Unless we change coaches and GM he probably won't be around him anyways.Unless we are getting a high-end prospect or a high-level pick, I would prefer to keep ROR. He'd be nice to have around if we are bringing along a young C.
Unless we change coaches and GM he probably won't be around him anyways.Unless we are getting a high-end prospect or a high-level pick, I would prefer to keep ROR. He'd be nice to have around if we are bringing along a young C.
I think teams have learned something since the days of Pickards and Finleys? At least in the last several drafts, it has been very uncommon to draft goalies in the 1st round... Askarov, Cossa, and Wallstedt... all 3 have turned out very well and are on track for NHL careers. I would happily add either of the 2nd rounders from last year (Nabokov and Yegorov) to our prospect pool. I think there have been a pretty decent smattering of goalies taken in the 2nd round recently who are also well on track... Blomqvist and Commesso have played NHL games this year, Augustine is tracking very well.If the organization hasn't learned not to draft a goalie in the 1st after the Askarov case, it surely never will.
So, yeah, I'm 100% on the camp of "no goalies in the 1st OR 2nd round".
I don't think there's any huffiness about keeping ROR. It's more sad resignation? Trotz isn't trading him for a 1st this year, we know that. Good or bad draft year.If someone offers you a 1st for anyone that's over 30 not named Josi you take it and run. ROR ain't important enough to this team to be getting all huffy about whether its a good or bad draft year. He could blow a knee out next year and you get nothing, take it while you can.
I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.I am anti-stat watching, but damn, what Misa is doing is eye popping and can't be ignored. It's hard not to see the names he's outscoring, the success rate of comparable scoring numbers in the NHL, and then not think it's a high probability of success at the NHL.
Blind squirrel (Trotz) acorn (Misa). You have a lot more faith in Trotz finding the acorn than I do.I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.
Everybody used to mention "Rob Schremp" types of OHL scorers in the past (there are many other examples) but I think for Misa the key is leading the league like this as a 17-year old? That's not common. And it's not even that close a race... he has 102 pts now, and the next closest guys who are already drafted have 86. The top scorer in the Q has 78 pts, and next year's phenom Gavin McKenna leads the WHL with 96. So Misa is leading the whole CHL as a 17-year old. It's definitely an eye-opener.
Sorry to fantasize for just a minute here... but imagine we tanked out successfully this season and drafted Misa, then got McKenna next year? It would be a massive franchise-altering stroke of luck. (Of course that means there is no way we get them - but just saying, we're at least in play for that miracle atm - Trotz might not have planned this, but this is actually probably the closest he can ever get to turning the Preds into a major Contender!)
Alas, I don't actually have any faith. Just wishful thinking.Blind squirrel (Trotz) acorn (Misa). You have a lot more faith in Trotz finding the acorn than I do.
I'll admit I regularly think this but I tamp down on it because the "lottery is guaranteed to screw us" thought is one I have for the Jackets, not the Preds, and in the Jackets' case you can mathematically prove they're a statistical outlier w/r/t the number of times the lottery has f***ed the team over. The Preds haven't had nearly as many shots at the lottery and so a similar analysis isn't possible. yetY'all talking like we are gonna pick top 3.
I guarantee either we will start winning meaningless games in garbage time of the season or else the lottery will screw us and we will end up picking 6th, our historically accursed spot.
damn if they go to NCAAA hockey, these guys are going to give Cam Rising a run for his money when it comes to age .... not sure I am prepared for 27 year olds playing college hockeyThe WHL scoring leaders are a bit weird. Cristall and Catton are already-drafted top NHL prospects. McKenna is the mega-stud for the 2026 draft. But it's interesting they also have Kindel and Bear as prospects for this year's draft.
We'll probably sign Ozzy's brother Oasiz to a minor league contract for Milwaukee, given how much the organization seems to love Ozzy. Even though he's a small overager, he is obviously an agitator and putting up great numbers.
Tulk is tiny and heading to the NCAA under the new rule. Chyzowski and Van Olm are overagers. I don't generally trust those stats for orveragers. Mistelbacher is still eligible for this year's draft I think after having been passed over in previous ones.
But anyway, just "as usual" it's not like all the top scoring junior players necessarily project as NHL prospects. FWIW.
I do think it's going to be "intriguing" now that some of these undrafted junior stars are going to be able to play in the NCAA for 4 more years. I think that's great... it really stretches out the prospect window for guys. It's going to make it a little more interesting to watch those guys as potential free agent signings later on.
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The WHL scoring leaders are a bit weird. Cristall and Catton are already-drafted top NHL prospects. McKenna is the mega-stud for the 2026 draft. But it's interesting they also have Kindel and Bear as prospects for this year's draft.
