HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[NotProkofievian]

I’m talking about games, never highlights.

I’d take the kid who’s still growing into his body but still gives hits. Disrupt his opponent with his reach and uses his hands and creativity to get the puck off the walls and keep possession of it. Really good in possession and the circle. And i’m not even talking about his offensive skills.

For me he’s better than Iginla. Lindstrom it’s another story, the size/physicality is hard to pass up.

Respect the opinion, but I'm going with Iginla. I find he's a lot better and more consistent with his wall play, and just has a much higher rate of involvement overall. With Iginla, you're getting 50% more shots on net, and if I had to guess something like 50% more pucks retrieved per shift.

Does anyone have Mitch Brown's player cards for these two btw?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Imagine growing up and playing against your dad (Iginla) and having to deal with his competitiveness with puck battles. That surely gives you obstacles to try to overcome that other kids just don't face. I bet it was the same with the Tkachuk brothers.

The focus in Tig's eyes is someone of value for me too. You know he wants to be one of the best.

Tig probably felt he was improving when playing against kids his own age and his father said, show me... try your game against me (1/1 battles).

 

[Shutdown]

Iggy is 7 months younger and you just wait for his growth spirt after this draft. I think there is a fair discussion to be made at the age timing of how they are trending.

No doubt Sennecke is in the mix but with me, it's 8-13 range talk.

there was a TVA article saying that Sennecke's dad is 6'3 and his mom is 6'0


not sure how much room there is for Tij to grow, he's already almost his dad's height and i don't think he's got a giant mom.

anyway, they're different players. i prefer Sennecke's ceiling over Iginla's - he doesn't initiate physical contact because he's more slippery and rangy. Iginla is more projectable because of how he plays and engages in the o-zone. i can see why someone wouldn't want to pick Sennecke in the top 5.

Imagine growing up and playing against your dad (Iginla) and having to deal with his competitiveness with puck battles. That surely gives you obstacles to try to overcome that other kids just don't face. I bet it was the same with the Tkachuk brothers.

The focus in Tig's eyes is someone of value for me too. You know he wants to be one of the best.

Tig probably felt he was improving when playing against kids his own age and his father said, show me... try your game against me (1/1 battles).

loving the fan fiction component to this player analysis - what else did Jarome say to Tij?

 

[Benstheman]

What do you guys think of this :

Dickinson-Reinbacher
Hutson-Guhle
Xhekaj-Mailloux/Engstrom/Barron

Going forward?

I mean this is d core without flaws. I'm still on the fence about playing Guhle on the right side but damn that is an elite defensive corps.

 

[Mrb1p]

What do you guys think of this :

Dickinson-Reinbacher
Hutson-Guhle
Xhekaj-Mailloux/Engstrom/Barron

Going forward?

I mean this is d core without flaws. I'm still on the fence about playing Guhle on the right side but damn that is an elite defensive corps.

Guhle isn't a RD and the Habs are gonna have trouble scoring goals.

 

[Benstheman]

Guhle isn't a RD and the Habs are gonna have trouble scoring goals.

Yeah but alot of goals will be coming from this D. i don't know. Dickinson is so good it might be a good idea to draft him anyway.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

After watching his highlights, yes. His game footage is much less convincing. There will be a gap between any player's highlight reel and any given game, but the gap is larger for Sennecke than for Iginla, to my eye at least.

The thing with Sennecke is this;

The very thing that makes him unique (consistently beating Ds one-on-one, making high-risk plays and getting away with his because of his great hands), are things that nobody is doing in the NHL, unless you're called McDavid or Kucherov.

So you pretty much bank on him being able to fool guys like Charlie McAvoy and Jacob Trouba like he SOMETIMES does in junior without getting his head ripped off. That means you bank on him doing things that 95% of players in the NHL can't do. Or else, if you take that trait away from him (his ability to slip past defenders with a deke like it's nothing), there's not a whole lot of things to like.

His size? Well, he's definitely not a guy who uses it just yet. People are pegging this on "not having grown into his body yet". But you're putting a lot of chips on a VERY abstract possibility - him ending up using his physical tools accurately. Something a lot of players never learn to do properly in the show.

His speed? He's not slow, but I wouldn't say he has the speed to be able to stand out in the big league.

His engagement? Definitely not.

So what's left?

