Guadana
Registered User
Over Savoie. Ofcourse it’s debatable.
As I said I don’t want Yakemchuk. Him, Parekh and Eiserman are 13-15 on my list just because of their ceiling. I would not draft Eiserman and Parekh in top 20.
Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread
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As I said I don’t want Yakemchuk. Him, Parekh and Eiserman are 13-15 on my list just because of their ceiling. I would not draft Eiserman and Parekh in top 20.
Guadana
Registered User
Catton isn’t Benson or Jarvis. Both were good interior forwards in o zone. Both were more solid in active in D zone. They were annoying to play against. Catton is more classic offensive forward with good hands, mind and weak legs and softness on boards. He is compensating it by his hands, his positioning on boards need works.
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I don't want to say anything because it's like making the groundhog see its shadow, but having STI adding profiles and opinions with Guadana and Eventd and the other great people doing draft scouting is the highlight of this board right now.
2024 Draft Capsule:
LW Berkly Catton, Spokane WHL
Two notes before I begin. Firstly, those who are not familiar with my work might wonder why I'm listing Catton as a LW when most of his ice time this year has been at center. The reason is simple -- when writing up prospects I choose to list the position they are most likely to play in the NHL and Catton will almost certainly be moved to the wing full time. He lacks certain elements which NHL teams look for in centers, while his advanced offensive abilities will play up with the decreased 200-foot responsibilities and increased offensive freedom of playing the wing.
Secondly, this is a really terrific hockey player.
Berkly Catton has received a good deal of scouting doubt for being a mix of smallish (listed at 5'11-163, but I'd say those are both exaggerations) and lacking the elite speed many like to see with their undersized forwards. This is not to say Catton is soft or slow. Though he does his best work on the perimeter, Catton has shown a consistent willingness to take the puck to the net and to battle down low when necessary. He knows an interior game is not his bread and butter, but he is not soft and fears nothing. Catton also is a skater who combines ok speed and explosiveness with tremendous edges and elusiveness. While it's a stretch to call him a great skater, it is accurate to call him a good one.
More importantly, in terms of his combination of offensive IQ, hands and passing vision Catton is the third-best forward in the 2024 class, trailing only Celebrini and Demidov. Catton is a magician with the puck -- he is expert at using his combination of elite hands and elite elusiveness to create time and space, and also at manipulating defenders to react how he wants so he can use his elite passing ability to open up passing lanes he saw before they even existed. He possesses a litany of moves and is smart enough to mix it up so you can never anticipate what he will do next.
Berkly Catton is an exceptionally smart player, especially once he has possession of the puck in the offensive zone. He wants the puck all the time. Once he gets it, it doesn't matter if he has two feet or two inches of space. His exceptional stick handling and edge work allows him to always create a buffer for himself. The only way to defend him is through sheer physicality, but if you overcommit or miss he's already sent a cross ice pass over one stick and through a set of legs onto the freaking blade of a teammate in high danger scoring position. Berkly Catton is downright nasty at creating offense and at making his line mates more effective.
He's not perfect. Though his compete level rates as very good, he's never going to be a top 200 foot player or a force down low. His shot is very quick and accurate but lacks power to score from outside the dots clean. But I think he's a very safe pick as a point-per-game, top 6 NHL forward.
I've seen Catton compared to both Zack Benson and Seth Jarvis but I don't feel either comparison is fair to Catton. Jarvis was faster, better defensively, more physical and competitive at the same age with similar offensive upside, while Benson was even more elite in his offensive package and a bit more effective in the dirty areas. But we can't take this as a knock on Catton, who is special in his own right. He's just a terrific player with elite and rare intelligence in how he sees the game. He's fun to watch and will score at any level.
LW Berkly Catton, Spokane WHL
Two notes before I begin. Firstly, those who are not familiar with my work might wonder why I'm listing Catton as a LW when most of his ice time this year has been at center. The reason is simple -- when writing up prospects I choose to list the position they are most likely to play in the NHL and Catton will almost certainly be moved to the wing full time. He lacks certain elements which NHL teams look for in centers, while his advanced offensive abilities will play up with the decreased 200-foot responsibilities and increased offensive freedom of playing the wing.
Secondly, this is a really terrific hockey player.
Berkly Catton has received a good deal of scouting doubt for being a mix of smallish (listed at 5'11-163, but I'd say those are both exaggerations) and lacking the elite speed many like to see with their undersized forwards. This is not to say Catton is soft or slow. Though he does his best work on the perimeter, Catton has shown a consistent willingness to take the puck to the net and to battle down low when necessary. He knows an interior game is not his bread and butter, but he is not soft and fears nothing. Catton also is a skater who combines ok speed and explosiveness with tremendous edges and elusiveness. While it's a stretch to call him a great skater, it is accurate to call him a good one.
