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

[Adam Michaels]

Just like they reached last year taking #1 at 1.. Hugo has proven to be useless!

I miss Timmins and MB.

 

[Redux91]

Bob McKenzie’s Final Draft Rankings (Top 10):

1. Connor Bedard
2. Adam Fantilli
3. Leo Carlsson
4. Will Smith
5. Matvei Michkov
6. Ryan Leonard
7. Dalibor Dvorsky
8. David Reinbacher
9. Zach Benson
10. Gabe Perreault

Good
This should help make people shut up about picking Leonard at 5 if the great and almighty Bob Mckenzie finally puts him 6 after all

This whole thing has gotten beyond annoying lol

 

[Paddy17]

It doesn't mean he's Lapierre-level. That's an exaggeration on your part to express why you don't want Leonard. Which is fine if he's not someone you want Habs to take. But no need to go to extremes.

He had 11 goals in 17 games in the USHL last year and 51 goals in 57 games with the NTDP U18s.. That's 62 goals in 74 total games in his draft year. Add his 8 goals in 7 games at the U18 Worlds, and it's 70 goals in 81 games.

Seems like he scores lots of goals.

But apparently grit and talent are mutually exclusive...

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

It doesn't mean he's Lapierre-level. That's an exaggeration on your part to express why you don't want Leonard. Which is fine if he's not someone you want Habs to take. But no need to go to extremes.

He had 11 goals in 17 games in the USHL last year and 51 goals in 57 games with the NTDP U18s.. That's 62 goals in 74 total games in his draft year. Add his 8 goals in 7 games at the U18 Worlds, and it's 70 goals in 81 games.

Seems like he scores lots of goals.

Just FYI I'm pretty sure the 57 games are cumulative - they include the 17 games listed in the USHL

 

[Adam Michaels]

Good
This should help make people shut up about picking Leonard at 5 if the great and almighty Bob Mckenzie finally puts him 6 after all

Those whole thing has gotten beyond annoying lol

And we know Bob's list isn't only his own personal rankings. He consults with actual NHL scouts from around the league to compile this list.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Brett Hull or Maxim Lapierre? How do we even decide?

I like Michkov as much as the next guy and would take him at number 2 had we won the lottery.

That being said, Leonard is leagues ahead of Lapierre in basically every facet on offence while also being a better skater.

I do miss Lapierre though, god was he fun to watch.

 

[morhilane]

Good
This should help make people shut up about picking Leonard at 5 if the great and almighty Bob Mckenzie finally puts him 6 after all

Those whole thing has gotten beyond annoying lol

And since the list is an aggregate of 10 NHL scouts, it means Leonard is in the top 3-5 on some team lists. I doubt all 10 had him at 6.

 

[WeThreeKings]

And then there’s Matvei Michkov. No one is quite sure what to make of the Russian goal-scoring whiz wingman who two years ago was a projected 2023 1B to Bedard’s 1A while the two of them were shooting out the lights at the 2021 Under-18 World Championship in Texas.

Even though Michkov’s consensus ranking is No. 5 — five scouts pegged him there, but he also received consideration at Nos, 2, 3, and 4 — his forecast is every bit as uncertain and unknown as Bedard’s is crystal clear. Really, whenever and whomever takes Michkov, it’s going to be a dominant storyline in this draft. Maybe THE storyline, next to Bedard.

There’s no disputing Michkov’s talent and natural goal-scoring ability. But there are so many other factors at work, not the least of which include:

- He’s under contract to a KHL team (SKA St. Petersburg) for three more seasons and unless accommodations are reached between his NHL club and his KHL team, Michkov is not expected to play in the NHL any earlier than the fall of 2026. Might he sign an extension in Russia? Who knows?

- Because Michkov is a Russian, and because Russia waged war on Ukraine that has resulted in both real-world and hockey-world sanctions and consequences against Russia, NHL GMs, executives and team head scouts have not been able to see him play live this season – not at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Halifax last Christmas and not in the KHL either. Because NHL club team personnel are not travelling freely to Russia, in the modern era of the NHL draft, certainly post-Soviet Union/Iron Curtain, no elite NHL prospect has had fewer live viewings from NHL personnel than Michkov.

- More rumours/60 than any other prospect and so many unanswered queries and unsubstantiated theories on everything from whether he’s a good teammate to the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of his father this season, a traumatic event that the teenager, as one would expect, is still processing.

In the weeks leading up to the NHL draft, there was talk Michkov was spurning interview requests from NHL clubs, but those specific fears were looking to be either unfounded or at least allayed. Michkov’s agent, Max Moliver, has this week been scheduling interview times with a multitude of NHL clubs for early next week in Nashville. Michkov and his representatives are trying to be as accommodating as possible, given the short time frame before the draft.