If the kid ever turns into something substantial in the NHL, it's going to be by playing a completely different game that he plays in junior, because there's no way in hell half the stuff he does down there works in the big league. Hell, it's far from always working in the junior as well, it's just that when it does it ends up in a highlight reels package.

To me, it seems like a lot of people are trying to talk themselves out of a very safe, rather high-reward, logical pick in Iginla for some reason. There are so few reasons to make a tough exercise like this even tougher.

 

[Habs Halifax]

there was a TVA article saying that Sennecke's dad is 6'3 and his mom is 6'0


not sure how much room there is for Tij to grow, he's already almost his dad's height and i don't think he's got a giant mom.

anyway, they're different players. i prefer Sennecke's ceiling over Iginla's - he doesn't initiate physical contact because he's more slippery and rangy. Iginla is more projectable because of how he plays and engages in the o-zone. i can see why someone wouldn't want to pick Sennecke in the top 5.


loving the fan fiction component to this player analysis - what else did Jarome say to Tij?

Iggy will probably top out around 6'-1" and 200+ lbs. Suzuki size but maybe slightly more. That's a good size body to go along with his hard work ethic. Very high chance he has his father's height and weight from what we know today.

Iggy is 2" shorter, 7 months younger, and already has Sennecke's weight. Most guys 6'-0" or under at age 17/18 are in the 160-165 lbs area. Iggy is well ahead of the curve in terms of filling into this frame.

 

[Skip Bayless]

It’s the other way around. After watching games of him you’d start overthinking about why Iginla and even Lindstrom should be taken before him.

That hasn’t happened to me, I’m still waiting.

 

[Jack Skellington]

Knowing what we know about this management so far, I would be flabbergasted if they passed on Lindstrom unless they know something about his medical situation.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The thing with Sennecke is this;

The very thing that makes him unique (consistently beating Ds one-on-one, making high-risk plays and getting away with his because of his great hands), are things that nobody is doing in the NHL, unless you're called McDavid or Kucherov.

So you pretty much bank on him being able to fool guys like Charlie McAvoy and Jacob Trouba like he SOMETIMES does in junior without getting his head ripped off. That means you bank on him doing things that 95% of players in the NHL can't do. Or else, if you take that trait away from him (his ability to slip past defenders with a deke like it's nothing), there's not a whole lot of things to like.

His size? Well, he's definitely not a guy who uses it just yet. People are pegging this on "not having grown into his body yet". But you're putting a lot of chips on a VERY abstract possibility - him ending up using his physical tools accurately. Something a lot of players never learn to do properly in the show.

His speed? He's not slow, but I wouldn't say he has the speed to be able to stand out in the big league.

His engagement? Definitely not.

So what's left?

If the kid ever turns into something substantial in the NHL, it's going to be by playing a completely different game that he plays in junior, because there's no way in hell half the stuff he does down there works in the big league. Hell, it's far from always working in the junior as well, it's just that when it does it ends up in a highlight reels package.

To me, it seems like a lot of people are trying to talk themselves out of a very safe, rather high-reward, logical pick in Iginla for some reason.

Well explained. Not to take anything away from Sennecke, but those dangle moves don't work on guys who know how to play D in the NHL. I do like this hands and shot though. Just don't know how this translates at the pro level.

Whenever I watch video, I always look at how that player is doing what they are doing. Loaded talent on their line, PP open space, D breakdowns, weak D because they are young, etc.

Sennecke's has 5 U17 international games. No U18's or anything else to evaluate. It would be reach to take him 5 IMO. Looking good in the CHL and stalling in the AHL/NHL has to be carefully evaluated.

Sennecke is 8-13 range consideration. We can debate this which is fair but it would be reaching to justify picking him 5th.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

That hasn’t happened to me, I’m still waiting.

The minute you realize 90% of the things he does in junior is not translatable in the NHL, the exciting prospect of picking him turns out being a not-so-exciting prospect.

Knowing what we know about this management so far, I would be flabbergasted if they passed on Lindstrom unless they know something about his medical situation.

Scott Wheeler said he's likely not going to partake in the physical evaluations at the combine. I expect this to hurt his stock quite a bit. I definitely would expect him to be there at 5.

I think there's a high probability someone not named Celebrini/Demidov/Levshunov/Silayev is being picked in the top-4. And in a draft like that it could end up being one hell of a surprise, like a team REALLY liking a guy like Parekh or Catton, who knows.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Knowing what we know about this management so far, I would be flabbergasted if they passed on Lindstrom unless they know something about his medical situation.

