HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Kents polished head]

Buium's ceiling is intriguing, I have no clue what the plan would be for our d-core going forward though if we added him.

We should not decide whether or not we draft a prospect based on how he fits stylistically in the current prospects group.

Guys develop, some change their style, and trades happen.

I also think putting all the eggs in Hutson's basket is precarious. There's a lot that remains to be seen on how this guy's game will translate five on five.

"Worse" comes to "worst", if there's a logjam you trade from a position of strength.

 

[GREMLIN]

Hey guys does anybody here remember which year Bob McKenzie was predicting almost every single pick on Twitter right before the pick was made?

I was looking for an article or tabs about that but can’t find anything.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Power was certainly more highly regarded than Buium in their respective draft years.....people dumping on Power are the same ones who would have dumped on Hedman.

Comparing draft years from a purely statistical perspective is an egregiously flawed methodology as there are too many aspects of the game that do not correlate at different levels of play especially for dmen.

I like Power a lot and I like Buium a lot but Power is the clear winner if Buium had the season that he had this year in Power's draft year as Power's upside as a 6'6" fluid skating two way monster is just too tantalizing.

Even considering the physical gifts of Power, Buium still edges him out for me. The gulf in production is just too extreme - the spread in points between their respective draft seasons is literally Luvshunov’s season total.

Also, the smothering shutdown game Buium showed and the way he was able to render the offensive stars of opposing teams useless in the NCAA tournament (a list that includes Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, Cutter Gauthier, Will Smith, Gabriel Perreault, and Ryan Leonard) also helps tip the scales for me.

I think a more interesting comparison would be Power vs Silayev.

 

[McGees]

Hey guys does anybody here remember which year Bob McKenzie was predicting almost every single pick on Twitter right before the pick was made?

I was looking for an article or tabs about that but can’t find anything.

it was a few years ago, then Pronman and Frank Seravalli have done it the last 2 years as well.

 

[Gravity]

McKenzie's list should drop tomorrow right?

 

[BergevinBurner]

McKenzie's list should drop tomorrow right?

On Monday I believe.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Hey guys does anybody here remember which year Bob McKenzie was predicting almost every single pick on Twitter right before the pick was made?

I was looking for an article or tabs about that but can’t find anything.

I think it was the 2021 draft (Owen Power, Logan Mailloux draft) right after we went to the Final. He correctly tweeted the first 20 or so picks and used a lot of hilarious wit before each pick. He then called it a night.

 

[Ozmodiar]

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

Looks like a list from a random fan. The “tell” is the slash denoting indecision. I appreciate his effort tho.

 

[Mrb1p]

What are you talking about. IQ 100% is THE most projectable capability. Mike Ribeiro, a bum with no speed, no discipline, no strength, had a long career only because of IQ.

The problem is that scouts label players as high IQ that are average at best. Show me a player that did not succeed but had "high IQ" and he either got into injury issues or was not high IQ to begin with.

Our highest IQ player right now is Matheson. Suzuki is above average, but not in the elite or he would be Sidney Crosby.

What the f*** am I reading?

I drank one glass of wine, is it affecting me this much?

 

[WinterLion]

I really want Levshunov gone before we draft.... might be a good pick but bores me a bit...

 

[Locks]

Even considering the physical gifts of Power, Buium still edges him out for me. The gulf in production is just too extreme - the spread in points between their respective draft seasons is literally Luvshunov’s season total.

Also, the smothering shutdown game Buium showed and the way he was able to render the offensive stars of opposing teams useless in the NCAA tournament (a list that includes Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, Cutter Gauthier, Will Smith, Gabriel Perreault, and Ryan Leonard) also helps tip the scales for me.

I think a more interesting comparison would be Power vs Silayev.

Good post. Also, Power was really well surrounded by top talent - Michigan had like 5 first rounders, including two top 5 picks. He finished sixth on the team in scoring while Buium was second. While Power improved his point production the following season, he still finished sixth. Buium and Power's draft seasons are not comparable by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Garbageyuk]

I really want Levshunov gone before we draft.... might be a good pick but bores me a bit...

I know what you mean, but god damn would our defense be promising with him on it, like best in the league type potential in a few years.

 

[Gustave]

Looks like a list from a random fan. The “tell” is the slash denoting indecision. I appreciate his effort tho.

I’m sure Billy Ryan is just dying to send his thoughts to rando here. “Make sure to feed twitter guzzlers at the price of your job, rep and future” is what they say when they hire you in the most prestigious org on planet hockey.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

I cant see Chi takin a fwd

Next year will be heavy fwd

The year after it should be too late for them to select one top D

Theres some chance Demidov may be there at 5

 

[Doublechin]

I cant see Chi takin a fwd

Next year will be heavy fwd

The year after it should be too late for them to select one top D

Theres some chance Demidov may be there at 5

I don't think any sane GMs thinks that way

You never know what happens, they might end up drafting 10th or the draft might end up being medicore etc

You never draft based on the next draft...

 

[ReHabs]

I don’t see Demidov making it past CHI, ANA, and CBJ. I really wish the 3rd best forward wasn’t such a big drop from the 2nd best forward because it feels like we might really come home with a dman again.