More importantly, in terms of his combination of offensive IQ, hands and passing vision Catton is the third-best forward in the 2024 class, trailing only Celebrini and Demidov. Catton is a magician with the puck -- he is expert at using his combination of elite hands and elite elusiveness to create time and space, and also at manipulating defenders to react how he wants so he can use his elite passing ability to open up passing lanes he saw before they even existed. He possesses a litany of moves and is smart enough to mix it up so you can never anticipate what he will do next.
Berkly Catton is an exceptionally smart player, especially once he has possession of the puck in the offensive zone. He wants the puck all the time. Once he gets it, it doesn't matter if he has two feet or two inches of space. His exceptional stick handling and edge work allows him to always create a buffer for himself. The only way to defend him is through sheer physicality, but if you overcommit or miss he's already sent a cross ice pass over one stick and through a set of legs onto the freaking blade of a teammate in high danger scoring position. Berkly Catton is downright nasty at creating offense and at making his line mates more effective.
He's not perfect. Though his compete level rates as very good, he's never going to be a top 200 foot player or a force down low. His shot is very quick and accurate but lacks power to score from outside the dots clean. But I think he's a very safe pick as a point-per-game, top 6 NHL forward.
I've seen Catton compared to both Zack Benson and Seth Jarvis but I don't feel either comparison is fair to Catton. Jarvis was faster, better defensively, more physical and competitive at the same age with similar offensive upside, while Benson was even more elite in his offensive package and a bit more effective in the dirty areas. But we can't take this as a knock on Catton, who is special in his own right. He's just a terrific player with elite and rare intelligence in how he sees the game. He's fun to watch and will score at any level.
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
I wasn't paying attention but what position draft-wise do some here think the Devils are going to be in?
Top 5?
Top 10?
Top 5?
Top 10?
2024 Draft Profile:
LW Cole Eiserman, US-NTDP
Everything with Cole Eiserman begins and ends with his shot, which cannot be understated. So, I'm not going to start this with all of the many criticisms which have been leveled against him as a complete hockey player. I'm going to start with the shot, which in the past half-decade of NHL drafts is quite honestly the second-best we've seen after only generational talent Conor Bedard. Because if Eiserman hits his potential, perennial 50-goal scoring is just scratching the surface of what he's capable of.
Eiserman's entire game is built around his elite shooting. He has an economical wind-up and gets it off fast. Like Bedard, he possesses the rare ability to get an elite shot off from several angles and body positions, making it essentially impossible to read or defend. This, combined with his equally rare ability to fire the puck from a multitude of release points makes him absolutely devastating to an almost super-human degree.
Eiserman's shot once he gets it off is heavy, accurate and downright deadly. He is the rare forward who can beat a goaltender clean, whether from a standstill or in full stride, from all the way back at the blueline. His one-timer is possibly the best I've seen from a draft-eligible winger since Ovechkin and Kovalchuk came into the league two decades ago.
Eiserman's offensive package otherwise is good, but not great. He's a functionally good skater who won't wow you with speed, but it's not a weakness per se. He's a good passer, though he is predictable in almost always choosing to fire the puck. His stick handling is very good, though most of it is designed to free himself enough to fire a shot. You're probably beginning to get the picture -- it's all about the shooting and Eiserman knows it, the opposition knows it, the whole world knows it, but it doesn't mean anyone can stop it. His awareness is high when it comes to getting open to take his shot, but meh across the board in any other respect. He's basically a rocket launcher on skates.
The problem is the entirety of the remainder of Eiserman's game. He's not just bad defensively, he's very bad. He is always cheating into the offensive zone. He's lazy in his reads and coverage. He's pretty much just "a guy out there skating around" until his team gets the puck in the offensive zone, when he becomes a deadly weapon. His compete wavers anywhere except the offensive zone. He's nothing to write home about in transition in either direction. He's not physical despite being a very strong and athletic kid at around 6'0-200.
Ultimately, there is one reason to draft Cole Eiserman. He can score goals in ways few draft prospects in history have had the ability to do. You wish there were other elements to his game, but if you draft Eiserman that's why you're drafting him and that's what you'll get.
LW Cole Eiserman, US-NTDP
Everything with Cole Eiserman begins and ends with his shot, which cannot be understated. So, I'm not going to start this with all of the many criticisms which have been leveled against him as a complete hockey player. I'm going to start with the shot, which in the past half-decade of NHL drafts is quite honestly the second-best we've seen after only generational talent Conor Bedard. Because if Eiserman hits his potential, perennial 50-goal scoring is just scratching the surface of what he's capable of.
Eiserman's entire game is built around his elite shooting. He has an economical wind-up and gets it off fast. Like Bedard, he possesses the rare ability to get an elite shot off from several angles and body positions, making it essentially impossible to read or defend. This, combined with his equally rare ability to fire the puck from a multitude of release points makes him absolutely devastating to an almost super-human degree.
