Draft and UDFA Thread 2017-18

[darko]

Trade Spooner and a 3rd to Oilers for 10 and Lucic
Trade Zucc to Dallas for 13
Package 26/and NJ’s 2nd for 15-20

4 picks top 20. And still a pick at 28 where you swing for the fences
Then with the first two picks draft Tkachuk or Zadina (moving up if you have to), And one of the top 4 D. Then pick Farabee and Kravtsov

My dream scenario. Best part is it’s doable

It's not.

 

[QJL]

I tend to agree. He was a kid I had pegged for the NCAA and thought it was the right direction.

I tend to believe the CHL is better for offensive development and the NCAA is better for defensive development. I’m not so sure Wilde is ready, but if he is, the AHL could be a good fit. I would love to see him in a more mature and creative men’s league like Liiga.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

That would seem to profile like Laine's skill-set then.

Why isn't he competing for the top 2 spots?

No, it doesn't. His shot isn't at the level of Laines, nor is his skating or physical play.

 

[eco's bones]

Trade Spooner and a 3rd to Oilers for 10 and Lucic
Trade Zucc to Dallas for 13
Package 26/and NJ’s 2nd for 15-20

4 picks top 20. And still a pick at 28 where you swing for the fences
Then with the first two picks draft Tkachuk or Zadina (moving up if you have to), And one of the top 4 D. Then pick Farabee and Kravtsov

My dream scenario. Best part is it’s doable

Is the 10OA worth $30 mil in cap space if Lucic shits the bed for us? If anything Edmonton should add IMO--not us. Consider Vegas got 2 mid first rounders last year for taking on much lesser cap issues of the Islanders and Blue Jackets. Part of the question is can Lucic still play?--but you're looking at best at a $6 million dollar third liner for the next 5 years.

Edm.-Spooner > Rangers-Lucic, 10OA 2018, Edm 2nd 2019, Edm 2nd 2020.

If I'm Dallas I don't do that.

 

[Edge]

I tend to believe the CHL is better for offensive development and the NCAA is better for defensive development. I’m not so sure Wilde is ready, but if he is, the AHL could be a good fit. I would love to see him in a more mature and creative men’s league like Liiga.

I’d be fairly concerned about putting Wilde in the AHL. There’s s a lot of room for improvement against his peers, let alone men.

 

[Irishguy42]

Pronman released his final rankings and has the Rangers taking Dobson (says probably Kotkaniemi if Montreal doesn't take him at 3)

 

[Edge]

Pronman released his final rankings and has the Rangers taking Dobson (says probably Kotkaniemi if Montreal doesn't take him at 3)

And after 6 weeks of musical chairs, we're back to Dobson.

Not going to lie, this is why I don't spend money on these things.

There is nothing out there that hasn't been discussed at length on here, and in the end the predictions are probably no more accurate or valid than if you talk about 5 or 6 people on here.

 

[jaywills1020]

Why all the overboard concern about Ryan Merk? Don’t you guys remember when you were 17 years old? You knew everything and nobody could tell you different. He’ll outgrow it.

 

[Edge]

Why all the overboard concern about Ryan Merk? Don’t you guys remember when you were 17 years old? You knew everything and nobody could tell you different. He’ll outgrow it.

In fairness, I think that's a little easier to say when you're hiring a kid to work at the local Dairy Queen and not potentially passing on legit NHL prospects to take that risk.

 

[Levitate]

Why all the overboard concern about Ryan Merk? Don’t you guys remember when you were 17 years old? You knew everything and nobody could tell you different. He’ll outgrow it.

Some people do outgrow it and some don't, but part of the concern is always that these guys are at the age where they HAVE to keep improving and training and doing some pretty specific things with a degree of maturity if they want to become pro hockey players at the highest level in the world

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Not that it’s gospel, but I believe the cost on the value chart had things roughly as 9+70 = 7.

I think we determined 26+28 = 16

In turn, 16+48 = 13

So you’d give up 9, 26, 28, 48 and 70 for 7 and 13.

That would leave the Rangers with 7, 13, 39, and 88 in the first three rounds.

I just don't see a scenario where we could trade up to 16, then trade up again to 13 in a separate trade. It would have to be all in one trade 26, 28, 48 for 13. Teams trade down once they see the players available, meaning the 13th selection will have already been made by the time we could get our hands on the 16 pick.

I don't hate your plan, though. I just think there are some logistical barriers to it playing out like you've broken down.

 

[offdacrossbar]

the moment ryan merkley drops out of the 1st round i would be all in on grabbing that kid. i would package whatever i need to get him,

hes a potential steal beyond words.

having said that, and without waiting for him to get to round 2, i would have exactly zero problem using our last 1st for this kid.

his upside is through the roof.

 

[Edge]

I just don't see a scenario where we could trade up to 16, then trade up again to 13 in a separate trade. It would have to be all in one trade 26, 28, 48 for 13. Teams trade down once they see the players available, meaning the 13th selection will have already been made by the time we could get our hands on the 16 pick.

I don't hate your plan, though. I just think there are some logistical barriers to it playing out like you've broken down.

I don't disagree, it's really more of just having fun with the chart.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I’d be fairly concerned about putting Wilde in the AHL. There’s s a lot of room for improvement against his peers, let alone men.

Is it possible that, with his decision to not go to U of Michigan, Wilde could fall to the 2nd round? Wilde at 39 would be awesome.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Why all the overboard concern about Ryan Merk? Don’t you guys remember when you were 17 years old? You knew everything and nobody could tell you different. He’ll outgrow it.

Hey may, he may not.