Slafkovsky, Reinbacher, Buium/Parekh/Silayev… not a sufficient haul to build a winning core. We don’t have the 1C and don’t have the top playmaker forward. Good luck on the trade market or the hospital clinic (Dach).

Hopefully if they do go Lindstrom it isn’t even a calculated risk and it’s a sure thing he doesn’t have potentially chronic back issues.

 

[CanadienShark]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803803772260401231

That video doesn't really amaze me, honestly. I was on the Lindstrom train for a while, but a lot of that won't work in the NHL, I think. I could see him really disappointing. That said, I'll trust our scouts. I'm just an idiot with a keyboard.

 

[CanadienShark]

LOL you are the scout for HF habs

Was just wondering what the fans from these teams were saying about who they'd like their respective teams to pick.

Might try and find my way over to the Ducks board sometime later. Don't think I've ever been on the Ducks board here before either.

I think I can help with the Sharks pick at #1.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Fair enough.

I think Buium has an edge more than just from a pure statistical perspective.

Power as a 6ft6 fluid monster certainly had tantalizing upside.

But much like the Sabres have drafted Power despite having Dahlin and Samuelsson (lol)? Or when they traded for Byram despite having Power, Dahlin and Samuelsson

Should the Habs skip on Buium and settle for a lesser prospect at F?

They should take the best player, regardless of position but nobody on this board can make that determination as there are close to 10 prospects who have legitimate claims as the best player after the fourth pick is called. I suspect that HuGo will factor position into BPA as they may define it as being a term that is relative to their internal depth charts much like RD's and Centers were traditionally valued more than other positions due to the difficulty in acquiring high end players at these positions. That being said I would be surprised if they passed on a player that they thought had clearly distanced himself from the remaining field solely due to him being a LHD.

For example, if they have a choice between Iginla and Buium and they choose Iginla it doesn't necessarily mean that they picked for position as they may actually like Iginla more. We mustn't make the mistake of assuming that their evaluations of each prospect's value are the same as our own and therefore arrive at the conclusion that they prioritized need over merit. There is evidence to support the fact that they would pick a forward over a LHD if it is close......they just didn't elaborate on how narrow that margin actually is. Is position a proverbial tie breaker or does it hold enough intrinsic value this year for HuGo to allow a player to supplant another with position having played a primary role in vaulting one ranking over another? It is unlikely that we will ever know the actual answer if they take a forward but if they take a LHD we will know beyond any doubt that they believe that this was the best prospect on the board.

 

[PavelBrendl]

I really want Levshunov gone before we draft.... might be a good pick but bores me a bit...

I don’t find Levshunov boring at all. He’s a bit of a bull in a China shop. Plays physical, and is a bit of a cowboy offensively. Quite similar to why I was so high on Jiricek in 2022, but Levshunov is more physically mature, stronger and better defensively. The other exciting aspect of Lev is that coming from a non-traditional hockey nation like Belarus, he’s only been playing in top development leagues for 2 years and he’s improved drastically, especially in the NCAA this year. He could still have the longest runway left of all the top D.

 

[SOLR]

What the f*** am I reading?

I drank one glass of wine, is it affecting me this much?

So who is our highest IQ player? Critiques without replacement are just drunk-ass lame behaviour.

 

[NotProkofievian]

So who is our highest IQ player? Critiques without replacement are just drunk-ass lame behaviour.

Josh Anderson

 

[ReHabs]

So who is our highest IQ player? Critiques without replacement are just drunk-ass lame behaviour.

I think, in the eyes of many, Matheson's many gaffes on the PP preclude him from counting as a high IQ player. I don't have an opinion about it either way, just trying to help the discourse along.

I don’t find Levshunov boring at all. He’s a bit of a bull in a China shop. Plays physical, and is a bit of a cowboy offensively. Quite similar to why I was so high on Jiricek in 2022, but Levshunov is more physically mature, stronger and better defensively. The other exciting aspect of Lev is that coming from a non-traditional hockey nation like Belarus, he’s only been playing in top development leagues for 2 years and he’s improved drastically, especially in the NCAA this year. He could still have the longest runway left of all the top D.

Levshunov is by far the best dman prospect of this draft (and last draft). I can't see him falling to 5OA but if he's there you take it and run.

 

[SOLR]

I don’t see Demidov making it past CHI, ANA, and CBJ. I really wish the 3rd best forward wasn’t such a big drop from the 2nd best forward because it feels like we might really come home with a dman again.

Slafkovsky, Reinbacher, Buium/Parekh/Silayev… not a sufficient haul to build a winning core. We don’t have the 1C and don’t have the top playmaker forward. Good luck on the trade market or the hospital clinic (Dach).

Hopefully if they do go Lindstrom it isn’t even a calculated risk and it’s a sure thing he doesn’t have potentially chronic back issues.

I agree completely with this, that's why I'd pull a Demidov trade, it's time to make a move. He's the playmaking forward. Wait another year to get a 1C (hopefully Dach is out of the infirrmary for 1 year).

Josh Anderson

He's Einstein for sure. Some nights he's such a genius he figured out how to be invisible. New stealth technology.

 

[FrankMTL]

One week till the draft ladies.

This shit is like looking at a menu too long, it gives me too much time to change my mind.

You f***ers have managed to convince me, dissuade me, re-convince me, make me question my own beliefs..........Thank god we only have to wait another 7 days or my head might explode.