Either way Hagens has been ranked 1st or 2nd through the majority of the year, if he drops to 5 it's a no brainer whether he plays center or winger long term.
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How much of a difference maker will he be as a wing? He isn’t a Kaprizov. He isn’t a great shot. I’m not sure he ends up as good as granlund even.
Scoresberg
In Trotz We Trust?
I think that's a bit of an undersell but I can sort of see the reasoning of why he's been dropping on mock drafts and most likely WILL fall on draft day as well.
At 5, I wouldn't be upset if we pick him. He's obviously very talented, perhaps the best playmaker of the draft and his two-way game and compete are actually a bit underrated whereas his offensive upside maybe a bit overrated.
It's just, if there's a chance he's NOT a center, he isn't all that enticing. Guys his size CAN be difference-makers but they need to be the best of the best, think Marner/Kucherov/Kaprizov -type. And Hagens isn't that, unfortunately. When you look at the remaining teams in the playoffs (or the top-8 for that matter) there just weren't many sub-6-foot players in any of the teams, and if there were they were either one of the best players (Marner) or non-core guys (Stankoven etc).
Softball99
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So...Reibero.. Yeah all you needed to say was Mike Reibero ...w/o the personal demons... got it.
I’m not too concerned if Hagens projects to be a winger. We’ll very likely still be in great position to get a top C in next years draft as well.
braindead
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Maybe the more interesting question is if Hagen and Fondell are gone, do you take the winger in Martone or reach for a C? This is the Seth Jones saga all over again. I think you miss out on your C and take him. This may be the only scenario I’d trade back 2-3 spots if you don’t rank the next few centers differently and the return was excellent. Otherwise, never trade back here.
With that 23rd you would hope Fiddler or Boumedienne.
With that 23rd you would hope Fiddler or Boumedienne.
Porter Stoutheart
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If Hagens and Frondell or gone, I would "reach" for a C. I'm not sure it's THAT much of a "reach", tbh, since I like Desnoyers or even McQueen about the same as Frondell.
With Martone, I just keep hearing that it's about pace and speed and all that, and while he has size, he's not really that nasty as a PF. i.e. he's NOT a Tkachuk. We have Wood already as a big winger who has skill but may have some pace issues. Somebody else can go Martone.
Fiddler sounds good. I haven't liked what I've heard about Boumedienne from the U18 especially. Of course I don't really scout them, I just read boxscores, blurbs, and posts by others who either watch them or pretend to. But I don't really like what I hear about Boumedienne at all?
glenngineer
Registered User
I'm saying in general. People get too concerned about us not getting a center this draft. If the best player for us is a winger at 5, you take the winger and hope they turn into something more than expected, rather than taking a C that might be a 2C.
New mock on the Athletic but they didn't update our draft positions.
5: Hagens
26: Ravensbergen
30: Ihs-Wozniak
35: William Moore
57: Drew Schock
5: Hagens
26: Ravensbergen
30: Ihs-Wozniak
35: William Moore
57: Drew Schock
herzausstein
Registered User
Can't say I'm the biggest fan. Spending our later 1st on a goalie and RW and not drafting a dman until late 2nd isn't my ideal choice.
Then some of the commentary with the picks...
Wozniak fills the need in the system for a right shot winger.... just ignore Wood, Evangelista, Kemell, Gojsic, Fink, Marques, O'Hara, Norringer. You can argue quality sure but we actually have a fair amount of prospects that are right shot wingers. 2 are former 1st rounders too.
Moore on his best days looks like a legit NHLer. Not sure how to take that to be honest. But other draft profiles of him seem promising.
Shock seems like a good fit for a later 2nd round pick.
I could probably get behind most these choices assuming my preferred options are taken beforehand but not taking Hensler, Brzustewics, or Kettles with one of those picks seems shortsighted when our RHD group is suspect at best.
Kat Predator
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I think of the RHD group as a collection of Cracker Jacks box toy surprises.
Porter Stoutheart
Feliz Cinco De Lotto
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I think "in this draft" builds in the general consensus that there are mostly centers in our draft range this year anyway, though?
Like, there is nobody but Martone who is a winger who is even in the picture at #5? So unless you think Martone is definitely better than all the centers (I don't) then it's kind of a moot point? Because almost everybody ranked around our spot is at least playing center now, even if we don't know for sure what the future holds for them. 
Martone added to team Canada, that's a pretty decent feather in his cap.
Scoresberg
In Trotz We Trust?
Good for us. Let's hope he plays really well to put some more eyes on him.
Gnashville
I’m Your Huckleberry
That would mean he is drafted higher by Utah or Chicago! I would prefer not to have him in the division
Scoresberg
In Trotz We Trust?
