HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Cubebrick]

I know we have an absolute surplus at that position but...Tarin Smith would be a hell of a gamble with our 2nd.

I'm glad someone else noticed him. I'm way much higher on him than the consensus since I have him as a 1st rounder. I understand it's risky to have him this high but he's one hell of a homerun pick if he ever reaches his potential.

It's all about projection since he is very raw, but I find the tools are exciting and he's a treat to watch.

 

[crosbyshow]

I never said that big players had low IQ..I said that Catton had way better IQ than Lindstrom..and its not close.

Catton's Iq is off chart..and you will see..if this dude is drafted 10th overall...few teams will regret it badly soon enough....

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The most important skill is IQ.

The best in history
..Gretzky had only that way above everybody...and he was skinny ant not strong at all.

Look at Kucherov as well.

Catton is way smarter than Lindstrom..not even close


Catton is better than Lindstrom

This is oversimplifying things a lot.

Assuming you’re right and he’s got a better IQ… how much better? Is it enough to offset the physical game and presence Lindstrom brings?

 

[ReHabs]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

 

[jaffy27]

Keep it classy. Catton easily has Keller+ potential, which would be an excellent pick at 5.

He would be an excellent pick at 5, if Levshunov, Iginla, Lindstrom, Demidov, Dickinson, Parekh were not in this draft

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I'm up to like 20 games of Sennecke now. I try so hard but I can't get over the posture, the fact he can't stop gliding, the way he looks like Benoit Pouliot effort level wise at times, the way pucks just float away from him despite his seemingly very good stick-handling and the way he seems to be mostly in the wrong spot often. It's tough because you see the talent, he's skilled, he's raw, he does have shifts where he works super hard, he has shifts where he pushes the play and flashes shot, hands, skating and passing but when you compare him with Lindstrom and Iginla I'm not sure I can see it and of course with Catton and Demidov it's just not the pick, we'd be reaching hard on size.

I'm also unsure what the use of picking a guy thats 6'3 if he stays 60 feet from the play 75% of the time. He's a project, but I think we probably should be past these projects at this point. The Habs need that elusive #3 forward to compiment Slaf and Suzuki and slide down CC to 4-5. I think all three of Iggy, Catton and Demidov are pretty much locks to be just that, why risk it, really ?

He's definitely super raw. Almost a blank slate too, you can tell he hasn't been coached a whole lot in his young career, he tends to improvise a ton. A true project as far as development goes, a lot like Slaf was.

 

[jaffy27]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

Ovechkin had 36 goals and 33 assists with Dynamo pre NHL…he turned out ok

Pre NHL, Cole Caufield ALWAYS had more goals then assists.

Lindstrom woul be the perfect winger for Dach!

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

He would be an excellent pick at 5, if Levshunov, Iginla, Lindstrom, Demidov, Dickinson, Parekh were not in this draft

Eh I'd take him pretty comfortably ahead of everyone not named Demidov there.

Celebrini
Demidov
Catton
Buium
Dickinson
Iginla
Lindstrom
Levshunov
Sennecke

Is how I have it

 

[Jaynki]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

I dont know who could give a precise answer to your question but i would not make too much out of it.

IQ is not a problem with Lindstrom.

The poison pill (or luck) is the back injury.

 

[Jaynki]

He would be an excellent pick at 5, if Levshunov, Iginla, Lindstrom, Demidov, Dickinson, Parekh were not in this draft

I would pick all 3 of Lindstrom, Iginla and Demidov ahead of Sennecke but an honest intellectual debate have Sennecke in the same sphere of prospect as these guys.

Iginla is an easy, safe pick with intangibles. But Sennecke has clearly more upside, even tho the path to reach it appear less clear.

Lindstrom its the injuries. Demidov smallish winger, the MHL. Etc.

All have things going for them and things against them.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

Part of it is shooting 23%, higher than anyone else in the league with at least 20 goals.

He's a good player but he's a big gamble on tools and a small sample size.

 

[SlafySZN]

I would pick all 3 of Lindstrom, Iginla and Demidov ahead of Sennecke but an honest intellectual debate have Sennecke in the same sphere of prospect as these guys.

Iginla is an easy, safe pick with intangibles. But Sennecke has clearly more upside, even tho the path to reach it appear less clear.

Lindstrom its the injuries. Demidov smallish winger, the MHL. Etc.

