Speculation: Florida's pick - Watch thread - (Upon request, thread title change lol)

[Scriptor]

Fantilli lace and a pretty face, all around the world....

I wouldn’t say he looked great.

He looked like a skilled, lanky kid who had big time struggles with his balance and took too long to release his shot.

He did have a decently accurate and strong shot when he did release, though, and very good passing skill, but coupled with limited vision.

He was all potential, and showed some decent results. Never really improved from there.


Why would they sell if they’re not drafting though?

Generosity?

 

[Corky]

I believe

Dear lord, I don’t what I’ll do if that happens. Probably go streaking in the streets of Singapore (and get arrested)

 

[HuGort]

The Florida Panthers are officially 6 points out of the final wildcard spot with 4 teams in front of them

 

[WeThreeKings]

I wouldn’t say he looked great.

He looked like a skilled, lanky kid who had big time struggles with his balance and took too long to release his shot.

He did have a decently accurate and strong shot when he did release, though, and very good passing skill, but coupled with limited vision.

He was all potential, and showed some decent results. Never really improved from there.


Why would they sell if they’re not drafting though?

They have to because of cap issues. When Duclair comes back they are over the cap. Chicago sold last year without their draft pick but they did do it after the season mostly.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

They have to because of cap issues. When Duclair comes back they are over the cap. Chicago sold last year without their draft pick but they did do it after the season mostly.

Hornqvist has a season ending injury and was put on LTIR. They should be ok to take Duclair off LTIR. They just need to send one of their spare forwards to AHL, and that should do it.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

What makes you think this franchise will pick those players? They'll probably find some unknown player from Romania, where legend has it scored 2 goals in a game in his own country. But hey, he's REALLY good at doing interviews.

Kopitar was drafted from one of those countries, so I'd be perfectly fine with it. I have no issues taking talent from smaller countries.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

The way things are going, Florida should seriously consider being a seller at the trade deadline...which would benefit the Habs.

They don't have their 1st. There's no way they sell.

 

[beowulf]

Don't jinx thread it my dude...

 

[salbutera]

Ok, these guys were outcoached by an empty chair, is it really better?

Jean Perron circa 1986 Cup win…

It's easy to forget, but KK looked great in his draft year, his weaknesses were there, but he looked like the kind of guy that would fill out and be a 30-30 threat with solid defense

KK had AKos syndrome - a great U18 tournament.

“Tournament” being the key word, it’s simply a data point and not to be used as the only indicator for measuring prowess - Timmins fell for the same scouting mirage twice

 

[Chili]

They don't have their 1st. There's no way they sell.

They don`t have 1sts the next three years.. If they fall out of the playoff race , which is the way they are trending, why hang onto players not in the plans for next season? They have a window here to get back in the race before they would have to decide so we`ll see.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Jean Perron circa 1986 Cup win…


KK had AKos syndrome - a great U18 tournament.

“Tournament” being the key word, it’s simply a data point and not to be used as the only indicator for measuring prowess - Timmins fell for the same scouting mirage twice

KK also had a strong Liiga season that year, so U18 wasn't the only measurement of him.

AK didn't just do well at u18s he freaking dominated. He put up almost 3 pts per game on a terrible Belarusian team. The Russian team had both Malkin & Ovechkin on it, and he out performed both.

However, that performance followed a strong WJC performance at 17, which is also rare. It's a 19 year old tournament. He also played for Belarus at the World Championship that year.

It was more than one tournament.

Sometimes players have great draft years then fizzle.

 

[WinterLion]

Why would they sell if they’re not drafting though?

To acquire assets. They will definitely sell if they get far enough back. Gudas as a rental will fetch them a nice return for example.

They don't have their 1st. There's no way they sell.

I think that depends on how far back they are. Obviously having they will do whatever they can to get back in the race. I have no doubt that if they feel they are not making the playoffs they will sell... if not they are throwing away assets.

