HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[le_sean]

What is their type of player??

They obviously value size and character much more than amateur scouting services and HF.

 

[montreal]

It’s obviously a group discussion but you’re going to listen to your directors of scouting and development. If you don’t, you end up trying to be the smartest guy in the room like Jarmo Kekalainen and build a garbage franchise.

Fact remains that the proof is in the pudding. You can try and deny it all you want, but wherever those two are (Bobrov and Lapointe) those teams have an obvious type of player they target in the 1st round.

What facts and what proof? what type of player does Lapointe like? what type of player does Hughes like, what type of player does Gorton like?

But if it's a group discussion, then how the f*** could anyone know what the group is thinking based off previous choices they made.

From what I know Matt Turek was the scout behind Xhekaj so does that mean Bobrov wants big guys like him or did he just trust his scout there? How could anyone say oh I know who each guy would pick and who has the final say out of the group, it's utter nonsense as per usual for HF when posters love to pretend they know things that are next to impossible to know.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Curious about how each of the top 10 prospects (The Hockey News list from yesterday) are doing in the playoffs. Heres' what I was able to find:

1. Macklin Celebrini (No Stats, included in NCAA regular season)
2. Ivan Demidov (10g, 15a, 25pts in 13gp MHL)
3. Berkly Catton (0g, 4a, 4 pts in 4gp WHL)
4. Cayden Lindstrom (1g, 1a, 2 pts in 4gp WHL)
5. Zeev Buium (No Stats, included in NCAA regular season, Champion)
6. Artyom Levshunov (No Stats, included in NCAA regular season)
7. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (4g, 6a, 10pts in 12 gp in SWE-1)
8. Alfons Freij (SWE-JR, No Playoffs)
9. Liam Greentree (WHL, No Playoffs)
10. Sam Dickinson (0g, 1a, 1pt in 6gp in OHL)

Please share playoff updates for other top 2024 prospects

 

[le_sean]

What facts and what proof? what type of player does Lapointe like? what type of player does Hughes like, what type of player does Gorton like?

But if it's a group discussion, then how the f*** could anyone know what the group is thinking based off previous choices they made.

From what I know Matt Turek was the scout behind Xhekaj so does that mean Bobrov wants big guys like him or did he just trust his scout there? How could anyone say oh I know who each guy would pick and who has the final say out of the group, it's utter nonsense as per usual for HF when posters love to pretend they know things that are next to impossible to know.

Okay the track record is there, but choose to ignore it. I mean I’m not advocating for this type of drafting, but it’s there on HockeyDB to see.

There’s literally a video where Bobrov calls Florian Xhekaj a unicorn. I mean for f*** sakes, everyone and their dog knows that at the very best he is a 4th line agitator. That’s the type of player he clearly values.

 

[Deebs]

Okay the track record is there, but choose to ignore it. I mean I’m not advocating for this type of drafting, but it’s there on HockeyDB to see.

There’s literally a video where Bobrov calls Florian Xhekaj a unicorn. I mean for f*** sakes, everyone and their dog knows that at the very best he is a 4th line agitator. That’s the type of player he clearly values.

Fair enough. So if available when we pick, we're taking Lindstrom....he's had some injuries but he's a heck of a player.

 

[le_sean]

Fair enough. So if available when we pick, we're taking Lindstrom....he's had some injuries but he's a heck of a player.

Been saying he’d be their favourite player for a while now.

Even Basu and Godin say he’s a target. Along with Iginla. Ahead of guys like Catton, Eiserman. But I’m the one making stuff up apparently. They want hard-nosed players.

 

[The Great Weal]

Fair enough. So if available when we pick, we're taking Lindstrom....he's had some injuries but he's a heck of a player.

The injuries are very concerning. We can't have a guy that will play maximum 60 games a year, especially since we are already an injury prone team.

 

[Whitesnake]

At the top 5-7, there are 2 players only that I'd be dissapointed (doesn't mean they won't come back and be great...)...those are Silayev and Helenius. I can't deal with pretty much everybody else INCLUDING Eiserman. And Including d-men like Dickinson, Parekh and especially Buium.

Right now, not a fan of both Silayev and Helenius ceiling. And the ONE guy I'd be REALLY nervous about picking would be...Lindstrom. I just feel it could go either way.....I'd said previous that Sennecke and Greentree are boom or bust....well I'm not far to think it could be the case for Lindstrom too.

 

[Draft]

How close is Helenius from the NHL? Also can he play in Laval next year if selected?

Drafted out of Europe and therefore eligible to play in the AHL - part of the reason I like him as a potential Habs pick. A year in Laval/Liiga and then to the NHL would be a reasonable prediction. However, given how quickly he adjusted through the year in Liiga, I think there's an outside chance he could play 3rd line wing next year in the NHL.

