HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[WeThreeKings]

Dang, so this draft class really sucks huh...

=(

It's deeper at the top than last year but the top last year was leagues better.

We can still get a really good player but the hyperbole on players gets out of hand. Every prospect has a question mark or two, the whole exercise is whether that issue can be fixed or if it matters at all based on the other tools.

It's so wide open that there's not really an excuse for the Habs to go with a LD, though. If they do they have to be unequivocal that they'll be better than in house options and become a legitimate 1D and I can't arrive to that conclusion on any of them and neither can the greater scouting community. I don't expect that consensus to happen internally in Montreal either.

I've been wrong before.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Silayev can't become Hedman.. he can't just invent the offensive tools out of thin air.

Hedman's offensive potential was heavily scrutinized in advance of his draft.

Silayev set the KHL record for points by a U18 dman. He's still a very young kid...still a baby by KHL dman standards.

 

[CanadienShark]

Gm who's the pick today?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800580804424405144

If the scouts like him, I'm ok with it. Those are skills that tend to translate to the NHL. I love how he's not afraid to play in the middle/traffic and gets the shot off very quick.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Good morning, we double down on Buium today? Or maybe circle back to Demidov?

He passed the tinder test with flying marks. Being 5'11 would simply not cut it.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803752700447752288

 

[WeThreeKings]

Hedman's offensive potential was heavily scrutinized in advance of his draft.

Silayev set the KHL record for points by a U18 dman. He's still a very young kid...still a baby by KHL dman standards.

I don't think it was at all, you can watch draft videos of the two if you want. Hedmans skill is evident, silayevs isn't at all. His goals are muffins.

 

[PavelBrendl]

If the scouts like him, I'm ok with it. Those are skills that tend to translate to the NHL. I love how he's not afraid to play in the middle/traffic and gets the shot off very quick.

Future superstar being slept on cuz he’s an inch too short. So skilled, smooth, poised, constantly scanning the ice for options and opportunities, and not afraid to attack the centre of the ice. Kid’s brain was wired to play hockey.

 

[Sorinth]

None of these defenseman (Karlsson, Hedman, Makar) looked like the D they became in their junior year.

Honest question, what is the next Hedman/Makar/Karlsson suppose to look like in his draft year?

All 3 of them have performed in uncharted territory. There is no comparative to what they did. Or if there is any comparative then they totally blew their performance. Buium draft year is miles ahead Power draft year, for example.

It don't mean they will reach this ceiling, it also mean nothing about their floor, but this type of uncharted performance comes with the highest ceiling there is.

Lindstrom to Lindros or Sennecke to Lemieux is futile because although these guy have great profile and strenght, their performance is much more in line with we see every year.

2019 have seen Byram, Broberg and Seider go top 10.
2020 Sanderson and Drysdale
2021 Power, Luke Hugues, Edvinsson and Brandt Clarke
2022 Nemec, Jiricek, Korchinski
2023 Reinbacher and Simashev

Buium, Parekh and Silayev have done things we haven't really seen before.

Whereas the forward we see in this 2024 draft have much more normal profile and its much more in line with what we saw in previous year. No one beside Celebrini has shown that mega upside we see with the D that comes with an uncharted performance.

What it should really tell you is that talk of ceiling is basically nonsense.

 

[Benstheman]

It's simple for the habs.

1-Demigod
2-Lindstrom
3-Buium/Freaky Dicky Dickinson
4-Trade down

For me, Levshunov > Big slick Dick Dickinson > Buium

So we wouldn't have to trade down :

1-Demidov
2-Levshunov
3-Lindstrom
4-Dickinson

 

[Jaynki]

What it should really tell you is that talk of ceiling is basically nonsense.

Speculative.

Not nonsense

 

[Sorinth]

Speculative.

Not nonsense

If your speculating that Buium can become one of the best skaters in the NHL or that Silayev can become a ppg player without having shown any offence then you can speculate anyone could become anything which does make it nonsense.

 

[NotProkofievian]

The problem with picking a F this year is that they are no Carlsson or Will Smith.

Fans are so obsessed with forward that they would rather settle for your average top 6F then for a potential top 10D in his prime.

Not a Carlsson, or a Smith. But maybe, just maybe an Iginla

 

[Jaynki]

If your speculating that Buium can become one of the best skaters in the NHL or that Silayev can become a ppg player without having shown any offence then you can speculate anyone could become anything which does make it nonsense.

Its not nonsense and i haven't talked about Silayev being a PPG defenseman.

On Buium specifically, he has beaten and by a f***ing wide margin the performance of player at the same age of players like Quinn Hughes, Owen Power, Jake Sanderson, Cale Makar. He excels in all three zone.

What does a top 10D in his prime is supposed in his draft year to look like if its not Buium ?

Zayne Parekh is full of flaws, which defenseman has done what he did? What does that tell us about his potential?

Does not mean they reaches it, but the speculation, or ceiling with them knows no bound.

