ATD2025 Draft Thread

[Hockey Stathead]

Detroit picks Syd Howe, LW/C

 

[BenchBrawl]

Looking to trade down from upcoming pick 126th.

PM me if you wanna move up

 

[Dr Pepper]

Dawson City selects Harry Cameron, D

Noted teammate of Cy Denneny - and Frank Nighbor, coincidentally - Harry will slot in as a top pairing d-man.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Dawson City selects Harry Cameron, D

View attachment 976075


Noted teammate of Cy Denneny - and Frank Nighbor, coincidentally - Harry will slot in as a top pairing d-man.

Cameron is a great partner for Stevens, and even more on a Gretzky team.

 

[VanIslander]

I wanna move up from 142... pm me

 

[Boreal01]

HC Lugano is proud to select Marian Hossa, RW

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

HC Lugano is proud to select Sweeney Schriner, LW

I don't know why he doesn't go in this range all the time.

Dawson City selects Harvey "Busher" Jackson, LW/D

View attachment 975900

Had a look at the ATD bio mentioned above. Historical knock on Jackson has been defensive irresponsibility- but then, C. Conacher had been painted with that brush, too- and I think there's plenty of evidence to show that (in the case of Conacher), that's overblown. Is it overblown with Jackson, too? The Sturminator bio shows that there are quotes both praising and maligning his back-checking. To me, this suggests variable effort.

Of course, if one selects an All-Time "Put-Them-On-Dry-Island" team, Jackson's probably your starting LW. Maybe some of the variable effort can be put down to that.

Maybe this is too off-topic for the ATD thread, but do you (or does anyone) have any sense of how Quackenbush performed in the playoffs? I feel like I know virtually nothing about how he performed in the postseason.

Well, if anyone can dredge newspaper quotes praising Quackenbush's playoff chops, it'll be IE. The statistical record shows deep runs but no cigar. Of course, his most noteworthy losses were to Dynasty Toronto (with Detroit) & Dynasty Montreal (with Boston). The trade to Boston looks like a ghastly return for Detroit- but (at that time) they had a "something-left-in-the-tank" Sid Abel, Prime Lindsay, Young Howe, Young Kelly, and (a little later) white-hot-peak Sawchuk- so that franchise could easily survive one dodgy trade.

Interesting fun-fact from The Playoffs is that Quackenbush's penalty-rate actually declined to an even lower ratio that his (already low) regular season penalty-rate. How much of this can be put down to Quackenbush's situational awareness, and how much can be put down to the "tighter whistles in Playoffs" semi-urban legend? That's unknown to me...

 

[BenchBrawl]

Just woke up. Les Canadiens select Art Coulter, D.

Will be Brian Leetch's partner and form the core of Montreal's leadership with Bill Cook.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I don't know why he doesn't go in this range all the time.

Had a look at the ATD bio mentioned above. Historical knock on Jackson has been defensive irresponsibility- but then, C. Conacher had been painted with that brush, too- and I think there's plenty of evidence to show that (in the case of Conacher), that's overblown. Is it overblown with Jackson, too? The Sturminator bio shows that there are quotes both praising and maligning his back-checking. To me, this suggests variable effort.

Of course, if one selects an All-Time "Put-Them-On-Dry-Island" team, Jackson's probably your starting LW. Maybe some of the variable effort can be put down to that.

I wasn't referring to his defensive play specifically, but to the precise descriptions of how talented he was. For example, being able to take two strides on one skate, being clever against goalies, or being singled out for his ability to absorb garbage passes. Plus the usual about his stickhandling, his shot, etc. And his physicality.

 

[GKJ]

Gallifrey picks "the tank" LW Vladimir Krutov.

This allows us to form KSM line, where Sakic is significant upgrade to the undrafted Soviet. Considering how well the original line did we feel confident that our 1st line will get the job done. (They will also have familiar presense on blueline in Vasiliev for additional chemistry points + Kelly for the stud 1D to replace Fetisov)

Mahovlich drops to 2nd line and brings big scoring threat for that line.

I nearly look Krutov so I’m glad I was on the right beat. I’ll have my pick in a bit when I get a break at work

 

[VanIslander]

HC Lugano is proud to select Marian Hossa, RW

I have RAVED about Hossa often on HfBoards, was an active poster on the Thrasher board ONLY because of Hossa. But **** in my cornflakes Pittsburgh? Then Chicago. I... i became less focused, but still cheering HIM when facing my teams (i never like Pitts and 'Cago.

Hossa is strong on his skates, an aspect Forsberg and another fav has. He can absorb hits and keep puck possession. He doesn't float when the other team has the puck: he neither anticipates nor lollygags, he takes his man or rushes the puck: he's a hound.

Hossa set the franchise record with a 100-point Atlanta Thrasher season (i proudly wore the logo on a long-sleeved tee for a few years because of him). Videos galore online. ... Now? I can't find any of them. The Winnipeg Jets scrubbed? *shrug*

This is all i can find today:

 

[nabby12]

@GKJ

 

[GKJ]

When I was a kid, I was not the biggest fan of him, but I appreciate him much more now like I should have then. Welcome back to Philadelphia: #88 Eric Lindros

 

[VanIslander]

This is EXACYLY where Lindros belongs: 2nd line on an all-time team. His head-down health-compromising style of play just needs a depth option later to cover for injuries.