Michkov is expected to arrive in the U.S. as early as tomorrow or Saturday. He’s expected to be in Nashville early next week. The first round of the draft, of course, is Wednesday.

“Those interviews are going to be so important,” one scout said. “We couldn’t interview him [at the NHL Combine in Buffalo] because he wasn’t there. We couldn’t interview him in Russia because we weren’t there. Does he want to play in the NHL? How soon might he be able to come? Is there any chance he could sign an extension in Russia? Does he want to play for a particular team? How he answers the questions, how he carries himself in those interviews, will determine how high he’ll be taken or how far he’ll fall, and which team is prepared to take him.”

One scout said Michkov is likely the only prospect in this draft who would require an NHL owner to sign off on before a team would take him in the top five or even top 10.

Pre-draft scuttlebutt, for whatever that is worth, suggests Michkov won’t get by the Washington Capitals, who pick at No. 8. The Caps, of course, are the team of Alexander Ovechkin — Michkov is touted as the best Russian prospect since Ovechkin — and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Washington also didn’t hesitate to take Russian forward Ivan Miroshnichenko 20th overall last year, even though there were concerns about his illness, injury, and the so-called Russian Factor.

Washington will no doubt be one of the teams interviewing Michkov and those talks will be critical to any draft-day decisions, but one has to allow for the possibility some other team could still claim Michkov before Washington.

Still, the sense is Michkov is the most likely member of the top five who could conceivably fall out of the group for any of number of reasons, but on talent and potential, he’s a top-five talent all day. If he does fall out, there are no fewer than three other prospects who could tabbed to fill the void.

- Ryan Leonard, the Team USA U-18 right winger who is No. 6 on the TSN final ranking list. Leonard flanked Smith on the dominant U.S. line. The 50-goal scorer possesses a big-league shot and even though he’s just under 6 feet tall, his 190-pound frame allows him to play a hard-edged, hard-driving power and goal-scoring game. He was ranked as high as No. 6 in our scouting survey and no lower than No. 9.

- Dalibor Dvorsky, the physically mature 6-foot-1, 200-pound Slovak centre who is No. 7 on TSN’s final list. Dvorsky is viewed as perhaps the most complete player in the Top 10 and while some scouts debate how high, or limited, his offensive ceiling may be, five of 10 scouts had him solidly at No. 6. But a couple had him just outside the Top 10, at No. 11.

- David Reinbacher, the rangy Austrian 6-2, 194-pound blueliner who is not regarded as an offensive defenceman and is not seen as an intimidating shutdown defender but plays an upper-echelon two-way game is No. 8 on TSN’s final list. He is the consensus top defenceman in this year’s draft. His range was as high as No. 7 and as low as No. 15.

 

[Kennerback]

It doesn't mean he's Lapierre-level. That's an exaggeration on your part to express why you don't want Leonard. Which is fine if he's not someone you want Habs to take. But no need to go to extremes.

He had 11 goals in 17 games in the USHL last year and 51 goals in 57 games with the NTDP U18s.. That's 62 goals in 74 total games in his draft year. Add his 8 goals in 7 games at the U18 Worlds, and it's 70 goals in 81 games.

Seems like he scores lots of goals.

If we draft him, I pray this is what happens. I do see he has a nice strong accurate shot. I’m worried he’ll get to use it less and less as we go up the ranks. I don’t know that his strong skating is enough to compensate.

You can take my criticism with a grain of salt. It is a minority opinion. Maybe my perception of his offensive hockey sense is skewed because I’m alternating my views of him with players like Michkov, Benson, Perreault, etc… He has assets they don’t have. I hope so. I won’t root against him. But at least, it’s voiced that the risk is out there.

 

[WeThreeKings]

So based on the above.. Leonard and Dvorsky split votes at 6 (Reinbacher received none) and it was Leonard being ranked no lower than 9 that had him above Dvorsky.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Just FYI I'm pretty sure the 57 games are cumulative - they include the 17 games listed in the USHL

Possible. Which in that case, he put up 59 goals in 64 total games in his draft year. Still a lot of goals for a "Lapierre-level prospect."

 

[dinodebino]

Leonard has a better shot.

”He has a reputation as an agitator, distracting and provoking opposing players to take penalties. He plays with an aggressive edge and led all forwards in hits in his last full season with the club. Defensively responsible, he earns time on the penalty kill.“ (Leonard or Lapierre?)



Leonard will need to score lots of goals to differentiate himself.

Lapierre wasn’t producing at the same pace. Don’t like comparisons, and this one takes the cake.

