HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[jfm133]

MSL is not praising positionless hockey. That concept is a fiction. It does not exist in the NHL or anywhere else. The last time I saw something approaching it was with the Soviets in the seventies.

Another option would be to have them both in the same unit but to exploit one or the other in another role, especially in the concept of positionless hockey that is praised by MSL.

 

[Archijerej]

Focusing on current need, what we lack since Mats Naslund, where we are deep, etc. is a recipe to end up with KK when Tkachuk and Hughes are on the board.

That's true, but does it apply to Buium vs Demidov scenario?

We're suddenly gonna talk ourselves into thinking Demidov is no good, or some risky project?

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

He reminds me of Bobby Smith

He does? I agree the size and the skating is similar, style wise it's completely different though. Smith was an elegant, cerebral three zone center. Sennecke is all flash and puck skills.

 

[Expos94]

He does?

Yep , tall lanky shifty... smith was a top notch player

 

[Gally11]

"A first paring 25 minute offensive defenseman that can play all situations would be a horrible pick"
-Hfboards

Fast forward 5 years "I can’t believe we didn’t draft him”

 

[Chomsky22]

What I’m hearing on the Canadiens after the combine and ahead of their No. 5 pick at the draft

A rundown of some of the draft information and speculation we were able to gather on the Canadiens at the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo.

www.nytimes.com

Article by Arpon Basu, title says it all

• Ivan Demidov could be available at No. 5 for the Canadiens, though they might consider Cayden Lindstrom depending on other available players.
• Demidov's game-breaking abilities are recognized, but concerns exist about his playoff adaptation, skating, and size.
• Contractually, Demidov has one year left with SKA Saint Petersburg, potentially limiting his options for development in the KHL or forcing him back to the MHL.
• SKA Saint Petersburg's preference for keeping Demidov adds uncertainty, with pressure possibly influencing his decision.
• Canadiens weigh player profile scarcity heavily, alongside team building needs and the concept of best player available.
• Character is a significant factor; Lindstrom, Buium, and Parekh are noted for their strong character, with ongoing assessments of Demidov's character underway.

So nothing

 

[Schooner Guy]

Okay — I’ll try this again: what do “some hockey people” have to say about his defensive game?

You referred to them and didn’t really demonstrate what they said. I’ve been genuinely curious about this but you keep changing your tone. As far as I can see, the hockey consensus is that Levshunov is a very very good prospect and likely the top dman prospect of this year and last.

I have zero attachment to Lev or Celebrini because I figure they’d be gone before the Habs pick. Not everything has a psychological angle to it, it could be that you’re just not communicating your thoughts in a way I can understand.

Here's a small copy/paste of quotes from scouts from NHL teams noted in the HP Black Book that came out a couple of weeks ago. Keep in mind they several pages for each prospect. The HP scouts have him ranked #10 and have a lot of the same questions in their analysis.

“He turned the puck over five or six times with and without pressure.” - NHL Scout, December2023

“I see him ranked second on lists and I ask myself what am I missing?” - NHL Scout, December2023

“I haven’t seen him play bad, but for every good play he made, he made an equally bad play.”- NHLScout, January 2024

“I really like his game a lot but I would agree with you that it seems like he is getting a little overhyped.” - NHL Scout, January 2024

“Great skater, good shot…good puck skills…there is a lot to like. My top Dman.” - NHL Scout,January 2024

“I like him but I’m not comfortable enough with his hockey sense right now to draft him in the top 10.” - NHL Scout, January 2024

“He’s 100% Evan Bouchard for me. A lazy defender. He’s a one dimensional offensive player. By the way,I still really like Bouchard.” NHL Scout, January 2024

If you want to see more, you should purchase the black book. These guys work hard at their livelihood. I spend a silly amount of my disposable income to these draft sources (I'm lucky I'm not in divorce court) and HP is my favourite as they're so thorough. Unfortunately this is the last year of the black book as they're going to rebrand next year with a less extensive guide likely due to the work involved. Projecting where 17-18 year olds will be is an imperfect science but HP and our old friend McCagg both called Wright falling in the draft two years ago.

