Prospect Info: Current #2 overall poll and discussion

[Lou is God]

I 100% agree with this. Slaf is my pick, but I wouldn’t be mad if the scouting department thinks otherwise.

If we passed on Slaf, I might be sore for a while but I'd get over it.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

This is a strategic move. If he's right, no one will ever forget, if he's wrong, it won't matter for a few years until people start doing redrafts and he has a chance to be right then, which would be as/more impressive.

Was he the one who said Devils will take Jiricek at 2? I just don't see it, but in some bizarre world I can see Wright falling to 4 but the devils picking Gautheir at 2. I really don't see any possibility of Jiricek at 2.

 

[glenwo2]

So basically, in your opinion, any guy not named Slaf (except for Wright I’d imagine), wouldn’t be a good pick?

At #2? No it wouldn't be a good pick.

Because at #2 it is only Slaf or Wright.

Cooley would be #3 (at best).

 

[My3Sons]

Is this how you council your clients to appear in court?

It depends. Sometimes I have them wear a gimp suit like in Pulp Fiction.

 

[glenwo2]

Is this how you council your clients to appear in court?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I know I'm naive for complaining there are fools on Twitter, but I just got into a long post discussion about why Juraj Slafkovsky is a great prospect and what makes him an outstanding hockey player.

Some dude replies to me with three (3!) vitriolic and negative posts about essentially how awful I am for insulting Shane Wright.

None of my Slafkovsky posts mentioned Shane Wright. None of my Slafkovsky posts even mentioned he should be #1 in the 2022 draft (I actually have Wright ranked #1).

My question is: when did America become so polarized that everyone assumes that just because you're lauding one thing, it means you're putting down another thing? And when did it become okay to put down another human being for being high on the potential of a teenaged athlete?

Maybe these are rhetorical questions, but I just needed to vent.

Welcome to reality. That's how people are now unfortunately.

 

[My3Sons]

That's not far off. Of course, my velvet tuxedo is powder blue but the judge and the lawyer talking is the same.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

There are more and more leaks in the habs media that the habs are leaning for Slafkovsky. Maybe it is bait for the devils or reality we will see tomorrow.

 

[glenwo2]

There are more and more leaks in the habs media that the habs are leaning for Slafkovsky. Maybe it is bait for the devils or reality we will see tomorrow.

Nope :

Media is doing dirty work for the Habs organization to force Fitz into making a blunder.

Fitz is way too cagey to fall for that s--t.

 

[Forge]

There are more and more leaks in the habs media that the habs are leaning for Slafkovsky. Maybe it is bait for the devils or reality we will see tomorrow.

That is what I was just coming in to post. First Lavoie, and now I guess Gagnon

Nope :

Media is doing dirty work for the Habs organization to force Fitz into making a blunder.

Fitz is way too cagey to fall for that s--t.

Take a gander at the Habs draft GDT...they are certainly entertaining that this is real with Slaf now.

 

[glenwo2]

That is what I was just coming in to post. First Lavoie, and now I guess Gagnon


Take a gander at the Habs draft GDT...they are certainly entertaining that this is real with Slaf now.

lol.

Of course they are.

Habs fans are speculating the hell out of things.

The only people that know who will draft #1 is Kent Hughes. THAT'S IT.

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[longislanddevil]

I just read that at presser, Fitz said there’s been nothing but tirekicking in trade talk for 2OA. Could be true….maybe he’s posturing.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

I just read that at presser, Fitz said there’s been nothing but tirekicking in trade talk for 2OA. Could be true….maybe he’s posturing.

I tend to believe because no player with term/team control have ever been mentioned. Honestly I have never heard a name mentioned that IMO the Devils would be interested in moving the pick for.

 

[glenwo2]

I just read that at presser, Fitz said there’s been nothing but tirekicking in trade talk for 2OA. Could be true….maybe he’s posturing.

He did say that while there was tirekicking, there was nothing substantial (nothing that interested him).

So it sounds like we'll be keeping the pick and drafting either Slaf or Wright.

 

[Nubmer6]

I just read that at presser, Fitz said there’s been nothing but tirekicking in trade talk for 2OA. Could be true….maybe he’s posturing.

Funny... I thought he said it was MOSTLY tire kicking, implying that there were some real offers. Maybe I mis-heard.

 

[My3Sons]

I just read that at presser, Fitz said there’s been nothing but tirekicking in trade talk for 2OA. Could be true….maybe he’s posturing.

