HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[WeThreeKings]

Is it just me or does this draft not seem that bad. Most guys ranked performing pretty damn well in their draft years.

No, it's a good draft.. I think there's just less certainty with the prospects behind Celebrini.

I can't say with conviction any of the defenseman will be a #1 defenseman, but I think you can safely like the top guys to be a 2-4. Then you have a couple wildcards in Parekh or Buium who will boom or bust.

On the forward side.. I think you'd be happy with Lindstrom or Demidov as top line guys.. then the next group are all exciting forwards but there's questions on whether they are a true top line guy or more of that second line group.

I liked the top end of last years draft better but there's more talent available after that top group in this draft and then drops off similarly but feel like there's more players deeper into the draft than last year, it's not as shallow.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Is it just me or does this draft not seem that bad. Most guys ranked performing pretty damn well in their draft years.

Isn't the knock on this draft is that there isn't a Bedard, the very top of the draft isn't as impressive as last year and that it drops off around 20th?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Isn't the knock on this draft is that there isn't a Bedard, the very top of the draft isn't as impressive as last year and that it drops off around 20th?

You are right until the drop off part.. this draft drops off later than last year and has more available deeper into the draft.

Although the goalies in last years draft were infinitely better.

 

[Captain Mountain]

You are right until the drop off part.. this draft drops off later than last year and has more available deeper into the draft.

Although the goalies in last years draft were infinitely better.

I'm only going off what I've heard, its not my opinion. It wouldn't shock me in the slightest if it proves to be a deeper draft, that's the kind of thing scouts seem to be more frequently wrong about than anything else.

 

[JT3]

I know people are fixated on F but beyond the top 3 guys I'm strongly considering a RHD. I know people see the depth at D but the right side doesn't have as much surety as the left. I guess if we consider Guhle a RHD based on his recent play there's less to be worried about, but beyond him what we have is Reinbacher, Mailloux and Barron. I think Reinbacher will be a player for sure, probably a good one, but we may not even see him in NA this season and while I really like Mailloux, him and Barron are no sure thing.

Meanwhile up front we have Suzuki/Caufield/Slaf/Dach reasonably locked into top 6 spots with Newhook, Roy and Beck (who I think has more 2nd line C potential than people think) as other potential options. It's easier to find a top 6 wing/2nd line C than a top 4 RHD IMO, so I'm not super concerned about filling out a couple more forward spots. Obviously if Celebrini/Demidov/Lindstrom are available to us I'm going that route for sure because a star F would be huge. But beyond that, when you get into Catton/Iginla/Helenius, they are good players for sure and I do like them for different reasons, but are they better players than say Yakemchuk (who I REALLY like) or Parekh (who has tremendous upside)? It's an interesting debate for me.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I know people are fixated on F but beyond the top 3 guys I'm strongly considering a RHD. I know people see the depth at D but the right side doesn't have as much surety as the left. I guess if we consider Guhle a RHD based on his recent play there's less to be worried about, but beyond him what we have is Reinbacher, Mailloux and Barron. I think Reinbacher will be a player for sure, probably a good one, but we may not even see him in NA this season and while I really like Mailloux, him and Barron are no sure thing.

Meanwhile up front we have Suzuki/Caufield/Slaf/Dach reasonably locked into top 6 spots with Newhook, Roy and Beck (who I think has more 2nd line C potential than people think) as other potential options. It's easier to find a top 6 wing/2nd line C than a top 4 RHD IMO, so I'm not super concerned about filling out a couple more forward spots. Obviously if Celebrini/Demidov/Lindstrom are available to us I'm going that route for sure because a star F would be huge. But beyond that, when you get into Catton/Iginla/Helenius, they are good players for sure and I do like them for different reasons, but are they better players than say Yakemchuk (who I REALLY like) or Parekh (who has tremendous upside)? It's an interesting debate for me.

It sounds like Yakemchuk may go even earlier than when we pick.

