HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Schooner Guy]

Tools, frame, physicality, handedness. He's got the potential to be the minute munching, all-situations RD that teams covet. PP, PK, 3v3, EV, last minute, any matchup type of guy. While I think he's currently leaning more Sergachev than Hedman, the tools and potential are absolutely there to be dominant in multiple facets of the game.

Buium is a different brand defenceman that teams simply don't value as highly.

My guess is RHD, bigger and plays a more complete game.

Again, just a guess, but come draft day Buium could easily got before.

I'd take Buium's defensive game and complete game over Levshunov's any day. Levshunov has the size and high-end skillset but I'm not sure about the brain and I don't think he give rat's ass about defensive play.

 

[jiboy]

These last pages have been unreadable ..

Don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand there are major major red flags on Connelly , an organisation like the habs who care a lot about their image just wont draft him , there is just no way

Senneckee stock seems to be rising I saw he had 2 goals tonight again.. whats the weak points on this player ?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don't think you should be throwing around sociopath lightly. If it were true, you definitely shouldn't say it, as it is stigmatizing language. If a person suffers from ASPD, they need counselling, just like someone with depression. It is not something that someone has asked for, and it might cause trouble in their lives. Moreover, you really need to interview a person for multiple hours to diagnose someone effectively. I doubt that there are many ppl here who, given the time, would be able to diagnose such a condition accurately, as it shares a lot of markers with other psychological conditions.

Yeah, I'm not indignant, but I will stand up against bullies. Always have, always will. And beating up on a kid without having even heard him speak live ... well. That's bad.

I do think people are attempting to cancel him in the thread. Like you, I expect our GM and President and other people will do background research, speak to people, and interview the kid. If he seems like he is a dangerous risk for our team culture, I trust they will do the right thing and pass. But, if he seems like a good kid, and other teams pass on him and he is the BPA according to our management (including IQ/psyche), then I hope that they don't pass on him because of all the anonymous social media keyboard warriors trouncing him.

You’ll stand up against bullies? Or you’ll advocate for NHL teams to draft them?

 

[Schooner Guy]

You’ll stand up against bullies? Or you’ll advocate for NHL teams to draft them?

The same thing jumped out at me. He's all over the map and I wish he would have just taken a loss many pages ago and moved on.

Geezaz I'm sick of reading about Trevor Connelly in this thread.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The same thing jumped out at me. He's all over the map and I wish he would have just taken a loss many pages ago and moved on.

Geezaz I'm sick of reading about Trevor Connelly in this thread.

Maybe he meant to say that he’s stand up FOR bullies.

Seriously though, I get that posters want us to be more cautious here. We’re taking what WTK said as being true and it’s possible that it’s bad reporting or whatever.

End of the day though, there’s a lot of smoke to deal with. Assuming it’s true… why draft him?

 

[Goldenhands]

These last pages have been unreadable ..

Don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand there are major major red flags on Connelly , an organisation like the habs who care a lot about their image just wont draft him , there is just no way

Senneckee stock seems to be rising I saw he had 2 goals tonight again.. whats the weak points on this player ?

Physical strength mostly, lack of motor, endurance over full shifts, will need to fill his frame. The offensive production is also concerning, its nice to see him produce in the playoffs and he clearly is on an upward trajectory, but we are discussing a top 6-7 pick here, not a mid first round pick.

 

[jiboy]

Physical strength mostly, lack of motor, endurance over full shifts, will need to fill his frame. The offensive production is also concerning, its nice to see him produce in the playoffs and he clearly is on an upward trajectory, but we are discussing a top 6-7 pick here, not a mid first round pick.

Thanks for your input

I think we covered pretty well the options for our first pick , now is a good time to talk about either players who could fall to our WPG pick or be decent trade up options

 

[Schooner Guy]

Maybe he meant to say that he’s stand up FOR bullies.

Seriously though, I get that posters want us to be more cautious here. We’re taking what WTK said as being true and it’s possible that it’s bad reporting or whatever.

End of the day though, there’s a lot of smoke to deal with. Assuming it’s true… why draft him?

WTK basically summarized a very long article by Katie Strang in The Athletic on Trevor Connelly from February. i read the article when it came out and it was very thoroughly researched. If it wasn't true, Katie and the Athletic would have been sued by now.

 

[Draft]

I'd take Buium's defensive game and complete game over Levshunov's any day. Levshunov has the size and high-end skillset but I'm not sure about the brain and I don't think he give rat's ass about defensive play.

They're both limited at this stage and neither of them are very complete players.