 

[GrandBison]

KK also had a strong Liiga season that year, so U18 wasn't the only measurement of him.

AK didn't just do well at u18s he freaking dominated. He put up almost 3 pts per game on a terrible Belarusian team. The Russian team had both Malkin & Ovechkin on it, and he out performed both.

However, that performance followed a strong WJC performance at 17, which is also rare. It's a 19 year old tournament. He also played for Belarus at the World Championship that year.

It was more than one tournament.

Sometimes players have great draft years then fizzle.

What also play against him is that he will always be compared to his draft class.

 

[WeThreeKings]

KK also had a strong Liiga season that year, so U18 wasn't the only measurement of him.

AK didn't just do well at u18s he freaking dominated. He put up almost 3 pts per game on a terrible Belarusian team. The Russian team had both Malkin & Ovechkin on it, and he out performed both.

However, that performance followed a strong WJC performance at 17, which is also rare. It's a 19 year old tournament. He also played for Belarus at the World Championship that year.

It was more than one tournament.

Sometimes players have great draft years then fizzle.

AK didn't really fizzle.. he was a pretty good top 6 forward during his career here, it just gets lost because of the caliber of players drafted elsewhere in that first round.

 

[salbutera]

AK didn't really fizzle.. he was a pretty good top 6 forward during his career here, it just gets lost because of the caliber of players drafted elsewhere in that first round.

2007-2008 w 26G predominantly on the PP. Followed by 23, 15, and 12G.

I wouldn’t call that a “pretty good top-6 fwd during his career here”, he possessed the intellectual capacity of a gnat and played like it

 

[Schooner Guy]

The Florida Panthers "sellers" talk is more premature than a horny teenager getting his first bit of loving.

They're only 6 points out. NJ and Detroit are showing signs of cracking. Not sure if Buffalo's for real. Injuries could strike teams like the Penguins. One sustained winning streak and Florida's back in the mix.

 

[Cournoyer12]

Don't get your hopes up. Might as well give Dadonov and Drouin for future considerations to a contender as a package deal. No team will touch these two even with a 2 foot stick. I see both going to Europe to finish their careers. They won't be missed.

You have to pull the trigger if Monahan can fets a first and decent prospect. Hoffman won't bring much, might as well hold on to him until the following trade deadline.

HuGo must continue to be opportunistic and prioritize moves such as that of Monahan. In other words, force other GMs' hands to give uo firsts for cap dumps. With only Caufield and some fairly cheap prospects to extend with Price on LTIR, that's about 30 mil of cap.space to play with next year. It's the only way.

As far as I'm concerned, Edmundson and Savard can go if the price is right. Gallagher and Armia are impossible to move. I would hold on to Anderson. But there are plenty of bad contracts on this team, given by a clueless GM.

I’d like to see Hoff get to double digits in goals, might bring something. Still has that heavy shot after all as long as he puts it on cage Lol!

 

[WeThreeKings]

The Florida Panthers "sellers" talk is more premature than a horny teenager getting his first bit of loving.

They're only 6 points out. NJ and Detroit are showing signs of cracking. Not sure if Buffalo's for real. Injuries could strike teams like the Penguins. One sustained winning streak and Florida's back in the mix.

Yeah they're not gonna sell no matter what.

But they certainly aren't in a favorable position. A tough remaining schedule, Paul Maurice and Sly as coaches..

and they have no real path to the Atlantic, so it's wild card and while yes, the teams they are chasing have question marks, they have to beat out 5 teams and I'd argue that Ottawa finds themselves in the mix here again, soon.

 

[salbutera]

The Florida Panthers "sellers" talk is more premature than a horny teenager getting his first bit of loving.

They're only 6 points out. NJ and Detroit are showing signs of cracking. Not sure if Buffalo's for real. Injuries could strike teams like the Penguins. One sustained winning streak and Florida's back in the mix.

