HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[BergevinBurner]

Habs had meetings with Parekh and Catton at least twice each

Having Parkeh and Hutson in the system may seem redundant, but it would definitely stack the odds in our favor of developing a premiere puck moving defenseman over the next few seasons.

 

[le_sean]

Having Parkeh and Hutson in the system may seem redundant, but it would definitely stack the odds in our favor of developing a premiere puck moving defenseman over the next few seasons.

It would really surprise me if they went that route.

 

[Sorinth]

Wasn't the talk before the 2022 draft that we had multiple interviews with Wright but only a last minute one with Slafkovsky and he was the only one we didn't invite to a dinner?

I'm not sure you can put too much weight into who/how often they interview different players.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Wasn't the talk before the 2022 draft that we had multiple interviews with Wright but only a last minute one with Slafkovsky and he was the only one we didn't invite to a dinner?

I'm not sure you can put too much weight into who/how often they interview different players.

We had more than one talk with Slafkovsky. The only noteworthy ones was at the combine and just before the draft to meet Geoff Molson. I think also holding 1st overall is different than drafting 7th or 8th overall.

 

[Leto]

Wasn't the talk before the 2022 draft that we had multiple interviews with Wright but only a last minute one with Slafkovsky and he was the only one we didn't invite to a dinner?

I'm not sure you can put too much weight into who/how often they interview different players.

I wouldn't put too much weight on connection either. Hughes/Gorton didn't pick Cooley despite the NTDP connection and they didn't pick Michkov despite the SKA/Bobrov connection.

 

[The Great Weal]

I'm intrigued to see how Helenius performs at the U18s. I get the feeling he'd be talked about a lot more if he was in the CHL.

 

[Leto]

I'm intrigued to see how Helenius performs at the U18s. I get the feeling he'd be talked about a lot more if he was in the CHL.

It's not clear if he will go to the U18s, he has been invited to the WC training camp.

 

[Richard Bolton]

I'm quite comfortable drafting Iginla with our pick, but I wonder how much would it cost to move up with WPG's pick to grab Nygard. I've liked this player for a long time, but too early for our pick obviously.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Woof, Catton. If this is how he is in the WHL playoffs, I can’t imagine what he’s like in the NHL playoffs.

Watch his Hlinka when he dominated every big moment. He was playing 30 minutes a night with no help against a vastly superior roster. Trying to downplay him because of his team is stupid.

 

[le_sean]

Watch his Hlinka when he dominated every big moment. He was playing 30 minutes a night with no help against a vastly superior roster. Trying to downplay him because of his team is stupid.

So on big ice against bad teams where there’s less contact? Sounds like the perfect scenario for a perimeter player.

When you’re outplayed by Ryder Ritchie in the playoffs despite playing 30 mins a game…yeah we have concerns.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Watch his Hlinka when he dominated every big moment. He was playing 30 minutes a night with no help against a vastly superior roster. Trying to downplay him because of his team is stupid.

Reminds me of the shit people were giving McDavid when he had an underwhelming first playoffs and they said he wouldn't step up when play got tighter.

150 point pace since then

 

[Schooner Guy]

Don't put Cam Allen in the same sentence as Catton please. It's insulting to our intelligence, Cam Allen, showed no progression and had significant question mark about his IQ, awareness and defensive game. Not even a forward to boot.

Oh for f*** sake I mentioned it's "not at all the same situation" and was simply pointing out that the Hlinka tournament means little. Don't be such a drama queen because others have questions regarding Catton vs other top 10 candidates.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I will also push back against Catton being a perimeter player. He has a lot of points from the middle of the ice, he's also able to score and pass from the walls the way Kucherov does.

It's harder to get into the middle when you have to conserve your energy from how often you're playing. Which is why the viewings of him, his motor and his defensive play are mixed.

That also means you have to contextualize his points.

Long story short his offensive production is elevates from his TOI so we need to be careful about how we contextualize his raw points.

And the TOI impacts his defensive and inside games negatively.

One thing is true is that he's been a weapon shorthanded all season too. So he's really not as bad as people think he is in his full game.

 

[bcv]

Watch his Hlinka when he dominated every big moment. He was playing 30 minutes a night with no help against a vastly superior roster. Trying to downplay him because of his team is stupid.

I don't understand where this "Catton is perimeter player with low level engagement" comes from because the guy is always trying to go to the middle of the ice and is very involved with his stick on the forecheck. It's true he's not physical but with his frame it's no surprise.

It's also funny reading posters throw out context when it doesn't fit their argument (1st seed vs 8th seed + small sample size) but if it does fit their argument suddenly context matter (rink size for example).

