2026 NHL Draft: We won #2! Reid or Stenberg for the win; taking Verhoeff is a drafting sin!

[Grinner]

And still no defense.

Work in progress
Nobody we would draft on D could be expected to help right away anyhow.
We already added one RD

 

[Juxtaposer]

Kinda convinced some of you haven't watched much Rudolph tape and your just saying what you're hearing or seeing. Out of any of the D he probably had the most impressive second half of the season. In the playoffs he blew the doors off everyone they ran into, while his peers just didn't. Highest offensive potential of any D in the draft imo, creative, wicked release, and a great skater. From pro scouts are intensity and physicality. Kinda spooky but I don't see it much more than any of the others. I've watched him take a hit to set up successful puck retrieval. I've seen him separate the man from the puck during skate in zone entries.

Anyone saying this is lying. He’s the most soft, lackadaisical guy in this range.

The real question is, is he talented enough to overcome this? Noah Dobson did, and he fell to #12 or something for that reason.

 

[SJS1991]

Have to give Grier some credit @coooldude posted that one quote from a scout that said if you want a defenseman in this class “trade back”.

Grier did that by getting 9OA.

He can just sit there and wait for either Šmits, Verhoeff or Daxon to fall to him.

Because McKenna, Stenberg, Malhotra, Viggo, Reid and Carels are 6 of the 8 before SJ at 9OA.

And that’s not even adding Gustafsson.

 

[OversKy]

Anyone saying this is lying. He’s the most soft, lackadaisical guy in this range.

The real question is, is he talented enough to overcome this? Noah Dobson did, and he fell to #12 or something for that reason.

I think he's bored. This game is a pretty good example of him cracking the game open and settling into solid D.

 

[OversKy]

Have to give Grier some credit @coooldude posted that one quote from a scout that said if you want a defenseman in this class “trade back”.

Grier did that by getting 9OA.

He can just sit there and wait for either Šmits, Verhoeff or Daxon to fall to him.

Because McKenna, Stenberg, Malhotra, Viggo, Reid and Carels are 6 of the 8 before SJ at 9OA.

And that’s not even adding Gustafsson.

I'd be happy with any of the front running D but Gustafsson there. I have favorites but I think they all have excellent qualities. Don't see the upside with Gustafsson comparatively.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think he's bored. This game is a pretty good example of him cracking the game open and settling into solid D.

Being bored while being mediocre at best defensively 75% of the time is a red flag to me. It’s your draft year. Act like it.

 

[coooldude]

I'd be happy with any of the front running D but Gustafsson there. I have favorites but I think they all have excellent qualities. Don't see the upside with Gustafsson comparatively.

I see it with Gus. I have him over Carels and Rudolph. But this entire draft is full of disagreement and uncertainty.

Being bored while being mediocre at best defensively 75% of the time is a red flag to me. It’s your draft year. Act like it.

I would agree and go a step further. It's elite hockey, act like it.

Rudolph is a Brandt Clarke level guy, Dobson if he's lucky, and you don't build teams around those guys in my opinion.

 

[OversKy]

Being bored while being mediocre at best defensively 75% of the time is a red flag to me. It’s your draft year. Act like it.

Defensively he is above average, I would even say he gets back better than most. He just uses more shoves and stick work in open ice. It's the physicality and not really actively cutting off passing lanes once the Raiders would get sustained D-Zone play I take as kinda lazy. Instead he seems to pick the net front man more often which is very limiting.

 

[OversKy]

I see it with Gus. I have him over Carels and Rudolph. But this entire draft is full of disagreement and uncertainty.

I would agree and go a step further. It's elite hockey, act like it.

Rudolph is a Brandt Clarke level guy, Dobson if he's lucky, and you don't build teams around those guys in my opinion.

My thoughts around Gus are kinda my thoughts around what I've heard Smits lower end projection might be. Kind of a Romanov skillset. Great Skater, great hits, and probably above average defensively at the least. I haven't seen too much tape on Gus but what I did see didn't impress me with offense or puck movement.