So you’re sayin the Habs are in same situation since they’re 7-pts out w 1-game in hand on Fla….

 

[Schooner Guy]

So you’re sayin the Habs are in same situation since they’re 7-pts out w 1-game in hand on Fla….

No...that's silly talk. The Habs finished last overall a season ago and have an extremely young team not built to contend over an 82 game season. The Panthers are the reigning President's Trophy winners.

 

[salbutera]

No...that's silly talk. The Habs finished last overall a season ago and have an extremely young team not built to contend over an 82 game season. The Panthers are the reigning President's Trophy winners.

Last year was a mirage for Panthers - almost the entire regular roster had career years most w unsustainable shooting % - they were not a good team and still aren’t.

Their complete lack of defensive awareness jettisoned them out of the playoffs

 

[Schooner Guy]

Last year was a mirage for Panthers - almost the entire regular roster had career years most w unsustainable shooting %

They still had 122 points and were plus-94. This wasn't a flukey playoff run where they rode a hot goalie. This was an entire 82 game season of dominant play.

I'm not saying they won't miss the playoffs. I'm saying anyone who thinks they are going to throw in the towel is living in a wet dream. There's a lot of hockey left.

The Panthers-Habs comparisons are apples and oranges.

 

[salbutera]

They still had 122 points and were plus-94. This wasn't a flukey playoff run where they rode a hot goalie. This was an entire 82 game season of dominant play.

I'm not saying they won't miss the playoffs. I'm saying anyone who thinks they are going to throw in the towel is living in a wet dream. There's a lot of hockey left.

The Panthers-Habs comparisons are apples and oranges.

Fla rode a hot start and career years by unknown assets coming out of nowhere - Duclair didn’t all of a sudden learn “how to play hockey” to become a 30G scorer….

Habs Cup finals wasn’t a flukey run, their MVP simply played like one, in fact Price played like his stats suggest the best playoff goalie (sv %) since 2013 w minimum 25GP

 

[Miller Time]

Yeah they're not gonna sell no matter what.

But they certainly aren't in a favorable position. A tough remaining schedule, Paul Maurice and Sly as coaches..

and they have no real path to the Atlantic, so it's wild card and while yes, the teams they are chasing have question marks, they have to beat out 5 teams and I'd argue that Ottawa finds themselves in the mix here again, soon.

they don't really have any UFA's to be to sell (Gudas, Hornqvuist if he returns from injury and a few depth vets), so it's kind of moot... but if they hit February without bouncing back they would be stupid not to try and leverage the deadline frenzy to add some draft collateral.or target some prospects nearing NHL ready level... and start focusing on next year by prioritizing the evaluation and development of their young players in the last few months of the season

with only 2x2nd and 2x 3rd picks in the next 3 drafts, and more than 1/2 of the cap tied up in 4 players (including Bob), and a roster that would be a massive long shot to get out of the 1st round if they sneak into the playoffs, it would be a huge mistake for them not to try and add some assets that might yield some low cost NHL roster players over the next 2-3 seasons.

plus, if the playoffs aren't in the cards this year, finishing as low as possible is still a net benefit as it would boost the 2nd round pick that they still have.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Fla rode a hot start and career years by unknown assets coming out of nowhere - Duclair didn’t all of a sudden learn “how to play hockey” to become a 30G scorer….

Habs Cup finals wasn’t a flukey run, their MVP simply played like one, in fact Price played like his stats suggest the best playoff goalie (sv %) since 2013 w minimum 25GP

I agree that the Habs playoff run wasn't a fluke. However it was a small sample size of games compared to an 82 game season. Florida also had been trending in that direction to becoming a contender and last year everything came together in the regular season.

They won't get 122 points again but counting them out of the playoffs this early in the season is looney tunes.

Duclair had a couple of 20+ goal seasons on his resume before last year including 23 in 66 games one season. Thirty goals wasn't out of the question given the stacked lineup he played on last year.