Eiserman's shot once he gets it off is heavy, accurate and downright deadly. He is the rare forward who can beat a goaltender clean, whether from a standstill or in full stride, from all the way back at the blueline. His one-timer is possibly the best I've seen from a draft-eligible winger since Ovechkin and Kovalchuk came into the league two decades ago.
Eiserman's offensive package otherwise is good, but not great. He's a functionally good skater who won't wow you with speed, but it's not a weakness per se. He's a good passer, though he is predictable in almost always choosing to fire the puck. His stick handling is very good, though most of it is designed to free himself enough to fire a shot. You're probably beginning to get the picture -- it's all about the shooting and Eiserman knows it, the opposition knows it, the whole world knows it, but it doesn't mean anyone can stop it. His awareness is high when it comes to getting open to take his shot, but meh across the board in any other respect. He's basically a rocket launcher on skates.
The problem is the entirety of the remainder of Eiserman's game. He's not just bad defensively, he's very bad. He is always cheating into the offensive zone. He's lazy in his reads and coverage. He's pretty much just "a guy out there skating around" until his team gets the puck in the offensive zone, when he becomes a deadly weapon. His compete wavers anywhere except the offensive zone. He's nothing to write home about in transition in either direction. He's not physical despite being a very strong and athletic kid at around 6'0-200.
Ultimately, there is one reason to draft Cole Eiserman. He can score goals in ways few draft prospects in history have had the ability to do. You wish there were other elements to his game, but if you draft Eiserman that's why you're drafting him and that's what you'll get.
2024 Draft Profile:
LW Tij Iginla, Kelowna WHL
There's absolutely nothing not to like about Tij Iginla, plain and simple. He's a highly intelligent and highly competitive player who features a pair of high-end abilities -- shooting and puckhandling -- and no discernible weaknesses. Though he might lack the elite qualities of a future NHL superstar, his mix of abilities gives him a very safe projection as a two-way, offensively productive NHL 2nd liner and his lack of glaring flaws gives him a high floor as at least a very good NHL bottom 6 forward.
Iginla skates well but it's not a high end trait, however it plays up because his IQ and anticipation and positioning, especially in the offensive zone, are so good. Simply put, he thinks the game fast enough and his fundamentals are sound enough that his feet generally have less work to do than they would for a less instinctive player. Iginla is also a pretty good passer, but it's more functional than high-end as an aspect of his game.
Iginla is probably around 5'11 to 6'0 and around 185 pounds, strong for his size and quite athletic, though not to the elite degree of his father Jerome. He'll mix it up physically when he has to and competes hard, but also unlike his father that is not a calling card of his game. Where Jerome Iginla was one of the top power forwards in the history of the game, Tij is more of a finesse player with more depth and range than the prototypical finesse player.
Where Tij truly shines is in his high-end, near-elite pucks skills and shooting. He's got a rocket of a shot which he gets off quickly and efficiently. Once he fires, Iginla's shot is hard and accurate. He has an excellent one-timer and wrist shot, but his bread and butter is an absolutely deadly snap-shot which he can get off from virtually anywhere. There is no doubt in my mind this is a kid with 35+ goal upside at the highest levels. He can also absolutely dangle the puck, and if defenders play him too aggressively to nullify his great shot, Iginla has the ability to change intent very quickly and dangle right around you, making you look silly.
In sum, there is really absolutely nothing not to like about Tij Iginla. He's a surefire NHLer and, as stated, probably a goal-scoring 2nd liner. But if you're expecting a Hall of Fame talent like his father Jerome or an impact top line power forward like his father Jerome, that's not what you'll be getting. What you will be getting, however, is pretty darned terrific and a player you'll enjoy cheering on for many seasons to come.
LW Tij Iginla, Kelowna WHL
There's absolutely nothing not to like about Tij Iginla, plain and simple. He's a highly intelligent and highly competitive player who features a pair of high-end abilities -- shooting and puckhandling -- and no discernible weaknesses. Though he might lack the elite qualities of a future NHL superstar, his mix of abilities gives him a very safe projection as a two-way, offensively productive NHL 2nd liner and his lack of glaring flaws gives him a high floor as at least a very good NHL bottom 6 forward.
Iginla skates well but it's not a high end trait, however it plays up because his IQ and anticipation and positioning, especially in the offensive zone, are so good. Simply put, he thinks the game fast enough and his fundamentals are sound enough that his feet generally have less work to do than they would for a less instinctive player. Iginla is also a pretty good passer, but it's more functional than high-end as an aspect of his game.
Iginla is probably around 5'11 to 6'0 and around 185 pounds, strong for his size and quite athletic, though not to the elite degree of his father Jerome. He'll mix it up physically when he has to and competes hard, but also unlike his father that is not a calling card of his game. Where Jerome Iginla was one of the top power forwards in the history of the game, Tij is more of a finesse player with more depth and range than the prototypical finesse player.
