HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Saundies]

I'd tell people to get comfortable with the notion of Sennecke at 5. That noise ain't out there for no reason.

It really does seem to have that Slafkovsky/Reinbacher vibe to it. Honestly, with the discrepancy between a lot of the other F's after Celebrini/Demidov, I think I'd be cool with it. It's a bit of a reach but if they really believe he's the guy then okay.

If we're reaching, I'd rather reach with Iginla but I trust the scouts (at this point).

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Lindstrom isn't particularly relevant, I think if his medicals pan out and Demidov isn't there, they'll take him.

The question is, if Lindstrom and Demidov are somehow both gone, who is the guy between Sennecke and Iginla. There's people in both corners. I just think there is more resistance to Sennecke from Iginla stans than there is resistance to Iginla from Sennecke stans.

Which I still can't wrap my head around because they are both risers and this is a fan base that wants skill and when you watch the two, one guy clearly has superior skill (and no I'm not saying one is more effective than another here, Drouin has superior skill to Gallagher but Gallagher in his prime is a much more effective player).

Yeah I guess they'll just have to split the vote and opt for...

Berkly

 

[WeThreeKings]

Because draft year production is usually what makes a kid get the rankings he gets? Who in the history of any draft did you see kids get 80 plus points at draft year and it didn't reflect on their draft selection? Aside from much smaller players? Like Corey Locke. Who also happened to be really slow.

Usually a mirage production is based on either you are just a good junior player (see the same Locke). Or you are solely a product of. Mind you, I'm not going to advocate that Sennecke was solely a product of Ritchie. Way too easy to do that. I think they fed of each other. But the jump in points, aside from getting used to his body could also be explained by pairing both guys with each other. Please note that it could also be the explanation for Iginla rise..him playing with Cristall. And yes, Iginla ALSO was a big time riser.

But no, there are no other concerns for Sennecke than the ones you named. There's a PDS post-draft syndrom that we all have and we now think everybody will take the tangent of Galchy/JK/. We shouldn't do that.

Again, I won't have Sennecke as my top 5. Yet, if I'm a scout, have access to him, to his entourage, to the specialists as far as where his body can end up to be, there is NO DOUBT that he has the size, the speed, the IQ, the scoring touch to be a top end prospect. The tangibles are there. But D+1, no matter those, you have to wish to see a big jump in stats no matter how you see that.

I agree that the challenge is figuring out if the post January 1st and playoff production is the real Sennecke. The thing is, when a player does show that level of play, at that age, over a sustained period of time, it does show they have that in them.

Pronman described Sennecke as someone who has loud tools and he does. He's a very toolsy player. So if you evaluate both him and Iginla as being true to their production in the back half of the year, which toolkit and player has the higher upside down the line?

People are divided on both. Even Pronman today said some scouts have Iginla top 10, others have him in the teens and that they have questions on the sense and the playmaking.

I just don't see anyone saying it's a tragedy to take Iginla at 5 but others who say it is if we took Sennecke. I can't get there. There's questions on both and I'd be pleased with both. I get having a preference or a lean one way or the other, I don't get behind Sennecke as not a top 5 pick but Iginla is.

 

[Addik04]

Lindstrom isn't particularly relevant, I think if his medicals pan out and Demidov isn't there, they'll take him.

The question is, if Lindstrom and Demidov are somehow both gone, who is the guy between Sennecke and Iginla. There's people in both corners. I just think there is more resistance to Sennecke from Iginla stans than there is resistance to Iginla from Sennecke stans.

Which I still can't wrap my head around because they are both risers and this is a fan base that wants skill and when you watch the two, one guy clearly has superior skill (and no I'm not saying one is more effective than another here, Drouin has superior skill to Gallagher but Gallagher in his prime is a much more effective player).

I am surprised a bit. I almost feel like you are Sennecke's agent for a few weeks vs Habs Halifax who is Iginla's agent.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I am surprised a bit. I almost feel like you are Sennecke's agent for a few weeks vs Habs Halifax who is Iginla's agent.

I let SlafySZN deal with them, I've seen some screenshots and it's clear they've never watched Iginla. I'll engage with Iginla fans like WS, Hannibal and NP because I can tell by their analysis they've actually watched him.

 

[le_sean]

The skilled beanpole is a high-risk profile regardless. He could be the next Scheiefle/Pettersson or the next Puljujarvi, Glass, Dal Colle, KK, Perlini, Kravtsov, Pouliot, Mueller, Paajarvi.

His growth spurt is a valid excuse, but at the end of the day it's still a very big IF. There's no guarantee that his balance issues resolve themselves with time, and it's important that they do because he won't be able to rely so much on his handling alone at the NHL level.

