Confirmed with Link: Canadiens Will Pick 5th (Hughes Presser in OP) NO POLITICS

[Draft]

Would you guys be satisfied with Smith?

I've got other players I prefer, but I don't think we'd be making an enormous mistake.

Wary, but excited? He's got lots to work on all over the ice, but what he does well, he does exceptionally well. Reminds me of Caufield in that way.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They will take Leonard if not Smith. I’m pretty sure.

I'm not so sure. He doesn't win the positional value against anywhere and I don't think he's gonna be considered more talented than anyone.

I like Leonard but I just don't know if that's their guy at 5.

 

[SOLR]

It's very likely whoever is left between Smith and Michkov.

But as we all know it isn't like Hughes is saying things the Hawks and Sharks org have said. Possibly to our detriment that we would pass if Smith goes top 4.

If you don't take Michkov, who else has a profile that's special?

I come to two names.
David Reinbacher & Matthew Wood.

Reinbacher point production in the Swiss league for a draft eligible is unheard of. That's special production. We see on the ice the tools match.

Matthew Wood, we know the feet, but everything else is special. One of the best u17 seasons in BCHL history. One of the best u18 seasons in the NCAA. One of the best U18s for Canada.

I'd say the 3rd would be Dvorsky, more for what he did as a D-1. But his production in the J20 was also pretty substantial. The allsvenskan numbers are what casts doubt and puts him at the 3 spot of the group.

With a small % of Carlsson

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

How does a poster say I'm 80% sure Columbus picks Carlsson over Smith and 70% sure Grier takes Michkov over Smith?

It's just putting a number on one's sense of the chances.

I think we are just making light fun of it, more tongue in cheek.

That being said the 5%-95% Dubois comment was a little over the top.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I still doubt Hughes will select Michkov.

He could trade pick #5 + Harris for Dubois and Jet's own #1 pick (#18).

I really love Hughes and Gorton so far but this would really make me question them. Dubois seems determined to be a UFA, if they want him then make a reasonable offer to him next offseason.

 

[26Mats]

Good interview about Will Smith from the play by play guy for the USNDTP.

Highlights: Will Smith is fast with high IQ, comparables are Jack Hughes and a better scorer and less selfish Matt Barzal.

Also: intersting to hear about the USNTDP. Makes me wonder if Quebec shouldn't do something like this to develop more NHL Quebecers...

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Would you guys be satisfied with Smith?

Smith at 5 would be great, but Michkov is still preferable

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

My car has been in the shop a month and a half.. you wanna talk about long, lol

What do you drive?

 

[TomKosto]

Good interview about Will Smith from the play by play guy for the USNDTP.

Highlights: Will Smith is fast with high IQ, comparables are Jack Hughes and a better scorer and less selfish Matt Barzal.

Also: intersting to hear about the USNTDP. Makes me wonder if Quebec shouldn't do something like this to develop more NHL Quebecers...

Is Smith that good of a skater? If yes, I'm all in.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Good interview about Will Smith from the play by play guy for the USNDTP.

Highlights: Will Smith is fast with high IQ, comparables are Jack Hughes and a better scorer and less selfish Matt Barzal.

Also: intersting to hear about the USNTDP. Makes me wonder if Quebec shouldn't do something like this to develop more NHL Quebecers...

That likely wouldn't help Quebec develop more NHLers just like there is little evidence that the USNDTP is developing NHLers who wouldn't have become NHLers anyways. Rounding up the top talent to play on one team is entirely geared towards international success as these kids will have grown together and that will be of benefit well into their professional careers. The U.S. has an advantage at every tournament entirely based on the USNDTP while other top nations are throwing together team's at the last minute.

If Quebec wants to develop more players then build more arena's and make the game more accessible to lower income families.

 

[dinodebino]

For those impatient posters who are expecting a playoff team next year…well da boss says to be (more) patient.Le Canadien | Une reconstruction est nécessaire pour gagner, selon Geoff Molson

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Rebuilt: necessary, as per Molson (in French)

For those impatient posters who are expecting a playoff team next year…well da boss says to be (more) patient.

404 on the link brother

 

[26Mats]

That's a good review

Same dude did one on Michkov. I also found it interesting. He says Michkov plays both well in open space as well as always looking to go into traffic for a scoring chance, which is very atypical of a European undersized player.

I must admit, usually when I watch Michkov videos I think Caufield. This time, I found myself thinking Brendan Gallagher often, as well as Jack Hughes.

 

[sheed36]

Rebuilt: necessary, as per Molson (in French)

For those impatient posters who are expecting a playoff team next year…well da boss says to be (more) patient.

Hopefully drafting Michkov (if there @ 5) and then having him come over to the Habs in 3 years is us being more patient Geoff b'y. Just sayin..

 

[OnTheRun]

404 on the link brother

Le Canadien | Une reconstruction est nécessaire pour gagner, selon Geoff Molson

Geoff Molson l’admet sans hésiter : avant de remonter vers les sommets, le Canadien devra perdre encore un peu.

www.lapresse.ca

 

[Goldenhands]

It's very likely whoever is left between Smith and Michkov.

