HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[themilosh]

Size advantage won t be as important in theNHL. It s not as if all big junior players picked top 10 would always succeed (top of my head RyJohnason, Connelly,Ritchie bing big dominant top 10 draft busting out). You always have uncertainty with any prospect

Thats why having an astute management team understands the importance of on-ice, off-ice IQ...
I think we are in the middle of a changing of eras. Hockey has always been to suppress the ego, its the only sport where you're a showoff if you celebrate, a diva if you go down and are not injured. And self policed, bc of these idiosyncrasies.
In the past, i think pure skill got you pretty far, you could play a "game" go out to chez pare, get drunk and get paid...
Now, the skill is much more abundant so the players rising to the top are the higher IQ/EQ who have skill... players that approach the game as a true profession. Who train their body and mind, as well as good citizens.. just like any career...

This is why players like Eiserman have dropped. Players like iginla, dickinson have soared.

 

[Rapala]

My main concern with Parekh is that he's reckless and puts himself in situations where he gets absolutely tattooed. I worry about potential for concussion issues with this style of play.

This is true. He might outgrow it he might have to outgrow it.

 

[themilosh]

This is already a potential issue with Hutson/Mailloux but adding another one to the mix would make it more challenging. Either way, I won't be upset if they pick Parekh since they will no doubt trade at least one of the three to get help in other areas and they'd likely have more value than someone inferior we draft instead.

Parekh would be ideal (especially as a RHD) if we didnt have Hutson... but we do, so unless Hutson can fetch another 1st or Zegras, sadly Parekh really doesnt fit. Id rather: Dickinson-Levshunov (eithrr or)-Silayev before.

 

[Xirik]

1. Demidov is the 2nd best player in the draft and closer to Celebrini then to the next 14 players. It's no secret, he's that good. If Demidov was Canadian and a Center people would call the 1st OV a tossup.

2. Unless you think Lindstrom is going to die from injuries Senneke/Iginla or whoever have the same chance of getting injured as Lindstrom. Them being Later risers doesn't change that. I don't understand how people think that "big guy = "stupid and bad puck skills" He has a great IQ and better puck handling that people give him credit for.

Stop trying to fit him into some archetype that doesn't exist, He's a 6'4 guy with elite skating, elite shooting, elite motor, elite puck skills, and intelligence. That's why he's often ranked higher then every forward but Celebrini and Demidov.

But fine keep on proclaiming some player who had a good final games the better player because you want to look like you found "the diamond in the rough".


Rant over. If you like some other player then go ahead but don't attribute negative attributes on Lindstrom that he doesn't have just to make you're guy look more palatable.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Buium or Parekh are really really good option if Demidov or Lindstrom are not there.

I really really like the talent of Zayne Parekh, I think he is a very special player and can transform the PP.

I'm 100% fine with Parekh or Buium if their target are not there. Sennecke and Iginla are great, but Parekh and Buium seem have elite talent already and more potential to truly dominate at NHL level.

 

[Ozmodiar]

But kids must be given an opportunity to learn from mistakes, and generally speaking their book is not written at 17-18 years old. All I’m saying.

If he slipped, he’s gotta earn - not be given - that opportunity. Lots of time to do that at that age.

Meanwhile, if the habs have a high standard for character, he’s out. They don’t own him anything.

 

[salbutera]

I might be remembering it wrong but wasn't Nolan Patrick know to have suffered a concussion before the draft which nobody really cared about? It was later during his 1st season with the flyers that he got two concussions right after each other and has basically had to retire.

Nolan had really bad luck or "didn't keep his head up kid". I don't think people can use him as a cautionary tale for picking Lindstrom who only suffered a back injury that just takes a long time to heal.

Sakic was apparently furious Avs couldn’t land Patrick and had to settle for Makar

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Size advantage is becoming more and more important in the NHL, especially come playoff time. Also, peak RyJo was a pretty damn good player, he's 36th in points for forwards from 2013-2022.

I don't buy that. Size has always been important but it is not more and more important if anything the most important is compete and talent not pure size.

 

[Andrei79]

Sakic was apparently furious Avs couldn’t land Patrick and had to settle for Makar

Doubtful. I would even say I'm sure it's false. They had Makar number 1 on their list, like Vancouver. The flyers' scouts wanted Makar too, but management went with Patrick, this is from Bobby Clarke himself.

Reading other boards, if Chicago doesn't pick Demidov, which I think they won't, he'll be available at 5. Lindstrom is who I think Columbus will pick.

 

[Leto]

Doubtful. I would even say I'm sure it's false. They had Makar number 1 on their list, like Vancouver. The flyers' scouts wanted Makar too, but management went with Patrick, this is from Bobby Clarke himself.

Reading other boards, if Chicago doesn't pick Demidov, which I think they won't, he'll be available at 5. Lindstrom is who I think Columbus will pick.

A Flyers scout denied this. It wasn't Makar, it was Heiskanen :

Asked about Clarke’s comments, one scout laughed, “It was Heiskanen, not Makar. Close enough.”