I watched a few games of Levshunov this year knowing Habs would be drafting early again and I wasn't impressed by his defensive play or his reads. Maybe I got him on bad days but he'd pinch when the play was low in the O-zone or when he didn't have support. Lots of puck chasing. He looks like a headless horseman who goes after the puck with zero structure. He has great tools and had a great season and was one of the best D in the NCAA but I question whether this style will fly at the next level when players are bigger/faster/stronger. Processing the game and IQ isn't easy to teach and it's tough to be a top pairing D if that's a gap. As I told you, I'm in the vast minority on Levshunov and most (far from consensus though) have him as the top D. It's been mentioned throughout the scouting world that there is very little consensus after Celebrini this year and tough to differentiate the prospects from 2-11.

 

[McGees]

Buium is like if Duncan Keith and Scott Neidemeyer had a love child that was also a god.
can play 53min/game all situations.

For real tho he would be our best D so I'd be happy with any of him/Demidov/Lindstrom
Still content with Iggy/Sennecke/Dickinson

 

[Balthazar]

1) If they believe that Buium has the tools and IQ to become a #1 defenseman in the NHL, and they don't believe that Hutson or Guhle can be that
and
2) They have an offer for Guhle for immediate help at the forward position (Necas/Zegras kind of player)

Then they can upgrade the team now and for the future by drafting Buium and trading Guhle this summer.

That's much, much smarter than drafting for needs and reaching for a guy like Sennecke or Iginla. There aren't many wingers in the NHL that are worth a #1 defenseman.

 

[crosbyshow]

This is my final ranking...not a mock draft. Top 6 Forwards

1- Macklin Celebrini

A perfect complete player.
He has no flaws in his game...Iq, shot, speed, cardio vision. Great offensively and defensively. He reminds me Sidney Crosby but he will not produce as much stats wise.

The dude is a more complete player than Connor Bedard. You can't miss him on the ice on every shift...

He will not produce like Bedard at their prime but he will be a 85 to 100 points I guess.


2- Ivan Demidov

Amazing skill winger.

Great hands. His vision is off chart and he has the ability to make hard long passes from his backhand from any angles. Great attitude as well.

He dekes everybody on both sites and he is so good to put the puck away from the defensemen sticks on his forehand with ease. He has a long reach. He is so smooth and spectacular at the same time.


3- Berkly Catton

A chess player.

He has the best IQ of any forwards in this draft.

His zone entrance variations are off chart..He enters in the o zone with many plays in his mind. He is so good to slowing the game and waiting the 3rd or 4th players from his team to make a sauce pass in a empty area. His passes from both sides are perfect and sometime it put you off guard..

His faculty to attract 2 or 3 opposing players on him is amazing.

In the list of sub 6.0 players who were draft further that should have been such as Suzuki, Benson, Stankoven and Seth Jarvis....Berkly Catton is in my view the best of them at the same age. I hesitated a lot between him and Demidov for the second spot.

So smooth with an above average shot. He reminds me Nikita Kucherov with his IQ, passes and the way he plays...so relax.

He is a student of the game and his desire to improve his game is awesome


4- Beckett Sennecke.

Incredible upside. We just Starting to see the surface of his talent. Great shot and hands. His vision is awesome. It is a risk but great reward.

His hands are great..He is so hard to read for a defenseman with awkward moves.

He has to be better in close areas.

An interesting case.

5- Iginla

A sure choice. A perfect second line player. I don't see a first line upside on a good team but the dude has a great motor.

His shot is lethal and his release..so quick. He is the youngest top forward on this draft. He is a money player who will a shine on big stage. He has a great attitude.

He will score a lot in the NHL from the slot and at 5 feet from the goal. Evey yeam needs.that type of player

6- Cayden Lindstrom

A beast.

He is so strong out there. He will be so important on his team.

His shot is maybe the best on this draft with Iginla. So powerful and on the target. Awkward skater but fast nonetheless.

Average IQ and vision who could have an impact on his production in the NHL but I still see him as a 60 to 80 points player in his prime.




Those 6 forwards will have a great NHL career. It is a matter of taste. I favored raw talent like Demidov and Catton but Igina and Lindstrom will be amazing too.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

The Buium talk is a smokescreen to deflate a trade up price and/or inflate a trade down price to gauge each market, I still think Demidov and Lindstrom are the targets.

 

[salbutera]

Can't say I disagree here. But it would be because the gap between the D. As Demidov seems to be a better prospect than Michkov, who is still a great prospect nonetheless (going from what I heard, I never saw Demidov play only Michkov).