Where Tij truly shines is in his high-end, near-elite pucks skills and shooting. He's got a rocket of a shot which he gets off quickly and efficiently. Once he fires, Iginla's shot is hard and accurate. He has an excellent one-timer and wrist shot, but his bread and butter is an absolutely deadly snap-shot which he can get off from virtually anywhere. There is no doubt in my mind this is a kid with 35+ goal upside at the highest levels. He can also absolutely dangle the puck, and if defenders play him too aggressively to nullify his great shot, Iginla has the ability to change intent very quickly and dangle right around you, making you look silly.
In sum, there is really absolutely nothing not to like about Tij Iginla. He's a surefire NHLer and, as stated, probably a goal-scoring 2nd liner. But if you're expecting a Hall of Fame talent like his father Jerome or an impact top line power forward like his father Jerome, that's not what you'll be getting. What you will be getting, however, is pretty darned terrific and a player you'll enjoy cheering on for many seasons to come.
glenwo2
JESPER BRATWURST
I admit, I stumbled over this statement at first :
"There's absolutely nothing not to like about Tij Iginla"
and read it as "There's absolutely nothing to like about Tij Iginla" and I was like "damn....Steven please tell us how you really feel!"
Percentage chance Iginla goes to Calgary, assuming they don't move up in the the lottery - 75% at least?
Guadana
Registered User
It's pretty good odds. Iginla's consensus ranking is in the neighborhood of where they pick at #9 overall and it would be a PR bonanza if the Flames took the son of one of their best all time players.
What's working against Iginla is that he's a LW and the Flames, who have several organizational needs, took a LW in th first round last year in Samuel Honzek. The Flames desperately need D in the organization on both the right and left sides. However, Iginla would be considered a superior prospect to Honzek, who did not enjoy a great draft+1 season and is looking more like a future 3rd liner than a scoring liner.
We also can't completely rule out the chance Iginla will be taken before Calgary picks at #9. Though it's tough to see Tij going top 7, Seattle at #8 is not an impossibility.
I'm going to give the pick a solid 50/50 chance.
Apparently MCagg and lots of posters on the prospect boards suddenly think Sennecke could go 2-5 now. 
Guess he's having a hell of a playoff.
Ah, 14 games played with 22 points
Becket Sennecke
Guess he's having a hell of a playoff.
Ah, 14 games played with 22 points
Becket Sennecke
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MasterofGrond
No, I'm not serious.
Guadana
Registered User
Its way to high, but it is reasonable.Apparently MCagg and lots of posters on the prospect boards suddenly think Sennecke could go 2-5 now.
Guess he's having a hell of a playoff.
Ah, 14 games played with 22 points
Becket Sennecke
i don't have a huge preference for the devils pick. i just hope they will make the pick and don't trade the pick for a goalie.
since the start of the season jets fan tried to flex their muscels regarding the devils passing on trading for a hellebuyck. lately i haven't seen them being active on the mainboard. just a further example that goalie performances are too inpredictable to overpay anyone of them.
since the start of the season jets fan tried to flex their muscels regarding the devils passing on trading for a hellebuyck. lately i haven't seen them being active on the mainboard. just a further example that goalie performances are too inpredictable to overpay anyone of them.
I would be pleased if we pick Iginla but something tells me we may really regret passing on MBN if we do. In this scenario, I’m assuming Dickinson and Buium have already been selected.
evnted
Registered User
- Apr 14, 2016
- 816
- 2,026
couple thoughts on this one. ill try to keep it as brief as possible lolApparently MCagg and lots of posters on the prospect boards suddenly think Sennecke could go 2-5 now.
Guess he's having a hell of a playoff.