Helenius produced big numbers in Finland and was a key part of his team's offence... and he cheated for none of it. Extremely high IQ at both ends, very responsible, great compete, and not afraid to be physical despite being a shade under 6' and playing against grown men. He's putting up numbers that rival and exceed the absolute best Finnish prospects of the last 20yrs and he's doing it predominantly with efficient, responsible play. I love that.

The team has invested a lot of time and money into the skill development program and I feel fairly confident about entrusting them with a top pick. The biggest knocks on Helenius are that his skill doesn't come out as consistently as others in the top-10 and his tools are all good to great, but not exceptional. Matching a high compete, high IQ player that has strong foundations in multiple areas of the game, with a team that focuses on skill development could be a very smart move. I'd strongly consider him if Demidov and Lindstrom are off the board.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Gorton has more influence than being given credit for, he hired Bobrov for a reason too.

Lapointe is the only guy they kept from the old regime I believe. I think Gorton as a former Bruins loved Lapointe way of thinking/attitude.

I still do not think they have 'a type'. Another guy in the shadow is the analytic guy he is very important but less exposed.

One of the main things I appreciate about the new management team is from the top down, they seem to value input from everyone. They seem to really involve Chris Boucher on the analytics side and getting his opinions. I remember seeing a draft video where Eric Crawford, who is a director of pro scouting, was the one pushing to take Lane Hutson.

 

[Vachon23]

They obviously value size and character much more than amateur scouting services and HF.

That’s every NHL teams not only MTL

 

[RationalExpectations]

How close is Helenius from the NHL? Also can he play in Laval next year if selected?

I think Helenius could play right now 3C in the NHL but for his development if the Habs want to contend for a playoff spot I d play him 1st line and PP in Laval.

 

[SpeedyPotato]

Drafted out of Europe and therefore eligible to play in the AHL - part of the reason I like him as a potential Habs pick. A year in Laval/Liiga and then to the NHL would be a reasonable prediction. However, given how quickly he adjusted through the year in Liiga, I think there's an outside chance he could play 3rd line wing next year in the NHL.

Helenius produced big numbers in Finland and was a key part of his team's offence... and he cheated for none of it. Extremely high IQ at both ends, very responsible, great compete, and not afraid to be physical despite being a shade under 6' and playing against grown men. He's putting up numbers that rival and exceed the absolute best Finnish prospects of the last 20yrs and he's doing it predominantly with efficient, responsible play. I love that.

The team has invested a lot of time and money into the skill development program and I feel fairly confident about entrusting them with a top pick. The biggest knocks on Helenius are that his skill doesn't come out as consistently as others in the top-10 and his tools are all good to great, but not exceptional. Matching a high compete, high IQ player that has strong foundations in multiple areas of the game, with a team that focuses on skill development could be a very smart move. I'd strongly consider him if Demidov and Lindstrom are off the board.

Sounds like a Detroit type pick to me for some reason

 

[montreal]

Okay the track record is there, but choose to ignore it. I mean I’m not advocating for this type of drafting, but it’s there on HockeyDB to see.

There’s literally a video where Bobrov calls Florian Xhekaj a unicorn. I mean for f*** sakes, everyone and their dog knows that at the very best he is a 4th line agitator. That’s the type of player he clearly values.

Hughes track record is what?
Lapointe's tack record is what?

Who has more say with each pick?

Only a jackass would think they know for sure what Xhekaj's upside is after he just had one of the best improvements I've seen any Hab prospect have from age 18 to age 19. You don't even know what kind of player Xhekaj is yet you think that means you know what Bobrov likes, a 4th line agitator is what he likes? That makes sense to you?

 

[The Last Red]

I'll be fine with any of Lindstrom, Demidov (I don't see them picking him even if he's available) or Zeev B. if we're drafting at 5OA. From 6-9, I would add Eiserman and Iginla to that list. I have no interest in Catton, Helenius or any other D with a top 10 pick. There, debate's over. We can wrap it up here.

 

[Doublechin]

I know that Hughes came out and straight out said we ain't taking LDs but I gotta say, I'm not against grabbing Buium the closer we getting to draft day.

As of 5, I'd be open to grabbing him

 

[habsfan891]

lol Connelly over Catton

Silayev over Demidov too. wtf is this

I'll allow it if it means Demidov falls to us

 

[Gustave]

If I’m reading this, Demidov might be available at our spot….
Interesting to say the least.

 

[Benstheman]

finishing bottom 5 and drafting top 5-6 would be great.

That way, we absolutely get one of (my order of preference):

Celebrini
Demidov
Lindstrom
Leshunov
Iginla
Dickinson

If LHD is a no go for HuGo, i'm good with Parekh instead of Dickinson but imo, he is not what we need.

Is there a big, defensively sounded RHD that we could take with Winnipeg's 1st?

