Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

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Jason MacIsaac

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Jan 13, 2004
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Every year there’s a player in the draft that has a high points per game and devils fans lose their mind over. Also, every year there’s a player on the Devils roster that is good offensively and terrible without the puck. I just find it humorous. Sometimes I wish statistics weren’t available for draft eligible players.
 

Guadana

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Every year there’s a player in the draft that has a high points per game and devils fans lose their mind over. Also, every year there’s a player on the Devils roster that is good offensively and terrible without the puck. I just find it humorous. Sometimes I wish statistics weren’t available for draft eligible players.
Points is still important part. But players are playing different roles, on the different level with different partners. Points does mean little. They are not the cause, but the consequence - the player's skills, the availability of the required skills for success in a particular league, partners, luck.

Overall it should be about skills, vision, techniques, physics and combo of this things for a role players is trying to play.
 

Guadana

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curious as to how helenius would compare heading into this draft to lundell his year.


Helenius is smaller, not as dominant in puck battles, better playmaker, faster, Lundell was better net driver. Still both good in their draft year as two way positional players, with good compete level, both very good in puck battles, active forecheckers.
Nygard have many similarities with Lundell, but much faster better skater with better shot.
 

StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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Every year there’s a player in the draft that has a high points per game and devils fans lose their mind over. Also, every year there’s a player on the Devils roster that is good offensively and terrible without the puck. I just find it humorous. Sometimes I wish statistics weren’t available for draft eligible players.
Amen, brother.
 
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evnted

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Apr 14, 2016
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mbn doesnt have to be your top choice at 10, he probably wont even be my own, but man if you dont think we need this type of chaos on the forecheck i dont even know what to say lol not as much concerned about the quality of competition vs GBR when theyve got 4 guys trying to stop this and he still gets the puck off to his linemate
 

Xirik

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Sep 24, 2014
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mbn doesnt have to be your top choice at 10, he probably wont even be my own, but man if you dont think we need this type of chaos on the forecheck i dont even know what to say lol not as much concerned about the quality of competition vs GBR when theyve got 4 guys trying to stop this and he still gets the puck off to his linemate
It's sad that I only ever see Hischier Meier, and sometimes Bratt do that for the Devils. I want more of it!
 

Guadana

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Would I like Chernyshov? Yes.

He is more dangerous, bigger, better skater, faaaster skater, more physical, better defensively. with good shot and passing. And the best stickhandling through the traffic.
But he isnt top-10 pick. BPA but BPABHIR.

But he is Russian.
Michkov is going to NA after one year from his draft. Yurov will join Wild as a center(like I said before the draft he has real potential to be center and look at him) after next season. Huge win as a pick. But GMs will be scary to draft Chernyshov high still. And they will regret about it. I hope we will draft Nygard because he is dynamic, solid and smart. If we will draft other player - one way or another we will have a bitter feeling about it.
 

Guadana

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mbn does have to be your top choice at 10, he probably would even be my own. man if you dont think we need this type of chaos on the forecheck i dont even know what to say lol not as much concerned about the quality of competition vs GBR when theyve got 4 guys trying to stop this and he still gets the puck off to his linemate
I helped clean up your message. No Need to thank me.
 

evnted

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Apr 14, 2016
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2024 Draft Profile:

C AJ Spellacy, Windsor OHL


This'll be a pretty straightforward profile. Spellacy is a 6'3" almost 200lb forward and he legitimately might be one of the fastest players in the class. As exciting as that may sound, I should caution that there isn't that much else to his game right now, which is why I can't even come up with a consolidated ranking since he's so infrequently appearing on boards. Still, there are a few reasons to keep an eye on him and hope that a surprise breakout could come down the road.

Spellacy is a superb athlete and it's next to impossible to overstate how good his skating is. He generates a ton of momentum off his first step, he covers a lot of ice very quickly, and quite simply once he's off, he's gone. He's too big, powerful, and fast for backcheckers to get him off the puck. It almost looks fake seeing a player this large move around this effortlessly. His compete level is great, too. Spellacy regularly crashes the net, fights for pucks, finishes checks, and pressures defenders. While I wouldn't say he relies on his frame, Spellacy absolutely uses it to his advantage to punish opposing puck carriers, stretch out for aggressive stickchecks, and get to loose pucks around the net before defenders can. He's a competitive three zone player who can be trusted to make his impact known on most shifts, particularly so on the forecheck causing havoc along the boards as well as on the penalty kill as a constant breakaway/shorthanded chance threat.

