HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Goldenhands]

Many times "safe and/or predictable" players move up because franchises and staff know what they are going to get. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and something I actually kind of like. I'm at the point now with our team and where we sit, I think we can afford to maybe reach a little and go for the higher upside on a top 6 guy rather than know what we're pretty much going to get.

I dont see Helenius as a limited upside player, because he is more NHL ready than Catton doesnt mean one has more upside than the other. Helenius might still keep imrpoving and get better at everything.

Seems to me Dvorsky has the better shot tho. I could be wrong.

Yep I would say Dvorsky edges Helenius in the shooting category, but not by much, Helenius still can shot very well.

 

[Deebs]

I dont see Helenius as a limited upside player, because he is more NHL ready than Catton doesnt mean one has more upside than the other. Helenius might still keep imrpoving and get better at everything.

He might

 

[badfish]

Interesting insight @Goldenhands , I see Dvorsky pretty often in Sudbury and he's a heck of a player

 

[Goldenhands]

Interesting insight @Goldenhands , I see Dvorsky pretty often in Sudbury and he's a heck of a player

Had him ranked 6th last draft.

Bedard
Carlsson
Michkov
Fantilli
Reinbacher
Dvorsky
Leonard

 

[Michoulicious]

Yep He likely ends up third or 4th best foward on Bobby Mac final list. I wouldnt be surprised if he gets some votes over Demidov and Lindstrom.

At #5 OA, generally you look for a top line C, a high scoring winger or a 1st pair D.

Is Helenius a #1 C in the NHL? Everybody can see the floor, but is that a case of a young player with a mature game performing well against man or is there really a #1 C in there?

Production in Liiga is in the Lundell range (0.71 vs 0.64 PPG). I was also not a fan of Lundell in his draft year, and ended up about where I thought he should (#12). Looked like safe pick at the time, and he'll be a good #2/#3 C probably for a long time.

I think he's a #2 C ultimately, I don't see the elite flashes I'd want in a top offensive C. He works hard and he's agile, but I don't the great top speed, dynamic abilities or the top notch offensive vision I'd look for in a somewhat small #1 C. He's no Brayden Point.

He'll get picked early (McKenzie's poll had him at #8 I think and I doubt many jumped over him beside Buium, Parekh and maybe Iginla/Yakemchuk), I just hope not by Montreal at #5-7.

I'd 10/10 for a potential franchise D like Dickinson, Levshunov or Buium over prospect like Helenius at #5-7 OA, but that is me.

 

[Schooner Guy]

I think the big Russian will be the first Russian off the board. I know nobody likes him, but he's going to be highly sought after.

He had 2nd place votes from 5 of 10 NHL scouts/execs on Bobby Mac's mid-year poll and nobody had him lower than 6th.

This place will crash for days if the Habs take him with their 1st pick.

 

[The Last Red]

He had 2nd place votes from 5 of 10 NHL scouts/execs on Bobby Mac's mid-year poll and nobody had him lower than 6th.

This place will crash for days if the Habs take him with their 1st pick.

They won’t.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

Should Habs draft Dean Letourneau (C - RW) with the late first round pick?

High risk, high reward.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They won’t.

Literally the last player they will pick

Should Habs draft Dean Letourneau (C) with the late first round pick?

High risk, high reward.

Yes (depending on the board)

 

[Balthazar]

Drafting odds

58.2% chance of drafting 6th or 7th

 

[Justin11]

The amator scouting community is deeply sleeping on Helenius lol, kid is centering Finland top line against sweden today in an exhibition game leading to the WC, he is also on the top PP unit, had 2 very good scoring chances after 1. Recrutes has him 13th LMAO, I would considere him 2nd OV.

I didn’t really follow the Euro players, for the exception of highlights and highlights don’t tell the whole story.

I will take your word for it.

 

[Michoulicious]

Drafting odds

58.2% chance of drafting 6th or 7th

Not sure how we could draft #3?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Not sure how we could draft #3?

Team wins the lotto for 1 from more than 10 spots back, then Habs win the 2nd lotto.

 

[Balthazar]

Team wins the lotto for 1 from more than 10 spots back, then Habs win the 2nd lotto.

Yep, only Philly.

If Philly wins the 1st lottery and Montreal wins the 2nd lottery then Montreal picks at #3.

 

[DiglettDangles]

Yep, only Philly.

If Philly wins the 1st lottery and Montreal wins the 2nd lottery then Montreal picks at #3.

That'd be quite something if PHI drafted Michkov AND Demidov - exciting but also enraging, to say the least.
Too bad they just traded their only worthwhile center prospect (no choice). Their U25 pool is all wings, pretty crazy.
Can't believe Frost still sucks, he was mentioned in the same sentence as Suzuki not so long ago...

 

[Habssince89]

Celebrini pushing Dach to the wing would be an insane flex haha. I need to stop dreaming though.

I'm glad other teams ahead of us will feel inclined to pick a D. Even 2 teams picking a D, along with one picking Celebrini, would give us a great set of options at 5-7. Picking a forward is always the most exciting, and given our assets we could make a big splash this off-season moving up in the draft along with a top 10 pick.