Projecting the tools swings the defensive upside pretty heavily in Levshunov's favour. If a team feels that the decision making and commitment to defence is coachable (and from everything I've heard, Levshunov sounds like a very committed and coachable player), they're going to take the big, physical, mobile defenceman. As NCAA freshman in their draft year, there's a lot of runway to work on defensive issues for both of them... but Buium can't learn how to become a physical specimen like Levshunov.

I don't feel that either are a very good fit for the Habs, but can see arguments for both as BPA from 5-7.

 

[Schooner Guy]

They're both limited at this stage and neither of them are very complete players.

Projecting the tools swings the defensive upside pretty heavily in Levshunov's favour. If a team feels that the decision making and commitment to defence is coachable (and from everything I've heard, Levshunov sounds like a very committed and coachable player), they're going to take the big, physical, mobile defenceman. As NCAA freshman in their draft year, there's a lot of runway to work on defensive issues for both of them... but Buium can't learn how to become a physical specimen like Levshunov.

I don't feel that either are a very good fit for the Habs, but can see arguments for both as BPA from 5-7.

Who do you think has the better hockey IQ? I think Buium's way ahead.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

WTK basically summarized a very long article by Katie Strang in The Athletic on Trevor Connelly from February. i read the article when it came out and it was very thoroughly researched. If it wasn't true, Katie and the Athletic would have been sued by now.

Yes. And that’s why you have the consensus here that you do.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Yes. And that’s why you have the consensus here that you do.

No reputable business would hire someone with a rap sheet like that. No reputable university would ever admit someone who got suspended and expelled from schools as many times as he's been suspended or booted off teams. Molson was rattled by the PR disaster and response from fans, media, sponsors that came with the Mailloux pick which was a one-off incident with no patterns of of other extremely concerning behaviour. It's a no-brainer that the Habs won't take Connelly in any round. It wouldn't be good for Connelly either given the fish bowl environment he'd be thrust into.

 

[Draft]

Who do you think has the better hockey IQ? I think Buium's way ahead.

Buium for sure. Not to say that his physical tools aren't good, but he wouldn't be half the player he is if he didn't have very high-end IQ. The Frozen Four was a perfect showcase for how well he reads the play. Elite offensively, great anticipation.

Levshunov is no dummy though and did well at both ends in the couple games I watched at the start of this year. Not sure what he looked like through the whole season, but I didn't come away with big concerns. Was quick and decisive when making plays, didn't really get lost in the play or chase the puck, made some good passes and clean breakouts, showed good poise. His tools really came through though, very impressive foundation to build on.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

To those of you wanting to avoid drafting a defensive minded dman, are you comfortable having both Hutson and Mailloux in the top 4 as a playoff team? Because Guhle-Reinbacher will be overworked in terms of defensive assignments and odds are we will play the 3rd pair in those situations anyway.

3rd pair can be a pure defensive duo. Eat the ugly minutes. Ideally Xhekaj can be one of those guys, and then a Savard type as the other.

The top 4 is absolutely set with Guhle, Mailloux, Hutson and Reinbacher. I think both of Hutsons and Maillouxs D issues have been overblown. Give them a couple of years, being solid defensively is not difficult to learn. Guys get better.

 

[HuGort]

I'd say you're looking at Demidov first, Lindstrom 2nd, Iginla 3rd, Catton 4th, Parekh 5th.

You think they take Ignila before Catton?

 

[HuGort]

you only really need 2 or 3 teams who need your prospect to find value... RHD is a valuable commodity rn, and probably for the next 3-4 years... If we draft another RHD this draft it will not hurt us in the least.

Right D maybe but not left D. We have 5 NHL caliber left shot D now. Plus Hutson just signed. Engstrom in system. I would put a hold on drafting left D

 

[SOLR]

These last pages have been unreadable ..

Don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand there are major major red flags on Connelly , an organisation like the habs who care a lot about their image just wont draft him , there is just no way

Senneckee stock seems to be rising I saw he had 2 goals tonight again.. whats the weak points on this player ?

It's not entirely clear how his offence will translate in the pros. This is a very 2024 problem, as one could say the same about Catton, Lindstrom, and Iginla. There are a lot of risks in the forwards after Demidov (more than in other years). But Beckett has a combination of speed and size that others don't have, so you can be pretty confident he's at least a third-liner. The hope from there, he becomes a second-liner or more. He's had a big growth spurt over the summer and he isn't yet in his body, that's why scouts are speculating there is another level of coordination he's currently finding.

Big shot, if he just cranks his precision by a few degrees, watch out.