He and Mario cruised through minors but have had their clocks cleaned in the NHL. He, unfortunately, suffered more from it than 66.

 

[BenchBrawl]

This is EXACYLY where Lindros belongs: 2nd line on an all-time team. His head-down health-compromising style of play just needs a depth option later to cover for injuries.

He and Mario cruised through minors but have had their clocks cleaned in the NHL. He, unfortunately, suffered more from it than 66.

Mario didn't get his clock cleaned on anything approaching a regular basis in the NHL.

Hitting Mario with a devastating hit like it happened a dozen times to Lindros wasn't easy, because Lemieux played with his head up.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

This is EXACYLY where Lindros belongs: 2nd line on an all-time team. His head-down health-compromising style of play just needs a depth option later to cover for injuries.

He and Mario cruised through minors but have had their clocks cleaned in the NHL. He, unfortunately, suffered more from it than 66.

I remember Mario getting more dirty stuff (slashes, spears, holds, etc.) than getting caught with his head down and laid out by big body checks like Lindros did. To me, clock-cleaned only applies to the latter (or a fight).

EDIT: In fact I don't think I can recall a single instance of him getting caught with his head down like that, not to say it didn't happen EVER, but not like it did to Lindros.

 

[VanIslander]

Mario didn't get his clock cleaned on anything approaching a pattern.

I will post two clips later, should be able to post one of three by the pesky 5'11Lithuanian who Mario afterwards asked the team to acquire.

No one has ever ATD'd Kasparaitis:

 

[BenchBrawl]

I will post two clips later, should be able to post one of three by the pesky 5'11Lithuanian who Mario afterwards asked the team to acquire.

I'm not saying it didn't happen, I'm saying it wasn't a pattern anymore than for any other player.

You play hundreds of games in the NHL as a covered star stuff will happen.

I will post two clips later, should be able to post one of three by the pesky 5'11Lithuanian who Mario afterwards asked the team to acquire.

No one has ever ATD'd Kasparaitis:

OK so? Kasparaitis throwing dirty punches in the middle of the play twice. Good for him. Not exactly comparable to Lindros who had a structural breach in his style of play exposing him to severe concussions.

Did Mario even left the game?

 

[BenchBrawl]

When I was a kid, I was not the biggest fan of him, but I appreciate him much more now like I should have then. Welcome back to Philadelphia: #88 Eric Lindros

View attachment 976254

All that said, Lindros is a good pick here. If I wasn't in a tough spot with my defense I would have picked him up. Exactly the style of center that would fit great with Firsov.

 

[VanIslander]

Agreed, Lindros didn't 'heads up' as often as Mario, played more bullish unabashed and physical, hence inviting contact.

The end result was similar though: smaller guy headshots head down bigger guy.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Agreed, Lindros didn't 'heads up' as often as Mario, played more bullish unabashed and physical, hence inviting contact.

The end result was similar though: smaller guy headshots head down bigger guy.

This must be psychedelical logic. I love it. You should write a book, create a new academic field at the frontier of logic, philosophy and psychiatry.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Agreed, Lindros didn't 'heads up' as often as Mario, played more bullish unabashed and physical, hence inviting contact.

The end result was similar though: smaller guy headshots head down bigger guy.

Head shots were not an issue for Mario's career, if anything it was the clutching, grabbing, hooking, etc. that took a toll on his back, whereas Lindros powered through that stuff, but had major concussion issues from head shots. Two different animals, but back to your original point, neither had those issues in juniors.


EDIT: Both of those issues have been significantly dampened in today's game, would be fun to see those guys dominate without those hinderances.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Mario is the most naturally gifted player I've ever had the fortune of seeing live, and I was a teenager the last time that happened, so I surely didn't appreciate it as much as I do today.

I think a lot of people, especially my age and younger, forget how big Mario was and how natural he was on skates. He was 6'4'' 215-220 and could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Puck/stick handling at any speed, vision, the list keeps going.

He's the only player who would be on Gretzky's level in raw offensive totals, removing time missed due to illness/injury. I'm not saying he would have definitively passed 99, but certainly would have been close. I don't think he personally would have, as their situations upon entering the NHL were quite different. Gretzky was coming into an expansion franchise already being built to win from day 1 (look at their roster in year 1/2), whereas the Penguins in the mid 80's were an absolute trainwreck of a team and it took a solid 5 years until they became truly relevant.

GPG - Mario .754 (2nd all time, barely behind Bossy, Gretz was .061)
APG - Mario 1.129 (2nd all time, behind Gretz at 1.320)
PPG - Mario 1.883 (2nd all time, behind Gretz at 1.921, McDavid is next well behind at 1.517)

Consider after missing almost TWO years, he came back, at 30, in 1995-96, and led the league in goals (69), assists (92). points (161), PPG (31), SHG (8), in 70 games, sweeping all the major hardware. I had seen him live a few times in the early 90's when my parents would take us out for the family reunions in Pitt, and those were some exciting years as a Pitt fan, but I don't recall them with as much clarity as I do watching 66 in 95-96. He still played the game at a higher level than a much younger Jagr for example. He outscored Sakic (26 years old) by 41 points, in 12 fewer games.

Him playing not long after receiving cancer treatment and having severe back problems simultaneously, is still the biggest testament to Mario's toughness and courage.

He and Bobby Orr are the 2 biggest what-if's in history, IMHO.