Courtesy of The Athletic:

“One of the reasons I believe the Canadiens passed on Michkov was the degree to which his willingness to compete would waver, and though I only watched Demidov’s playoff games, I did not see that same variance in competitiveness. He fights for pucks. He skates back hard on defence. He physically engages opponents. In other words, he cares, and it shows.

Is Demidov a defensive stalwart? An elite two-way player? No, of course not. But he was engaged in the game, at least in my viewings, in a way that was not the case in the games I viewed in Michkov’s draft year. Demidov’s compete does not appear to be an issue.”

- Arpon Basu

 

[The Great Weal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803945928216248645

He's saying the habs list is down to
1. Demidov
2. Lindstrom
3. Buium/Sennecke

Iginla is out of the race

How the hell would he know lol. Nobody even knew we were going to take Slaf until the pick was made, I doubt Hughes would leak his list to MO Beaudoin for him to spread it to the world.

 

[Jaynki]

That's true, but does it apply to Buium vs Demidov scenario?

We're suddenly gonna talk ourselves into thinking Demidov is no good, or some risky project?

No.

It simply has to do with Buium having pretty high upside. He is an exciting pick in itself.

Same applies for Demidov. He has that game breaking talent too.

But the notion that we should avoid an LD may make us skip the best prospect at our pick. Obviously if Demidov is there i think we all agree who we should pick.

 

[HabsCode]

Gonna be so disappointed if we pass on one of Iginla or Sennecke for another defenseman (Demidov and Lindstrom being out already).

 

[Michoulicious]

Bring the band back together!

Hutson, McGroarty and Buium. Do it, Kent!

 

[HomaridII]

Nothing we didn’t know already but according to the athletic the hawks are down to either demidov or levs

 

[The Great Weal]

I’ll be interested to see what the overall plan is if they do prefer Buium. There would have to be multiple subsequent moves because the forwards in the Habs system are really bad.

The forwards in the system is really bad because they've all graduated. Suzuki/Slaf/CC/Dach/Roy and we could definitely trade/sign that last top 6 forward. Of course, there is uncertainty about Dach's health and whether Roy can overcome his skating, but I don't see why the same uncertainty wouldn't apply to Guhle/Reinbacher's offensive game as our projected top pair or Hutson/Mailloux's defensive game as the rest of our projected top 4.

 

[Michoulicious]

I solved it folks.

Struble/Harris/Beck/Mailloux + #26

for

McGroarty.

Then you draft Dickinson or Buium if Demidov is gone.

Boom.

 

[jaffy27]

Luckily this management team does not do things to please the fans... They will take the guy they think will help the team succeed.

By taking the guy they think will help the team, they will please the fans

 

[Saundies]

I read Basu’s article and he basically compared Demidov and Buium on why each would be the pick. He made a good case for both of them, and said they share a lot of similar qualities, but one plays the back and one plays the front.

If we do take Buium, we HAVE to do something about our forwards. Either we trade for a patchwork solution in the top 6 currently, or package 26 with something to move up and take a guy of substance. I’m fine with the pick (because I view Buium as more dynamic than Reinbacher and something I value in a fifth overall pick D).

If both guys bring the same sort of element, one from the back and one from the front, we should be the guy up front. Picking for need isn’t great, but it’s not exactly a reach if Demidov is ranked there anyway.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Scott Powers said Demidov improved his odds to be drafted 2 at the combine.

 

[HabsCode]

Scott Powers said Demidov improved his odds to be drafted 2 at the combine.

Great, no way he falls to us now

 

[Garbageyuk]

Gonna be so disappointed if we pass on one of Iginla or Sennecke for another defenseman (Demidov and Lindstrom being out already).

BPA, always. If that’s a D at 5th, which is extremely likely if both Lindstrom and Demidov are gone, take him and try to trade up from 26th if there’s a forward you like.

Both NJ (10th) and BUF (11th) are rumoured to be looking to trade their picks. It’s a virtual certainty that one or more of Iginla, Catton, Sennecke, and Eiserman will still be on the board at those spots.

Possible package to BUF for 11th:

26th overall + Beck

 

[WeThreeKings]

Great, no way he falls to us now

Betting odds went from -230 to -220 for Lev and +200 to +180 for Demidov