Ah, 14 games played with 22 points
Becket Sennecke
sennecke is awesome. i dont think ive had him that far out of lotto range at any point this year, certainly not outside the top 20. some of this was speculative, especially early season. he wasnt consistently dialed into games, he was mistake prone, we werent seeing results, etc. but he felt like someone who, over the course of the year and as he got more comfortable in his frame post-growth spurt, would be able to put it together. and he certainly has
players at his size typically dont have some of the best handling ability in the draft, superb on and off puck awareness, great elusivity and shooting, and now a very solid compete level. hes definitely the type of prospect who checks a ton of boxes and when you factor in his rapid progression and incredible postseason performance (sincerely incredible, i think hes tied for lead in points and the eye test certainly backs up the results), its quite easy to see why scouts are drawn to him. whether or not i personally wind up having him ranked top 10, ill have all the time in the world for someone advocating he should go that high
with that said, grant has a bit of a habit of going over the top in terms of hyping up risers. thats not to say hes always wrong, he was one of the early shane-wright-wont-go-top-2 proponents in 2022, but theres plenty of times he quietly corrects a bold take in the subsequent weeks/months after originally claiming it. even just this year we saw him rank silayev over celebrini and claim that surin, for as much as i like him, should be in the discussion for MTL's 1st pick. if you ask me, i think he still has connections to the org and kinda tailors his rankings according to the direction he thinks MTL will go, for example all the michkov hit pieces last year vs going over the top with hyping up reinbacher (who again i still like but wouldnt have taken over michkov). and many habs fans basically just cling to whatever flavor of the month he puts out, which is probably a driving factor in the additional voices/posters youre seeing advocating for it
all of this to say, i like sennecke and in fact have always liked sennecke, and i think this postseason run coupled with his season-long progression warrants the discussion hes getting, but to claim top 3 places him over some incredible talents/projections most of whom play more valuable positions and, while not displaying the same level of growth, have a more proven body of work this year. i would not say sennecke has ++ offensive tools to bet on, his skating is very good but not elite, i still see him make poor decisions with the puck in spite of how good his awareness is, and so on. is there a scenario where in retrospect sennecke shouldve been picked top 3? certainly, but i think it requires many players in lotto range failing or at the very least stalling out, which i think is unlikely. to me, sennecke is more of a 5-10 redraft candidate if everything goes well, so i think discussing him from the standpoint of being a top 3 option is both risky and hard to trust will hold up. that said, hes an extremely fun prospect to watch and ill root for him to go early (for his sake and for ours
)We'll see what happens, but I think it's a crapshoot if Iginla will be available at #10, whereas Brantsegg-Nygard will almost certainly still be on the board.
I feel very strongly that Brantsegg-Nygard would be an outstanding pick for NJ. I've stressed that the Devils need to get back to increasing overall team speed, and they also need to be better in the physical side of the game. Brantsegg-Nygard would check both these boxes, and he's also one hell of a finisher who plays outstanding two-way hockey.
So early returns on this draft were that it was subpar if memory serves but there are several great candidates for the NJ pick at ten. That’s a pretty good draft in my book.
2024 Draft Profile:
LD Sam Dickinson, London OHL
Sam Dickinson will not last very long on the first day of the 2024 NHL draft, and for good reason. He's 6'3-205 and features high-end skating, a smart and savvy two-way game, and no glaring flaws in an astounding complete package. Even if his development plateaus to an almost unrealistic degree, he's still going to be a second-pairing, all-situations defender. But I think it's more realistic that he'll be a 20+ minutes blueline bedrock for whichever team is fortunate enough to draft him.
Defensively, Dickinson trusts his excellent skating ability and high-end physical strength, enabling him to excel both against the rush and in tight areas. While not a physical intimidator, he knows how to utilize his frame to his team's advantage and is capable of a big hit, while not necessarily going out of his way to make one. He's positionally advanced for his age and, while not being an elite IQ guy, he's very smart and reads the play at a rather exceptional rate.
Dickinson is maybe not the shut-down stud that say, Jake Sanderson or Moritz Seider were at the same age, but he's not too far off from those notable names. His defensive upside considering his work ethic, intelligence on or off the puck and skating ability is exceptionally high.
Offensively, Dickinson is not or will never be elite, but he is very good and has the potential and athleticism to improve into a 50+ point guy at the NHL level. He loves to activate from the point, but he's not a riverboat gambler and is reticent to take undue chances. He's great with an outlet pass or leading the rush, but again he's not Cale Makar or Rasmus Dahlin, nor should we expect him to ever become such a player. He's not flashy or spectacular with the puck, but he checks every box across the board -- good vision, great shot, nice hands, high offensive IQ -- and he's going to contribute offensively at any level.
Sam Dickinson is the safest defenseman to pick in the 2024 draft. But while some people equate "safe" with "boring" or "low ceiling" -- this would be a huge mistake in his particular case. He's actually a great deal of fun to watch and has a ton of room to grow. His multi-dimensional abilities and situational versatility make him the kind of rare defender you can pair with virtually anyone -- you can put him with a shut-down type D and he'll open it up a bit, you can put him with an offensive-type D and he'll hang back a bit to shut it down. He's just a terrific player, both low risk and high-potential, and there's no reason not to draft him and root for him all the way.
LD Sam Dickinson, London OHL
Sam Dickinson will not last very long on the first day of the 2024 NHL draft, and for good reason. He's 6'3-205 and features high-end skating, a smart and savvy two-way game, and no glaring flaws in an astounding complete package. Even if his development plateaus to an almost unrealistic degree, he's still going to be a second-pairing, all-situations defender. But I think it's more realistic that he'll be a 20+ minutes blueline bedrock for whichever team is fortunate enough to draft him.
Defensively, Dickinson trusts his excellent skating ability and high-end physical strength, enabling him to excel both against the rush and in tight areas. While not a physical intimidator, he knows how to utilize his frame to his team's advantage and is capable of a big hit, while not necessarily going out of his way to make one. He's positionally advanced for his age and, while not being an elite IQ guy, he's very smart and reads the play at a rather exceptional rate.
