HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Vachon23]

I’m talking about Hutson/Mailloux/Parekh who were most definitely not defensive studs

Yes not sure I want to have those 3 in our top 6 either

 

[le_sean]

Think about the 2016 draft. At this moment in time, do you prefer M. Tkachuk or C. Keller, or the three big guys drafted at 2, 3 and 4 that most people expected to dominate for the next decade. Size is not everything, far from it. When I see Iginla play, I see skills that I do not see in Lindstrom. Will Lindstrom develop them to accompany his massive frame? Maybe, but maybe not. Will he be plagued by injury issues like this year? Maybe, but maybe not. Will he shine under the crazy bright lights of our city and its rabid fans? Maybe, but maybe not.

When I think about the whole picture (as far as I can see it), I think Iginla is a better pick for us, but hey, I'm happy to be wrong if we end up with Lindstrom.

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

 

[Garnet76]

Parekh might not be Karlsson pre-achilles but he's a still a very fluid skater. He flies through the neutral zone at high speed. If the Habs do pick him, he'll be the most offensively gifted player we'll have drafted in decades. He'll add 10 points per season to Slaf's, Suzuki's and Caufield's totals. It would be the end of our PP woes.

He would require some work but would have huge payoff if they could get him playing adequate D at the NHL level. Like I mentioned, my biggest concern is his potential for injuries the way he's so reckless and puts himself in harm's way.

The second paragraph sounds like Hutson as well.

My thoughts on drafting another defenseman.
If the habs draft another defenseman how are they all going to get enough playing time? Lack of playing time and lack of PP time will decrease the value of the asset.
Everyone says you just trade them but that isn't easy to do. There will be limited trading partners and you have to hope one of those teams have something you need that they are willing to give up.
The Habs are hoping to turn the corner of the rebuild this year so the idea of re-cycling building blocks for a marginal increase in production seems like a waste of asset management to me.
The truth is we really don't know what we have with the young defenseman in the system but we know we have a lot of them that have shown promise. It's a strength in the organization. I think its best to build on a weakness than add to a strength.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

I’m talking about Hutson/Mailloux/Parekh who were most definitely not defensive studs

Haha agreed. Sorry mate just had to stand up for our true workhorses. All together we’re going g to have one of the strongest D Corps. Mailloux had a great first pro season made the all star team! He won’t look outta place in the NHL

 

[Schooner Guy]

The second paragraph sounds like Hutson as well.

My thoughts on drafting another defenseman.
If the habs draft another defenseman how are they all going to get enough playing time? Lack of playing time and lack of PP time will decrease the value of the asset.
Everyone says you just trade them but that isn't easy to do. There will be limited trading partners and you have to hope one of those teams have something you need that they are willing to give up.
The Habs are hoping to turn the corner of the rebuild this year so the idea of re-cycling building blocks for a marginal increase in production seems like a waste of asset management to me.
The truth is we really don't know what we have with the young defenseman in the system but we know we have a lot of them that have shown promise. It's a strength in the organization. I think its best to build on a weakness than add to a strength.

You have to go with the D though IF your scouting team deems all the available Fs to be clearly in a tier below.

June is the lying season in the NHL. For all we know, Habs brass could be planting seeds regarding them valuing some of those D more than other forwards to get Seattle or Ottawa to try to trade up for the 5th overall pick if Lindstrom and Demidov are both gone.

 

[Rapala]

Lots of momentum in here for Dickinson over the last week based on a strong 3rd period in a Memorial Cup final game that London lost but were heavily favoured to win.

Not much talk on how Dickinson was asleep throughout the 1st period when London couldn't get the puck out of their zone or how he got turned inside out in the neutral zone in the 2nd period on Saginaw's 3rd goal. He was also on the ice when the winner was scored with 21 seconds left.

This is the story of Dickinson. Very talented with terrific tools (what a skater!) and size but also very inconsistent (falls asleep often) and not physical.

Unlike what many others have been saying, I don't see it as a crime if we leave him on the draft board and take the best forward available. Like every player in this draft with the exception of Celebrini, Dickinson has question marks and could go anywhere in the top 10.

I already noted Dickinson was the Dman who iced the puck leading up to Josh Bloom's goal. (unforced error)
Dickinson was berating himself after he iced it and apparently for good reason.
Owen Beck won the ensuing face-off and the rest is history.
These kids all make mistakes.
Sam Dickinson is no exception but at his age he has time work on the issues you bring up.
Is he puntable in HuGo's eyes if someone pushes hard enough?

 

[Vachon23]

Haha agreed. Sorry mate just had to stand up for our true workhorses. All together we’re going g to have one of the strongest D Corps. Mailloux had a great first pro season made the all star team! He won’t look outta place in the NHL

Offensively, it won’t be a problem

Defensively though..

 

[Schooner Guy]

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

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

 

[Schooner Guy]

Offensively, it won’t be a problem

Defensively though..

Yup. And some here suggest we look into trading our best young defensive dman in Guhle for a forward. That's nuts!

 

[The Great Weal]

Offensively, it won’t be a problem

Defensively though..

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.

 

[Vachon23]

Yup. And some here suggest we look into trading our best young defensive dman in Guhle for a forward. That's nuts!

Guhle is a keeper

 

[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.

 

[GrandmaCookie]

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?