I like the player, but there are safer bets in the top 8 at least.

Safe doesn’t win you Cups. We don’t have the luxury of drafting generational players or having high profile free agents sign. After Demidov and Lindstrom, I don’t see any forwards with 70+ point potential available. Maybe Catton, but we are currently seeing what size brings a team in the playoffs, so what good is a Marner-lite? Sennecke maybe has that potential in an enticing physical package.

We took the gamble with Slafkovsky, he had the attitude to go with the skill and physicality. A lot will come down to the interviews. Does Sennecke want to improve, is he wired similarly to Slaf? If so, I can see why NHL teams would consider him this high.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I think the comparaison is the way he plays, competitive, some some spark and can just hit the edges and score by beating dmen with physique vs speed

Tbh, if Iginla ends up being a bigger and better skating version of Gallagher, that's a solid pick at 5.

Yes. The goal is having a top 6 winger and out of Lindstrom, Demidov and Sennecke I feel he is the safer to become one. I still prefer Catton but getting Iginla would be very nice!

 

[Shutdown]

while i'm on the Sennecke train if Demidov and Lindstrom are gone, i do understand why someone would be partial to Iginla.
i'd be lying if i said i wasn't worried that Sennecke turns into a Burakosvky-type and Iginla into an Oshie.

but as others have said, you've got to trust the interview process and the scouts who had the balls and foresight to pick Slaf.

 

[Scintillating10]

This is how I see the draft falling, top 15 mock draft.

1-Macklin Celebrini C

2- Ivan Demidov F

3- Anton Silayev D

4- Cayden Lindstrom C

5- Konsta Helenius C

6- View attachment 877613 Artem Levshunov D

7- Sam Dickinson D

8- Zeev Buium D

9- Carter Yakemchuk D

10- Cole Eiserman F

11- Tij Iginla F

12- Berkly Catton F

13- Beckett Sennecke F

14- Zayne Parekh D

15- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard F

​

Babrov has shown preference to go Euro with his top pick before. If Hughes takes Helenius hope he trades down. Get extra first.

 

[Schooner Guy]

looked real hard and all i found was a third period+OT January benching that had to do with not backchecking. there's no article about him having a bad attitude with quotes from an OHL coach that i could find

This is correct, there was a benching about that level of intensity on the other end of the ice prior to his big upswing and then wasn't an issue at all.

Good grief! Has it really come to a point that a 17 year old getting benched a shift for accountability purposes (coaching 101) is being held against that player's draft status?

We better put 90% of the kids eligible for this draft on our DND list.

 

[SwiftyHab]

 

[Playmaker09]

Iginla might be safer and that's the risk we run but haven't we been talking about swinging for fences? I still think the floor for Sennecke is fine as well. It's a swing I'm comfortable making if Lindstrom and Demidov are gone.

Safe doesn’t win you Cups. We don’t have the luxury of drafting generational players or having high profile free agents sign. After Demidov and Lindstrom, I don’t see any forwards with 70+ point potential available. Maybe Catton, but we are currently seeing what size brings a team in the playoffs, so what good is a Marner-lite? Sennecke maybe has that potential in an enticing physical package.

We took the gamble with Slafkovsky, he had the attitude to go with the skill and physicality. A lot will come down to the interviews. Does Sennecke want to improve, is he wired similarly to Slaf? If so, I can see why NHL teams would consider him this high.

That all depends on how you view Sennecke's upside.
Personally, I think his playmaking has been overrated and I don't see elite potential the same way I did for Pettersson for example.

Demidov has his own question marks, but I'm much more willing to take the risk on him given that I believe his upside is of a higher tier than Sennecke's. Same with Slaf.

I think the upside for Tij and Sennecke is similar, and so they fall into the same tier.
However, as Tij just needs less to go his way in order to hit that potential, I have him higher within that tier. That's how safety is weighed for me.

Regardless, neither are on my wishlist at 5.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

We could sure do a lot worse than Iggy, I'd be real happy with him. I'm pretty sure the pick would go over very well with the fans/media as well. He's not a consolation prize in any shape or form, he's a legit top prospect.

 

[montreal]

If Sennecke had 90 pts this year (his playoffs pace), would the view of him as a prospect change?

There's only three things I can come up with that would have people resist him as an option in this class

He hasn't been talked about as a top 10/5 pick early enough in the cycle for people to be comfortable.

His hockeydb page doesn't show a big point production.

He's seen as a "riser" and that has a negative connotation because of Kotkaniemi not working out.

Not to me since I could care less about stats, just go with what I see.