Dickinson is maybe not the shut-down stud that say, Jake Sanderson or Moritz Seider were at the same age, but he's not too far off from those notable names. His defensive upside considering his work ethic, intelligence on or off the puck and skating ability is exceptionally high.
Offensively, Dickinson is not or will never be elite, but he is very good and has the potential and athleticism to improve into a 50+ point guy at the NHL level. He loves to activate from the point, but he's not a riverboat gambler and is reticent to take undue chances. He's great with an outlet pass or leading the rush, but again he's not Cale Makar or Rasmus Dahlin, nor should we expect him to ever become such a player. He's not flashy or spectacular with the puck, but he checks every box across the board -- good vision, great shot, nice hands, high offensive IQ -- and he's going to contribute offensively at any level.
Sam Dickinson is the safest defenseman to pick in the 2024 draft. But while some people equate "safe" with "boring" or "low ceiling" -- this would be a huge mistake in his particular case. He's actually a great deal of fun to watch and has a ton of room to grow. His multi-dimensional abilities and situational versatility make him the kind of rare defender you can pair with virtually anyone -- you can put him with a shut-down type D and he'll open it up a bit, you can put him with an offensive-type D and he'll hang back a bit to shut it down. He's just a terrific player, both low risk and high-potential, and there's no reason not to draft him and root for him all the way.
2024 Draft Profile:
LD Zeev Buium, University of Denver NCAA
Zeev Buium is precisely the reason why you need to watch draft-eligible defensemen a lot in order to be able to accurately assess their pro potential. While it's easier to cursorily judge a player by the easily discernible traits -- skating, size, shooting, puck skills, scoring production -- if you simply focused on these, Buium would still be very good, but he would not necessarily be a top-15 overall-type prospect. But the more you watch him the more you realize he is elite -- and I'll go so far to say the best D in the entire 2024 class -- in his less-obvious combination of passing vision, hockey IQ and compete level.
Zeev Buium's physical attributes are actually impressive. His skating is excellent, though not elite. Though I feel his listed weight of 180+ is exaggerated, he's 6'0 and very strong for his size, willing to battle in the dirty areas and often win these battles against much bigger and older NCAA forwards. His shot is better than advertised -- he gets it off quickly and it's relatively hard and tremendously accurate, even when he's under pressure -- this is a defenseman who knows how to get pucks on net, even through heavy traffic. He's an exceptional puck handler, maybe not to the degree of a Parekh or Yakemchuk, but combined with his smarts and ability to process the game, it plays up to the same level.
Zeev Buium's passing ability is elite. His ability to read plays, anticipate simultaneously the movements of both his teammates and opposition, manipulate ensuing events with his hands and head and show incredible poise with the puck regardless of pressure all amount to a rare and spectacular trait which will allow him to succeed at any level. He's so smart it's kind of disgusting -- you can't watch him for a period much less a game without asking how did he know that guy was going to be there? or how did he read that play seemingly before it even developed? Not surprisingly, Buium is the best outlet passer in the 2024 class and will mix it up, as he can either beat you with a breakout pass or by simply leading the rush himself.
Defensively, Buium is underrated, and again it's attributable to the fact that he plays with extraordinary brains and incredible heart. He adjusts situationally to game situation -- while down a goal late, he will take a ton of chances, up a goal late he will adjust accordingly, making smart plays to get the puck deep and tightening up every aspect of his game. This is a player who values the W over the personal glory, every single time. He's just so smart in his reads, he's consistently able to outwit and out defend bigger, faster and more experienced competition with startling regularity.
There is a very good possibility we'll all look back in 15 years and recognize Zeev Buium as the best defender from the 2024 class. While he's not as "safe" a pick as Dickinson or as "sexy" a pick as Levshunov or Parekh or Yakemchuk, his upside as a 60-70 point guy who also plays very good defense -- a 20+ minute all-situations top-pairing NHL defender -- cannot be denied. He certainly needs to build his physical strength, which will improve his physical effectiveness, his shot and his skating explosiveness. His positioning and gaps can use a bit of fine tuning, although I'd consider them both plus traits considering his age and the level of competition he faces every game in the NCAA. He's probably 2-3 years away. But to me, he's a surefire top 7 pick, maybe even top 5.
LD Zeev Buium, University of Denver NCAA
Zeev Buium is precisely the reason why you need to watch draft-eligible defensemen a lot in order to be able to accurately assess their pro potential. While it's easier to cursorily judge a player by the easily discernible traits -- skating, size, shooting, puck skills, scoring production -- if you simply focused on these, Buium would still be very good, but he would not necessarily be a top-15 overall-type prospect. But the more you watch him the more you realize he is elite -- and I'll go so far to say the best D in the entire 2024 class -- in his less-obvious combination of passing vision, hockey IQ and compete level.
