GDT: 2024 NHL Entry Draft - Round 1 - June 28th - 7 P.M. / Round 2-7 - June 29th - 11 A.M

[Captain3rdLine]

2015 - Zacha
2017 - Nico
2019 - Hughes

@Moist ReadOnly

Here’s another for you

 

[My3Sons]

Keep this joke going and I'll put 100 CC's of something in your coffee!

I'm not a coffee drinker but much appreciate the offer. Beyond that you can always put me on an ignore list if my dad jokes bother you.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I think Hage, after a year of Michigan, will be a top 5 forward in this draft.

Nice to see people coming around on Hage, who deserves a lot more attention than he's gotten. But I still can't see him going in the top 10, despite the fact he probably deserves to be considered in that range.

 

[NJDevs26]

2015 - Zacha
2017 - Nico
2019 - Hughes

Yeah I'd actually count that lol...but that needed not one but TWO lottery wins in three years to happen, both sandwiching a playoff appearance to boot. The odds against just that alone are pretty minute.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

View attachment 888612

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

 

[bossram]

The other day Buium was +2000 to be picked 3rd. Today he’s +250. Big movement.

A ton of money just came in on Buium. Intriguing.

Luckily picked off some +700 at a slower moving book. Sennecke had a similarly big move a couple days ago. People can't get a read on ANA.

 

[AfroThunder396]

2015 - Zacha
2017 - Nico
2019 - Hughes

And there was the other guy in 2016. 4 centers in 5 drafts.

Also Mercer in 2020, lol. We drafted almost nothing but centers and left defensemen for half a decade.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

@Moist ReadOnly

Here’s another for you

And where did Zacha play for us? Again, the positions listed say center but these players tend to move from wing to center as needed

Celebrini Hischier and Hughes are not and would not play wing unless their shoulder is broken (sorry Jack lol)

 

[britdevil]

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

Whether it worked or not isn't the point. The point was that they picked three centres, three years on the trot.

 

[HBK27]

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

You really think Celebrini or Jack would both refuse to play wing?

C'mon, you said you wouldn't draft Celebrini if we had 1st overall. A ridiculous statement.

This also shows that drafting BPA works as the 3 of them won a Cup.

 

[britdevil]

And there was the other guy in 2016. 4 centers in 5 drafts.

Also Mercer in 2020, lol. We drafted almost nothing but centers and left defensemen for half a decade.

Nah, 2016 first never happened. I think it was redacted.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

That’s blatantly untrue. He spent most of his time as the third line center. You can literally find articles talking about him being the best 3rd line center in the league from 2008-12.

And if it doesn’t work how did they win a cup? And why did they even do in the first place and why didn’t Staal immediately leave?

 

[NJDevs26]

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

Staal was in Pittsburgh six years and a top faceoff guy there. If anyone shifted over it was Malkin at times but that's an example of how it CAN work if the three players in question are all centers. One can move over, or become an elite third line guy (cue the Nico memes).

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

You really think Celebrini or Jack would both refuse to play wing?

C'mon, you said you wouldn't draft Celebrini if we had 1st overall. A ridiculous statement.

This also shows that drafting BPA works as the 3 of them won a Cup.

Trevor Zegras is likely to be out of Anaheim because he wants to play center and wont ever be a better one, positionally, than McTavish or Carlsson

And yes I do think if you told Jack hes not a center anymore hed ask to be moved - this isnt some third liner were talking about, his entire game is built around the position

And for the record - having a guy take faceoffs for you and actually playing center arent the same (see Giroux toward the end of his Philly stint)

 

[Captain3rdLine]

And where did Zacha play for us? Again, the positions listed say center but these players tend to move from wing to center as needed

Celebrini Hischier and Hughes are not and would not play wing unless their shoulder is broken (sorry Jack lol)

They would be perfectly capable of doing so but wouldn’t need to if it really came to it.

You talked about drafting the same position. Yes they get moved from wing to center as needed. Exactly what everyone else is saying.

 

[JelloPuddyPops]

And where did Zacha play for us? Again, the positions listed say center but these players tend to move from wing to center as needed

Celebrini Hischier and Hughes are not and would not play wing unless their shoulder is broken (sorry Jack lol)

You're moving the goalposts. Here's what you wrote:

"And Ill entertain this notion that its crazy when I see one single instance of a team taking more than two high picks of the same position in drafts close to each other; just one instance is all I ask"

You were just provided with two instances.

How the team(s) dealt with the picks afterwards is irrelevant to your statement. You stated that teams don't pick more than two high picks of the same position. That's false.

 

[britdevil]

And where did Jordan Staal play? It wasnt center behind those two

I was waiting for this exact example too lol

Staal centered next to Malkin outside a single year before he left Pittsburgh; which, IMO, goes exactly to show that three top-pick centers down the middle does not work

Mate, the Pens went back to back finals (winning one) with all three of them. Take the L.

 

[NJDevs26]

And there was the other guy in 2016. 4 centers in 5 drafts.

Also Mercer in 2020, lol. We drafted almost nothing but centers and left defensemen for half a decade.

