Just read through the "Blackbook" from HockeyProspect. Lots of takes I agree with and saw for myself, lots of takes I disagree with as well. I think they get a lot more live viewings than I could ever hope for which are a lot better than watching iso videos or trying to pickup a player in a game video.
I have to agree with a lot of their assessment on Bjorck. He's extremely talented and there is a really good chance he ends up the best player from this draft. But the question of sticking at Center is not something that can be overlooked. But even as a winger there is a really good chance he's a more productive player than Stenberg will be. They are kind of neck and neck for me a little bit but I'm still leaning Stenberg because I like his IQ more. Bjorck is a buzzsaw though but the NHL is a different beast than even the World Championships, especially come playoff time. A lot of these small buzzsaw guys either continue doing what they are doing or get smacked by a Zadorov trying to drive the net and end up sticking to the perimeter for the rest of their days. I just don't know how it will go for him which makes it a bit of a risk but I'm still on board with him on the Jets.
The more I keep watching of Malhotra the more I'm impressed by him. He's now passed Stenberg for #2 on my list. We are getting into the last week so there is a bit of a crunch time. Trying to get more viewings of guys and making adjustments. I've done a deep dive on the OHL and keep coming out not being sold on Reid. I'm glad he's likely going high because I'm not sure he has the chops to be a #1. But the odds of him being a solid 2-3 type of guy are definitely there I think. The skill and skating are elite and he could put it all together but there is a definite lackadaisical mental game there from what I can see. For that I've now got him as the #4 defencemen in the class. But with the caveat that if he puts it all together he could be the best in class and I think that is so much of what is driving his consensus rankings.
I've read through HP's writeups on the Rucks and it keeps coming down to the skating angle which is the biggest knock on them. But the hockey sense is so sky high with these two. I still think they are liklely the smartest players in the class on the ice and it's not close. When they are together it multiplies it and if you get them together and with the right kind of linemate the sky is the limit. They are small for sure and that will be something they need to overcome but if they can put in the work and get their skating to that Tavares kind of level they can more than make up for it.
I have to agree with a lot of their assessment on Bjorck. He's extremely talented and there is a really good chance he ends up the best player from this draft. But the question of sticking at Center is not something that can be overlooked. But even as a winger there is a really good chance he's a more productive player than Stenberg will be. They are kind of neck and neck for me a little bit but I'm still leaning Stenberg because I like his IQ more. Bjorck is a buzzsaw though but the NHL is a different beast than even the World Championships, especially come playoff time. A lot of these small buzzsaw guys either continue doing what they are doing or get smacked by a Zadorov trying to drive the net and end up sticking to the perimeter for the rest of their days. I just don't know how it will go for him which makes it a bit of a risk but I'm still on board with him on the Jets.
The more I keep watching of Malhotra the more I'm impressed by him. He's now passed Stenberg for #2 on my list. We are getting into the last week so there is a bit of a crunch time. Trying to get more viewings of guys and making adjustments. I've done a deep dive on the OHL and keep coming out not being sold on Reid. I'm glad he's likely going high because I'm not sure he has the chops to be a #1. But the odds of him being a solid 2-3 type of guy are definitely there I think. The skill and skating are elite and he could put it all together but there is a definite lackadaisical mental game there from what I can see. For that I've now got him as the #4 defencemen in the class. But with the caveat that if he puts it all together he could be the best in class and I think that is so much of what is driving his consensus rankings.
I've read through HP's writeups on the Rucks and it keeps coming down to the skating angle which is the biggest knock on them. But the hockey sense is so sky high with these two. I still think they are liklely the smartest players in the class on the ice and it's not close. When they are together it multiplies it and if you get them together and with the right kind of linemate the sky is the limit. They are small for sure and that will be something they need to overcome but if they can put in the work and get their skating to that Tavares kind of level they can more than make up for it.