Habs might like him quite early, because we need a good RW with size to replace Gallagher.

 

[HuGort]

No reputable business would hire someone with a rap sheet like that. No reputable university would ever admit someone who got suspended and expelled from schools as many times as he's been suspended or booted off teams. Molson was rattled by the PR disaster and response from fans, media, sponsors that came with the Mailloux pick which was a one-off incident with no patterns of of other extremely concerning behaviour. It's a no-brainer that the Habs won't take Connelly in any round. It wouldn't be good for Connelly either given the fish bowl environment he'd be thrust into.

Connelly probably ruined his career and 10 millions of dollars over foolishness. Because talent is there

 

[Doublechin]

Connelly probably ruined his career and 10 millions of dollars over foolishness. Because talent is there

People like to compare Connelly to the Mailloux situation but the Mailloux situation is one major f*** up vs Connelly's repeated and consistent mistakes that come from an ignorant and borderline sociopathic behavior.

There's no chance I take the gamble on him before the 3rd round and even then, high odds that he's let go within the year

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Playing in the hockeyettan as a 17 year old is definitely unusual. It's his hometown team and he seems to have never left his home at all up to now, so that might be why.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

People like to compare Connelly to the Mailloux situation but the Mailloux situation is one major f*** up vs Connelly's repeated and consistent mistakes that come from an ignorant and borderline sociopathic behavior.

There's no chance I take the gamble on him before the 3rd round and even then, high odds that he's let go within the year

How do you know Mailloux was only one isolated incident? Which was also very troublesome. More so than Connelly.

Mailloux was called out by his own teammates for an imature act, there might have been dozen of other isolated acts that we are not aware. Nobody dug his past like they did in that article.

My issue with that whole Connelly situation is the fact that people act like they know EVERYTHING about him and he is an awful person because of that article and all the other NHL players or Junior aged players are all perfect because there was nobody writing an hit piece article about them and digging at their past. He quite could be the biggest asshole there ever was in the NHL but I tend to not judge people without knowing them before condamning them for the worst crime. NHLers and many hockey players at every level are no angel and there are a lot of them that could have been ND if we knew more about them. He was never a criminal and nothing in that aricle has focused on the step he has taken or his taking to be a better person. I find the article quite unbalanced.

I quite understand why people do not want a PR nightmare by drafting him or being seriously concerned about the allegation that it is beyonf just maturity but there is a line between being seriously concerned and him being unrecoverable as a person.

 

[Kent Nilsson]

3rd pair can be a pure defensive duo. Eat the ugly minutes. Ideally Xhekaj can be one of those guys, and then a Savard type as the other.

The top 4 is absolutely set with Guhle, Mailloux, Hutson and Reinbacher. I think both of Hutsons and Maillouxs D issues have been overblown. Give them a couple of years, being solid defensively is not difficult to learn. Guys get better.

It’s literally the hardest job to learn in hockey.

 

[Mrb1p]

It’s literally the hardest job to learn in hockey.

I'd say that's scoring goals and creating them, by far.

How do you know Mailloux was only one isolated incident? Which was also very troublesome. More so than Connelly.

Mailloux was called out by his own teammates for an imature act, there might have been dozen of other isolated acts that we are not aware. Nobody dug his past like they did in that article.

My issue with that whole Connelly situation is the fact that people act like they know EVERYTHING about him and he is an awful person because of that article and all the other NHL players or Junior aged players are all perfect because there was nobody writing an hit piece article about them and digging at their past. He quite could be the biggest asshole there ever was in the NHL but I tend to not judge people without knowing them before condamning them for the worst crime. NHLers and many hockey players at every level are no angel and there are a lot of them that could have been ND if we knew more about them. He was never a criminal and nothing in that aricle has focused on the step he has taken or his taking to be a better person. I find the article quite unbalanced.

How do you know those were the only incidents for Connelly? Surely there has to be other things he did he didn't get caught doing. That's usually how it goes for everyone and the amount of time he got caught tells me he's either really stupid, thought he'd get away with it, or has done it a bunch.

All of which makes me take a step back and a 180°.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

How do you know those were the only incidents for Connelly? Surely there has to be other things he did he didn't get caught doing. That's usually how it goes for everyone and the amount of time he got caught tells me he's either really stupid, thought he'd get away with it, or has done it a bunch.

All of which makes me take a step back and a 180°.

I know they did more character search on him than they do to the average NHL player/prospect. Maybe the Athletic always do these character check for all players but let me doubt it and they publish only article on the serious cases.