. Shaping up like a 2008 draft. Definitely that was a good year to draft defensemen.

How can you not be excited by Demidov ?

 

[Mrb1p]

Thanks, I take it as a compliment. Catton is probably my favorite forward from the last 4 drafts.

As for Levshunov, I'll sum it up like this: I think he has great tools, but when you put them all together you end up with less than the sum of the parts. Haven't been impressed by his decision-making. Reminds me of Jiricek, on whom I was lower as well (may have been a mistake though!). I don't see him as a franchise defenseman or an offensive dynamo for now. My projection for him in terms of role would be similar to Reinbacher's, which means an average D2 or very good D3. Not a bad pick by any means and I expect him to be gone before 8th, I just don't think his upside is as massive as people make it out to be.

He's actually a lot like Reinbacher if the latter took more risks.

I think Levshunov has much, much better puck skills than DR, and I think we all know how high I was on DR last year. Its probably whats gonna keep DR from reaching elite offensive potential, while Levshunovs hands and shot is probably puts him over the top, and if he "busts" he should remain something useful because of the package he brings.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

How can you not be excited by Demidov ?

Sure he's enticing. But he's in Russia. So who knows. And even then, these D-men are insanely talented. Personally I'd be ecstatic if the 3 teams from #2-4 pick forwards and the Habs get to pick their top D at 5.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Sure he's enticing. But he's in Russia. So who knows. And even then, these D-men are insanely talented. Personally I'd be ecstatic if the 3 teams from #2-4 pick forwards and the Habs get to pick their top D at 5.

Every prospect has a who knows, but Demidov is on his own tier talent wise, with only Celebrini above him

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Yea, I'm in the same boat with Lindstrom.

It's similar to the Michkov vs Fantilli/Carlsson situation last year where if we were to pass on Michkov for a big center with high upside then it wouldn't sting as bad. But in this situation Mickhov>Demidov and Fantilli/Carlsson>Lindstrom.

Word on the street since last year was that Demidov actually plays a better all round game than michkov. Their MhL stats are very similar. Who knows!

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Outside of Celebrini the forwards don't excite me much at the top of the draft. There's still a few months, but especially if a few teams choose forwards ahead of the Habs, I would probably draft a D-Man. It just looks like the value play. Shaping up like a 2008 draft. Definitely that was a good year to draft defensemen.

How does Demidovs vision and passing not excite you? He’s elite in those categories

 

[Mrb1p]

Word on the street since last year was that Demidov actually plays a better all round game than michkov. Their MhL stats are very similar. Who knows!

1.82 to 2 ppg but one was in their 17 YO season and the other in their 18 YO. I don't think they compare much. At 17 Demidov had 1.5 PPG in the MHL.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

1.82 to 2 ppg but one was in their 17 YO season and the other in their 18 YO. I don't think they compare much. At 17 Demidov had 1.5 PPG in the MHL.

Offensively mivhkov has the edge but I was referring to a better all round game. As I said, we’ll see

 

[Mrb1p]

Offensively mivhkov has the edge but I was referring to a better all round game. As I said, we’ll see

Both are unlikely to be contributors in other areas, Michkov is better but Demidov would be a really, really good consolation prize.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

How does Demidovs vision and passing not excite you? He’s elite in those categories

I just ignore Russians. Too much uncertainty for me to understand. I like them as later round picks where the opportunity cost is not as high if they don't come over. There's a reason the NHL is not full of Russians, and it's not the lack of talent, IMO.

Obviously Hughes will do his due diligence, but I'm not going to send death threats to our new draftee if the Habs pass on a Russian in the Top 10. It presents a much trickier risk v reward formula than I feel competent in assessing.

 

[le_sean]

I have not watched him play but have seen many highlights. To me he looks like he could easily transfer to a forward if the defense doesn't work out.

I hate this line of thinking. He’s elite in transition and getting the puck to his forwards in prime locations. He has the skill and skating to get past the first and maybe the second defender, giving you a massive advantage. You basically nullify half of his game by making him a forward.

If his defensive game is such a concern, give him a defensive partner. Like the Isles do with Dobson (either Pelech or Romanov). Heck you don’t even need to do that, look at what Quinn Hughes and Hronek are doing together. Complete domination.