 

[RationalExpectations]

Johansen is not a bust. I would have love to have him during our pick between 2013-18

Did not say he was a bust I was answering to a poster saying how could Lindstrom not be dominant ? For me RyJo was good, not dominant

 

[NotProkofievian]

It’s not about being woke. The kids an asshole. Period

+5 social credit points for you comrade.

 

[HabsCode]

I’m surprised to be honest, I would’ve bet the farm that Buium did it for you.

Helenius is not in the convo that seems clear.

Freewheeling like Parekh does is fine… for a team that doesn’t sport Lane Buium inspires me more of a structured player, but Dickinson would be my preferred option between the rest of the D. I’m looking for a minute cruncher with upside and size if I’m out of Demidov Lev Iggy or Lindstrom.

If you are out of Lev, Iginla, Lidstrom and Demidov, you are left with Celebrini lmao. There is no way not one of the first 4 player you named is available when we pick.

 

[HuGort]

They did that with Dubois. Think Bergevin was going to pull the trigger on a trade with the Oil as he wanted PLD, but CLB took him and the trade died.

Was this the Subban rumors?

 

[yianik]

Was this the Subban rumors?

Yes. It seemed there was substance to it but quite correct , just a rumour. But getting a French Canadian centre when we needed a C sounded plausible.

 

[le_sean]

27 goals and 46 points in 32 games at age 17 and some posters are comparing him to Josh Anderson.

Yeah if people want to see a big player with limited skill, go watch AJ Spellacy. But that player definitely isn’t Lindstrom.

 

[BergevinBurner]

I'm starting to feel pretty locked in that Iginla is probably going to be our guy. If teams aren't overly concerned over Lindstrom's back then I can't see a player with his profile reaching 5th.

 

[ReHabs]

Lindstrom is skilled. I don’t know why people keep bringing up Clayton Keller as if he’s some infallible player.

Keller's incredible (and on a terrible NHL team) and Lindstrom's skills are under question due to their translatability. I can't comment on Lindstrom but it's a common and regular point of discussion among amateurs and pros: can his game translate to the NHL?

If the high-water mark of Lindstrom is Roope Hintz/Chris Kreider then he will be a very interesting player who can play a big role on a serious team... but he won't be the star. At 5OA in this draft maybe we should try to draft a player who has potential to be a star?... or not, if Lindstrom is a sure thing and without doubts, you take him and run.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If Chicago takes Demidov 2, we are pretty much f***ed.

We also can't have Anaheim get too enthralled with Lindstrom over the defenseman.

If Chicago goes Demidov at 2, CBJ is gonna take Lindstrom at 4.

So really Chicago holds our path to either Demidov or Lindstrom, if they go Demidov, we are pretty much boned and looking at our secondary targets which may be defenseman which complicates our future projection even more.

 

[Toene]

Guys, I just watched Trevor Connelly highlights for the first time.

Why is he not a top 3 pick?

Made a stupid joke as a teenager involving a swastika, apologized profusely since, is still literally hitler or something.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Made a stupid joke as a teenager involving a swastika, apologized profusely since, is still literally hitler or something.

Was kicked off multiple teams as a teenager.
Pissed in a teammates bag.
Shit in a teammates bag.
Directed slurs at his own teammates.
Directed slurs at opponents.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

If Chicago takes Demidov 2, we are pretty much f***ed.

We also can't have Anaheim get too enthralled with Lindstrom over the defenseman.

If Chicago goes Demidov at 2, CBJ is gonna take Lindstrom at 4.

So really Chicago holds our path to either Demidov or Lindstrom, if they go Demidov, we are pretty much boned and looking at our secondary targets which may be defenseman which complicates our future projection even more.

Guess we'll find out more after the Russian mini combine whatever tis called.

While listening to the most recent Athletic podcast (which I can confirm Basu ripped from regarding the Demidov stuff), they made a point that once teams got to talk to Simashev last year, he shot up several team lists due to a good interview. Could be the case again if Demidov and to lesser extent, Silayev provide similar assurance. On the flip side, Simashev and Silayev are in actual good organizations who seem to have prospect development in mind, above politics.....

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

FWIW, if we REALLY don't want to miss on one of the forwards, the Ducks are a pretty natural trade partner for us. They can still get whichever Dman they wanted just fine at #5, plus a little extra on top from us. I don't know what they would want to sweeten the deal, but it should be doable, we've got plenty of prospects/picks to make a deal with.

 

[WeThreeKings]

FWIW, if we REALLY don't want to miss on one of the forwards, the Ducks are a pretty natural trade partner for us. They can still get whichever Dman they wanted just fine at #5, plus a little extra on top from us. I don't know what they would want to sweeten the deal, but it should be doable, we've got plenty of prospects/picks to make a deal with.

I'd think you'd be looking at the 26th pick and probably Struble to make it work, with Anaheim kicking in their 3rd rounder or something?

 

[Seb]

Regarding Connelly, Simon St-Laurent made a great video a few days ago :

Even if you ignore his off ice issues (which you shouldn't), there's so many warts in his game there's no way any team should be pick in the top 10.