HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Gravity]

I prefer SD, largely due to the fact Hutson and Buium bring similar games.

both are worthy of the #5 pick, in some shape or fashion.

Yeah same. He's complete and has all the tools to be a #1D

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Chicago is sold on this guy

View attachment 884628

His kids must be so proud of him

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I don't think I've seen as big a gap between tools and production as I see with Parascak. He must just have a once in a lifetime brain because I truly don't understand how he does it.

He's a right place, right time player. He's pretty good at winning board battles with his hands, too.

He knows when to drift into the mid-slot for a quick shot, and get in behind D in the low slot.

He doesn't hang around to get punished, and he always has his stick on the ice.

He's definitely not a play driver, but is a good asset to have to play with one.

 

[Lockin17]

 

[BergevinBurner]

The fact that I don't have a strong preference between Iginla/Sennecke/Catton/Eiserman/Buium/Parekh/Dickinson scares me, we're almost certainly not going to pick the BPA left at 5 just due to the parity of that pack.

I'm not going to lie though, finding out that Dickinson is one of the boys definitely bumps him up my list lol.

 

[McGees]

His kids must be so proud of him

"Upon getting drafted, the first person Levshunov called was his grandson who looks up to him and also wants to become a hockey player one day"

 

[SwiftyHab]

Chicago is sold on this guy

View attachment 884628

This looks like a sappy Sears valentines day photoshoot. Love it!

 

[crosbyshow]

I don't think anyone ever mentioned no smaller player can ever be good in the post-season or that big players are all performers. It's weird to even have to mention it. Like, we all follow hockey and we know who performs and what their sizes are. In any case, I was specifying to another poster what the concerns about size usually were, not making any argument, so I'm not even sure what you're replying to.

Perfect so draft the most talented player whatever his size...in that case at 5th if Demidov is gone..Catton is our guy!!!

 

[sampollock]

View attachment 884630

Button is nuts

 

[vokiel]

View attachment 884630

Aside from Dickinson low and Parekh high, it looks like mine. Swap Helenius and Eiserman also. I usually end up somewhat agreeing with Button and/or McKeen's more or less every draft. I guess we look for similar signs.

 

[WG]

Likely already posted somewhere on this board today but a mock draft from earlier today over at Montreal Hockey Now.

They have the Habs taking Demidov @ 5 and Hemming @ 26.

Top 10
1. Celebrini
2. Levshunov
3. Silayev
4. Lindstrom
5. Demidov
6. Sennecke
7. Parekh
8. Buium
9. Dickinson
10. Iginla

Full article.

MHN 2024 NHL Mock Draft: First-Round Picks (No.1-No.32)

The 2024 NHL Entry Draft is expected to be a wild weekend filled with unpredictable decisions. With NHL betting odds pegging Macklin Celebrini as the uncontested 1st-overall pick, the draft can seemingly go in any direction as of the 2nd overall pick. Writers Marco D’Amico and Franck Bernard...

montrealhockeynow.com

Also maybe already cited but Pronman at the Athletic did a mock today, went with the same top 5. The Habs first four picks were Demidov (5) , Surin (26), Stiga (57), and Koivu (70).

I'd take that if that's how the draft fell.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

So the narrative now will be we hope Iggy falls to us instead of reaching for him?

 

[WeThreeKings]

So the narrative now will be we hope Iggy falls to us instead of reaching for him?

No - no one listens to Craig Button and his insane love for two guys he saw play at the Hlinka.

 

[MD thaivuN]

Craig’s List: Tij Iginla, Cole Eiserman rise in final ranking | TSN

The rise of Kelowna Rockets star Tij Iginla this season has been remarkable in the eyes of TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.

www.tsn.ca

Craig Button's final list. WOW.

Guy couldn't stick to his guns with his previous Helenius ranking lol

 

[Vachon23]

Also maybe already cited but Pronman at the Athletic did a mock today, went with the same top 5. The Habs first four picks were Demidov (5) , Surin (26), Stiga (57), and Koivu (70).

I'd take that if that's how the draft fell.

I would love to add Jacob Battaglia in the 2nd-3rd round though but yet it would be awesome

 

[Jaynki]

You want the next Makar, go Buium.

You want the next Hedman, go Silayev.

You want the next Karlsson, go Parekh.

It does not mean these players will reach their upside and it says nothing about their floor, but clearly, with their uncomparable draft year, their ceiling is that high.

No other forward in the draft class (beside Macklin obv) and no other D in this class has this type of mega upside.

Many, many great profile indeed. Some great fit for our top-6 need but no other players in the class, imo, has this type of upside. Well Demidov.

 

[Benstheman]

I would love to add Jacob Battaglia in the 2nd-3rd round though but yet it would be awesome

Don’t know how to evaluate Surin. Can he become a top 6 winger with grit?

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

We had our chance to draft our superstar Russian winger last year and we didn’t.