 

[waffledave]

I do miss Lapierre though, god was he fun to watch.

He was so good vs Pittsburgh in that playoff series.

 

[Adam Michaels]

If we draft him, I pray this is what happens. I do see he has a nice strong accurate shot. I’m worried he’ll get to use it less and less as we go up the ranks. I don’t know that his strong skating is enough to compensate.

You can take my criticism with a grain of salt. It is a minority opinion. Maybe my perception of his offensive hockey sense is skewed because I’m alternating my views of him with players like Michkov, Benson, Perreault, etc… He has assets they don’t have. I hope so. I won’t root against him. But at least, it’s voiced that the risk is out there.

It's all good if you feel like other players are better picks than Leonard. That wasn't what the criticism of your initial post was. It was you comparing him to a Bottom-6 grinder to express your apprehension of him over others.

 

[ZUKI]

But Brian Wilde said he was Habs' choice like 2 months ago on the radio. Dvorsky HAS to be their guy.

he will be the Saturday flavour

 

[Omar]

Wheeler compares Leonard to Toffoli and calls him a 60-70 point guy who makes his teammates better and plays with some jam. ARE WE REALLY DOING THIS?

 

[Kennerback]

Possible. Which in that case, he put up 59 goals in 64 total games in his draft year. Still a lot of goals for a "Lapierre-level prospect."

Sure. But we need to consider who he’s playing with. So many examples of mediocre players propped up by superior talent. We drafted Chouinard instead of Simon Gagné. Even in their Draft+1 they scored as many goals as each other. Chouinard never even had a Maxim Lapierre career.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Wheeler compares Leonard to Toffoli and calls him a 60-70 point guy who makes his teammates better and plays with some jam. ARE WE REALLY DOING THIS?

Toffoli comparison is horrendous.

 

[ZUKI]

And yet, we have different answers from different people, and it's based off a rumour that's already out there.

rumours are the food of Habs fans

 

[Balthazar]

So based on the above.. Leonard and Dvorsky split votes at 6 (Reinbacher received none) and it was Leonard being ranked no lower than 9 that had him above Dvorsky.

If Michkov is indeed on the Habs no trade list IMO they pick Dvorsky.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If Michkov is indeed on the Habs no trade list IMO they pick Dvorsky.

It seems like its Leonard or Reinbacher for them, based on what has come out of anyone covering the combine or the Habs.. but Dvorsky is in play to the point I wouldn't be shocked if they did take him.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Sure. But we need to consider who he’s playing with. So many examples where mediocre players propped up by superior talent. We drafted Chouinard instead of Simon Lapierre. Even in their Draft+1 they scored as many goals as each other. Chouinard never even had a Maxim Lapierre career.

But that goes both ways. It's not just Leonard benefitting from Smith and Perreault. Those guys also benefitted from Leonard also. Remember the conversation around Caufield? They said he only scored that many goals because he was centered by Hughes. Then he goes to Wisconsin and scored without Hughes. But then they said it's because he played with Turcotte. When Turcotte turned pro, Caufield scored even more goals without him the following year.

He benefitted playing with guys like Hughes, Zegras & Turcotte. But those guys benefitted from Caufield the entire time, as well.

 

[WeThreeKings]

But that goes both ways. It's not just Leonard benefitting from Smith and Perreault. Those guys also benefitted from Leonard also. Remember the conversation around Caufield? They said he only scored that many goals because he was centered by Hughes. Then he goes to Wisconsin and scored without Hughes. But then they said it's because he played with Turcotte. When Turcotte turned pro, Caufield scored even more goals without him the following year.

He benefitted playing with guys like Hughes, Zegras & Turcotte. But those guys benefitted from Caufield the entire time, as well.

There's an argument that Leonard sacrificed his own point totals by being on that line and he could have even more offensive upside should he have the opportunity to carry the mail offensively and not be the physical and defensive conscience for an entire line.

 

[Adam Michaels]

It seems like its Leonard or Reinbacher for them, based on what has come out of anyone covering the combine or the Habs.. but Dvorsky is in play to the point I wouldn't be shocked if they did take him.

And I wouldn't be disappointed with either one. Between the 3, Leonard is my preference. Then Reinbacher and then Dvorsky.

Reinbacher will be a minute munching D. If Habs take him, I can imagine having Guhle, Mailloux & Reinbacher. All 3 can play big minutes and in all situations.

I can imagine a future Top-4 of:
Guhle - Mailloux
Hutson - Reinbacher

 

[dinodebino]

Speculation, speculation, speculation!

Wonder if a Habs scout was part of Bobby Margarita’s sources for those?