The issue is, well, almost everything else. His playmaking game is largely based on using his mobility to pry open lanes, and while his shot is heavy and he has some upside as a front of the net deflection option, there's nothing particularly great about his offensive tools at this point. He lacks deception, can struggle with tunnel vision, and is very reactive to play in front of him. This is a player who largely just ducks his head and goes to work on most shifts. His instincts aren't anything special either, he can be caught play watching at times, and he doesn't quite have a basis for a strong positional game yet. While his 200ft outlook is nice in theory, he really only excels defensively when he can close in on forecheckers or apply pressure at the point.

I hesitate to call Spellacy a tools bet because his compete level and projectability as a bottom of the lineup energy/pk option are both apparent. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose to highlight him because everything he excels at is sorely needed on this roster, namely speed, forechecking, and size/physicality. There's one component of his season I haven't discussed yet because I don't think it's either a positive or a negative: his 38pts in 67gp statline. Sure, that looks pretty bad up front, but an overwhelming majority of his points came in the final two months of the season and could give some optimism that he's finally getting somewhere. Spellacy is likely only a mid to late round gamble who you hope can carve out some sort of depth role, but I think there's enough there to make him a more intriguing target than other players you'd typically be taking a flyer on in this range.
 

Nubmer6

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2024 Draft Profile:

C AJ Spellacy, Windsor OHL


This'll be a pretty straightforward profile. Spellacy is a 6'3" almost 200lb forward and he legitimately might be one of the fastest players in the class. As exciting as that may sound, I should caution that there isn't that much else to his game right now, which is why I can't even come up with a consolidated ranking since he's so infrequently appearing on boards. Still, there are a few reasons to keep an eye on him and hope that a surprise breakout could come down the road.

Spellacy is a superb athlete and it's next to impossible to overstate how good his skating is. He generates a ton of momentum off his first step, he covers a lot of ice very quickly, and quite simply once he's off, he's gone. He's too big, powerful, and fast for backcheckers to get him off the puck. It almost looks fake seeing a player this large move around this effortlessly. His compete level is great, too. Spellacy regularly crashes the net, fights for pucks, finishes checks, and pressures defenders. While I wouldn't say he relies on his frame, Spellacy absolutely uses it to his advantage to punish opposing puck carriers, stretch out for aggressive stickchecks, and get to loose pucks around the net before defenders can. He's a competitive three zone player who can be trusted to make his impact known on most shifts, particularly so on the forecheck causing havoc along the boards as well as on the penalty kill as a constant breakaway/shorthanded chance threat.

The issue is, well, almost everything else. His playmaking game is largely based on using his mobility to pry open lanes, and while his shot is heavy and he has some upside as a front of the net deflection option, there's nothing particularly great about his offensive tools at this point. He lacks deception, can struggle with tunnel vision, and is very reactive to play in front of him. This is a player who largely just ducks his head and goes to work on most shifts. His instincts aren't anything special either, he can be caught play watching at times, and he doesn't quite have a basis for a strong positional game yet. While his 200ft outlook is nice in theory, he really only excels defensively when he can close in on forecheckers or apply pressure at the point.

I hesitate to call Spellacy a tools bet because his compete level and projectability as a bottom of the lineup energy/pk option are both apparent. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose to highlight him because everything he excels at is sorely needed on this roster, namely speed, forechecking, and size/physicality. There's one component of his season I haven't discussed yet because I don't think it's either a positive or a negative: his 38pts in 67gp statline. Sure, that looks pretty bad up front, but an overwhelming majority of his points came in the final two months of the season and could give some optimism that he's finally getting somewhere. Spellacy is likely only a mid to late round gamble who you hope can carve out some sort of depth role, but I think there's enough there to make him a more intriguing target than other players you'd typically be taking a flyer on in this range.
Sounds like a Miles Wood clone :)
 

evnted

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Apr 14, 2016
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Sounds like a Miles Wood clone :)
def in the mold, and impact wise probably along the lines of what youd hope to get. i think spellacy is a little less...chaotic/haphazard than wood? im not sure the word i wanna use there. visually he reminds me a bit of athansiou but a version thats more along the lines of that miles wood type of game
 

StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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2024 Draft Profile:

C AJ Spellacy, Windsor OHL


This'll be a pretty straightforward profile. Spellacy is a 6'3" almost 200lb forward and he legitimately might be one of the fastest players in the class. As exciting as that may sound, I should caution that there isn't that much else to his game right now, which is why I can't even come up with a consolidated ranking since he's so infrequently appearing on boards. Still, there are a few reasons to keep an eye on him and hope that a surprise breakout could come down the road.