 

[Doublechin]

That'd be quite something if PHI drafted Michkov AND Demidov - exciting but also enraging, to say the least.

I doubt they'd pick Demidov at 2

I have a feeling that by the time we get to McKenzie's final ratings we will learn that there were at least 4 names at 2

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I'm sooo behind on this draft class I thought Kiviharju was still a top 5 pick.

He's barely a top 5 rounds pick.

Ok maybe not that bad, but he's dropped a lot.

 

[Draft]

At #5 OA, generally you look for a top line C, a high scoring winger or a 1st pair D.

Is Helenius a #1 C in the NHL? Everybody can see the floor, but is that a case of a young player with a mature game performing well against man or is there really a #1 C in there?

Production in Liiga is in the Lundell range (0.71 vs 0.64 PPG). I was also not a fan of Lundell in his draft year, and ended up about where I thought he should (#12). Looked like safe pick at the time, and he'll be a good #2/#3 C probably for a long time.

I think he's a #2 C ultimately, I don't see the elite flashes I'd want in a top offensive C. He works hard and he's agile, but I don't the great top speed, dynamic abilities or the top notch offensive vision I'd look for in a somewhat small #1 C. He's no Brayden Point.

He'll get picked early (McKenzie's poll had him at #8 I think and I doubt many jumped over him beside Buium, Parekh and maybe Iginla/Yakemchuk), I just hope not by Montreal at #5-7.

I'd 10/10 for a potential franchise D like Dickinson, Levshunov or Buium over prospect like Helenius at #5-7 OA, but that is me.

Sorry man, edit: I was wrong.

Lundell in his draft year was at .64PPG (44gp/28pts) for the regular season.

Helenius in his draft year is at .705PPG (51gp/36pts) for the regular season and 1.0PPG (6gp/6pts) in the playoffs.

Laine in his draft year was at .717PPG (46gp/33pts) for the regular season and .83PPG (18gp/15pts) in the playoffs.

Lundell and Helenius don't have similar playing styles and have very different tools, he isn't a comparable. With several high-end tools, exceptional compete, and elite IQ, the framework for Helenius to be a top line player is there. Not every elite offensive player looks like McDavid or Point. Thomas, Kyrou, and Aho are not world beaters with their tools. If Helenius can perform like this in Liiga at this age and get a spot on the WC team without elite tools, what is this player capable of if his skating or shot improve?

Playing a mature, efficient game does not mean low-skill or low upside. In fact, it often requires a very high skill level and indicates translatable play in the NHL. I genuinely think this is a high ceiling, high floor type of player that could be a big part of our team in the near future.

 

[River Meadow]

What surgery did Lindstrom have exactly?

Was it back surgery?

 

[Michoulicious]

Sorry man, this post is way off. Helenius's production is significantly higher than Lundell's - you're referencing Lundell's D+1.

Lundell in his draft year was at 0.5PPG (38gp/19pts) for the regular season and 0.0PPG (12gp/0pts) in the playoffs.

Helenius in his draft year is at .705PPG (51gp/36pts) for the regular season and 1.0PPG (6gp/6pts) in the playoffs.

Lundell was drafted in 2020.

In his draft year, 2019-2020, he had 28 points in 44 with HIFK in Liiga, which represents 0.64 PPG.

You are talking about his D-1 (2018-2019) where he had 19 points in 38 games with HIFK in Liiga. He also had 15 points in 10 games that year with the HIFK U20 squad.

You coming here telling me my post is "WAY OFF" because I would have taken D+1 stats is, well... I'll let you decide for yourself. Is it way off?

As for the rest, I stand with my eye test evaluation. Feel free to have another opinion.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Kid is a fantastic skater, one of the best in the draft.

Huh? Am I way off base in thinking his skating is just pretty good? He's strong on his skates, don't get me wrong, and pretty agile, but he doesn't have a great first step and his top speed isn't near the best skaters in the draft in my viewings.

 

[Draft]

Lundell was drafted in 2020.

In his draft year, 2019-2020, he had 28 points in 44 with HIFK in Liiga, which represents 0.64 PPG.

You are talking about his D-1 (2018-2019) where he had 19 points in 38 games with HIFK in Liiga. He also had 15 points in 10 games that year with the HIFK U20 squad.

You coming here telling me my post is "WAY OFF" because I would have taken D+1 stats is, well... I'll let you decide for yourself. Is it way off?

As for the rest, I stand with my eye test evaluation. Feel free to have another opinion.

Sorry, you're correct about the draft year stats That's my b. Edited my post to reflect their stats accurately.

I maintain everything else I said about the two players. Helenius is legit, even if he's only .1PPG rather than .2PPG ahead of Lundell in their draft year.

 

[vokiel]

What surgery did Lindstrom have exactly?

Was it back surgery?

Wrist IIRC

The back problems is a rumor.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Should Habs draft Dean Letourneau (C - RW) with the late first round pick?

High risk, high reward.

Demidov, Letourneau, Carson Wetsch with our first 3 picks and I’m happy