All have things going for them and things against them.

Exactly. They all have so pros and cons, neither of them are a 100% sure shot

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

Alex Ovechkin’s a pretty good player. So’s Caufield. Some players like to shoot.

 

[ReHabs]

Alex Ovechkin’s a pretty good player. So’s Caufield. Some players like to shoot.

Anderson also has more Gs and As. We'd need more data, I wasn't even considering the sh% anomoly @SannywithoutCompy brought up but I don't want to get fixated against a prospect pre-draft any more. So won't be looking into it any further.

 

[Genghis Keon]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

Relatively recent relatively highly thought of prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year: there was Leonard last year, obviously Caufield and Debrincat. Stamkos, Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle as well.

Do you have some examples of relatively high end prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year and didn't turn out well (relative to their draft spot)?

 

[Ozmodiar]

But the Ducks can’t make two picks at 3

I thought the same. 2 picks between 2 and 4!
Now *that* would be a draft day steal!

 

[Jack Skellington]

Relatively recent relatively highly thought of prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year: there was Leonard last year, obviously Caufield and Debrincat. Stamkos, Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle as well.

Do you have some examples of relatively high end prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year and didn't turn out well (relative to their draft spot)?

i remember alot of people here really wanted Julien Gauthier who seems to be struggling. Tippett was another one who seems to be turning out quite well on the other hand.

 

[Runner77]

i remember alot of people here really wanted Julien Gauthier who seems to be struggling.

Reminds me of a classic Buddy Ryan quip.

“If you listen to the fans, you'll be sitting up there with them."

 

[Genghis Keon]

i remember alot of people here really wanted Julien Gauthier who seems to be struggling. Tippett was another one who seems to be turning out quite well on the other hand.

Jake Virtanen would be another disappointment.

 

[ReHabs]

Relatively recent relatively highly thought of prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year: there was Leonard last year, obviously Caufield and Debrincat. Stamkos, Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle as well.

Do you have some examples of relatively high end prospects who had more goals than assists in their draft year and didn't turn out well (relative to their draft spot)?

If you definite the parameters more closely I would be inclined to look into it but I tend to have a problem of fixating on a topic or player and it tends to piss people off. I'm staying away from talking about Lindstrom specifically but I welcome you to look into their pre-draft sh% and their NHL career sh% and see if there is any connection between success and failure and the delta in the %.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

What explains Lindstrom's more goals than assists? It's unheard of for a very good player in the NHL to have more Gs than As.

Ovechkin, Caufield, Mathews, Hull, Stamkos, Nash, Laine, Seguin, Ciccarelli, Kreider, Neely, Shutt, Maruk, Tavares, Hyman, Bossy, Richer, Andreychuk, Debrincat, Point, Robitaille, Nieuwendyk, Goulet, Gartner, Kurri, Kerr, Shanahan, Bellows, Bure etc and many, many more have all put up seasons with more goals than assists in a season and in most if not all in multiple seasons. It is about unheard of as the existence of the earth.

I literally just named these players in a flow where the next name just appeared in my head before I finished typing the previous name lol. I am sure that I am missing tons of great examples but don't want to start another chain by thinking about it.

 

[Team_Spirit]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798453416337043805

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798453416337043805

I think his top ten cheese burger rankings would better represent a topic that he has vast experience and knowledge in.....

 

[Team_Spirit]

It's Catton day

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798448401102897288

 

[ReHabs]

Ovechkin, Caufield, Mathews, Hull, Stamkos, Nash, Laine, Seguin, Ciccarelli, Kreider, Neely, Shutt, Maruk, Tavares, Hyman, Bossy, Richer, Andreychuk, Debrincat, Point, Robitaille, Nieuwendyk, Goulet, Gartner, Kurri, Kerr, Shanahan, Bellows, Bure etc and many, many more have all put up seasons with more goals than assists in a season and in most if not all in multiple seasons. It is about unheard of as the existence of the earth.

I literally just named these players in a flow where the next name just appeared in my head before I finished typing the previous name lol. I am sure that I am missing tons of great examples but don't want to start another chain by thinking about it.

Now do it as a % of all players

You got me though, it's not as rare as I figured. It's very rare but among high-end players less rare than it seems.

It's Catton day

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798448401102897288

Aw man, he even compares his game to Clayton Keller. It's going to SUCK to have to root for him as a Calgary Flame or something annoying like that.