But if you look at Parekh, it would depend on Mailloux.. cause it doesn't make sense to have both of them.

It will all depend on evaluations and growth, but I think there's way more promise to add up front then add additional congestion to the back end unless you are slam dunking the pick, which I don't think you can be confident in when it comes to Yakemchuk who the skating may not be the right fit for our system or Parekh who is a offensive specialist so how do you manage him and Hutson and Mailloux.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Can't say I'm 100% sold on Yakemchuk being in the top 10 discussion. I get it though, big guy with some tools, scouts always go crazy for those. The numbers are really good too, the production has definitely been there. Maybe I just didn't catch him at his best when I did see him play.

 

[JT3]

It sounds like Yakemchuk may go even earlier than when we pick.

But if you look at Parekh, it would depend on Mailloux.. cause it doesn't make sense to have both of them.

It will all depend on evaluations and growth, but I think there's way more promise to add up front then add additional congestion to the back end unless you are slam dunking the pick, which I don't think you can be confident in when it comes to Yakemchuk who the skating may not be the right fit for our system or Parekh who is a offensive specialist so how do you manage him and Hutson and Mailloux.

I agree regarding Parekh, the upside is obviously huge, but given what we have in Hutson and Mailloux I would agree that I would probably lean to a Catton in that situation as well.

Yakemchuk I really like though. He's like a Matt Tkachuk on D, pretty good all round game with size, skill, tenacity, etc and man does he ever piss people off. There are questions about his D of course, some of his reads are not great but he's a kid who takes some risks given the lackluster team around him, so I think they can be ironed out and corrected fairly easily. Skating looks wonky but I don't think he has much trouble getting around and isn't really a huge issue for me.

Also this is not to say I would definitely take Yakemchuk over Catton, but he's in the convo for me.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

Iginla before Catton for me

 

[Schooner Guy]

I'm only going off what I've heard, its not my opinion. It wouldn't shock me in the slightest if it proves to be a deeper draft, that's the kind of thing scouts seem to be more frequently wrong about than anything else.

Elliotte Friedman keeps saying his draft sources are telling him this. They are Consentino, Marek and Bukula so I'd take it with a grain of salt. Elliotte admits he personally doesn't have time to follow the draft prospects.

Elliotte has a lot of followers and that's likely why you've been hearing it. I haven't seen or heard any other draft source say this.

Also there's a lot of meaningful hockey left to be played in this draft cycle and there will be some more risers.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Call me crazy but if Celebrini/Demidov/Lindstrom are picked ahead of us, I'm taking a dman.

That's where I'm at too, except I'm not sure about Demidov or Lindstrom...

 

[TheBuriedHab]

I'd take Iginla as early as 4 if Celebrini, Demidov and Lindstrom were all gone.

Having 2 power wingers in Slaf and Iggy is really what this team needs if they want to become a Florida, Vegas or Dallas eventually.

Tij is already 6 foot 185 as one of the youngest players in this draft class. He's going to have the size and strength at 21 to get to the middle of the ice in the NHL, and he has better hands than his old man too.

 

[Jaynki]

Love the Iginla hype. He is my pick too after Demidov and Lindstrom and he would be a sincere fit within our organisation although we should not draft based on need.

Im still debating him versus Catton in my head tho because lets be honest Catton is one hell of a prospect too.

Iginla just feel like a can't miss (high floor), homerun potential pick.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I like Helenius for many of the same reasons people like Catton. But maybe slightly less dynamic and more polished.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Love the Iginla hype. He is my pick too after Demidov and Lindstrom and he would be a sincere fit within our organisation although we should not draft based on need.

Im still debating him versus Catton in my head tho because lets be honest Catton is one hell of a prospect too.

Iginla just feel like a can't miss (high floor), homerun potential pick.

Iginla is a very good player, after top 5, I certainly see him picking in range 6-12. Catton and Iginla are my 2 forwards I want to see in Habs uniform if they can't draft Celebrini, Demidov or Lindstrom.

