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Prospect Info: (G) Adam Gajan - 2023 NHL Draft, 35th Overall

Blackhawkswincup said:
Its not really using one of 2nd's that is issue its the selection spot

#35 they passed up alot of talent

They clearly wanted Gajan and jumped on him because of goalie run that appears to have happened. Still time will tell but there were some real good players they passed on for him
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Gojan might be great ... but you're right. The criticism is the PROCESS, not Gojan. Do you pick a goalie at #35 when a handful of first round skaters were still on the board? Goalies are like running backs. Picking them in the top 50 is not always the best risk/reward option since goalies develop late ... where so many good NHL goalies come outside the Top 50.
 
We don't know how they valued those skaters, there are guys who went in the first that they supposedly had on their "Do not draft" list (I'm guessing Wood is one of them).

If you don't know what their board looks like (and nobody here does) then there's no way of knowing if it was a "reach" I'm certain some of the skaters taken after 35 will be better than Gajan but that doesn't mean the Hawks even had them on their radar. We had 4 2nds, and we traded one away because there wasn't anyone in that spot the staff valued.

Many mocks and many people here had Cristal as a top 15 pick, NHL scouts clearly disagreed.
 
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Maybe a little high to go after a goalie, but if its the guy that you want and believe that he is a #1 then go for it.

Bedard-Generational Forward-1C
Moore-Fastest player in the draft-2C
Gajan-Future #1
Korchinski-Top Pair D
Nazar-2C
Rinzel-Top 4 D
 
piteus said:
It's going to be a while before we see Gojan. He'll play another year in Green Bay before starting at Minnesota Duluth in the Fall of 2024. We're looking at 3-4 years (~23 years old) before Gojan gets to the Hawks system ... which is fine by me.
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Elite prospects has him going to Minnesota-Duluth in 23-24. Same with Rinzel and Moore going to Minnesota in 23-24
 
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clydesdale line said:
Elite prospects has him going to Minnesota-Duluth in 23-24. Same with Rinzel and Moore going to Minnesota in 23-24
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Mike Donaghey confirmed today that the plan is for Gojan to go to Green Bay of the USHL next year. Gojan is currently slated to hit the Minnesota Duluth campus in the Fall of 2024.

Here is an article from the Minnesota Duluth newspaper:

"The 19-year-old, 6-foot-3 goaltender from Poprad, Slovakia, is verbally committed to the Bulldogs and slated to come to Duluth in the fall of 2024 after playing the entirety of the 2023-24 season in the United States Hockey League with the Green Bay Gamblers." (6/26/23)
www.duluthnewstribune.com

Five future Bulldogs to watch for this week during the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville

A pair of incoming freshmen and three other recruits are among those from the UMD hockey pipeline that could be drafted this week.
www.duluthnewstribune.com www.duluthnewstribune.com
 
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thedarkstark said:
We don't know how they valued those skaters, there are guys who went in the first that they supposedly had on their "Do not draft" list (I'm guessing Wood is one of them).

If you don't know what their board looks like (and nobody here does) then there's no way of knowing if it was a "reach" I'm certain some of the skaters taken after 35 will be better than Gajan but that doesn't mean the Hawks even had them on their radar. We had 4 2nds, and we traded one away because there wasn't anyone in that spot the staff valued.

Many mocks and many people here had Cristal as a top 15 pick, NHL scouts clearly disagreed.
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The Hawks had a completely different list than how the draft went down. When you combine the players on their DND list and the players they didn't value as highly, players like Gajan (35), Kantserov (44), and even Misiak (55) are all in their top 32. Lardis (67) was probably in their top 40-45, but maybe earlier. So in the Hawks minds, they got themselves 5 1st rounders and an early second rounder at the very least.

This is the case for every team though.
 
Just watching OHL pre-season hi-lights. Nick Lardis has some sweet hands. He can skate, has some sick moves and can finish. Other than size, what's the knock on him?
 
His play really tailed off late. The goalies taken after him are all ahead of him in development currently. Augustine and Fowler specifically have been extremely impressive. Even a guy like Clara has put up solid numbers in a pro league. Gajan has a long way to go.

Won't pretend to know everything that goes into goalie technique and projection but when guys after you play in harder leagues and put up way better numbers while also being a year younger, never usually good.
 
TLEH said:
His play really tailed off late. The goalies taken after him are all ahead of him in development currently. Augustine and Fowler specifically have been extremely impressive. Even a guy like Clara has put up solid numbers in a pro league. Gajan has a long way to go.

Won't pretend to know everything that goes into goalie technique and projection but when guys after you play in harder leagues and put up way better numbers while also being a year younger, never usually good.
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I wasn't a fan of that pick or any of the goalies that high. He was the most athletic of the goalies and with his size, this was a pure projection pick. It will be several years before we know what we have in him.
 
I'll hold off judgement until he reaches college next year. He's playing behind a dumpster fire of a defense in the USHL facing many, many shots. Had a good game his last game too against NTDP. I think he'll be fine once he actually has a structure, better coaching and much better players in front of him next year at Minnesota Duluth.
 
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clydesdale line said:
I'll hold off judgement until he reaches college next year. He's playing behind a dumpster fire of a defense in the USHL facing many, many shots. Had a good game his last game too against NTDP. I think he'll be fine once he actually has a structure, better coaching and much better players in front of him next year at Minnesota Duluth.
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Yeah.. it’s not like he’s a write off. I’m just saying that the guys after him have all essentially been way better statistically this year.
 
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