GDT: Draft 2024 @ 4pm PT, ESPN, ESPN+

[McDonald19]

Last June I was very invested in Fantilli vs. Carlsson.

This June I’ve barely looked into the players beyond Celebrini. Just trusting Madden and the scouts with this pick.

 

[Rooch]

Fowler played the 14th most TOI/G angst all players in the league. I think it’s rational to think him doing that two years running when he’s ideally a 2nd pairing defenseman was a likely reason. Every other defenseman last year had their play suffer when their minutes went over about 18-19, so…

Statistics are not as reliable as one's own eyeballs. This isn' the Bob Murray era when he just put a Band-Aid over our shortcomings and hoped they'd fix themselves. Verbeek is in attack mode here, and despite our understandable allegiance to our legends, Fowler isn't good enough anymore.

 

[Hey234]

Agreed, but I prefer baby steps rather than throwing them in the deep end of the pool. I don’t think any of them belong in a top pairing this year, and I believe that rushing defensemen can ruin them.

This. Fowler is also not meant for the minutes he gets but it's better to burn him out then the young players. Fowler's entire role right now is to insulate the young players. It was so obvious last season that none of the younger players were ready for his minutes.

Statistics are not as reliable as one's own eyeballs. This isn' the Bob Murray era when he just put a Band-Aid over our shortcomings and hoped they'd fix themselves. Verbeek is in attack mode here, and despite our understandable allegiance to our legends, Fowler isn't good enough anymore.

But Mintyukov, LaCombe, Zellweger, Luneau Vaakanainen are good enough? None of them are ready yet. The only way trading Fowler works next season is if you trade him for a legitimate upgrade and grab another defenseman for the right side. However, nothing PV has done has indicated that is his path.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

But it kind of is a big deal. You can't just hit a button and your excess LD becomes a RD or RW.

In reality, those top line players are rarely available. Drysdale for Gauthier trades rarely happen and even in that case it took him forcing PHI to trade him.

For example, let's say you have a 1LD, and the team needs a 1RD. You draft the another 1LD with the intention of trading one of the excess LD for 1RD. What if that player isn't available? Now you are trading the LD for a 2RD + a pick to make up the value. That's cool, but the team didn't need a 2RD, they needed a 1RD. You could've just drafted the 1RD.

Obviously if the talent difference is huge, you don't take a guy based on need. But if it's a toss up who is going to be better, take the guy you need. If you're building a team through the draft, at some point you have to consider team needs.

I would argue that the need for a bona fide 1D trumps any handedness issue. I think your point makes sense if the guy you’re adding is on the level of the guys you have but I really don’t think that’s the case here. There also isn’t likely to be a major RHD to make this much of an argument, so I don’t really get the angst.

 

[BringBackTheIceman]

Did no one else just watch 6'0 198 lbs. Gustav Forsling be the best D man in the entire playoffs? Not my comp for Zeev but acting like a 6 foot defenceman can't be effective in the post season is not grounded in reality.

 

[Static]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806805387812733203

 

[lwvs84]

One thing to note, Manson went for a 2nd and average prospect. Toews went for 2 2nd rounders. Forsling (who @BringBackTheIceman just mentioned) was a waiver pickup (I think?). Ducks can potentially fill these gaps for less than a top pick. The question is, can Verbeek and his staff find these value players and will be pull the trigger on the deals?

 

[2faded]

I see a lot of people say Verbeek won't draft someone if their under 6'2". Is that a quote from him? Where did that come from?

 

[ducknuts]

We’ve found ourselves a #1 defenseman.

Our future is bright.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

But it kind of is a big deal. You can't just hit a button and your excess LD becomes a RD or RW.

In reality, those top line players are rarely available. Drysdale for Gauthier trades rarely happen and even in that case it took him forcing PHI to trade him.

For example, let's say you have a 1LD, and the team needs a 1RD. You draft the another 1LD with the intention of trading one of the excess LD for 1RD. What if that player isn't available? Now you are trading the LD for a 2RD + a pick to make up the value. That's cool, but the team didn't need a 2RD, they needed a 1RD. You could've just drafted the 1RD.

Obviously if the talent difference is huge, you don't take a guy based on need. But if it's a toss up who is going to be better, take the guy you need. If you're building a team through the draft, at some point you have to consider team needs.

We have no idea if our scouts have it as a toss up

Maybe our scouts have Buium as the 2nd best player in the draft

And most of the arguments are for LHD saliyev vs LHD buium.

We dont even know if demidov was realistically in the conversation.

 

[91Fedorov]

I see a lot of people say Verbeek won't draft someone if their under 6'2". Is that a quote from him? Where did that come from?

In his first draft, all of the players he picked were 6' 1" or taller. It's honestly just speculation that started around that draft.

 

[airforceones25]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev. Surely they both can’t be the best.

 

[SmokeyDuck]

Demidov or Silayev for me, though I would be fine with Buium if that is who our scouts want.

 

[KickHisAssZegrass]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev.

Size and RH is the only reasons I can think

 

[Dostwall]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806805387812733203

He’s thrown enough darts by now that he’s bound to hit one of them.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev.

Couldnt you say that about silayev or demidov too?

If silayev is so great, why isnt he in the conversation at 1 or 2? If demidov is as much as a game changer as demidov fans say, why not trade down from 3 and get a haul for the obvious 2nd best game changer in the draft?

 

[HanSolo]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev.

Why are you acting like that's a measure of anything? Columbus was locked in on Ryan Murray at 2. NYI was locked in on Griffin Reinhart.

How'd that go?

 

[ducknuts]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev.

Teams make mistakes all the time. They’re going to regret it.

 

[goonsaredumb]

My question for all the Zeev fans. If he’s the #1 ranked defenseman 2 way Norris caliber player that you all fantasize about... why isn’t Chicago taking him and instead rumored to be locked in on Lev. Surely they both can’t be the best.

Zeev wouldn't be my pick but I think this is a silly argument, GM's pass on consensus better players for the ones they like more every year

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Zeev isn't small but he isn't bigger either.
If 6'2 is considered good size and 5'10/5'11is considered small, than 6'0 to 6'1 is at least average.

Who chicago picks shouldn't be important, look at 2022 Chicago reached for Korchinski when Mintyukov & Jiricek were there. I still take Mintyukov over Muffin shot Korchinski.
Chicago is also the team that took Dach over Seider, Zegras, Caufield and Boldy. Chicago picking Lev doesn't change my opinion.

 

[Rasp]

Buium wouldn't be my pick but he is a damn good player. My only issue is he is a small LD so not sure how that fits in the team. Does this mean Zellweger's days are numbered?

 

[ducknuts]

I encourage everyone to spend 20 minutes watching this video of each shift from his NCAA debut against Alaska Fairbanks.

 

[JAHV]

Or, Levshunov is actually the better prospect and he's just going to be gone by the time the Ducks pick.

Or, Levshunov is of similar caliber to Buium (or slightly less), but Chicago values the size and ceiling more than skating and hockey sense and floor.

I like Buium. I also like Silayev and Demidov and Lindstrom and Dickinson and Iginla and Sennecke, all for different reasons. I'm cool with any of those (and even some others besides). Mostly I'm just frustrated at people who insist on being angry if the Ducks pick Buium because he's a 6-foot left hander. I think that anger is misplaced.

 

[airforceones25]

Why are you acting like that's a measure of anything? Columbus was locked in on Ryan Murray at 2. NYI was locked in on Griffin Reinhart.

How'd that go?

I don’t even dislike the player. It was a genuine question… he’s not my pick but I hate how everyone here is so matter of fact.

 

[Static]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806813844762706204

This would be hilarious!