 

[le_sean]

Hughes track record is what?
Lapointe's tack record is what?

Who has more say with each pick?

Only a jackass would think they know for sure what Xhekaj's upside is after he just had one of the best improvements I've seen any Hab prospect have from age 18 to age 19. You don't even know what kind of player Xhekaj is yet you think that means you know what Bobrov likes, a 4th line agitator is what he likes? That makes sense to you?

When you call a 19 year old OHL 3rd/4th liner (which is what he was at the time of the draft) a unicorn, then yeah, it’s clear the type of player he values. And yeah, I can easily guess the upside of a 20 year old pugilist with Michael Pezzetta numbers

 

[montreal]

When you call a 19 year old OHL 3rd/4th liner (which is what he was at the time of the draft) a unicorn, then yeah, it’s clear the type of player he values. And yeah, I can easily guess the upside of a 20 year old pugilist with Michael Pezzetta numbers

This is his age 19 season and Pezzetta in his 4 years in the OHL put up 48 goals in 241 games, Xhekaj had 37 in 69 in reg + playoffs. He's showing he's way more then a Pezzetta but that's not the point. Matt Turek was the bulldogs GM so you can't know how much of that was Bobrov vs Turek and what that would even imply for future draft picks and that is if you just had Bobrov running the draft ala Timmins. Instead you have several and don't know how has what say over whom.

I just don't see the point in posters trying to pretend they know who our scouts will or won't drafted based on Bobrov's comments about Xhekaj or his picks while he was working for other teams.

 

[montreal]

If I’m reading this, Demidov might be available at our spot….
Interesting to say the least.

we don't know where we are picking, we don't have a clue who would pick Demidov where, so to me he's on Celebrini's level and would be much more talked about at 2nd OA if he was a Freshman in the NCAA and you didn't have any issues since he would be over here and you would have more control over his develop (as any team that picks him has to hope they don't pull anything funny to get him to re-sign for 3 years)

So I could see a team picking him 2nd OA no doubt or I could see him drop to 5th/6th if teams value one of the D more or the Russian issue and him only playing in juniors so it's tougher to get a read after he broke the record for most points in that league the previous year.

 

[Sorinth]

When you call a 19 year old OHL 3rd/4th liner (which is what he was at the time of the draft) a unicorn, then yeah, it’s clear the type of player he values. And yeah, I can easily guess the upside of a 20 year old pugilist with Michael Pezzetta numbers

And what about Mesar and Hutson, why aren't they proof that the type of player they value is skilled guys?

 

[le_sean]

And what about Mesar and Hutson, why aren't they proof that the type of player they value is skilled guys?

The trend for Gorton and Bobrov with the Rangers and briefly with the Habs is high picks all have size. Andersson, Chytil, Kravtsov, Miller, Kakko, Lafrenière, Schneider, Othmann. Now Slafkovsky and Reinbacher. So 10 of the 12 1st rounders.

When they deviated from that (Nils Lundkvist in 2018 and Mesar in 2022), they had higher pick(s) in the 1st that were used on players with size (Kravtsov and Miller in 2018, Slafkovsky in 2022).

To deny that they have a preference for this type of player at the top of their boards is just ludicrous. It’s there for people to see. I don’t need to point out the tendencies of Timmins and Lapointe as those are very well documented as well. Now people argue that Lapointe didn’t make decisions, but I’m fairly certain he had some input.

Again, don’t shoot the messenger. I’m getting insulted for pointing out an obvious trend with the people we have hired. I’m not advocating for this, just laying out the obvious.

Hutson I don’t include because he was picked late 2nd. This is all about 1st rounders.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

The trend for Gorton and Bobrov with the Rangers and briefly with the Habs is high picks all have size. Andersson, Chytil, Kravtsov, Miller, Kakko, Lafrenière, Schneider, Othmann. Now Slafkovsky and Reinbacher. So 10 of the 12 1st rounders.

When they deviated from that (Nils Lundkvist in 2018 and Mesar in 2022), they had higher pick(s) in the 1st that were used on players with size (Kravtsov and Miller in 2018, Slafkovsky in 2022).

To deny that they have a preference for this type of player at the top of their boards is just ludicrous. It’s there for people to see. I don’t need to point out the tendencies of Timmins and Lapointe as those are very well documented as well. Now people argue that Lapointe didn’t make decisions, but I’m fairly certain he had some input.

Again, don’t shoot the messenger. I’m getting insulted for pointing out an obvious trend with the people we have hired. I’m not advocating for this, just laying out the obvious.

Hutson I don’t include because he was picked late 2nd. This is all about 1st rounders.

The problem is that this logic is flawed. If the Habs got 1st overall last year would they not have drafted Connor Bedard? Afterall he is 5'10, they would have gone with Carlsson or Fantilli, right?