I've seen 6 games of his, impressed with the skill, poor balance and major lack of strength, he has that KK lean too forward when skating that doesn't seem to help his balance as he reminds me a bit of Benoit Pouliot.

The only thing I care about is getting Demidov, but I'm expecting him to go 2nd, after that I don't really care and just hope they make the right pick cause clearly this organization has struggled greatly at the draft table for decades, and if we want to be a contender again it's going to mean our drafting and development must vastly improve from what we have seen in the past.

I have not seen him, does he play with his size? I don't mean a power forward but does he shy away from the corners or the slot??

doesn't shy away and i've seen him defend his teammates but it looks like he has a major lack of physical strength at this point so to me he would be someone you can not rush to the NHL. Let him mature physically like they should have done with KK.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Good grief! Has it really come to a point that a 17 year old getting benched a shift for accountability purposes (coaching 101) is being held against that player's draft status?

We better put 90% of the kids eligible for this draft on our DND list.

Only if he's a player you don't want to pick. The Connelly stuff is a legit concern. A benching in one game isn't.

 

[SlafySZN]

I have not seen him, does he play with his size? I don't mean a power forward but does he shy away from the corners or the slot??

Doesn’t shy away from corners, he is inside driven, create space for teammates. He’s not what you call physical but he can give good hits. Once he grow into his body he’ll use it even more in every situation.

 

[WeThreeKings]

That all depends on how you view Sennecke's upside.
Personally, I think his playmaking has been overrated and I don't see elite potential the same way I did for Pettersson for example.

Demidov has his own question marks, but I'm much more willing to take the risk on him given that I believe his upside is of a higher tier than Sennecke's. Same with Slaf.

I think the upside for Tij and Sennecke is similar, and so they fall into the same tier.
However, as Tij just needs less to go his way in order to hit that potential, I have him higher within that tier. That's how safety is weighed for me.

Regardless, neither are on my wishlist at 5.

Fair enough, I respect this opinion. Never have trouble with this type of discussion when someone has a different view than me.

 

[sampollock]

Doesn’t shy away from corners, he is inside driven, create space for teammates. He’s not what you call physical but he can give good hits. Once he grow into his body he’ll use it even more in every situation.

sounds like he is engaged as a player then

 

[Trabdy2]

I'd prefer Sennecke over Iginla myself, if that's what it comes down to. I think Sennecke has a better chance of turning into a multidimensional offensive threat when compared with Iginla at the NHL level.

Iginla's got a high-end shot and I really like how he plays off-puck, finding soft ice to get into scoring positions. He's already shown an impressive ability in using his body to gain a positional advantage over defenders in many situations.

With Sennecke, I like his puck handling, passing, and playmaking better, and he's got a pretty solid shot of his own. He's quite creative and has some real ability to manipulate defenders with his skillset.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

It really does seem to have that Slafkovsky/Reinbacher vibe to it. Honestly, with the discrepancy between a lot of the other F's after Celebrini/Demidov, I think I'd be cool with it. It's a bit of a reach but if they really believe he's the guy then okay.

If we're reaching, I'd rather reach with Iginla but I trust the scouts (at this point).

Add Kotkaniemi to that. We always take that late riser. Sennecke seems to fit us like a glove.

 

[Seb]

Any prospects drafted top 15 who missed significant games during his DY who went to be a very effective NHL player without much injuries?

I'm trying to think of one but I have horrible memory. All I can think of is Vilardi and Patrick.

Galchenyuk can count as one even if he didn't really become the player he should've, but it ain't because of injuries.

 

[Zilo44]

Any prospects drafted top 15 who missed significant games during his DY who went to be a very effective NHL player without much injuries?

I'm trying to think of one but I have horrible memory. All I can think of is Vilardi and Patrick.

Galchenyuk can count as one even if he didn't really become the player he should've, but it ain't because of injuries.

Morgan Rielly

 

[Naslund]

Any prospects drafted top 15 who missed significant games during his DY who went to be a very effective NHL player without much injuries?

I'm trying to think of one but I have horrible memory. All I can think of is Vilardi and Patrick.

Galchenyuk can count as one even if he didn't really become the player he should've, but it ain't because of injuries.

Galchenyuk has chronic brain injuries. That's the only explanation for his career and life decisions...

Nathan Horton and A. Kostitsyn had injuries/medical issues that made them lose games in their draft year. I guess injuries followed Horton in his career.

 

[sampollock]

man I am so confused with all these posts..lol
who should they get??? glad its not me picking

 

[McGees]

man I am so confused with all these posts..lol
who should they get??? glad its not me picking

Lindstrom/Iggy/Sennecke
90% it is one of them and we just hope they develop well.