Spellacy is a superb athlete and it's next to impossible to overstate how good his skating is. He generates a ton of momentum off his first step, he covers a lot of ice very quickly, and quite simply once he's off, he's gone. He's too big, powerful, and fast for backcheckers to get him off the puck. It almost looks fake seeing a player this large move around this effortlessly. His compete level is great, too. Spellacy regularly crashes the net, fights for pucks, finishes checks, and pressures defenders. While I wouldn't say he relies on his frame, Spellacy absolutely uses it to his advantage to punish opposing puck carriers, stretch out for aggressive stickchecks, and get to loose pucks around the net before defenders can. He's a competitive three zone player who can be trusted to make his impact known on most shifts, particularly so on the forecheck causing havoc along the boards as well as on the penalty kill as a constant breakaway/shorthanded chance threat.

The issue is, well, almost everything else. His playmaking game is largely based on using his mobility to pry open lanes, and while his shot is heavy and he has some upside as a front of the net deflection option, there's nothing particularly great about his offensive tools at this point. He lacks deception, can struggle with tunnel vision, and is very reactive to play in front of him. This is a player who largely just ducks his head and goes to work on most shifts. His instincts aren't anything special either, he can be caught play watching at times, and he doesn't quite have a basis for a strong positional game yet. While his 200ft outlook is nice in theory, he really only excels defensively when he can close in on forecheckers or apply pressure at the point.

I hesitate to call Spellacy a tools bet because his compete level and projectability as a bottom of the lineup energy/pk option are both apparent. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose to highlight him because everything he excels at is sorely needed on this roster, namely speed, forechecking, and size/physicality. There's one component of his season I haven't discussed yet because I don't think it's either a positive or a negative: his 38pts in 67gp statline. Sure, that looks pretty bad up front, but an overwhelming majority of his points came in the final two months of the season and could give some optimism that he's finally getting somewhere. Spellacy is likely only a mid to late round gamble who you hope can carve out some sort of depth role, but I think there's enough there to make him a more intriguing target than other players you'd typically be taking a flyer on in this range.
Great write-up.

Sounds like Spellacy is already a better 6th round pick than Baumgartner.
 

StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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2024 Draft Profile:

RW Carson Wetsch, Calgary WHL

A hockey player does not have to be complicated and nuanced to be effective at any level. Carson Wetsch is one such example. Most of his offensive tool kit -- aside from a good shot and crease-havoc-making -- are more functional than anything else. He's an okay passer and an okay puck-handler -- passable in both categories but not strong. His offensive IQ is the same -- he forechecks, then crashes the net digging for deflections and rebounds.

But Wetsch has three facets of his game which make him a guy to watch in Rounds 3/4 of the 2024 NHL draft. He's big and strong as hell at 6'2-200. He's a good skater for his size, able to achieve pretty impressive speeds once he gets going. And most of all, he has an elite compete level -- this is one of the more physical, high-effort forwards in the draft, and he just brings everything he's got every single shift.

Wetsch is relentless in every puck battle, every crease joust, and he'll fight for every inch of ice regardless of the score. I can't say I've ever seen him have a *bad* shift. He doesn't try to do too much so his mistakes are minimal, and he just makes life hell for opposing defenders with his omnipresent tenacity and ferocity.

Without taking apart the tool set too much, Wetsch is pretty decent without being dynamic. He had a respectable 25-25-50 line in 67 WHL games. It's safe to say he's never going to be a 1st liner in the NHL, but I don't think that's a knock on him because this is a kid you snatch in Round 3 or 4 to be a physical, bottom 6 beast. Normally, these are the types of players you might look at even later in the draft, but I feel Wetsch's two elite qualities -- his relentless compete level and high-end physicality -- give him a very high floor as at least a 4th line NHLer. With a ceiling of a 3rd liner who can one day top 20+ goals, I think that's a good guy to look at in the middle rounds.
 

StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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Brooklyn, NY
2024 Draft Profile:

RW Justin Poirier, Baie-Comeau QMJHL

Poirier is the book which will not be judged by his cover. At first glance, he's a 5'8 scoring winger who lit up the Q for 51 goals this year. One would probably expect a speedy, perimeter skill forward who needs to build his core strength in order to make it in the NHL.

Well, one would be wrong.

Poirier actually plays a power forward game. He's incredibly strong for his size and likes to mix it up with much bigger defensemen. He hits a lot, and he hits hard. His finest offensive tool is his shot, which is quick, accurate and very hard. He can pass and dangle well enough, but most of Poirier's game is finding open ice to set up his shot or crashing the net. It's pretty much the opposite of what most people would think, and the misconceptions get even bigger when one realizes that Poirier's biggest problem is skating.