Zeev Buium's physical attributes are actually impressive. His skating is excellent, though not elite. Though I feel his listed weight of 180+ is exaggerated, he's 6'0 and very strong for his size, willing to battle in the dirty areas and often win these battles against much bigger and older NCAA forwards. His shot is better than advertised -- he gets it off quickly and it's relatively hard and tremendously accurate, even when he's under pressure -- this is a defenseman who knows how to get pucks on net, even through heavy traffic. He's an exceptional puck handler, maybe not to the degree of a Parekh or Yakemchuk, but combined with his smarts and ability to process the game, it plays up to the same level.
Zeev Buium's passing ability is elite. His ability to read plays, anticipate simultaneously the movements of both his teammates and opposition, manipulate ensuing events with his hands and head and show incredible poise with the puck regardless of pressure all amount to a rare and spectacular trait which will allow him to succeed at any level. He's so smart it's kind of disgusting -- you can't watch him for a period much less a game without asking how did he know that guy was going to be there? or how did he read that play seemingly before it even developed? Not surprisingly, Buium is the best outlet passer in the 2024 class and will mix it up, as he can either beat you with a breakout pass or by simply leading the rush himself.
Defensively, Buium is underrated, and again it's attributable to the fact that he plays with extraordinary brains and incredible heart. He adjusts situationally to game situation -- while down a goal late, he will take a ton of chances, up a goal late he will adjust accordingly, making smart plays to get the puck deep and tightening up every aspect of his game. This is a player who values the W over the personal glory, every single time. He's just so smart in his reads, he's consistently able to outwit and out defend bigger, faster and more experienced competition with startling regularity.
There is a very good possibility we'll all look back in 15 years and recognize Zeev Buium as the best defender from the 2024 class. While he's not as "safe" a pick as Dickinson or as "sexy" a pick as Levshunov or Parekh or Yakemchuk, his upside as a 60-70 point guy who also plays very good defense -- a 20+ minute all-situations top-pairing NHL defender -- cannot be denied. He certainly needs to build his physical strength, which will improve his physical effectiveness, his shot and his skating explosiveness. His positioning and gaps can use a bit of fine tuning, although I'd consider them both plus traits considering his age and the level of competition he faces every game in the NCAA. He's probably 2-3 years away. But to me, he's a surefire top 7 pick, maybe even top 5.
2024 Draft Profile:
LD Anton Silayev, Nizhny Novgorod KHL
With any discussion about Silayev, it's important to get the obvious out of the way. He's not just a 6'7 defenseman already good enough as a 17 year old to be extremely effective in the KHL -- the second best league on earth -- but he's also a tremendous skater. Silayev is not just the cliche of: "skates well for a big man". He's simply just a great skater. In a couple of strides he can reach tremendous speeds, which combined with his enormous reach makes it seem like he's singlehandedly encompassing the entire rink. He possesses the edges and 4-way mobility of a 5'11 finesse forward and his balance and strength on his skates have the potential to be among the best we've ever seen. Once he learns to improve his singular skating caveats of acceleration and quick stops, he'll be among the best size/speed combinations in the entire sporting world.
Silayev has a lot to work on in his overall game, but with him in particular projection is a necessity. Though he's far from an unintelligent player, he needs to work on his reads and his ability to process the game at the speed it's played on the highest levels. He reacts to plays more than he anticipates them, and when under pressure he can be forced into bad plays and poor decisions.
This is not necessarily a knock on Silayev, as in a vacuum of the expected he is actually extremely good, especially defensively. He is -- predictably -- almost impossible to beat in puck and board battles, and he is absolutely the king of the crease. Though not proactively physical -- and many wish he were due to the obvious size/strength advantages -- all Silayev needs to do to separate an opposing forward from the puck is usually just to lean on them, and all he needs to do to protect the puck thereafter is to hold it out with one hand and hold you off with the other. As has been said ad nauseam, this is a very big young man who is also very agile. To his credit, Silayev also has a decent set of mitts and doesn't simply rely on his enormity to protect the puck.
Predictably, Silayev has a very good shot, though the accuracy and release need work. He prefers his wrist shot to his slapper, so much that he rarely utilizes it and it's tough to gauge how good the shot is or has the potential to become.
The most complicated aspect of Silayev's game is his passing. I've seen him make high-end passes, both outletting the zone and in the O zone, which make me feel he has more offensive upside and PP potential than many give him credit for. However -- and this needs to be repeated -- his high-end plays seem always made in space, while under pressure or duress he is relatively mistake prone with the puck. This simply must be ironed out for Silayev to achieve his ultimate potential as a smothering, shut-down, all-star defender with capability to contribute 30-45 points offensively, as well.
Ultimately, Anton Silayev becomes difficult to fully assess since so much projection is involved in the process. While we may have never seen a 6'7 defender who skates so well, he also really struggles in one of the most important traits for an NHL defender -- the ability to play with savvy and poise under pressure. If he learns to harness this and plays with a little more edge, he's capable of becoming a perennial Norris candidate -- but these are big ifs because though experience will help, this mental part of the game cannot be definitely taught. It's something Sam Dickinson and Zeev Buium have, but Silayev to this point does not.