 

[Mrb1p]

Sure he has some holes in his game, but we'd be getting a proven NHLer that we know can play in the top 6, is capable of putting up 60+ points, can play wing, can fill in as a 2C if Dach goes out long term, etc... Obviously it'd be nice if he was bigger and more physical, but if he was then there's no chance Anaheim would be trading him.

When I look at guys like Catton/Helenius I don't see them having much more upside than Zegras even if they hit their ceilings.

Catton has chances to just flat out be better than Zegras, Helenius and especially Iginla too. Zegras is the last thing this team needs.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

I think Levshunov has much, much better puck skills than DR, and I think we all know how high I was on DR last year. Its probably whats gonna keep DR from reaching elite offensive potential, while Levshunovs hands and shot is probably puts him over the top, and if he "busts" he should remain something useful because of the package he brings.

Agreed, although he's not in the Parekh/Buium category for me, and I don't think he's as good a skater as DR. DR also brings more to the table defensively.

 

[WeThreeKings]

IDK how you watch Zegras and Catton in their draft years and come to the conclusion that one is infinitely more talented than the other.

 

[Schooner Guy]

ok......what does that have to do with what I said ? hes overrated due to his size, no shit he won't shrink lmao

Saying he wouldn't be a top 15 pick if he wasn't 6foot7 is like saying Caufield wouldn't have gone top 15 if he couldn't shoot.

Silayev is and Caufield can.

 

[1909]

We dunno yet where Habs gonna finish and which spot they gonna end with at the lottery, but I do hope they gonna draft a forward. I doubt they are lucky enough to get Celibrini, but any of Demidov, Lindstrom, Catton, Eiserman, Helenius or Iginla would be fine. I would had prefer they got a forward last season and a good D this season, but....

 

[montreal]

Goal - 8:31
Assist - 3:11
Assist - 4:16

 

[montreal]

Word on the street since last year was that Demidov actually plays a better all round game than michkov. Their MhL stats are very similar. Who knows!

Both suck defensively and lack effort at times but with Demidov it's about the physical maturity that you hope you get down the road as he's lanky AF right now and looks like Lane Hutson could out muscle him on the boards as he has poor lower body strength but if he can add mass and strength over the next 5 years look out.

 

[montreal]

Sure he's enticing. But he's in Russia. So who knows. And even then, these D-men are insanely talented. Personally I'd be ecstatic if the 3 teams from #2-4 pick forwards and the Habs get to pick their top D at 5.

He's a Celebrini clone imo.

 

[CHwest]

I hate this line of thinking. He’s elite in transition and getting the puck to his forwards in prime locations. He has the skill and skating to get past the first and maybe the second defender, giving you a massive advantage. You basically nullify half of his game by making him a forward.

If his defensive game is such a concern, give him a defensive partner. Like the Isles do with Dobson (either Pelech or Romanov). Heck you don’t even need to do that, look at what Quinn Hughes and Hronek are doing together. Complete domination.

One needs to be able to play defense to play defense. The NHL is a long, long way from the OHL.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Saying he wouldn't be a top 15 pick if he wasn't 6foot7 is like saying Caufield wouldn't have gone top 15 if he couldn't shoot.

Silayev is and Caufield can.

I think you're misunderstanding the point. Caufield's shot is an asset because he maximizes it within his playstyle. I don't see Silayev using his size to nearly the degree that he should.

(let me preface this by saying he'll be better than him).

Pouliot, for example, went so high because of his size but he didn't use it and never learned to. Silayev uses it occasionally in my viewings but it comes down to how coachable you think he'll be. I just think it's fairly rare in my history of following prospects for a guy who doesn't use his size to great effect to learn to at the NHL level. Not that it can't happen, it's just not as common in my experience.

 

[montreal]

I think you're misunderstanding the point. Caufield's shot is an asset because he maximizes it within his playstyle. I don't see Silayev using his size to nearly the degree that he should.

(let me preface this by saying he'll be better than him).

Pouliot, for example, went so high because of his size but he didn't use it and never learned to. Silayev uses it occasionally in my viewings but it comes down to how coachable you think he'll be. I just think it's fairly rare in my history of following prospects for a guy who doesn't use his size to great effect to learn to at the NHL level. Not that it can't happen, it's just not as common in my experience.

I agree that Silayev needs to learn how to use his size better to his advantage. I watched to catch today's game since I heard he was just moved up to the top pairing with Konyuskhov so I wanted to see how that went since in any of the games i've seen they rarely were on the ice together.