Armourboy
Hey! We suck!
Yeah people should remember when talking about the top of this draft, some of these guys wouldn't even be in the top 10 during a good draft year. Think the Yakupov draft vs the McKinnon draft.
Byrddog
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Splitting hairs on who to take at this point is really unnecessary. Unless there is somehow a bonifide 1C is available the team needs high end wingers centers in all 4 lines and Dmen from top thru third pairing. It really supports taking the best available. Unlike the Seth Jones pick which should have been a true draft for need instead of drafting a guy that was not going to have a top 4 slot here.
The biggest concern will be not drafting a high end NHL guy with the Preds draft history. There should be no expectation that this pick will fill a roster spot right away. There will be plenty of time to allow him to cook before needed to make a bigger impact. The impatience from fans will probably force the guy on the roster earlier than need be. Of all the guys in the pipeline Wood looks to be the top guy right now and if I were betting he is on the roster opening day when he should spend at least a half season in Milwaukee. But the Preds gonna do what the Preds do put the guy in stunt his career like they have always done in the past.
The biggest concern will be not drafting a high end NHL guy with the Preds draft history. There should be no expectation that this pick will fill a roster spot right away. There will be plenty of time to allow him to cook before needed to make a bigger impact. The impatience from fans will probably force the guy on the roster earlier than need be. Of all the guys in the pipeline Wood looks to be the top guy right now and if I were betting he is on the roster opening day when he should spend at least a half season in Milwaukee. But the Preds gonna do what the Preds do put the guy in stunt his career like they have always done in the past.
Wait, since when are the Preds known for undercooking prospects?
Kat Predator
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The pattern is more like, whatever glimpses of competence Wood flashed at the end of last season will be the highlight of his Preds career. He'll be bounced down to Milwaukee because of his waiver exemption, yoyoed up and down with injuries and waiver wire claims, and then when he "gets his chance" he'll be stapled to a line of other kids and get maybe 8 to 10 shifts of 5v5 if he's lucky.
Then Trotz will waive him (the unlike button) and he'll become a steady, competent NHL player for some other organization.
Predsanddead24
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Byrddog
Lifer
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They have always brought guys to the lineup that should have played more games before throwing them in. I'm sure your referencing the young guys of the last say 4 years that you feel deserve a chance but when you look at there ages and their performance all they do is glut the bottom 6. Teams that build real powerhouses have guys they trade because there is no roster spot on the big club. Tampa will lose two of these guys this summer it would be smart if Trotz looked at guys like that. In the past Druion, Conner Ingram, Carter Verhaghe, and numerous others had no spot. Can you honestly say the Preds have done this ? The closest was Tolvannan. It's more about installing a system that develops the player and the GM creating a spot for them at the right time. I do not recall that ever happening here. It's always promote a player that you are unsure of in a NHL setting. Mistakes lijlke Tolvannan happen. it will not happen but i would like to see Trotz retain on Stammer send him back to Tampa for the guys they have roster ready now. Yzerman put that development system in place hr has yet to get it done in Detroit the biggest reason imo is the wings ownership and what Holland did there.
Right now the entire hockey operations staff here looks more inept than Poiles bunch. can andcwill Trotz be allowed to make the changes? Or will the same impatience force players up before there optimum time? playing every day in Milwaukee as a young player is much better than playing a game every few days getting sent down to get a few games in. in anyway how does that progress a player???? How can you hold a player responsible ????? What you get into in the end is firing coaches every couple years and changing GM's . Thats the direction the Preds are headed, Buffalo had been caught in that for a decade. They have drafted top talent each year but never hold on to a coach long enough to get them rowing in the same direction. So yes the Preds are guilty of undercooking they are also slipping into the rotating coach mess which may be why Trotz has refused to fire Burnette. The fanbase has been caught in the middle of watching a one line offense since the cup final year. This has left fans yearning for new blood no matter how unprepared they are. i have seen people here promoting that these guys have nothing left to learn in the AHL thats not a good thing for a team. Game experience is far better at a lower level than struggling in the NHL riding the pressbox express half the time or more. Evety poster here made comments about young guys riding the splinter express thru the last couple seasons. and there point is right when a guy is brought up its not to rotate with underperforming players. Things have to change top to bottom and some things indicate they are. The end goal is putting together a team to take that next step not just making the playoffs but being s true contender in a window. Otherwise it could be like the Toronto twam thst missed the playoffs 17 straight years.
NoNecksCurse
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The vibe seems to be Hagens (if he falls) or McQueen.
I hope NoNeck makes the right call.
I hope NoNeck makes the right call.
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