Poirier is maybe an average skater, and this is a problem. The other flaws in his game are correctable and he's clearly overcome the size issue. But he's not going to be able to overpower most NHL defenders and, if he can't get around them or dangle past them, he's going to be pretty one-dimensional unless a lot of ancillary things improve.

Poirier is not a kid to bet against, because his compete level is actually quite good. I've seen it dinged by some other draft writers because he can be inconsistent shift to shift, but I don't think his focus variations amount to heart so much as that he can get frustrated and at times plays with a Napoleon complex, as if he always as to prove some sort of power dominance when there are better plays to be made. This is to say, Poirier can be prone to hair-pulling plays like trying to shoot the puck through well-positioned shot-blockers, and he can take himself out of the play to deliver hits.

Justin Poirier is certainly a player I like. But despite his gaudy QMJHL numbers, I can't say I'd take him in the first two rounds. His median rating is probably the early 3rd which I think is a sensible ballpark figure. If he figures a few things out and improves the skating, I'd say he has a decent ceiling as a Brian Gionta-type player, though I don't think he'll ever be quite the scorer Brian was. But the caveat is that if Poirier does not improve a lot of things, he's going to have a tough time making the pros.
 

Jason MacIsaac

Registered User
Jan 13, 2004
22,515
6,707
Halifax, NS
2024 Draft Profile:

RW Justin Poirier, Baie-Comeau QMJHL

Poirier is the book which will not be judged by his cover. At first glance, he's a 5'8 scoring winger who lit up the Q for 51 goals this year. One would probably expect a speedy, perimeter skill forward who needs to build his core strength in order to make it in the NHL.

Well, one would be wrong.

Poirier actually plays a power forward game. He's incredibly strong for his size and likes to mix it up with much bigger defensemen. He hits a lot, and he hits hard. His finest offensive tool is his shot, which is quick, accurate and very hard. He can pass and dangle well enough, but most of Poirier's game is finding open ice to set up his shot or crashing the net. It's pretty much the opposite of what most people would think, and the misconceptions get even bigger when one realizes that Poirier's biggest problem is skating.

Poirier is maybe an average skater, and this is a problem. The other flaws in his game are correctable and he's clearly overcome the size issue. But he's not going to be able to overpower most NHL defenders and, if he can't get around them or dangle past them, he's going to be pretty one-dimensional unless a lot of ancillary things improve.

Poirier is not a kid to bet against, because his compete level is actually quite good. I've seen it dinged by some other draft writers because he can be inconsistent shift to shift, but I don't think his focus variations amount to heart so much as that he can get frustrated and at times plays with a Napoleon complex, as if he always as to prove some sort of power dominance when there are better plays to be made. This is to say, Poirier can be prone to hair-pulling plays like trying to shoot the puck through well-positioned shot-blockers, and he can take himself out of the play to deliver hits.

Justin Poirier is certainly a player I like. But despite his gaudy QMJHL numbers, I can't say I'd take him in the first two rounds. His median rating is probably the early 3rd which I think is a sensible ballpark figure. If he figures a few things out and improves the skating, I'd say he has a decent ceiling as a Brian Gionta-type player, though I don't think he'll ever be quite the scorer Brian was. But the caveat is that if Poirier does not improve a lot of things, he's going to have a tough time making the pros.
He was a player I have liked for about a month now, I hope to god NJ finds a way to draft him.
 

thethinglonger

Castron & Crew
Dec 1, 2014
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New Jersey
The more I think about it, the more confident I am that Helenius will be the pick (assuming nothing crazy happens in the first 10 picks).

Helenius is a smart, well-skating center who plays a good all-around game. With the center prospect pool as barren as it is, and especially the departure of McLeod, there's a real gap in that position. Unironically, I think a concern that Fitz and co might have with Helenius is that a potential future center depth of Hughes-Hischier-Helenius is on the smaller side. But that being said, there's still a ton of potential with Helenius given his intelligence and ability read plays as they develop.

Similarly, I'd be thrilled with MBN, especially as he's more chaotic and has the better shot than Helenius. Both very talented players and I'll be happy with either of them, but at least at this point, I think Helenius is the guy.

Catton has to be incredibly high on the Devils list, but I really doubt he's still on the board by #10.


Some potential later-round players that I really like are:

Hiroki Gojsic - Forward, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Mac Swanson - Forward, Fargo Force (USHL)
Justin Poirier - RW, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) -- he's already been mentioned above
John Whipple - LD, USNTDP (USHL) -- and not just because he's an NJ guy
Kieron Walton - C/LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Ilya Nabokov - G, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
 
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