We moved off Mercer at center seemingly quicker than we moved off Parise at center in 2005 lol

 

[My3Sons]

Drafting 'Best Player Available' is and always has been a myth

Every single pick made is based on need

Just as a hypothetical: if a team had just drafted Luke Hughes and Owen Power top-5 picks b2b years - there is a less than 0% chance they take the 'BPA' in another LD top-5 in a third draft in a row. Not even would they take a consensus 1st overall, theyd trade out

Thats because theres inherently a need for every reason behind taking a pick; it never was or will be as simple as 'i think he ends up the best'

I don't think it's a myth. Example, the NY Giants had a number of good linebackers in 1981. They had Carson, Kelly, Hunt, and Van Pelt. All legit NFL guys. There was, however, a clear BPA at number 2 in the draft. The Giants needed just about everything else other than LB. They were pretty bad. OK, maybe they didn't need a QB as Simms was still very young. You know who they picked and it was the correct pick. They repeated that several years later with Carl Banks and then again with Pepper Johnson. I'm sure there are plenty of quotes from teams that have selected guys based on a list of prospects that presumably ranks how good they are? I recall Fitz being quoted to that effect when Mukhamadullin was picked? I'm sure there are instances where a team selects from a tier of similarly ranked guys to go with need as a tie breaker but I'm skeptical that a team will avoid a clearly better player to pick a clearly worse player just based on position.

 

[NJDevs26]

To be fair if the player in position is a LW, a RW, a LD or a RD then no it's unlikely THAT position gets picked three years in short order because you have less flexibility there. Center is the only one where it can work because you can literally shift one guy over or just have three horses the way the Pens did. Much harder to shift a wing to center than the other way around.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Staal was in Pittsburgh six years and a top faceoff guy there. If anyone shifted over it was Malkin at times but that's an example of how it CAN work if the three players in question are all centers. One can move over, or become an elite third line guy (cue the Nico memes).

I have said as much and agree - the POSITION you take isnt the issue, its what the players actually plays that is

If Malkin was unwilling to slide over many a time it wouldnt have worked nearly as well I dont think

I used the Hischier Hughes Celebrini example, much to the dismay of myself as i expect to get dumped on, because those are three players who entire game is built around the position - Malkin was a free spirit on the ice so having him as a wing at times or often was never an issue

Nico as a winger would be ridiculous - weve seen Jack as a winger (granted a broken shoulder too) and its not good - and Celebrini, granted idk his personality, is a Hischier clone of sorts so i dont see how hed be used properly on the wing either

To be fair if the player in position is a LW, a RW, a LD or a RD then no it's unlikely THAT position gets picked three years in short order. Center is the only one where it can work because you can literally shift one guy over or just have three horses the way the Pens did.

Perhaps this is the mixup im having with some - i chose the worst position for this lol

 

[Captain3rdLine]

To be fair if the player in position is a LW, a RW, a LD or a RD then no it's unlikely THAT position gets picked three years in short order. Center is the only one where it can work because you can literally shift one guy over or just have three horses the way the Pens did.

Sure but not less than 0 (which is what he orginally said) if there’s a player you like significantly more available.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Pronman’s final mock has Demidov to Calgary and Iggy still on board. Hopefully they’d pass on Demidov for Iggy and he’d be there for us

I don't think we can understate how ridiculous it would be if Demidov fell to NJ at #10.

1) I've said this several times and will say it again -- Demidov is closer to Celebrini than to #3 in the 2024 class. He's a unique player who combines elite skills across the board offensively with a shockingly heavy compete level and excellent 200-foot game.

2) Demidov is #1 in this entire draft in passing and puck handling, and it's not close. Catton is a far-off #2 in both. Demidov is a top 10 shooter in this class as well. His ability to manipulate multiple defenders several steps ahead of his intended goal -- whether opening a passing, shooting or skating lane -- is extremely rare. His hockey IQ with the puck is tops in this draft as well, although with overall IQ it's hard to put him above Celebrini and Helenius. Still, he's special.

3) In several drafts on talent alone, Demidov would be worthy of the #1 overall pick. Not this year with Celebrini or last year with Bedard, but certainly 2022.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Mate, the Pens went back to back finals (winning one) with all three of them. Take the L.

Its about where they played

And idc about taking the L lol, im just here to talk hockey brotha. I wanted Patrick over Hischier, Id have signed Gaudreau, id have traded for Trouba back when, etc etc

I dont for a moment pretend I know more than others - just trying to get my point across is all

 

[HBK27]

I don't think we can understate how ridiculous it would be if Demidov fell to NJ at #10.

1) I've said this several times and will say it again -- Demidov is closer to Celebrini than to #3 in the 2024 class. He's a unique player who combines elite skills across the board offensively with a shockingly heavy compete level and excellent 200-foot game.

2) Demidov is #1 in this entire draft in passing and puck handling, and it's not close. Catton is a far-off #2 in both. Demidov is a top 10 shooter in this class as well. His ability to manipulate multiple defenders several steps ahead of his intended goal -- whether opening a passing, shooting or skating lane -- is extremely rare. His hockey IQ with the puck is tops in this draft as well, although with overall IQ it's hard to put him above Celebrini and Helenius. Still, he's special.

3) In several drafts on talent alone, Demidov would be worthy of the #1 overall pick. Not this year with Celebrini or last year with Bedard, but certainly 2022.

If Demidov begins to drop I fully expect a team at the very least to trade up to snag him before he gets all the way to our pick.