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

I don't understand where this "Catton is perimeter player with low level engagement" comes from because the guy is always trying to go to the middle of the ice.

It's also funny reading posters throw out context when it doesn't fit their argument (1st seed vs 8th seed + small sample size) but it does fit context matter (rink size for example).

It comes from two numbers: his height and his weight, because it certainly doesn't come from his play on the ice

 

[SlafySZN]

Wasn't the talk before the 2022 draft that we had multiple interviews with Wright but only a last minute one with Slafkovsky and he was the only one we didn't invite to a dinner?

I'm not sure you can put too much weight into who/how often they interview different players.

That isn’t true. They went to see Slaf at the world championship and went to dinner with him.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Oh for f*** sake I mentioned it's "not at all the same situation" and was simply pointing out that the Hlinka tournament means little. Don't be such a drama queen because others have questions regarding Catton vs other top 10 candidates.

I am not a drama queen it is a bad comparable. I honestly don't care about people questionning him. They might even put him as no draft, it won't change my opinion on him. Unless he has a true shit attitude and no work ethic, that is worrisome, and I would care but his playoff production do not change anything related to my evaluation of him. If anything I am hopeful he drops further in the draft because of it and make team even look more dumb a couple years from now.

 

[bcv]

Nobody's saying he isn't a good prospect. Everyone's talking about who to take with the Habs first pick and why. We'd all love to have him in our system but we question taking him where the Habs will pick (likely top 8) simply because we see better options.

You can believe what you want to believe regarding his physical engagement level but there is a lot of discussion right now by draft pundits regarding Catton's will to pay the price in the playoffs.

As for success at the Hlinka tournament, Cam Allen was arguably Canada's best player the previous year and went into the season in the top 10 of many early draft lists. He ended up going in the 5th round and has 9 points this year in the OHL. Not at all the same situation as Catton, but I'm just saying there is always a lot of evolving throughout the draft cycle. Most put a lot of stock in league playoffs.

Yes, I agree that one tournament is too small a sample size to mean much. It's exactly the point I'm trying to make actually. 4 playoffs games is just too small to mean anything. Especially when he's shown numerous times over the years the exact opposite.

All year he's been involved on the forecheck and going to the middle of the ice but now "draft pundits" call him a perimeter player? I'm sorry but that's just straight up false.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

It would really surprise me if they went that route.

They would have to be very confident of landing a top forward by trading a surplus defenseman (Barron maybe?), I would think, if they opt for a PMD with that top pick.

 

[MeanMugging91]

Really hope Iginla can continue to play solid playoff hockey and makes a statement at the u18. The more quality option we have if we miss out on Demidov and Lindstrom the better.

I really like Catton as well from what I've seen but I can see management preferring Iginla so i sure hope he just keeps that growth going

 

[Schooner Guy]

That isn’t true. They went to see Slaf at the world championship and went to dinner with him.

I think the point is that nobody knew at the time that Slaf had been interviewed so we shouldn't put stock in to what's being reported now in terms of who the Habs have interviewed and how many times. It's not information they disclose to the media.

 

[le_sean]

They would have to be very confident of landing a top forward by trading a surplus defenseman (Barron maybe?), I would think, if they opt for a PMD with that top pick.

I would imagine so.

Even then, teams always go with 1 defender and 4 forwards on the PP. So you’re going to use a Top 10 pick on a player who will likely be on your bench with the man advantage because Hutson is out there? Just seems like diminishing returns at that point.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

I would imagine so.

Even then, teams always go with 1 defender and 4 forwards on the PP. So you’re going to use a Top 10 pick on a player who will likely be on your bench with the man advantage because Hutson is out there? Just seems like diminishing returns at that point.

Agreed. It's not a given that with excess players at a given position, they can get the equivalent at a position of scarcity. It's not a perfect market. GMs sniff weakness and exploit it.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I don't understand where this "Catton is perimeter player with low level engagement" comes from because the guy is always trying to go to the middle of the ice and is very involved with his stick on the forecheck. It's true he's not physical but with his frame it's no surprise.

It's also funny reading posters throw out context when it doesn't fit their argument (1st seed vs 8th seed + small sample size) but if it does fit their argument suddenly context matter (rink size for example).

Honestly the perimeter talk is just so wrong, he has a tendency to cheat offensively and his level of engagement defensively is worrisome but a perimeter player he is not. He attacks the center and even do power move to get in front of the net even if he is only 170.

 

[le_sean]

Agreed. It's not a given that with excess players at a given position, they can get the equivalent at a position of scarcity. It's not a perfect market. GMs sniff weakness and exploit it.

Exactly. If you think you’ll get a Cutter Gauthier type for Logan Mailloux after drafting Parekh, I think you’re in for disappointment.