HF Habs: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

Yeah I'm sure Arpon watched all his games we probably have guys on our forum who saw more games than he did.
I never got the fascination with what Basu says on this board? :dunno:

To me he's no better than any of the other shills we are subject to in our market.
I wrote elsewhere, Arpon was fed a few morsels from the club at around this time last year and the year before so now we have no choice but to give his insightless droppings some weight. He's otherwise useless and has nothing to say the rest of the year.
 
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It’s undeniable the guy has sources and when he writes pieces like this one, as much as he says he has no inside info, he’s being a vessel for information management wants to disseminate across the fanbase. It’s happened numerous times in the past and yet multiple people still dismiss this fact.

This the same routine we went through when he said they were leaning Slaf. And when they wouldn't take Michkov and would be looking at Reinbacher or Leonard.
 
Injury Prone Guhle Games by season.

18/19 88 games played which includes 23 in the post season.
19/20 64 games played no post season.
20/21 Covid shutdown
21/22 63 games played which includes 19 in the post season.
22/23 44 games played raw rookie NHL.
23/24 80 games played including 10 at the Worlds.

In 5 seasons there were 2 blips in 21/22 Guhle played 44 of the 65 regular season games but was healthy for the post season where he put up 8-8-16.
In 22/23 we all know what happened Guhle missed nearly half the season but I felt we over played him and he got hurt because of fatigue.
In 23/24 Guhle played 70 of the 82 games plus 10 additional games at the worlds.

This notion that he is injury prone doesn't fly for me. He's had injuries but I expect he will continue to get stronger/smarter and avoid man games down.
I also don't fault him for the POS Ducherov incident.

The funny thing is Guhle has played far more Hockey than Xhekaj during that time span but we don't hear anything about Arber being Injury prone.
I only wish Kirby Dach could give us as many games as Guhle is.
 
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I wrote elsewhere, Arpon was fed a few morsels from the club at around this time last year and the year before so now we have no choice but to give his insightless droppings some weight. He's otherwise useless and has nothing to say the rest of the year.

Basu does tend to enjoy the sound of his voice but he’s usually well spoken and puts thought behind what he says. He’s a reporter, so he’s doing his job but he’s usually pretty transparent on his process when it comes to evaluating players and admits he’s not an expert as those who do it for a living. I respect him because he puts his name and face out there and unlike some others in the media, does not lash out at fans who disagree with him.

I don’t always agree with what he says, but again, he puts himself out there and he has also admitted time he was wrong. He usually does this with a level of class. In the end, everyone us entitled to an opinion, including you, so I’m not trying to shit on anyone, but end of the day, he does his job fairly well which is to report.
 
Basu does tend to enjoy the sound of his voice but he’s usually well spoken and puts thought behind what he says. He’s a reporter, so he’s doing his job but he’s usually pretty transparent on his process when it comes to evaluating players and admits he’s not an expert as those who do it for a living. I respect him because he puts his name and face out there and unlike some others in the media, does not lash out at fans who disagree with him.

I don’t always agree with what he says, but again, he puts himself out there and he has also admitted time he was wrong. He usually does this with a level of class. In the end, everyone us entitled to an opinion, including you, so I’m not trying to shit on anyone, but end of the day, he does his job fairly well which is to report.
Absolutely, you have it right but many of us die hards find his reporting empty and his hockey analysis worthless. Nothing against his professionalism but he’s just not interesting. Marc Dumont was better at hockey talk than Arpon ever was.
 
Absolutely, you have it right but many of us die hards find his reporting empty and his hockey analysis worthless. Nothing against his professionalism but he’s just not interesting. Marc Dumont was better at hockey talk than Arpon ever was.
I somehow doubt Basu is getting fed morsels this year. There is nowhere near the controversy we saw in the past two drafts.
He surely has some inside contacts but they aren't flying any trial balloons to soften fan response.
He's actually giving us the same names we've been looking at since the Post Seasons ended for the Kids.

HuGo runs a tight ship I just don't see them leaking anything as being advantageous this year unless it's misinformation.
 
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Every prospect has skeptics and doubts. There are no sure things.

You made it seem like you had important insight into his game from the perspective of knowledgeable commentators and analysts (valuable) but I don’t think you do.

My assertion: When compared to other defensemen prospects of the 2023 and 2024 draft, Levshunov seems to be at the top of the heap. Whether the consensus is (a) he is expected to learn better defensive play or (b) he has good defensive instincts already in him, I don’t know, but whatever knocks against him, there are more knocks overall against other D prospects.

I don’t remember Reinbacher’s reports very well though my gut tells me Lev is overall better regarded (as draft prospect) than him as well. Reinbacher seems to fall within that topX consensus for 2024 though, so he isn’t too far off.


Yeah I don’t know how the Caydophiles can square the “super beast powerforward unicorn” with ‘… has a back injury that never heals’

The problem is that CBJ have no reason to risk a 4OA pick on him either. Do they go for Denison? Does ANA? CHI?

If CBJ want a forward and Lindstrom is DND, who can they draft other than Demidov?

We’re behind the looking glass.
That is the question
 
Reading the comments, if it ever comes down to Demidov v Buium, there’s a fair amount of people that will get absolutely shocked with the pick and have a meltdown.

I won’t like it and will never like it, but at least I got over the first set of emotions (anger, despair).
 
