HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[jaffy27]

If someone wants Xhekaj and we can move up in the draft we should jump on it.

I love Xhekaj but we need to be realistic with his 2 blown out shoulders.

I also wouldn't be too concerned about players like Struble, Harris, Baron, etc, as logjam on D, in regards to drafting Buium. Those guys are bums and interchangeable compared to him, we can move em for wtv.

Yup, remember trading Chelios because his knees we’re finished they said…yup, good times

 

[Team_Spirit]

No more love for Catton looks like

Sure why not?

I declare this Saturday Catton's day.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1804504611987886342

Catton felt fortunate to have a chance to stay with Jim and Ellen Hughes two summers ago since Berkly and the Hughes brothers, Jack, Luke and Quinn, each share the same agency.

"It was great how they kind of go through their everyday life and the way the Hughes brothers were brought up is pretty special; how obsessed they are with hockey too," Catton said. "I learned a lot being there and following them. I think it just added to how much I respect and look up to them."

 

[Ford Prefect]

My vote was a bit of a protest vote. Assuming you don't believe that Lindstrom or Demidov will be available and thus didn't include them, I would consider Dickinson or Buium at 5. Management said all things being equal, they'd lean offence. If Lindstrom and Demidov are their two top options, perhaps a dman becomes the next best option?

And seriously, Konsta Hellenius??

 

[Ford Prefect]

Yup, remember trading Chelios because his knees we’re finished they said…yup, good times

I'm sure banging Ronald Cory's wife had nothing to do with that (or so the rumour goes).

 

[Balthazar]

What did he say and where can I read it?

Why you shouldn't draft for needs:

His thoughts on the 3 players:

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-assistant-gm-martin-madden-discusses-2024-nhl-draft

 

[Gustave]

Yup, remember trading Chelios because his knees we’re finished they said…yup, good times

Only played 20 more seasons and a couple of Norris sprinkled in

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

We aren't picking Buium if Demidov/Lindstrom is there

Kent Hughes was pretty clear he did not want to draft an LD. They will only go LD if its the clear best prospect available, and that won't be the case with Demidov/Lindstrom there.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

We aren't picking Buium if Demidov/Lindstrom is there

Kent Hughes was pretty clear he did not want to draft an LD. They will only go LD if its the clear best prospect available, and that won't be the case with Demidov/Lindstrom there.

What if Lindstrom goes 3rd and Demidov 4th ? Levshunov is gone 2nd... Buiim seems like à no brainer. Top pair D > 1B Winger

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Bobby doesn’t do a mock. Just rankings.

He doesn't even do his own rankings. It's a compilation of rankings from scouts.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Happy Catton Saturday

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800573718873182632

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I just think Matheson has greater responsibilities than Suzuki, thus his IQ is more tested. Not saying IQ is not Suzuki strength just would rank him under Matheson on overall game comprehension right now.

My two cents on this whole thing. I've always seen Suzuki as a high IQ player, Matheson not so much. Matheson's skating is sublime. He can make a mistake and outskate an opposing player back to his own end. We've seen him do that before.

As for being more IQ tested, I'd say Suzuki's been far more successful on that front. He may not be a 100 point player but he's got strong two way play. Matheson shouldn't be a number one pairing blueliner. He's got great skills and can put pucks in the net but his defense leaves a lot to be desired.

Anyways, this probably isn't the thread for this conversation. But it's an interesting foil to look at this vs the upcoming draft from the perspective of physical ability vs IQ. To me, Matheson's success is borne out of his skating. He's one of the best in the NHL and it's served him (and us) really well. He's taken far too much abuse here but I wouldn't call him a high IQ player. I would with Suzuki.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

No you're not the only one, he has gotten a lot of flack because people don't want to understand that his profile is very good and attractive. They just wanna throw him out the window because he's a late riser and because Kotkaniemi didn't work, no late riser can ever work again.

I think it's totally fair for people to be skeptical of him. He doesn't have the resume of others. I think some people have gone overboard with their skeptism but I can understand why they feel that way.

Personally, I like the potential. I also feel comfortable with the coaching we have now and feel like St Louis has proven his ability to develop talent. A big strong forward with skill? I'd be more than willing to gamble on that.

 

[ReHabs]

What if Lindstrom goes 3rd and Demidov 4th ? Levshunov is gone 2nd... Buiim seems like à no brainer. Top pair D > 1B Winger

That's Buium's upside and it takes into account the aforementioned inflated point totals... which means you have to take into account the downside of him falling short of that. Also consider that he's not particularly the right size and we already have Hutson who is further along his development trajectory. I think they'd have to see something special in him to bee-line for him when the team has gaps at RD and Forward.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If I’m Kent Hughes,

There’s no way I’m gambling on lindstrom with the 5th pick OA.

It’s either Demidov or Buium or Dickinson.

It’s called risk management.

Lindstrom's back scares me. And his "oh no big deal I just lost all feeling in the right side of my body and I can no longer see the colour green" type comments did nothing but amplify this for me.