If it's Eiserman, Habs have confident in their development staff. He need to be much more complete player to become a really good NHL'er. He have the elite shot. The offensive potential is immense.

If it's Helenius, I think, I will be very happy aswell. He have great offensive talent. He is more complete than Eiserman.

One of them or Parekh/Dickinson/Leshunov/Buium.

I just don't want Silayev with the high pick. Maybe he is a really good one, but I don't see the fit with Habs.

 

[antomime]

Love the Iginla hype. He is my pick too after Demidov and Lindstrom and he would be a sincere fit within our organisation although we should not draft based on need.

Im still debating him versus Catton in my head tho because lets be honest Catton is one hell of a prospect too.

Iginla just feel like a can't miss (high floor), homerun potential pick.

What’s the knock on him? Why isn’t he talked in the same breath as Lindstrom? Limited ceiling?

 

[Jaynki]

What’s the knock on him? Why isn’t he talked in the same breath as Lindstrom? Limited ceiling?

Iginla or Catton?

 

[vokiel]

I'd take Iginla as early as 4 if Celebrini, Demidov and Lindstrom were all gone.

Having 2 power wingers in Slaf and Iggy is really what this team needs if they want to become a Florida, Vegas or Dallas eventually.

Tij is already 6 foot 185 as one of the youngest players in this draft class. He's going to have the size and strength at 21 to get to the middle of the ice in the NHL, and he has better hands than his old man too.

We'd probably pick a 6'7" dman in that situation, even though I wouldn't trust him with a 9 foot clown pole.

 

[The Last Red]

Iginla or Catton?

Iginla.

 

[FrankMTL]

Can't say I'm 100% sold on Yakemchuk being in the top 10 discussion. I get it though, big guy with some tools, scouts always go crazy for those. The numbers are really good too, the production has definitely been there. Maybe I just didn't catch him at his best when I did see him play.

He's also one of the oldest players in the draft.

Just for reference, the difference between him and Iginla is over 10 months which is huge in prospect development.

 

[FrankMTL]

Don't know if the NHL.com list was posted yet or not.

Celebrini leads NHL.com ranking of top 32 prospects for 2024 Draft | NHL.com

Boston University center is 'special player and belongs in that special category'

www.nhl.com

1. Celebrini
2. Levshunov
3. Demidov
4. Silayev
5. Buium
6. Dickinson
7. Lindstrom
8. Catton
9. Yakemchuk
10. Iginla
11. Eiserman
12. Parekh
13. Helenius
14. Greentree
15. MBN

 

[Mrb1p]

Is it just me or does this draft not seem that bad. Most guys ranked performing pretty damn well in their draft years.

Its a very good draft, it's just nowhere near as good as 2023. 2023 has 5 guys that would go ahead of #2 this year IMO, it was just very good. It's probably better than 21-22.

It reminds me a lot of 2018, but with a C instead of D at the top.

 

[McGees]

Another top 10-15 pick would be nice.
Package up Wpg pick with a slew of other mid rd picks.

 

[Trabdy2]

I am a fan of Iginla, but I do project him more as a strong complementary player at this point. He's got some very strong hockey instincts and some high end skills, but I'm not sure I see high level of offensive vision/playmaking from him based on my limited viewings.

He's the type of player who will make any line better and be a strong glue guy. I'd prefer Catton because I think he does possess a higher level of vision and seems to be more of a natural offense "architect".

 

[WeThreeKings]

I am a fan of Iginla, but I do project him more as a strong complementary player at this point. He's got some very strong hockey instincts and some high end skills, but I'm not sure I see high level of offensive vision/playmaking from him based on my limited viewings.

He's the type of player who will make any line better and be a strong glue guy. I'd prefer Catton because I think he does possess a higher level of vision and seems to be more of a natural offense "architect".

I could be wrong but Iginla seems like the player overhyped here and isn't as hyped elsewhere.