Reading the comments, if it ever comes down to Demidov v Buium, there’s a fair amount of people that will get absolutely shocked with the pick and have a meltdown.

I won’t like it and will never like it, but at least I got over the first set of emotions (anger, despair).

Both are incredibly high IQ players.

I'd be okay with either.
 
Buium-Reinbacher
Guhle-Mailloux
Hutson-Xhekaj

You get 3 minute munching all situations defenseman in your top 4. That projects well for the playoffs, which is how they are building this team, to win a cup.

Also right now Hutson is their only player that projects to be a puck moving defenseman. They might not feel comfortable gambling on him becoming a top 4 guy and can play playoff hockey to pass on Buium who is basically a lock to be one, probably closer to top pairing.
Buium can play on the right side too...
 
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I somehow doubt Basu is getting fed morsels this year. There is nowhere near the controversy we saw in the past two drafts.
He surely has some inside contacts but they aren't flying any trial balloons to soften fan response.
He's actually giving us the same names we've been looking at since the Post Seasons ended for the Kids.

HuGo runs a tight ship I just don't see them leaking anything as being advantageous this year unless it's misinformation.
So you are purely speculating about Basu speculating. This is brillant.
 
Both are incredibly high IQ players.

I'd be okay with either.
To be clear I like Buium. I have him 6th on my list. His IQ, I agree, is off the charts. What I struggle with is why you would select in this case the avg size d with no truly elite physical tools (his elite skill is iq) over the forward with elite hands and iq who also happens to be an area of need for your club.

That’s the question I would like to get answered. It’s a relative measure. If say Lindstrom and Demidov are off the board and the decision is between say Buium/Dickinson/Iginla/Sennecke I am more open to the reasoning even if I like Dickinson and Sennecke more but both have flaws/weaknesses that you can’t overlook

But if Basu suggests it’s Demidov v Buium and we pick Buium then I don’t get it.
 
To be clear I like Buium. I have him 6th on my list. His IQ, I agree, is off the charts. What I struggle with is why you would select in this case the avg size d with no truly elite physical tools (his elite skill is iq) over the forward with elite hands and iq who also happens to be an area of need for your club.

That’s the question I would like to get answered. It’s a relative measure. If say Lindstrom and Demidov are off the board and the decision is between say Buium/Dickinson/Iginla/Sennecke I am more open to the reasoning even if I like Dickinson and Sennecke more but both have flaws/weaknesses that you can’t overlook

But if Basu suggests it’s Demidov v Buium and we pick Buium then I don’t get it.

Who?

Lindstrom?

Boy is cooked.

Sennecke?

Boy hasn't proved enough.
 
Both are incredibly high IQ players.

I'd be okay with either.
There are at least 8 blue chip prospects available at the top of the this year’s draft, each of whom would immediately become our best prospect, not named Hutson. One may quibble over their respective choices based on position, size, etc., but even a Bergevin level thinker would have trouble screwing up this pick. What Hughes does with that increasingly valuable 26 OA pick will determine the overall strength of this draft class.
 
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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.


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.


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?

You are overthinking all of this.

It would be a catastrophe to settle for a top 6 forward when we could have had an elite 1LD.

We all have our own view and preference but if Lindstrom and Demidov are gone by the time we pick, it means one of Silayev or Buium is there (or Lev). It would be such a shame to settle for a lesser forward at the expense of one of those D in the name of already having a plethora of good #2-3. Needing a forward, etc.
 
Absolutely, you have it right but many of us die hards find his reporting empty and his hockey analysis worthless. Nothing against his professionalism but he’s just not interesting. Marc Dumont was better at hockey talk than Arpon ever was.

Agree on Dumont but god sometimes he is so f***ing cringe at the point i felt hindered

Reading the comments, if it ever comes down to Demidov v Buium, there’s a fair amount of people that will get absolutely shocked with the pick and have a meltdown.

I won’t like it and will never like it, but at least I got over the first set of emotions (anger, despair).

Both have gamebreaking talent. Both have extremely high upside.

People just can't get over the fact we may end up with another LD because we have a plethora of good #2-3 there.
 
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Agree on Dumont but god sometimes he is so f***ing cringe at the point i felt hindered



Both have gamebreaking talent. Both have extremely high upside.

People just can't get over the fact we may end up with another LD because we have a plethora of good #2-3 there.
That’s why God created trades.
 
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One thing for sure, I'm 100% with that scouting staff.

In 2022 draft, they nailed it. Slaf, Mesar, Beck, Hutson, Engstrom and Rohrer. That's solid picks. Slaf is literally a futur star type of guy. Hutson have that potential aswell.

In 2023 draft, they select a top premiere D-man in Reinbacher, his pre-season with Habs and AHL 11 games are really promising. He can become a very very good two-way D in NHL, high potential.

Fowler, Konyushkov, Volokhin, Miller and Xhekaj... that's a lot of good potential right there. I'm very high on Fowler and Volokhin.

I'm confident with that #5 but also with the another picks aswell, they can nailed it again and draft a lot of good potential.

No matter if it's a F or D at 5, I'm totally fine with adding a great talent in this team. We need talent, that's it.
 
If you think the forwards left are 2nd liners and a top pair D is available, who do you take? That’s the real decision.
 

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