But neither Buium nor Dickonson is a fit for us. That's not happening. It's going to be a forward or (by miracle Levshunov is available) we take a RD.

 

[ReHabs]

Happy Catton Saturday

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800573718873182632

Sigh. He's so efficient and effective. I love this kind of player but the downside is funny too. Imagine you draft the next Gilbert Brule and let the next Chara (Silayev) slip. Oops.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

What if Lindstrom goes 3rd and Demidov 4th ? Levshunov is gone 2nd... Buiim seems like à no brainer. Top pair D > 1B Winger

If Lindstrom and Demidov are gone, then yea its possible we go LD

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

What happened to @Goldenhands ?

He got upset when he found out we weren't taking Eiserman and left.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I really want a forward but if it's gonna be a dman, I'm taking Sam Dickinson.

Guhle-Mailloux
Dickinson-Reinbacher
Hutson-Zhekaj

Taking a dman is actually not that bad..

I will lose my mind if we take another LD.

 

[A Loyal Dog]

I will lose my mind if we take another LD.

"Take another LD... Take another LD..."

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

"It was Bo Callahan. And nobody went to his birthday..."

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

When was Markov ever the biggest D on the team? The best skater? The most physical? The hardest shooting? The best pure defender? Never. But there’s also very little debate that he was by far the most valuable Defenceman the Habs have had at any point in the last 30 years.

But it’s clear that you value individual tools over anything else so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Except for Subban? Sure.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

Lets not forget D is one of the two most important position value wise. IF we indeed goes with Biuum, in a couple years we can trade from a position of strenght for fwd or keep our best 4 and sign good Ufa winger

Unless Demidov is there and they are sure about Lindstrom, i would not be mad about Biuum 5th oa but not the other D... Igy or Catton all the way

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This type of thinking led us to KK over Brady Tkachuk. We never had a 1C since 30 years.

The opposite of this type of thinking gaved us Carey Price. We had Theo, and there was Brule !

The failure from the decades and the current needs will only taint our analysis in the wrong way.

Its all about selecting the best at 5, relative to his peers.

It's one thing to draft Price when you have Theo. It's a whole other thing to use your next first round pick to take a goalie again. And your next draft to take another one with a first rounder again.

At some point it becomes an exercise in insanity. We need to stop collecting LDs as though they're Pitlicks.

We are completely stocked on LD. We don't need another one. We desperately need another forward and there are plenty of great ones available. Don't overthink this.

In a vacuum you could very well be right, I’ll concede that.

What I’ll counter you with is this; it sets your development back 3 years. We are actually counting on Guhle because of his age and progress. He’s the “vet” of the new crop, and you are aware that D’s take longer to blossom.

It sets our d squad back too much for my liking. So if Carolina wants Matheson for example I’m good with your trade. But not Guhle. Buium and Guhle could co-exist, I’m not disputing that, I’m only reticent on the back peddling in the formation of our D squad.

Not to mention we already have other LDs that we have to move. It makes absolutely no sense from that perspective.

If he was head and shoulders the right guy? Sure. But I'm not even sure he's the right LD. Meanwhile we've got Demidov who's taller than expected and a higher rated prospect. It would be absolutely crazy not to take him at this stage. Lidstrom I get. I wanted him but the injury is scary. But there's just no way to justify not taking Demidov if he gets to us. Sennecke, Lidstrom, Catton... I'm good with any of them. But draft a forward.

Ainec. Why is this even a debate

We already have a blueliner with a similar profile in Hutson
We already have an excess of LDs that we're going to have to move
We badly need a forward
Getting younger on D sets the development curve back even further
There'd be controversy that he's not even the best LD available

You're right. Why is this even a debate?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

A guy here, a bully is negative about everything related to Buium. Not big enough according to him but Hutson is great according to him??? We saw it again in these playoffs, there is no place for a D the size of Hutson if the goal is to win the cup. In the regular season it can be OK, but you won't win the cup with a D so small. Not is fault, he won't be able to compete physically. So yes, draft Buium that is big enough and trade Hutson. That's it.

Hutson may be a bit of a unicorn but it's a huge stretch to say we can't win with him.

It's fine to have small players. You need a mix of talent and size. As long as you have that you'll be fine.

The guy has insane talent. And we saw what he did in his first two NHL games, it was like watching Subban when he first came up. The talent is there. I can't belive people are so quick to just give up on this guy.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

That's Buium's upside and it takes into account the aforementioned inflated point totals... which means you have to take into account the downside of him falling short of that. Also consider that he's not particularly the right size and we already have Hutson who is further along his development trajectory. I think they'd have to see something special in him to bee-line for him when the team has gaps at RD and Forward.

6f2 is not the right size ? Do you saw him skate ? He won everywhere, thats a legit top prospect, the time he will be ready, we will know what we have with Hutson, if he become good enough to be top 4 great, if not we have Buiim who i see at least top 2

And again if Hutson become solid, we could get élite talent for Buiim

D always have high trade value