Knowing what I know about Gorton/Hughes and our scouts, they go after the hot trending guy like Slaf and Reinbacher. Lindstrom is not trending hot but he does have the size/skill/skating package.

 

[Addik04]

Well explained. Not to take anything away from Sennecke, but those dangle moves don't work on guys who know how to play D in the NHL. I do like this hands and shot though. Just don't know how this translates at the pro level.

Whenever I watch video, I always look at how that player is doing what they are doing. Loaded talent on their line, PP open space, D breakdowns, weak D because they are young, etc.

Sennecke's has 5 U17 international games. No U18's or anything else to evaluate. It would be reach to take him 5 IMO. Looking good in the CHL and stalling in the AHL/NHL has to be carefully evaluated.

Sennecke is 8-13 range consideration. We can debate this which is fair but it would be reaching to justify picking him 5th.

I am not the biggest Sennecke fan, trying to be smarter and go with potential for a few games versus one full year. IMO, there are more probabilities with him that it goes wrong vs Lindstrom or Iginla for example.

However, saying that these dangles, his moves that works in junior wont work in the NHL, it's not a good argument.

Take RNH, MacKinnon, Johnston, etc, (I just listed a buch of guys, dont take the name for it, but ore the argument) all the good players have made those kind of moves in junior. They need to be able to recognize that they have space, that the opponent's stick is not well placed, etc. Of course, it will not be the same in the NHL, but I prefer someone who sees that and makes them than someone who doesn't. His moves aren't luck. He sees the space and reacts to it. That is what we are looking for. Someone who recognizes that and is able to pull the move.

If they show the IQ for that kind of move, the higher the probability that he will recognize what he needs to do against men, what he needs to do, to go, etc. He reminds be a bit of Marner, but at 6f3 and with a lack of proof.

He might be for real and thats good for him and the team that will draft him, but for me, I wouldn't be willing to bet on that.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I am not the biggest Sennecke fan, trying to be smarter and go with potential for a few games versus one full year. IMO, there are more probabilities with him that it goes wrong vs Lindstrom or Iginla for example.

However, saying that these dangles, his moves that works in junior wont work in the NHL, it's not a good argument.

Take RNH, MacKinnon, Johnston, etc, (I just listed a buch of guys, dont take the name for it, but ore the argument) all the good players have made those kind of moves in junior. They need to be able to recognize that they have space, that the opponent's stick is not well placed, etc. Of course, it will not be the same in the NHL, but I prefer someone who sees that and makes them than someone who doesn't. His moves aren't luck. He sees the space and reacts to it. That is what we are looking for. Someone who recognizes that and is able to pull the move.

If they show the IQ for that kind of move, the higher the probability that he will recognize what he needs to do against men, what he needs to do, to go, etc. He reminds be a bit of Marner, but at 6f3 and with a lack of proof.

He might be for real and thats good for him and the team that will draft him, but for me, I wouldn't be willing to bet on that.

Agreed that the argument that his game won't work in the NHL is a bad argument. It might, and assumibg it won't is begging the question.

 

[Ozmodiar]

What do you guys think of this :

Dickinson-Reinbacher
Hutson-Guhle
Xhekaj-Mailloux/Engstrom/Barron

Going forward?

I mean this is d core without flaws. I'm still on the fence about playing Guhle on the right side but damn that is an elite defensive corps.

They have 2 assets - Matheson and the 5th pick.
Do they keep MM and used the pick on a
forward or do they draft a D and flip MM for a forward?

Dickinson (Matheson) - Reinbacher
Ghule - Mailloux
Hutson - Xhekaj
(Struble, Kovy)

Hutson PP1

Having said that, based on Kent’s comments regarding LD, he likes MM (unless it was a smoke screen).

 

[Trabdy2]

I have Sennecke around #10 myself. Catton and Iginla are higher on my list because I think how they can impact the game is more strongly translatable to the NHL.

 

[Mrb1p]

I have Sennecke around #10 myself. Catton and Iginla are higher on my list because I think how they can impact the game is more strongly translatable to the NHL.

Should be clear to anyone with eyes. Iggy brings pro play that Sennecke does not yet possess and his shot and goalscoring is just that much better and Catton brings the skills and talent that Sennecke will never have.

