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Draft and UDFA Thread 2018-19

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Joey Bones said:
Well inside the top 15-20. After that, it looks kinda sub-par....
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I think the first is solid. For me it's the second and beyond that is somewhat middle of the road at the moment.

Right now, I'd say the top 10 is more promising than last year's top 10 was at this same point, but there's more of a drop as you get into the first of the round. Still solid, but probably not as intriguing or filled with names that could've been enticing as top 10 or top 15 players like there was last year.
 
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SnowFort said:
Let’s just say...I’m very happy that the upcoming draft is considered a strong one.
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Last February,Gorton said the Rangers liked the next two draft classes. 2018 & 2019. They had done their work and they would get good players by sucking and having multiple picks.
 
Edge said:
I think the first is solid. For me it's the second and beyond that is somewhat middle of the road at the moment.

Right now, I'd say the top 10 is more promising than last year's top 10 was at this same point, but there's more of a drop as you get into the first of the round. Still solid, but probably not as intriguing or filled with names that could've been enticing as top 10 or top 15 players like there was last year.
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I can somewhat agree, but I'm not entirely enticed by some of the names that could be around later on in the 1st round. Lots of "junior" styled production, IMO. It's still early October, so that could change, but there aren't many names that are jumping out at me, ATM, that could make the 1st round completely solid.
 
Pronman released his first draft rankings today. He believes Kakko could push his name into the discussion for the first pick overall. It’s going to be Hughes but Kakko is an elite talent.

It could be like 2016. Mathews and Laine. American and Finn.

He has Dach at #3 and Boldy at #4. I think McKenzie had Boldy between 10-15.

Zegras at 5. McKenzie had him between 15-20.

The Russian kid at #6.

Cozens, Byram, Turcotte and Gutik round out the top 10.

McKenzie didn’t have Gutik in his top 20.

 
Joey Bones said:
I can somewhat agree, but I'm not entirely enticed by some of the names that could be around later on in the 1st round. Lots of "junior" styled production, IMO. It's still early October, so that could change, but there aren't many names that are jumping out at me, ATM, that could make the 1st round completely solid.
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Can certainly understand that.

I guess it depends on who one views as being part of the second half of the first as well.

Alex Newhook is a legit top 10 prospect for me. Others have him in the 20s. Same with other kids. If their take more accurately reflects how things play out, it becomes a significantly more interesting second half of the first round for me.
 
Edge said:
Can certainly understand that.

I guess it depends on who one views as being part of the second half of the first as well.

Alex Newhook is a legit top 10 prospect for me. Others have him in the 20s. Same with other kids. If their take more accurately reflects how things play out, it becomes a significantly more interesting second half of the first round for me.
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Newhook is a top 10 talent for me, as well. I'm just saying some fringe players rounding out the last 10 or so spots don't seem so complete to me. Players that were slotted before the season started don't seem like sure bets anymore. Lots of guys that were considered 1st rounders having some slow starts to the season could be the reason, but I've been left a little disappointed by some, specifically Blake Murray, Tag Bertuzzi, Ryan Johnson, Nikita Okhotyuk, Xavier Parent, Matthew Robertson, Lev Starikov, Marshall Warren and Josh Williams.

I mean the draft is a crapshoot, regardless, but I'm not so sure how deep the rest of the draft really is outside the top 20.
 
I have Kakko firmly in the same tier as Hughes, leaning towards Kakko as my #1 actually. What he's doing in Liiga is incredible and Hughes staying with the USNTDP was imo a mistake. If Kakko keeps this up i just don't think there's much Hughes can do to make up for the difference in the quality of the leagues.
 
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ManUtdTobbe said:
I have Kakko firmly in the same tier as Hughes, leaning towards Kakko as my #1 actually. What he's doing in Liiga is incredible and Hughes staying with the USNTDP was imo a mistake. If Kakko keeps this up i just don't think there's much Hughes can do to make up for the difference in the quality of the leagues.
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Either would be phenomenal.

Hope we’re in a position to debate which one to take after the draft lottery.
 
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I think Kakko will have an amazing year, but I'd probably lean heavily toward the popular opinion at this point that it would take a hell of a season to knock Hughes from the top spot.

I think there's always the allure of finding the prospect who knocks the top guy off the mountain --- especially when the top guy's been there for what feels like forever. But I think Hughes is more likely to win this race by at least a moderate number of lengths.
 