What would you call an offer of Anderson and a low first rounder?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

You just don't know the dynamic that exists here, plain and simple. Me and Renaud will both be falling out of our chairs if Montreal takes Wright, based on his report (assuming that is actually something he said). The info reporters - Dreger, McKenzie, Friedman, LeBrun, Lavoie - almost never express strong opinions, and when they do, it is someone else's opinion.

Are you kidding me they absolutely do all the time.
They talk about what they think or feel, wonder or imagine all of the time.

Like they do so often it’s not even funny.
They speculate and/or share their own opinions continuously. You have to read how they actual word things because that’s the important part of that tells you whether it’s coming from somewhere or just their opinion or speculation.
Nothing in what he said remotely suggests he’s been actually told they probably won’t and it would make 0 sense for Montreal to be putting out reports that they’re meeting with Wright in the last few days and such to just then a day later have someone else put out some dumb opinion that it would be incredibly shocking if they took him.

That’s not how it would read if that was actually something coming from a source.

I’m perfectly aware of the dynamic but that’s nothing more than a strong personal opinion being shared.

 

[longislanddevil]

He did say that while there was tirekicking, there was nothing substantial (nothing that interested him).

So it sounds like we'll be keeping the pick and drafting either Slaf or Wright.

I got the distinct impression he wants to trade down if Slaf isn’t on the board but does not currently feel it is likely. “It takes a partner willing to dance” and please don’t quote me verbatim because I don’t recall the precise other line but it was something like…”only certain teams have assets to make a trade possible.” I believe the Devils would not make a deal that would take them lower than 6OA. I still think Columbus makes the most sense with 6OA and 12OA which would be a highly enticing offer. Is Columbus badly in need of a center? It will be fascinating to watch how all of this unfolds.

 

[Blackjack]

Byron Bader putting the finishing touches on his rankings

 

[Guttersniped]

Personally...no.

Still several years away before any of them would be making it over to North American and a lot can change between now and then. Devils would also own their NHL rights indefinitely. If the Russian players start to drop significantly, I still think you take them.

It’s tough to take one early in this draft unless you have multiple picks. This shit wouldn’t be happening right before the draft if it wasn’t a message to players and the NHL. It’s impossible to gauge the long term effects of this grotesque harassment but it’s not going to be good. You can take risks with later picks but you want more certainty and a quicker return on 1sts.

Mintyukov might be completely or partly immunized from the Russian Factor by playing in the OHL (I never claimed this was completely rational) as will the others in the CHL. I don’t have a f***ing clue where Yurov and Miro will go, I’m very curious about that.

I feel like Yurov couldn’t drop anything too crazy low but Miro… 20s? 2nd round? Who knows, definitely not this gal.

I assume the overall number of Russian players will obviously drop as teams don’t bother to draft fringier guys.

There was this bit in Russo’s article about Kaprizov:

“He did everything they asked,” said a source close with many Russian players. “That’s why he stayed so long without coming to the States, because they asked him to do it — official people asked him to do it.”

People have blamed the Wild for not wooing him harder or Kaprizov’s disinterest in coming over when he signed a 3 year KHL year extension in July 2017.

If he was, uh, let’s say encouraged to stay that much longer, what will happen with other top players now? The crown jewel, Matvei Michkov, will be under contract for 3 years after the 2023 draft but will he be pressured to stick around even longer?

Wild's Kirill Kaprizov remains in Russia amid reports of fake military ID, flight to U.S.

Wild GM Bill Guerin told The Athletic that Kaprizov has not returned to the U.S., contrary to reports.

theathletic.com

 

[BananaGenetics]

Do we have confirmation on what prospects weve interviewed?

Would hope they interviewed at least the entire top-10 for #2. Doesnt hurt to do due diligence

 

[Setec Astronomy]

My Griffey and Bonds proposal:

Trade #20A and Holtz for Matthew Tkachuk
Trade Bratt to Ottawa for 7th overall (draft Cutter Gauterier)
Trade Zacha, Foote, 2023 2nd rounder for Tarasenko
Sign Johnny Gaudreau
Sign Husso



Gaudreau Hughes Tkachuk
Sharangovich Nico Mercer
Tatar Boqvist Tarasenko
Wood McLeod Bastian

Graves Hamilton
Siegenthaller Severson
Smith Ohutyuk/Bahl

Blackwood
Husso

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Do we have confirmation on what prospects weve interviewed?

Would hope they interviewed at least the entire top-10 for #2. Doesnt hurt to do due diligence

We just interviewed Slafkovsky and no one else.

 

[Devs3cups]

We just interviewed Slafkovsky and no one else.

You mean we interviewed him again after the “normal” interviews? Didn’t know that.