 

[SlafySZN]

I am not the biggest Sennecke fan, trying to be smarter and go with potential for a few games versus one full year. IMO, there are more probabilities with him that it goes wrong vs Lindstrom or Iginla for example.

All 3 are risers this year.

Lindstrom and Sennecke were in Bob Mckenzie’s honourable mentions in his pre-season ranking (top 16). Iginla wasn’t mentioned.

Lindstrom played 34 games this year, not a full year. Iginla became an idea in people’s head for the top 10 near his playoffs.

Sennecke had a better year than both last year in his first OHL season.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Pasternak is one of my favourite players to watch, and last night it was like every single shift he managed to do something dangerous. I think it's not just what players do that's important, but the rate at which they do it. To a certain extent that's reflected in production, though.

 

[SlafySZN]

The thing with Sennecke is this;

The very thing that makes him unique (consistently beating Ds one-on-one, making high-risk plays and getting away with his because of his great hands), are things that nobody is doing in the NHL, unless you're called McDavid or Kucherov.

So you pretty much bank on him being able to fool guys like Charlie McAvoy and Jacob Trouba like he SOMETIMES does in junior without getting his head ripped off. That means you bank on him doing things that 95% of players in the NHL can't do. Or else, if you take that trait away from him (his ability to slip past defenders with a deke like it's nothing), there's not a whole lot of things to like.

His size? Well, he's definitely not a guy who uses it just yet. People are pegging this on "not having grown into his body yet". But you're putting a lot of chips on a VERY abstract possibility - him ending up using his physical tools accurately. Something a lot of players never learn to do properly in the show.

His speed? He's not slow, but I wouldn't say he has the speed to be able to stand out in the big league.

His engagement? Definitely not.

So what's left?

If the kid ever turns into something substantial in the NHL, it's going to be by playing a completely different game that he plays in junior, because there's no way in hell half the stuff he does down there works in the big league. Hell, it's far from always working in the junior as well, it's just that when it does it ends up in a highlight reels package.

To me, it seems like a lot of people are trying to talk themselves out of a very safe, rather high-reward, logical pick in Iginla for some reason. There are so few reasons to make a tough exercise like this even tougher.

He will do what any other player does. His game will mature and he’ll use his tools in a more pro-set up. He won’t lose his play driving ability, his play making game, shot and creativity in many eras of his game.

This argument is used every single year about high skilled players.

 

[Mrb1p]

All 3 are risers this year.

Lindstrom and Sennecke were in Bob Mckenzie’s honourable mentions in his pre-season ranking (top 16). Iginla wasn’t mentioned.

Lindstrom played 34 games this year, not a full year. Iginla became an idea in people’s head for the top 10 near his playoffs.

Sennecke had a better year than both last year in his first OHL season.

Iginla was playing fourth line on a juggernaut team. That's the only reason he wasn't on the radar early. And nah, he started climbing in 2023, he was 16th after not being ranked. Sennecke is the late riser from mid range to "top 5" by big brainers.

 

[Mrb1p]

Pasternak is one of my favourite players to watch, and last night it was like every single shift he managed to do something dangerous. I think it's not just what players do that's important, but the rate at which they do it. To a certain extent that's reflected in production, though.

Just say you're talking about Iginla next time.

Sennecke is pretty much the opposite of that. He's Armia like. Every game you'll have a play where you go "Who's that guy? He's way too good!" And then you don't see him for the rest of the period.

So you run the risk of losing a Rick Nash like player by not selecting him, but the range is Armia-Nash. Meanwhile almost every other guy in the top 15 have elite-2ndine/pair range.

 

[SlafySZN]

Iginla was playing fourth line on a juggernaut team. That's the only reason he wasn't on the radar early. And nah, he started climbing in 2023, he was 16th after not being ranked. Sennecke is the late riser from mid range to "top 5" by big brainers.

He was 16th in Mckenzie mid-year ranking, in january.

He’s still a riser like the other two.

 

[Runner77]

Imagine growing up and playing against your dad (Iginla) and having to deal with his competitiveness with puck battles.

When I think of Jerome Iginla, it’s also about how unassuming and down to earth he is.

He had a home in Mass when this was taken and was coaching one of his kids. He could have chosen to be in a city with a milder winter but there he was, never letting on to the reporter that he was HOF Jarome. Great example for Tij.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1335627862779568136