We'll probably sign Ozzy's brother Oasiz to a minor league contract for Milwaukee, given how much the organization seems to love Ozzy. Even though he's a small overager, he is obviously an agitator and putting up great numbers.
Tulk is tiny and heading to the NCAA under the new rule. Chyzowski and Van Olm are overagers. I don't generally trust those stats for orveragers. Mistelbacher is still eligible for this year's draft I think after having been passed over in previous ones.
But anyway, just "as usual" it's not like all the top scoring junior players necessarily project as NHL prospects. FWIW.
I do think it's going to be "intriguing" now that some of these undrafted junior stars are going to be able to play in the NCAA for 4 more years. I think that's great... it really stretches out the prospect window for guys. It's going to make it a little more interesting to watch those guys as potential free agent signings later on.
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It's already pretty normal for NCAA freshmen to enter at 20 or 21. Playing junior hockey until aging out and then going NCAA is very common. It's just the CHL specifically that wasn't allowed until recently.damn if they go to NCAAA hockey, these guys are going to give Cam Rising a run for his money when it comes to age .... not sure I am prepared for 27 year olds playing college hockey
That’s Ozzy’s brother. Their other brother is named Orca.Oasiz Wiesblatt. Man, youth hockey names might rival youth baseball names.
My fantasy would come true if we got one of them.I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.
Everybody used to mention "Rob Schremp" types of OHL scorers in the past (there are many other examples) but I think for Misa the key is leading the league like this as a 17-year old? That's not common. And it's not even that close a race... he has 102 pts now, and the next closest guys who are already drafted have 86. The top scorer in the Q has 78 pts, and next year's phenom Gavin McKenna leads the WHL with 96. So Misa is leading the whole CHL as a 17-year old. It's definitely an eye-opener.
Sorry to fantasize for just a minute here... but imagine we tanked out successfully this season and drafted Misa, then got McKenna next year? It would be a massive franchise-altering stroke of luck. (Of course that means there is no way we get them - but just saying, we're at least in play for that miracle atm - Trotz might not have planned this, but this is actually probably the closest he can ever get to turning the Preds into a major Contender!)
Agree, I think top 5 is still getting us a really strong prospect with upside relative to the rest of our pool. I think you can probably add a few more guys after that would be nice to have, but obviously the top 4 would be my preference.The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?
Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?![]()
I won't be upset with any of these options but I believe Misa will be the best out of the group. That's who I wantThe lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?
Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?![]()
The narrative that this is a weak draft is misleading. The top 6-10 stack up well against recent drafts. The softness is in the 15-30 range where you have basically 2nd round quality much earlier than usual. Assuming we don't get crazy hot and fall out of top 8, our 1st pick should slot in as our top prospect but the 2 late 1sts look to be about Stiga or Gibson quality prospects (and I like both)- good, but not on level of Svechkov or Edstrom or Molendyk.The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?
Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?![]()
So with the tampas pick we have to pick Vernon's kid right? Just like we should of picked Yanic's kid 2 years ago. Keep it in the family. In all seriousness I think Blake Fiddler would be a solid pickup with the tampa pickThe narrative that this is a weak draft is misleading. The top 6-10 stack up well against recent drafts. The softness is in the 15-30 range where you have basically 2nd round quality much earlier than usual. Assuming we don't get crazy hot and fall out of top 8, our 1st pick should slot in as our top prospect but the 2 late 1sts look to be about Stiga or Gibson quality prospects (and I like both)- good, but not on level of Svechkov or Edstrom or Molendyk.
I am sure Barry can destroy the confidence and offensive skill on whoever he takes.I’m still undecided on which one of Hagens or Misa but I would take either one of them.
Hagens is a freshman centering a #1 line for the #1 team in college hockey. Yes he is on a line with Perrault and Leonard but kudos to him for his skills and having trust from coaches to be put in this spot.
Boston College is playing Boston University in the Beanpot final on Monday night on NESN
Misa was only 5th player ever to be granted “exceptional status” in 2022 and allowed to be able to be drafted and play in the OHL as a 15 year old. (He was drafted 1st overall). The OHL age limit is 16-20 years old.
Agreed. He is not without risk, but a rhd with his size and skating would be enticing by late teens.So with the tampas pick we have to pick Vernon's kid right? Just like we should have picked Yanic's kid 2 years ago. Keep it in the family. In all seriousness I think Blake Fiddler would be a solid pickup with the tampa pick
6th puts us in Martone, Desnoyers, McQueen Eklund maybe Frondell territoryNeed to start losing again.. only 1 point behind Buffalo. 3 points back from the Kraken with a game in hand. 5 points back from PIT with 2 games in hand. I think the 6th OA is now the worst possible outcome for us (or 7th OA if someone from behind wins the lottery and jumps us).