But as we all know it isn't like Hughes is saying things the Hawks and Sharks org have said. Possibly to our detriment that we would pass if Smith goes top 4.

If you don't take Michkov, who else has a profile that's special?

I come to two names.
David Reinbacher & Matthew Wood.

Reinbacher point production in the Swiss league for a draft eligible is unheard of. That's special production. We see on the ice the tools match.

Matthew Wood, we know the feet, but everything else is special. One of the best u17 seasons in BCHL history. One of the best u18 seasons in the NCAA. One of the best U18s for Canada.

I'd say the 3rd would be Dvorsky, more for what he did as a D-1. But his production in the J20 was also pretty substantial. The allsvenskan numbers are what casts doubt and puts him at the 3 spot of the group.

Cant see any scenario where Wood is picked ahead of Dvorsky or Leonard.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Is Smith that good of a skater? If yes, I'm all in.

His skating is ok, certainly not great. It is not a strength at this point but should not be a problem either, the comparison to Hughes and Barzal are idiotic but for some reason we are listening to a ridiculous play by play guy lol.

I have been a fan of Smith's for a while and think his upside is really high, his greatest strength with regards to how he uses motion to create offence is deception and anticipation. He has decent speed but mechanically he is quite flawed, if he can straighten out his mechanics, specifically ankle flexion and a little deeper knee bend then he can really take a step forward but these things are just so difficult to predict. It is hard to say if these are biomechanical issues or if they are more lower body strength related without working with him personally.

Comparing him to such explosive and incredibly dynamic skaters like Hughes and Barzal is to be expected from a play by play guy who views the game through a layman's lens.

 

[Milhouse40]

Le Canadien | Une reconstruction est nécessaire pour gagner, selon Geoff Molson

Geoff Molson l’admet sans hésiter : avant de remonter vers les sommets, le Canadien devra perdre encore un peu.

www.lapresse.ca

Ha Molson......I don't think he knows what a rebuild is but it's typical for him to get out now and say this while he should have said it a year and half ago.

There's a reason he says in the same breath:
- Our fans won't have to wait too long
- We enter year 2 of our rebuild next season

Like last year when we finished deadlast, fired everyone, sold everything we could and ended up with 1st overall wasn't part of that rebuild.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Same dude did one on Michkov. I also found it interesting. He says Michkov plays both well in open space as well as always looking to go into traffic for a scoring chance, which is very atypical of a European undersized player.

I must admit, usually when I watch Michkov videos I think Caufield. This time, I found myself thinking Brendan Gallagher often, as well as Jack Hughes.

Not just because they are both Russian as I try to avoid comparing players due to birthplace, but I think Kaprizov is by far the closest comparison. He is a better shooter and therein lies the excitement especially if he continues to bulk up like Kaprizov did. They are both players that are dynamic in tight areas due to their hands and low center of gravity/balance and both exhibit high hockey IQ that helps them to map the ice and to identify evolving passing/shooting escape lanes.

 

[ZUKI]

With Michkov picked 4OA, Smith is the closest thing to a consensus 5OA.

Consensus ? what it does mean ? i never saw that word here

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Would you guys be satisfied with Smith?

For sure if the other top 4 are picked Smith at 5 is best far the best but if Smith is #4 Michkov gotta be #5 .

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Ha Molson......I don't think he knows what a rebuild is but it's typical for him to get out now and say this while he should have said it a year and half ago.

There's a reason he says in the same breath:
- Our fans won't have to wait too long
- We enter year 2 of our rebuild next season

Like last year when we finished deadlast, fired everyone, sold everything we could and ended up with 1st overall wasn't part of that rebuild.

It could be argued that the year leading up to taking Slafkovsky was more of a tear down as HuGo had just taken over and had not yet been able to fully construct and implement their plan. They took over a team that was assembled with the intention of returning to the playoffs and there was no thought of a rebuild built into the construction of the team that they had just inherited.This past season was the first that HuGo had people/systems in place that weren't so tainted by the previous regime and could truly start building hence the grounds for Molson's comment.

Not sure why any of this matters anyways as it is mostly semantics and we needn't try and find fault where it is not to be found.

 

[Kennerback]

Consensus ? what it does mean ? i never saw that word here

Just among the public media rankings. TSN, Athletic, CSS, etc…. Smith is “usually” the guy left on their board when the 4 others are gone.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Just among the public media rankings. TSN, Athletic, CSS, etc…. Smith is “usually” the guy left on their board when the 4 others are gone.

My guess is if you polled every NHL scout about who they take at 5 OA if the big 4 are gone is that Smith would not be the top choice on more than half of the ballots but he might be the most common choice.....a minority consensus if you will.

 

[dinodebino]

404 on the link brother

ooops....copied the wrong link here. Sorry, Oz. I think one put in lower.