 

[Vachon23]

Don’t know how to evaluate Surin. Can he become a top 6 winger with grit?

I think he can become a sort of Sam Bennett, top 9 player that a bring a special element to his game (grit, pest)

 

[WeThreeKings]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803478610520711618

 

[Ozmodiar]

Chicago is sold on this guy

View attachment 884628

It’s like one of those strange high school yearbook photos where someone poses with their cat. … except he’s holding a hockey stick.

Hmm… I wonder if anyone can ‘shop a cat … nah, never mind.

 

[Benstheman]

I think he can become a sort of Sam Bennett, top 9 player that a bring a special element to his game (grit, pest)

That would be a solid pick if that’s the case. I also saw Dubinsky’s comparison. Wouldn’t say no to that.

 

[Jabba11]

That is one hell of a convincing argument in favour of Buium tho.

I don't think he is overhyped tho, he indeed played in a strong program but he was also the leader of this program as a 17YO.

His resume is incredible and i believe he has a case for BPA against any forward in this draft not named Celebrini.

Also, his toolkit is not impressive, from a physical standpoint (skating, hands, shooting for example) i agree. But his hockey IQ is elite, top of the class and that is the most important trait for me.

He is not the best offensive dman of the class, nor the most physical or biggest but he excels at a very high level in every single one of those categories.

I can totally envision Buium being a true 1D with norris nomination. (Ceiling). He does not have the rock-solid big top pair archetype of a Lev, Dickinson or Silayev, but imo, he simply has an higher ceiling than those.

The guy has killed the NCAA at 17, that is big, he is probably coming at the end of next season and although we have many LDs, he would be top of the list.

He is my personal favourite at 5. In fact, he is 2nd on my worthless list. One possible scenario is that he becames a 1D and with Reinbacher will gives us one of the best pairing in the league. We will be in a spot to deal from a position of strenght and the forward we may acquire trading one of our young Ds may be better than the forward we would draft instead.

I also think Buium displays the human qualities we saw in Slaf and Reinbacher. Starpower, charisma, humble confidence, ability to handle the MTL market, etc.

Finally, some forward have great profile indeed, and we are in dire need for offensive punch, but i don't know, i am simply higher on the top defenseman in this class. There is many valid question marks on the forward beside Celebrini and although they are great prospects and we could absolutely benefit from them, i don't think there are players with superstar upside like Buium has, in my humble opinion.

I don't say this often, but this was a great post Jaynki. Buium is #3 on my list. I've been high on him ever since his run in the Frozen Four and Championships. I agree with your assessment.

And imagine if he grows 2 more inches like his brother and ends up a Lane Hutson but with 4 inches taller hahahaha

 

[Team_Spirit]

Looks like the superstar Russian winger will see another ruskie Dmen drafted before him, just like last year.

DraftKings odds;

 

[Skip Bayless]

Button is nuts

Nah, he a thug. He doesn't give a f***.

That is one hell of a convincing argument in favour of Buium tho.

I don't think he is overhyped tho, he indeed played in a strong program but he was also the leader of this program as a 17YO.

His resume is incredible and i believe he has a case for BPA against any forward in this draft not named Celebrini.

Also, his toolkit is not impressive, from a physical standpoint (skating, hands, shooting for example) i agree. But his hockey IQ is elite, top of the class and that is the most important trait for me.

He is not the best offensive dman of the class, nor the most physical or biggest but he excels at a very high level in every single one of those categories.

I can totally envision Buium being a true 1D with norris nomination. (Ceiling). He does not have the rock-solid big top pair archetype of a Lev, Dickinson or Silayev, but imo, he simply has an higher ceiling than those.

The guy has killed the NCAA at 17, that is big, he is probably coming at the end of next season and although we have many LDs, he would be top of the list.

He is my personal favourite at 5. In fact, he is 2nd on my worthless list. One possible scenario is that he becames a 1D and with Reinbacher will gives us one of the best pairing in the league. We will be in a spot to deal from a position of strenght and the forward we may acquire trading one of our young Ds may be better than the forward we would draft instead.

I also think Buium displays the human qualities we saw in Slaf and Reinbacher. Starpower, charisma, humble confidence, ability to handle the MTL market, etc.

Finally, some forward have great profile indeed, and we are in dire need for offensive punch, but i don't know, i am simply higher on the top defenseman in this class. There is many valid question marks on the forward beside Celebrini and although they are great prospects and we could absolutely benefit from them, i don't think there are players with superstar upside like Buium has, in my humble opinion.

Great post and I fully agree. We don't have that in the system. If we pick Buium I'll fully be on board. We don't have that in the system (future #1 D).

It's not something that teams pass for a W, unless that W is a guy like Demidov.

The problem with picking a D this year is that fans are convinced that we wont suck next year and we wont get to draft a skilled fwd anymore. But I'm convinced we will suck.