What I do know are there are hundreds of 17 year olds who are going to be drafted this season. All of the guys who are in his tier as a player don't have the same concerns.

 

[Block More Shots]

Do we think Merkley could fall to us at #39? I understand potential character issues, but is this kid coachable? I would also hope that he'd mature over time as well.

 

[Edge]

the moment ryan merkley drops out of the 1st round i would be all in on grabbing that kid. i would package whatever i need to get him,

hes a potential steal beyond words.

having said that, and without waiting for him to get to round 2, i would have exactly zero problem using our last 1st for this kid.

his upside is through the roof.

People keep saying that and it still hasn't translated on the ice.

We talk about attitude and maturity, but even if we throw those out the window and look just at play, he really didn't have a spectacular season.

I say that because I think there's this narrative surrounding Merkley that he had a Hughes/Dobson/Bouchard kind of season, but only has questions about the head on his shoulders.

That's inaccurate.

He has concerns about the head on his shoulders AND his play on the ice.

 

[Edge]

Is it possible that, with his decision to not go to U of Michigan, Wilde could fall to the 2nd round? Wilde at 39 would be awesome.

I have a harder time seeing him fall quite that far, but late 20s isn't an insane concept.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

the moment ryan merkley drops out of the 1st round i would be all in on grabbing that kid. i would package whatever i need to get him,

hes a potential steal beyond words.

having said that, and without waiting for him to get to round 2, i would have exactly zero problem using our last 1st for this kid.

his upside is through the roof.

For me, it depends on how we use the 9th overall.

If we go with a safe player like Farabee, I have no issue rolling the dice on Merkley.

If we go with a Wahlstrom or Boqvist, with huge offensive talent but also some bust potential, I'm not touching Merkley until the 2nd round.

 

[Ola]

I'm no draft guru, but going over scouting reports the past couple years Merkley was considered a top 5 prospect for this draft. I've read he has had some attitude problems, although I can't seem to find specifics.

If we could land #10 without giving up 26/28 I'd have no prob grabbing him up later in the 1st. Especially if we don't get Boqvist.

Let's say we had 9/10 and grab Whalstom/Kravtsov and Boqvist is gone. I'd see if Dallas, FLA, or Colorado had interest in Names/Spooner + 26/28 for their 1st and grab Merkley in the mid round. I don't think he lasts to 26/28.

Someone said it already. We traded for safe/half developed prospects at the TDL. Three boom/bust picks in Whalstrom/Kravtsov/Merkley and One of them HAS to work out, bonus if 2 or (gasp) all 3.

Merkley is talented and a good young player, but attitude issues aside I would still definitely not say that he belongs more than at most a few spots above 15. Mid first round pick. On par with say a Ty Smith overall but different attributes.

I think Merkley projects as kind of a Tyson Barrie type from a very positive view point. Ie if he really develops well and puts everything together. That would make him a very good pick around 10 too, but I think many others have higher potential than him.

 

[Off Sides]

Tkachuk, Farabee.

versus

One of Hughes, Wahlstrom, Boqvist, Kravtsov
Two of Wilde, McIsaac, Thomas, Sandin, Foudy, whoever
Take some gambles with the 2nds, Merkley, O'Brien, Wise, whoever

I'm voting for option 2.

 

[Ola]

I have a harder time seeing him fall quite that far, but late 20s isn't an insane concept.

I am surprised to see Wilde fall that far.

There is only one explanation for it, with how fast the game is today it’s essential for a D to one second be able to patrol a blueline and the other second fly back home over the ice.

It’s such a fine line for thick bigger Ds, if you can’t get back fast enough while keeping a gap to the attackers it will hurt your unit every shift.

When I followed Wilde in the U18 I thought he passed that test. If you have him around 70 like some of McKenzies polled scout had you don’t think he passes that test, obviously.

In addition, I do think this ranking highlights some issues with merging your scouting results and the selection of the people McKenzie polls. Generally all Ds in the U18 have dropped while all Ds in the CHL POs have sky rocketed.

I could be wrong on Wilde, it’s a fine line like I said, but I think the same margin of error exist in relation to many of the other Ds ranked higher than him. It does however seem like the kids getting exposure on a very low level of play late in the year gets a clean pass while all kids playing against the best of the best of their peers in the U18 get more level headed reviews.

 

[LionsHeart]

It sounds like after 2 this draft is a total crapshoot in terms of predicting where players will go.

 

[eco's bones]

The Rangers already have Tony DeAngelo--attitude wise he seemed alright last year at least when he was with the Rangers. In Hartford he seemed to be slogging through and I think he could have done better there. When a guy gets demoted you like to see him respond better. Just saying. Tony's defense still needs a lot of work and to me drafting Merkley would be getting a similar player to DeAngelo with a lot of the same issues. And do we want to do that? Isn't one enough? Not every D needs to be a PWP quarterback type either. Between Shattenkirk and how Pionk or DeAngelo shake out--if we draft a d-man at 9 (Boqvist, Hughes, Dobson, Bouchard)--what Skjei can do or Hajek or Rykov when they're ready. It seems to me the Rangers will have a goodly amount of puck moving D who can play on the power play.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

And after 6 weeks of musical chairs, we're back to Dobson.

Not going to lie, this is why I don't spend money on these things.

There is nothing out there that hasn't been discussed at length on here, and in the end the predictions are probably no more accurate or valid than if you talk about 5 or 6 people on here.

Feels like it happens every year, and some teams seem to do it too, when there’s no hockey going on we all talk about players and scenarios so much that we get cute and start rewriting things that aren’t necessarily actually changing