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ManUtdTobbe said:
I have Kakko firmly in the same tier as Hughes, leaning towards Kakko as my #1 actually. What he's doing in Liiga is incredible and Hughes staying with the USNTDP was imo a mistake. If Kakko keeps this up i just don't think there's much Hughes can do to make up for the difference in the quality of the leagues.
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I was expecting Hughes to go the Matthews-route.
 
NYRFANMANI said:
Matthews has a power-forward frame, easily competing in and dominating a men's league.

I'm not sure Hughes has the frame at this age to so. That's my only issue with Hughes really, his size.
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But it would have been a challenge for him, unlike where he is now. Matthews went to Switzerland because he had nothing to learn in the USHL.
 
True that. Guess Hughes knows that too? idk

This last draft really made me dig prospects that had experience in their domestic professional leagues, much more than junior players for sure.
 
Amazing Kreiderman said:
Of course. Why wouldn't it be?
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IIRC Matthews was only allowed to play overseas predraft because his birthday landed him in a tight time period where he was too young for the previous draft, but turned 18 before leagues started playing in his draft season, and was allowed to sign a procontract with a European team, I’m not sure who’s rules that all falls under, but I’m pretty sure that’s the reason he’s been the only one who’s been allowed to do that
 
GeorgeKaplan said:
IIRC Matthews was only allowed to play overseas predraft because his birthday landed him in a tight time period where he was too young for the previous draft, but turned 18 before leagues started playing in his draft season, and was allowed to sign a procontract with a European team, I’m not sure who’s rules that all falls under, but I’m pretty sure that’s the reason he’s been the only one who’s been allowed to do that
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18 is not an age limit in European leagues though
 
Have to tell you, the Hughes size thing really doesn't concern me.

The kid is beyond slippery and seems to rarely have to look at the puck. He vision and sense is impeccable.

And it's not just what he brings offensively, it's the way he impacts his teammates. He sets the tone for other roles, creates plays for them, raises their game and just enhances the team around him.

There are guys who are supremely talented and their individual efforts can carry a team. But Hughes just has that transformative quality to him.

It's not only that his performance is elite, it's that he's the type of player the rest of a squad falls in line around. His wingers, his defensemen, the centers playing behind him. Everyone.

He's not just dancing around kids. When you see a lot of hockey over the years, or decades in my case, you realize that there's very few players on the planet that move like him, that read and react like him.

That's not a knock on other top talents, but there's a significant difference that is apparent very quickly.
 
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I don't have an issue with Hughes size, i just think Kakko torching Liiga makes him easier to project as a future elite NHLer.

Couldn't Hughes go early to college if he wanted to? Or is there an age issue there? Or just too lazy to study up that extra year ;P
 
Looked through some comparables to Kakko and all i have to say is that Barkov should have gone #1, his draft season was absolutely incredible as an early september birth date in Liiga. If i was doing prospect rankings/analysis back then i'd have hyped the shit out of him, a full tier or two ahead of #2.
 
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ManUtdTobbe said:
Looked through some comparables to Kakko and all i have to say is that Barkov should have gone #1, his draft season was absolutely incredible as an early september birth date in Liiga. If i was doing prospect rankings/analysis back then i'd have hyped the **** out of him, a full tier or two ahead of #2.
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You’d have Barkov a full tier ahead of MacKinnon?
 
Bozle said:
You’d have Barkov a full tier ahead of MacKinnon?
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Based on the pre draft data, yes… Maybe even 2 tiers…

What Barkov did pre draft is unheard of in Liiga, he was a true 17yo two-way center who scored just under PPG, that's ridiculous.

With hindsight Avs did fine, i'd rank them right now very Close. I'd probably still take Barkov id i had to choose though, but pre draft it really shouldn't have been Close and i'm not sure what kinds of drugs the scouting/prospect Community was on.
 
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ManUtdTobbe said:
I don't have an issue with Hughes size, i just think Kakko torching Liiga makes him easier to project as a future elite NHLer.

Couldn't Hughes go early to college if he wanted to? Or is there an age issue there? Or just too lazy to study up that extra year ;P
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He's technically still in high school so no he can't go the NCAA route just yet. Turns 18 in May.

With what you said before though, Kakko and Hughes are elite talents, for sure. But I'd give the edge to Hughes, ATM, as well. Like @Edge mentioned he's been up on that No. 1 for a few seasons now. It would most likely take a massive year from Kakko and a down year from Hughes to dethrone him. Like most, though, I'd be happy with either.

I, also, find it interesting that Kakko has played center before in junior. Both seem like great gets!!
 
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