No forward beside Celebrini and to a lesser extent Demidov has shown this type of upside.

Why would we settle for a lesser top six forward when we could aim for a true superstar on defense?

Not a Carlsson, or a Smith. But maybe, just maybe an Iginla

I certainly won't cry if we draft Iginla. Incredible fit and will bring a lot to our line-up.

But i don't think he has top 10 at his position upside.

Buium, Parekh, Silayev have.

Does not mean they reach it. I hate Parekh flaws and floor. But we should be going for upside at 5.

 

[Doublechin]

Hedman's offensive potential was heavily scrutinized in advance of his draft.

Silayev set the KHL record for points by a U18 dman. He's still a very young kid...still a baby by KHL dman standards.

It's incredibly difficult for a 17/18 year old Dman to crack a KHL starting lineup, let alone the top 4.

KHL offense is reminiscent of the dead puck era, goals per game are way lower than the NHL so production is below the norm. A lot of goalies including draft elegibles have 930 or so saving percentage

So gaging Silyaev's offense and how that will go is an almost impossible task, you can simply go with the tools which we're told are there.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Repêchage LNH 2024 : le « Mock Draft » du RDS.ca pour la 1re ronde | RDS

Le RDS.ca soumet son repêchage simulé.

www.rds.ca

Another mock, for the fun of it. Demidov and Luchanko would be a heck of a first round haul IMO.

 

[Sorinth]

Its not nonsense and i haven't talked about Silayev being a PPG defenseman.

Hedman had 85 points in 82 games a couple years ago and has come close a few other times, so yes by comparing him to Hedman you are talking about a D that can go ppg.

On Buium specifically, he has beaten and by a f***ing wide margin the performance of player at the same age of players like Quinn Hughes, Owen Power, Jake Sanderson, Cale Makar. He excels in all three zone.

Becoming the next Makar isn't a question of being better then Makar was at 17.

What does a top 10D in his prime is supposed in his draft year to look like if its not Buium ?

Zayne Parekh is full of flaws, which defenseman has done what he did? What does that tell us about his potential?

Does not mean they reaches it, but the speculation, or ceiling with them knows no bound.

The point is if you want to talk about ceiling without regards to how likely they are to reach it then even 5th round picks have ceilings of being 50 goal scorers or 100 point players. If scouts thought Buium was likely to become Makar he'd be the undisputed #1 OA ahead of Celebrini.

 

[sampollock]

Demtrov looks good.
habs must be hoping he is there at 5
I can't see him dropping to 5

 

[1000eeer]

If Demidov is off the board on draft day, I really think we should go after the two best defensemen in the draft with our pick : BUIUM (LHD) and Dickinson (LHD).

Then, a trade seems inevitable.

BUIUM would be an upgrade on Hutson. (same offensive output but Buium is bigger and better defensively).
Dickinson would be an upgrade on Guhle (a huge one).

Or we simply draft Lindstrom... Though we don't need a another player health issues.

Wouldn't like to be in HuGo shoes...

 

[Deebs]

Demtrov looks good.
habs must be hoping he is there at 5
I can't see him dropping to 5

Is this a Haiku?

 

[waffledave]

We aren't drafting Buium because Anaheim will take him at 3.

 

[WeThreeKings]

We aren't drafting Buium because Anaheim will take him at 3.

I don't see it, they need him as much as we do which is not at all

 

[sampollock]

Is this a Haiku?

HAHA spelled his name wrong..

If Demidov is off the board on draft day, I really think we should go after the two best defensemen in the draft with our pick : BUIUM (LHD) and Dickinson (LHD).

Then, a trade seems inevitable.

BUIUM would be an upgrade on Hutson. (same offensive output but Buium is bigger and better defensively).
Dickinson would be an upgrade on Guhle (a huge one).

Or we simply draft Lindstrom... Though we don't need a another player health issues.

Wouldn't like to be in HuGo shoes...

ya
I wanted Lindstrom, back issues scares me
any solid recent updates on this?

 

[Wats]

Demidov is hard to project, his style is kind of unique. I don't think it will work in the NHL as is but he has exceptional skills and smarts, I think he can adapt. His highlights show he sees the game differently.

I just hope they take someone with high end hockey IQ. We need more than Suzuki to think the game on another level... Preferably someone even better.

 

[waffledave]

I just hope they take someone with high end hockey IQ. We need more than Suzuki to think the game on another level... Preferably someone even better.

IQ is great but it doesn't always project to NHL success. I don't think we can afford to draft a bust in the top 5. Need to make sure at minimum you are getting a decent NHL floor out of the pick.

 

[WeThreeKings]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803795200650731786

Just get the 3rd or 4th to make sure we get Demidov or Lindstrom.

 

[Leto]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803795200650731786

Just get the 3rd or 4th to make sure we get Demidov or Lindstrom.

Time to break the asset piggy bank.