Silayev is still worth drafting in the 1st round, of course. Even if his development curve is not so steep as we all hope, his size/speed and general defensive acuity will doubtlessly get him to the NHL. And is upside -- far away as it is -- is simply stratospheric. So, the question is simply the ostensible: how high do you take him? I've seen him ranked high as #2 overall, but also as low as outside the top 15 entirely. Personally, I really like him but I'm also simultaneously too scared by the variables to commit to saying either of those rankings would be 100% right or wrong.
LD Anton Silayev, Nizhny Novgorod KHL
With any discussion about Silayev, it's important to get the obvious out of the way. He's not just a 6'7 defenseman already good enough as a 17 year old to be extremely effective in the KHL -- the second best league on earth -- but he's also a tremendous skater. Silayev is not just the cliche of: "skates well for a big man". He's simply just a great skater. In a couple of strides he can reach tremendous speeds, which combined with his enormous reach makes it seem like he's singlehandedly encompassing the entire rink. He possesses the edges and 4-way mobility of a 5'11 finesse forward and his balance and strength on his skates have the potential to be among the best we've ever seen. Once he learns to improve his singular skating caveats of acceleration and quick stops, he'll be among the best size/speed combinations in the entire sporting world.
Silayev has a lot to work on in his overall game, but with him in particular projection is a necessity. Though he's far from an unintelligent player, he needs to work on his reads and his ability to process the game at the speed it's played on the highest levels. He reacts to plays more than he anticipates them, and when under pressure he can be forced into bad plays and poor decisions.
This is not necessarily a knock on Silayev, as in a vacuum of the expected he is actually extremely good, especially defensively. He is -- predictably -- almost impossible to beat in puck and board battles, and he is absolutely the king of the crease. Though not proactively physical -- and many wish he were due to the obvious size/strength advantages -- all Silayev needs to do to separate an opposing forward from the puck is usually just to lean on them, and all he needs to do to protect the puck thereafter is to hold it out with one hand and hold you off with the other. As has been said ad nauseam, this is a very big young man who is also very agile. To his credit, Silayev also has a decent set of mitts and doesn't simply rely on his enormity to protect the puck.
Predictably, Silayev has a very good shot, though the accuracy and release need work. He prefers his wrist shot to his slapper, so much that he rarely utilizes it and it's tough to gauge how good the shot is or has the potential to become.
The most complicated aspect of Silayev's game is his passing. I've seen him make high-end passes, both outletting the zone and in the O zone, which make me feel he has more offensive upside and PP potential than many give him credit for. However -- and this needs to be repeated -- his high-end plays seem always made in space, while under pressure or duress he is relatively mistake prone with the puck. This simply must be ironed out for Silayev to achieve his ultimate potential as a smothering, shut-down, all-star defender with capability to contribute 30-45 points offensively, as well.
Ultimately, Anton Silayev becomes difficult to fully assess since so much projection is involved in the process. While we may have never seen a 6'7 defender who skates so well, he also really struggles in one of the most important traits for an NHL defender -- the ability to play with savvy and poise under pressure. If he learns to harness this and plays with a little more edge, he's capable of becoming a perennial Norris candidate -- but these are big ifs because though experience will help, this mental part of the game cannot be definitely taught. It's something Sam Dickinson and Zeev Buium have, but Silayev to this point does not.
Silayev is still worth drafting in the 1st round, of course. Even if his development curve is not so steep as we all hope, his size/speed and general defensive acuity will doubtlessly get him to the NHL. And is upside -- far away as it is -- is simply stratospheric. So, the question is simply the ostensible: how high do you take him? I've seen him ranked high as #2 overall, but also as low as outside the top 15 entirely. Personally, I really like him but I'm also simultaneously too scared by the variables to commit to saying either of those rankings would be 100% right or wrong.
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PizzaAndPucks
New Jersey Angels diehard
- Nov 29, 2018
- 2,955
- 4,704
Thank You for the detailed right ups.
When I started reading this one my gut feeling was that you weren't going to be the biggest fan of this kid but that wasn't the case. I have a strong feeling he will be available when the Devils pick and even though defense is our strongest position in the prospect pool it would be hard to pass up on this kid depending on who is still available of course.
Having a blueline with Luke , Nemec & Buium would be insane. It could possibly make even Casey straight up available to be traded part of a package for another forward prospect or impact player now. Buium probably won't need much more than a year or 2 post draft to be playing in the NHL with his strong defensive zone and transition play being so strong at 18.
ZachaFlockaFlame
Registered User
- Aug 24, 2020
- 15,704
- 20,701
I think I'm fully on the MBN train if we keep the pick
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