C Samuel Honzek - Vancouver Giants, WHL (2023, 16th, CGY)

[pgfan66]

I expect he'll go top ten. I really like some of the smaller skilled players, but how do you pick those guys over Samuel Honzek? Big frame, swift skater, skilled, kills penalties, has experience at center... he's an NHLer all the way.

Personally I’m not sure I’d draft him in the first round. Tons of players I like over him. This is nothing against Honzek, I do like him. But I see him as a middle-six winger in the NHL. He just has scouts drooling over his size.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I like Honzek a lot but top 10 is way too rich.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Personally I’m not sure I’d draft him in the first round. Tons of players I like over him. This is nothing against Honzek, I do like him. But I see him as a middle-six winger in the NHL. He just has scouts drooling over his size.

This is my view as well.

I see him in a similar vein to Pavel Zacha. I think it’s more worthwhile to swing for higher upside with picks in the teens and early twenties. This is a really good draft class.

 

[Antiillafire]

Personally I’m not sure I’d draft him in the first round. Tons of players I like over him. This is nothing against Honzek, I do like him. But I see him as a middle-six winger in the NHL. He just has scouts drooling over his size.

Is there a single Slovak player you like?

 

[pgfan66]

I like Dvorsky, Honzek, Strbak, Pekarcik, Misiak, Ciernik, Urban.

 

[Chainshot]

This is my view as well.

I see him in a similar vein to Pavel Zacha. I think it’s more worthwhile to swing for higher upside with picks in the teens and early twenties. This is a really good draft class.

I wonder if he gets a bump just based on old habits of looking for big players in a sea of guys who are in that 178cm/5'10"-183cm/6' range they are seeking someone just taller/bigger rather than measuring it just against talent.

 

[BondraTime]

Think he will be a top 20 pick, top 15 very possible

 

[Lavar Ball]

I think he settles into the 15-25 range. He has good skill for a player his size

 

[Hale The Villain]

Getting sold short in this thread.

Lot of talent and IQ in a 6'3 frame. Sneaky good skater for his size too.

Needs to bulk up but once he does he could be a force.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I like this player a lot in the 12-18 range, but I’ll die laughing if he goes over Benson.

 

[Bombshell11]

Better than McCarron but top 10?

I can see some teams with multiple first round picks gambling on him between 19-31. St-Louis most likely.

Quality bottom 6 player

 

[Castle8130]

Better than McCarron but top 10?

I can see some teams with multiple first round picks gambling on him between 19-31. St-Louis most likely.

Quality bottom 6 player

Honzek is in the 9-20 range. Guys with his size and natural strength don't last very long. Teams see Honzek as a top 6 forward, not bottom 6.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I like Honzek a lot but top 10 is way too rich.

Damn I was thinking I wanted him at the bottom of the 1st, but thought I might be reaching. Didn't realize he was in that top 20 convo now.

 

[Hinterland]

Getting sold short in this thread.

Lot of talent and IQ in a 6'3 frame. Sneaky good skater for his size too.

Needs to bulk up but once he does he could be a force.

Exactly. I like his tools, he's just being too conservative using them. Might also be his playing style but I expect him to try to do more offensively and improve his decision making once he finished growing into his body. Pretty good shot already which should improve as well with more power/weight and a better shot selection.

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

I have him top 10 personally. His game was really starting to come around right before he got hurt at the WJC. Also, at that point, he was scoring at a 1.6 ppg rate which would be almost unheard of for a rookie, considering almost all his production was at even strength and the Giants were truly terrible offensively this season. Probably rushed back too early, from his injury. But his package of size, skating, skill, and production does not come around that often. I also expect him to play center next year for the Giants and I could easily see teams projecting him as a center.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

I'm a big fan. Good skater, can use his size, excellent hands/vision/offensive IQ, heavy shot. Plays the PK too? Even better.

Still raw but tons to like here. Not to mention 6'4 & could possibly play C. Top 15 for me.

 

[superdeluxe]

I’d love to take him at 20 if he is still there for the kraken

 

[rt]

I’m a big fan. Always impressed me when I watched the Giants. I’ve got him 11th on my list.

 

[BKarchitect]

Earlier this season he’s who I wanted for the Avs. Seems like zero chance he falls that far now. Damn.

 

[TK 421]

Earlier this season he’s who I wanted for the Avs. Seems like zero chance he falls that far now. Damn.

He's gone at one of 9th(DET), 10th(STL) or 17th(DET). No way he survives that string of picks from the Wings and Blues who had the most discussions with him.

 

[TheUnusedCrayon]

Exactly. I like his tools, he's just being too conservative using them. Might also be his playing style but I expect him to try to do more offensively and improve his decision making once he finished growing into his body. Pretty good shot already which should improve as well with more power/weight and a better shot selection.

Exactly how I see him too. Has the shiny tools but he'd rather keep them hung up in the garage to look at as opposed to use them. He has a chance to be the guy but that kind of mentality shift doesn't usually just come up out of nowhere.

 

[Reddwit]

He's gone at one of 9th(DET), 10th(STL) or 17th(DET). No way he survives that string of picks from the Wings and Blues who had the most discussions with him.

Yeah, he’s absolutely gone by 17. Detroit is hot and heavy for Honzek it seems, so the question is whether he goes as high as 9 or as low as 17. Bet it’s somewhere in between.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I think Detroit takes him with 17th overall.

 

[Hale The Villain]

I think Detroit takes him with 17th overall.

Better chance they take him 9th than him falling to 17th overall.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Better chance they take him 9th than him falling to 17th overall.

Oh?