HF's Team Board Mock Draft

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he's very good defensively for his size, and his offensive upside is very high, and he's really THAT good, then why is he slipping to 21? What are the 20 GM's who pass on him missing that we know?

If we can project EB to be the next, say, Torey Krug or Ryan Ellis, then why can't Nick Hague be the next Shea Weber? There's no definitive answer because the players drafted now are not the players they will be 5 years from now. It depends how they develop, and THAT is largely projection.

It's a guessing game, and every June, like most of us, I enjoy playing it. It's fun! But nobody's hunch about how a player will mature is that much better than another's, because essentially that's what it is, a hunch.

Because he's 5'9. Tell me the last sub-5'10 defenseman to go early in the draft.

And there's also a big North American bias in the draft. Kirill Kaprizov went 135 after a season where he should've been a first rounder. Lawson Crouse went 11 in the same draft after a season where many thought he shouldn't have been a first rounder, but the experts decided he was 11th. There were actually top 5 rumblings about this guy who couldn't even average 1PPG in his draft year in the CHL. Crouse was a big North American, Kaprizov a small European. We picked Halverson in the second round in 2014, Shestyorkin the fourth round. Halverson was a big North American, Shestyorkin a small European. Everything pointed to Shestyorkin being elite, he finished the season as his team's starting goalie in the KHL at age 18, the Rangers selected a back up goalie in the CHL with a .904 SV% two rounds before they took Shestyorkin.

I'm giving my opinion. You do that as well. Most here have an opinion that Brannstrom should be the player we pick of those available options. You asked why, maybe you disagree, but I think a few people have given you an answer.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

This will really get interesting if a trade for 7OA happens. Whole new set of possibilities, especially if they keep #21.

The board was so set on Brannstrom. Drafting not only by need, but also by potential. If 7OA happens, there a whole new crop of players that were never discussed as they were so far out of reach.

Makar, Middlestadt, Glass, Vilardi, Heiskanen, Petterson, Liljegren

If 7OA it's likely that 2 of the aforementioned at least will be available. Let's say they go with Makar there, I think it would be highly unlikely they would select Brannstrom if they kept #21, and if Brannstrom was even there at that point. But...Maybe if NYR/ARI do make a deal, maybe they look to add one of the forwards with that pick and then hope Brannstrom is there at #21.

If we come out of this draft with Pettersson and Brännström somehow then i'm having a party!

 

[Lion Hound]

If we come out of this draft with Pettersson and Brännström somehow then i'm having a party!

I don't want to get too amped up but all the Ari/NYR talk just seems like there really is a deal to be had there. Petterson/Brannstrom could really happen.